Double Stroller or Sit-and-Stand?

Hi J.,

The sit and stand will be great when the baby is a little older- for a new born through 6 months I'd recommend the double stroller. depends how active the 3 year old is and if he'll mind sitting. I have 2 about a year and a half apart and we used the double stroller until the baby was about 8 months old. Now the sit and stand is perfect. Good luck!

I have a 3 year-old and a 1 month old. I ended up getting a Litaf Sit 2 Go (I think that's it's name) and love it! It's an attachement you can buy that works with any stroller (a huge bonus since I liked my old carseat but it wasn't compatable with most of the double strollers or the Sit and Stand) - it has 2 steps so that the older child can sit or stand and it clips on to the back so if you don't have the older child with you, you can take it off. We've already used it mulitple times and it works great!

They are hard to find in stores, but I got one off ebay pretty cheap!

By the time the snow melted and I had two kids to take out, my son was 2 1/2 and I highly recommend the double. He sits in the front and she's in the infant seat in the back. It's easy to get him in and out and yet it keeps him contained. I also thought about the sit and stand but think he'll feel he's getting the short end if he doesn't have a nice seat like his baby sister. Plus it seems to give a little too much freedom for him to run and he does like to run.

You get used to pushing the double and it is heavier but then again, so are two kids.

I have both a double stroller and a sit and stand and would suggest the sit and stand route. My son is 4 and my daugther is 2 and I'm pregnant with #3 who will also be 2 years younger. I know that for the first few months of my children's lives I would have them in a sling or Baby Bjorn and therefore kept my older child in the single stroller.

When the little one got too big to comfortably carry, I would put her in the stroller and my son would stand on the back when he was tired. I have a Peg Perego Venezia one that fits my Peg carseat and love it. All Peg Perego strollers have a standing board on the back and their quality is unbeatable!

And then when your older one no longer wants to be in a stroller, you're not stuck with a double one but have a nice single stroller for the remaining couple of years with your youngest...or next child.

Best of luck!

We have the sit and stand (purchased via the One Step Ahead website). Our kids are 23 months apart. I didn't really use the sit and stand when our youngest was a tiny baby (didn't usually take both kids out at the same time) - but once she was able to sit up we have been using the sit and stand and really like it. It has a place for drink cups on the handle. There is a large basket for storage however, it is a bit difficult to get access to. I would recommend the sit and stand.

Hit the Rummages this summer for a double stroller.
Your daughter is pretty young yet.

I'm not sure if the Sit N Stand works with a Graco seat. I bought a Graco Duoglider which worked with the Graco infant seat and I also purchased the Kaboose Sit N Stand and my youngest was already out of the infant seat when we were using that. I'd suggest the Sit N Stand but maybe check their website or call the manufacturer or Babies R Us to see if you can use the Graco infant seat. With your oldest wanting to get in and out the Sit N Stand will work great.

my son is 3 and i am so thankful we decided to go with the double. he still falls asleep in the stroller, and when we are out for the day it is nice for him to be able to take his nap still.

i would recommend the graco quattro. very easy to maneuver. i've tried a few doubles, and this one is my favorite!

Hi Jaimie-
I have a 2 1/2 year old son, and a 3 month old daughter. When we go for walks in the morning I put my daughter in a baby bjorn, and my son goes in the stroller. My son likes to get out frequently, too. My daughter loves the bjorn, and sleeps for most of the walk. Also, the bjorn provides enough of a workout for me that I'm almost down to pre-pregnancy weight already. I'm not sure what I'm going to do when she gets too big for the carrier, though.
M.

Hi J.,

My son was 20 months when my second was born. I opted for a side by side walking stroller for the park, zoo, walks, the state fair, etc. I carried the baby in a sling or bjorn for the first 6-7 months. By then, my son was about the age yours is going to be, and he really did well walking most of the time. We do most of our walks in the neighborhood so the side by side was perfect for that.

I expected him to walk when we went shopping, or were going to or from a building. I thought it was good for him to learn that behavior early, and I had him walk a lot the last few months before baby was born so he was used to the rules.

I was going to buy a sit and stand, but when I really thought about how often I would use it (vs. a walking side by side) it made more sense for me to get the walker.

Make a list of the places you plan to use the stroller. If you go shopping at the mall often, and want a stroller for the kids, then you need something navigable in smaller spaces. Also think about how independent your daughter is, will she be willing to walk or want to walk more often than not? Then maybe you don't need the double stroller.

Something else to consider is what season it will be when your baby comes. Because you are due in the fall/winter you may end up carrying the car seat a ton! Maybe you just need one of those things your carseat clicks into so you can push it easily and hold your daughter's hand.

Good luck with your decision!

J.

I would definitly go with the sit and stand. I have a 2 yr 10 month old and a newborn and I love it, it has some downfalls, but they are the same as I found with my frineds double stroller. The sit and stand is great because it work as a double or they can stand, it is also easier for the older child to get in and out if you leave them unbuckled which is great for the park.

We got one on the Target website that can be either double or sit and stand. It is a Baby Trend. The downside of this stroller is that there is basically no storage. The basket underneath is very small. Otherwise we like it. The infant car seat can attach to the front. My girls are 2 years 4 months apart. My eldest really liked the sit and stand, but if we think she is going to be tired we put the other seat in.

I just had a baby and I have a 2 1/2 year old. My 2 yr old was still willing to sit in the stroller (most of the time) so I was in the same predictament. We ended up getting the double stroller sit n stand. It is a double stroller that later turns into the sit n stand. They sell it at Target. It works great!!! It is big like the double, but I like the convenience of still having a little control over the 2 year old. The baby seat is suppose to go in the front seat and the older child in the back...I think this is a bit goofy. It has worked out for us to put the infant car seat sideways in the back seat of the stroller so that the 2 yr old can't bug the baby. Good luck!

Hello. We have a two year old who likes to get out and walk but sometimes get tired. We will have a newborn in the next week. We also have the Graco Snugride and did a lot of research and bought the Jovvy sit and stand at Babies R Us. It holds the carseat up front and that seat goes to 40 lbs. and the back to 50. It is one of the better ones if your child happens to be tall for their age as well. We have already been using it for him and he likes it much better than our other double jogging stroller.

The only thing it didn't have was a cup holder attachment and we bought the parent organizer at Babies R Us as well.

Good luck.

D.

I would recommend the double stroller. Your daughter might want to get in and out now, but that will pass. My son is now 4 and my daughter 2 and we will use our double. They go through a phase where they don't want to sit - then they realize it's nice. If you are doing a lot of walking, your older child is going to get tired and want to sit down. I have the McLaren Twin Traveller. It's a little pricier than others, but well worth it. It's a side by side, turns well, it's not too bulky and it's pretty light. It does not house a car seat, but it is designed for an infant. The only problem is you can't move them without waking them.

Good luck!

J.,
My oldest was 27 months when our second was born. I had a double stroller and LOVED it. It is bigger, but you get used to it. And now, you can get some pretty compact double strollers (I would NOT recommend the side by side - its really difficult to navigate unless you are outside, it's just too wide). I used my double until my oldest was at least 4. Not because he couldn't walk, but sometimes you just don't want them running off. The sit n stand is OK,too- I just think it depends on if it is for occasional use, or lots of use. I used mine constantly.
Good luck!

We have the sit and stand by Baby Trend and it does fit the snugride carseat. Our son was 22 months when our new baby was born. I have been happy with the stroller so far. It is definitely bigger than the single, bigger than I thought it would be. I would think it's probably about the same size as a double stroller. The joovy brand is more compact I believe but the storage under the stroller is very small on that model. I opted for more storage which has come in handy.

Mine are almost 3 yrs apart I say definately the sit-n-stand. I have Baby Trend and my snugride carseat was a perfect fit. I even went to the store (baby depot) and tried it out first. Even my husband commented on how easy it is to handle! Congrats on the new baby!

I used a lightweight side by side double. had a huge basket and was much easier to get the bigger child in/out w/out having the front tray or seat to deal with. As a lightweight it was lighter than my regular stroller.

something I would do with the newborn before they're able to sit is lay them w/ the single stroller flat, all the way back, then the bigger child sitting in front. Wouldn't work for a long day where the older child might need to lay down unless you use a Snuggli or something for that time. I really liked the huge double basket in the side by side though. Just realized the bigger child can't lay down in the sit/stand either, lol.

I HIGHLY recommend the Sit-n-Stand deluxe. It is both a double stroller and a sit-n-stand. Maybe someone already offered it up but we LOVE ours and it converts very easily. We bought ours at Target.

My daughter is 28 months and my son is 6 months. We have a Graco double stroller which is nice, but recently purchased the Ergo baby carrier and LOVE it for a number of reasons. The Ergo is a front, hip, and back carrier. It's easier for me to keep track of both kids when one is on me!! Also, there have been a few occasions when I've put my 28 month old in the Ergo and 6 month old in an umbrella stroller. This setup has given me to confidence to venture out more frequently without having to lug around our double stroller.

Hi J.! I'm not sure what's a sit and stand but double stroller to me is definitely a NO for me. I find it too bulky and not all places and "double" friendly. When my second child was born, my older son was only 21 month old too! We invested in a "kiddy board" (front hooking) when we hook onto the stroller. (depending what kind of stroller you have, you might need "Buggy Board" (side hooking). My son loves it as he's able to stand and look. He's able to get down easily as well, as you know kids at that age are rather curious and active. You might wanna bring along a sling (I prefer a sarong sling) just in case when your daughter is tired, you can sling your little one and let your daughter rest in the stroller. It's definitely much better than a double stroller. Hope it helps and good luck!

I myself would go with the double. My son is 34 months old and I am still using the stroller a lot. Especially if he falls asleep in the car and I sometimes am able to transport him and save the nap, and sometimes if he's tired enough he'll fall asleep in the stroller. I would hate to be out and about with a baby in a stroller and have a toddler who really is too tired to walk (or stand) anymore and be stuck trying to carry one and push the other. Kids can benefit from a stroller even up to like four years if they want to, so it wouldn't be a waste of money. My only suggestion other than that is to make sure you get one in back and front, not a side by side. I have seen many a mom stuck in a doorway. Hope this helps. (Oh, and even though my stroller is single, I have used the double when my older two were little and was very glad to have it).

Oh god, if you do get a double stroller make sure it's not the one Grayco makes which has a child in front and one in the back. That will KILL your back. I always wished I had just gotten the side-by-side one instead. The salesperson at the stroller department talked me into getting that awful Grayco one by saying it could make it through store doors better than the side-by-side one but geez, who's got narrow store doors these days anyhow???