Strollers!

[kaeguri]

So I need stroller advice, especially from BTDT moms with kids closer in age. Our umbrella stroller died yesterday, and I'm not feeling lugging her giant, bulky stroller everywhere while extremely pregnant. So do I-

A. Buy another cheap $20 umbrella stroller, knowing it'll probably die in a year or so?

B. Buy a nicer, single lightweight stroller that will last us longer?

C. Go ahead and get a sit and stand? Or double stroller?

I plan on wearing the squish mostly, but I know there's going to be times I'll need to put her in the stroller. I like the idea of the sit and stands, but DD is a runner (sprinter) so she has to be tied down, otherwise I'm chasing her. Her favorite thing is to laugh at me as she's running in the opposite direction, usually towards traffic or any large body of water. So I'm not even sure if a sit and stand would work for us until she's much older. 

[klw]

I would probably go with option #2.

[pbandjelly]

Also option B.

[ohreally]

If you decide on a nicer umbrella stroller, Summer Infant makes a nice one. The 3D Lite or something like that. I like the bigger wheels and that it lays down fairly flat so it's great for naps or younger babies. We've had it for three years and it's held up well, although used sparingly.

We have a couple jogging strollers that we use for family walks. Otherwise, we only use strollers a few times a year - maybe a zoo trip, museum trip, and a festival. We typically use two umbrella strollers for those outings. We have a sit and stand that I thought I'd like for pushing the kids by myself a few blocks to the grandparents' house. I personally don't like it. I'd never load it in my van and take it somewhere. It's too big and cumbersome. I also wouldn't use it for a baby until they can sit unassisted (unless you use an infant car seat).

For reference, I currently have a 4 yo, 3 yo, and 1 yo. Last summer we worked on getting the (then) 3 year old used to walking more. If he needed a rest, I wore the baby so the 3 yo could ride in one of the strollers.

[PennyCandy]

B.

I'm planning to wear this one as much as I can and use our stroller for J (it's a Graco lite rider or something similar.) It works well enough for as often as we use it.

[pickles]

Awesome question!

I’m curious about the sit and stand stroller. My 2.5DD likes to walk for a while but the novelty definitely wears off and wants to be carried. This type of stroller seemed like a good solution. Are there any downsides? Any experience with them is appreciated!

[vvvvvfee]

i'd say B. we already had both a hand-me-down lightweight stroller and a jogging stroller when i got pregnant with DS2. by far we used the lightweight stroller most frequently. i debated getting a double stroller when pg with DS2, but they're wide/heavy/hard to maneuver. also, by the time DS2 was born, DS1 (newly 3) really was not happy about being constrained in a stroller. i wore DS2 for the first several months whenever we went anywhere, anyway-- if we were going to a store, i would wear DS2 and DS1 would ride in the shopping cart. if we were going somewhere outdoors, he would run free and i would wear DS2. the only time we really used the stroller for him was if we were in a city environment. now, granted, i was very rarely in a position where i had to take both kids somewhere by myself, so YMMV.

we also got a hand-me-down stroller stand attachment (similar to this) and DS1 would not use it. i think the wobbliness made him nervous and he also didn't like how he was squished between the stroller driver and the stroller.

[kaeguri]

Thanks everyone! I figured the sit n stands would be too bulky for quick outings, so y'all just confirmed what I was thinking already. I think I'm leaning towards a Maclaren Globetrotter. It reclines, and has mesh seats, and a massive UV protected canopy which will be perfect for here.