General Information

Types of Strollers

Inline:

Children sit "in line" with each other. Seats may recline fully or partially depending on manufacturer and model. Two types of inline strollers:

Tandem:

Children generally sit facing away from you. Often more suited for a toddler and an infant than twins.

Limousine:

Children can sit face-to-face with each other, facing you, or facing forward.

Side-By-Side(S/B/S):

Children sit adjacent to each other’s side. Most newer models have seats that recline individually.

Jogging Strollers

S/B/S models built to handle rougher terrain. Some may convert to bicycle trailer. One inline stroller that can be used as a jogging stroller is the Runabout line of strollers.

Triple & Quad Strollers

Seat 3 or 4 children respectively

Specialty Strollers

• The Double Decker/Triple Decker Strollers
  This stroller is a frame which allows you to snap on 2 or 3 EVENFLO® ON MY WAY® or ON MY WAY® infant car seats.
• Snap and Go type of stroller frames made for two infant car seats.
• Sit 'N Stand LX V
  This stlitroller by Baby Trend is an inline stroller which has a sit and stand position for an additional toddler. Some websites include it in their sections which sell triple strollers.

Alternative options to using a stroller:

• Two single umbrella strollers attached with a stroller clip.
• Two adults to push single strollers or each carries a child in a sling, carrier or backpack.
• One adult with one baby in a single stroller and the other baby in a carrier, sling or backpack.
• Wagons for outdoor walks.
• Multiple shopping carts for indoor needs.

Where To Find Strollers For Multiples

• Mother's of Twins Clubs (garage sales, word of mouth, newsletter advertisement)
• Retail shops & their catalogs
• Consignment shops
• Baby Catalogs
• Internet web sites
  • Internet search engines might take you to other "classified ad" type pages where people have strollers for sale.
  • Internet Resources section of this FAQ

Criteria to consider when selecting a stroller:

• Cost of the stroller/budget needs
• Amount of storage space required for the stroller

  (in your house &/or in your vehicle)

• Ease of use, weight of stroller

  (Will you have to be carrying it up flights of stairs to your apartment?)

• Your particular needs for this stroller:
  • Portability
  • Compactness
  • Rough vs. smooth terrain
  • Weather conditions that you will use it in
  • Other children who will need a stroller (now or in the future)
• Feedback of others who have used this stroller
  • Bulletin boards Parents Place or The Baby Net

    (look for discussions geared towards parenting multiples or toward expectant mothers)

  • Epinions.com
  • Evaluations portion of this FAQ

Inline Vs. Side by Side

Advantages & Disadvantages

Comments

"We originally thought a side by side would bring too much attention to the "twins" but it didn't seem to matter what stroller we used."

"So, my experience is that the front/back configuration is convenient in the early months, but as they get older, the width of the side-by-side models is probably worth the inconvenience just to keep them happy!"

"But as soon as they discovered they could inflict damage on their brother, they did, didn't matter if they were front to back or side to side. That happy day happened when they were about 15 mos."

"They never fought in [our limo style stroller]. If they were facing each other, they played and giggled. I was sooo sad they outgrew it by 2 1/2 years! Once we switched to the SBS, _then_ the fighting started. They were so close, they were always bothering eachother, and it was much easier to hit, poke, tease (what, _my_ angels!?! 'fraid so...)."

"Bottom line is, I think it depends on where you live, how much you anticipate using the stroller (like taking long walks with the babies, etc), and how amenable your kids are to sitting next to each other."

Keep in mind that, when traveling, the stroller can be used as a bed for small infants in the hotel.

With an inline stroller, it may be possible to place two infant carriers on the stroller when the seats are in the reclined positions. This way you don't have to disturb sleeping infants.

"I have started to use my in-line stroller, with both seats fully reclined, for all three of my toddlers (age 2, 2, & 1) to sit in. It works fine on walks, but not well on shopping adventures when I have to stop frequently; it's too easy to get out of."

"For my piece of mind and ability to ever leave the house with the girls, the tandem stroller was essential."

"In addition, both girls also prefer the front seat to the back one, but I try to alternate them in it each time we set out."

"Also, I actually got stuck in the automatic doors of the grocery store when I tried to use the side-by-side last year!"

"When [my girls] were in the side/side stroller, they held hands a lot. Not only adorable, but preferred to squabbling!"

"I alternate my 18-month-old twin daughters so that no one has to be in the back seat all the time."

"I was in Walgreens yesterday to pick up a prescription. With its numerous displays and narrow aisles, I would not have made it to the pickup counter without my front-back stroller."

(In reference to stores with narrow aisles.) "The worse culprits were the children's departments. Excuse me but who shops there? Anyway I complained to the stores but it did no good."

A Second Survey

Recently, a mother expecting twins polled list members about their preferences regarding S/B/S or tandem strollers. Many of the benefits and problems that she found have also been incorporated into the table at the head of this section Here are her results:

"I had 31 responses total. 15 for side by side 16 for tandem.

"Tandems were the winners but many of the voters expressed some problems or features that made them better:

• Benefits: easier to get through tight places, can be steered with one hand.
• Problems: hair pulling, front seat in recline intrudes on back seat, kick fights for leg room, who gets front seat, difficult to turn make turns.
• Must haves: sun visors, Front seat needs to pivot and recline, Back seat recline, Storage space
• *some parents also used single light-weight umbrella strollers for special outings

"Side by Side strollers are obviously loved by their owners and rarely present problems.

• Benefits: no hair pulling, no fighting over who is in front, or who is in the sun, kids hold hands.
• Problems: More difficult to manuver: through "clothing" racks, or with one hand (in some cases)
• Must haves: Both seats recline, storage space.

"Obviously it is a matter of personal choice, the overwhelming majority of the side by side responses were SOOOO Positive that I'll probably get one of those!"

Tips when using a S/B/S

"If you are going to go through a door or other place that is tight it is very helpful to make sure the front (steering) wheels are pointed in the right direction before you try. Pushing down on the back of the stroller to lift the front up slightly usually will accomplish this.

"It sometimes helps to go sideways or other directions if you lift the back wheels off the ground slightly.

"In rough loose stuff (i.e. gravel) the front wheels just slow you down. You guessed it get them off the ground. Also, sometimes going backwards works better in loose stuff.

"Equal weight on both sides of the stroller really helps the maneuverability. Our 3-year-old on one side and one of the babies makes it very interesting to steer. Especially across a grass football field earlier this year!"

Advice From Parents of Multiples

While contemplating this purchase…

"Don't stress too much about this decision before the babies are born. The babies might have their own ideas -- as we discovered with the inline. They hated it. If it's at all an option, borrow a pram or a carriage for the early days, because that's really all you need. The babies are lying down anyway."

"I would recommend that if there is one piece of equipment you don't scrimp on, it should be the stroller. Just being able to set it up with one hand and one foot and throw it in the back of the car makes getting out possible. Remember, you'll have already loaded two kids, diaper bag, pacifier, favorite toy,"

"I personally like the 'buy 'em cheap and replace 'em more often' approach, but I know there are many folks who would rather buy once, spend more money and not have to worry about it again."

"Having two reasonably priced strollers (tandem and side-by-side) works for us."

"--There is no ONE perfect stroller. You can’t have complete comfort AND a good ride AND have compactness and portability.

--Basic law of physics: the bigger the wheels, the easier it’s going to be to go over bumps, cracks and other minor obstacles.

--Since it’s hard to find one perfect stroller, don’t bust your bank account on one of the European models. Take the same money and buy two different strollers--one that’s REALLY compact and portable, and another that’s REALLY comfortable and/or all-terrain."

While shopping…

"Everyone likes different strollers for different reasons. Be sure to test drive your stroller extensively, fold it up, see if it fits in your car, etc. By the time I bought the Graco the staff at Toys R Us thought it was mine...I'd been in and out of the bathroom with it and purposely walked the girls around for a long time to see if they were comfy. It's not unusual to end up with more than one stroller."

"I also advise anyone who is shopping for a stroller to go "test drive" as many models as you can. Take it out to the car and put it in and out a few times so you can really see what is involved."

"When you go to try and ride with it, make sure to add sufficient weight. This stroller will have to carry a lot of weight. My first one felt great when tried empty on carpet. However, outside on the pavement with two substantial babies in it, it was really too HEAVY!"

RESEARCH the company before you purchase any stroller or other product of importance. Find out how they handle repairs -- do you return the stroller to the store where it was purchased or the manufacturer? If it goes to the manufacturer, how long of a turn around time before you get the stroller back? What about a replacement stroller while yours is being repaired? Who pays for the shipping? Do they replace the stroller or fix it?

Keep your receipt just in case something happens to the stroller and you need repairs or an exchange.

Tips for buying a jogging stroller:

• If you plan to travel with it, check how easy it is to take apart and fold.
• If you don’t plan to travel with it, save money and buy one that doesn’t fold.
• Find out if it will fit in the trunk of your car or if you will need to purchase a bike rack to transport it.

Tips for buying a bike trailer

The following advice about selecting a bike trailer was given by a list member:

"Reasons I spent the extra for [my] trailer:

• Construction - Most of the cheap trailers have each wheel attached on only one side. This puts stress on the wheel and frame. It also leaves the wheel exposed if you should hit something. Ours has a frame that wraps around the outside of the wheels and includes a tube inside the wheels so each is attached on both sides. Clearly stronger and if you do hit something it is much more likely to live through it.
• Capacity: The capacity on ours is 150 lbs. For twins that is a definite plus.
• Hitch - This is where you really will see the difference between a good and a great trailer. Ours has a piece permanently mounted to the bicycle. Extras are available and my wife and I each have one on our bike. The trailer attaches with a simple pin and has an additional nylon safety strap. Most of the cheaper trailers use a spring to provide rotation of the hitch and most clamp onto the frame. The permanent piece seemed much less likely to damage the frame then repeated clamping to the frame. Some attach to the bottom frame rail so that the bike can be laid over without affecting the trailer. I've seen somebody who makes trailers that attach to the seat post claiming theirs is better because you can turn sharper. I've never had a problem with that while riding. I've noticed it occasionally when turning the bike around while standing on the ground. Simply picking the bike up solves that problem.
• Protection - I've mentioned the frame. Ours includes a full cover and the kids stay reasonably warm in there. We also have a screen cover that keeps the bugs off but lets more air in.
• Cargo - Ours has a cargo space behind the seat so the kids can't get to it. There is plenty of room to take some supplies, lunch etc. I went along on a church youth group outing with my daughter in the trailer. I hauled all the lunches and several coats too.
• Options - Tons of options for it - see web site for particulars, but they have a stroller conversion (quickly switchable), ski package, etc. One we particularly liked was what they designed for slightly older kids. They have an attachment for the back of the trailer that lets you tow a kids bike behind the trailer. This lets you take the young rider but when they tire put them in the trailer and tow their bike. (You remove the front wheel and clamp the forks in.) Its designed for one bike but could be modified for two.

Other tips to consider with a bicycle trailer

• A couple random notes here... A friend much more into bicycles than I swears by them and won't touch a kiddie seat. He was hit and went down but his young son was fine in the trailer and didn't go down with dad.
• We were told that children under 2 should not wear bicycle helmets because the added weight can injure their little necks.
• As you [might have] noticed the ones in the department store are fairly cheaply made and don't incorporate a lot of safety features.
• The only problem we've had is that the kids don't like it if you stop for any length of time. They want to go!
• If you belong to a bike club you might be able to find some one who is ready to outgrow their Burley and put dibs on it.
• One thing to think about, though, is that even though the [trailer] can hold the weight of 2 preschoolers, can the kids handle being in that small a space with helmets on without driving each other crazy. I'm not talking about the 2 year olds, but more about the 4 year olds. While my daughter was happy in the trailer till she was about 5 (we went on a 5 day bed and breakfast trip with the bikes and trailer only when she was 4), at age 2, the boys were already banging their helmeted heads together. You may not get as many years with 2 kids as with one, is all I'm saying.

For toddler multiples who are really fidgety in their strollers,

Some parents have used harnesses for extra restraint and security. The harnesses I'm referring to are not the body harnesses with a strap for the parent's wrist. Rather, they are the kind intended to support a child in a highchair or shopping cart. They fasten around the child and also around the seat.

Others have purchased a toy bar to serve as a distraction and an additional barrier. Since these are not necessarily designed for double strollers (at least not for SBSs), you may have to work with it to attach it.)

Stroller Options for Twins and a Singleton

Sit 'N Stand LX V

This stroller by Baby Trend is an inline stroller which has a sit and stand position for an additional toddler.

This stroller is no longer manufactured by Baby Trend. It is my understanding that due to its length and weight, parents found it hard to push and control.

A double stroller and stroller attachment

Products that attach to your stroller such as the LITAF "Seat 2 Go" or Junior Rider Deluxe allow an older toddler to ride along. Babies Express had some of these in their stroller accessory sections.

A double stroller and a carrier

"We went with a double stroller. What I would do when out by myself is put one of the babies in a snuggli and the other in the stroller or if I was at the grocery store, in her carrier in the cart. That was about the first 4 to 5 months. Now I put one in a backpack (they LOVE this)and the other in the stroller with the 2 year old."

(From a mom of triplets):

"As far as the triplet strollers are concerned, they are bulky, they need to be disasembled, or you need a special attachment on your auto to transport. They are magnets for crowds (you'll never get anything done!)They are just very cumbersome. Mine was almost $600 (a gift) and I rarely use it. I mostly comfortable with a double stroller and single if I'm with someone, and the double and a backpack if I'm alone."

A triple stroller

"In response to the inquiry about triple strollers, I wanted to add that I bought a new JMason Triple in-line stroller for $199. It is not a super high quality stroller but I decided it would meet my needs for occasional use with all 3 kids. The thing that is great about it is that it folds up just like a double stroller and can easily be stored in a car trunk without having to remove the seats, etc.--as is required of both the Peg perego triple and the Ingelsina triple. All three seats recline and have hoods. I also splurged and bought the Inglesina Twin Jet side by side for more frequent use. Since my twins haven't arrived yet, however, I can not attest to either stroller's ease of use."

This mom later reported: "So far, I think the triple stroller was an unneeded purchase. I have never used it. I just find the double to meet my needs as my 2 yr old has suddenly decided he is too big to ride in a stroller--I had not anticipated this when I bought the triple."

"I recently ordered the Inglesina Trio. I have an 18 month daughter and twin newborns. When deciding on either a twin or triplet stroller, I finally chose the Inglesina. The main reason for my decision was based on the adaptabilty of this stroller. When my older daughter outgrows a stroller, I can convert the trio into a double by removing one of the toddler seats. I then have the option of placing the twins side by side or inline depending on where we are going. I will generally use the the trio when I take outdoor walks with all three children or when I need to take them to a doctors appt.( the doctors office is hanicap access, so the width of the stroller is not very important). If I need to go shopping where the isles are narrow, I can convert the stroller into an inline double and my husband can push our older daughter in a single stroller."Click here to see an evaluation of this stroller.

"I got the Jogging stroller and took my kids everywhere. It gave me such freedom. I know it doesn't breakdown to stow in your car easily but I just put it in the back of the van and took the wheels off. It was worth every penny-$600. When we had our last child our twins were 2 years old and big brother was 4 years old so it worked great then too. I never let my kids walk in the mall or at Seaworld, Disneyworld etc because I was really concerned about them getting snatched. I also found that the monitors and O2 were easily carried on the back of each seat as the stroller was so well built - if that is a concern for you."

From the owner of a Runabout quadrulpet stroller: "I would recommend a triplet runabout for parents of twins. This gives you an extra seat for sibs (existing or waiting to happen) and you can use the seat for diaper bags, shopping bags, etc. The seats are very easy to pop on and off so you can set it up as a twin stroller. However, the frames are smaller on twin runabouts so you can't later add a third seat. The triplet and quad frames are identifical." Click here to see an evaluation of this stroller.

A double and a single stroller

"When I found out I was pregnant with my singleton (6 months after my twins were born), I started asking about triple strollers. One person highly recommended the Inglesina. Another responded that she didn't think it would be good for infants of different weights. Since I wasn't able to find much out about it, I didn't investigate it any further.

"I had considered buying a Peg Perego triplette stroller from a mom in my multiples club who had a singleton son and then twin boys 13 months apart. (Our singleton is 13 months younger than our twins.) She loved her stroller and said that it was her lifesaver because it allowed her to get out. She was also a single parent.

"After considering the Perego and Runabout triple strollers (at that time, JMason didn't make a triple, and as I've already mentioned, I couldn't find much about the Inglesina), we decided to go with two strollers. The major reasons we decided against the triples were cost and the fact that it would have to be assembled and disassembled each time we use it. Since we already had a double inline, I thought that the kids would be aggitating each other and that their views would be blocked. We replaced our inline with a side by side and bought a single stroller where the handle rotates so that you can push/pull it and the baby can still face forward.

"Advantages to having two strollers… you can split up when needed. It also gives flexibility in other situations. I don't always have to use both strollers. Other advantages... each kid has his own personal space. More storage space. Disadvantages… it still takes up a lot of room in the car (at least the ones we chose. Still takes time to collapse both and put them away. Whether this was easier than diassembling and storing a triple stroller??? I don't know.

"I've never been shy about going out with the kids. When my singleton was little, I'd take them all grocery shopping with me or out on errands or other shopping. In the malls or at the doctor's office I'd push the double and pull the single. In the grocery store or stores with carts, I'd push the twin stroller and put the baby carrier in the cart and pull the cart. The only thing I didn't like is that the baby was usually facing away. I don't have a strong back -- I'd considered using a carrier, but I was worried about hurting my back.

"If I had it to do all over again, I think I would have like to have checked out the Ingelsina a little bit more closely. The only disadvantage I see now with a triple would be the price (and maybe the width of thie Inglesina triple). However, my in-laws were willing to help out with the cost. I've also been able to see a few Peregos and talk to triplet moms who use them. I don't think it would have been as inconvenient as I originally thought. So, if I did have to do it over, I might have gone with a triple.

"Now, when we go shopping, we tend to put the 3 kids (they're 2.5 and 1.5 years old) in 2 separate carts at stores and each take a cart (unless we're at the mall). If I only have a few items, I'll sometimes put them all in one and place a small basket under the cart for shopping items. I've also started getting out the inline double and putting both seats flat. All 3 kids can sit in it.

"Another thing to think about when facing this decision is how often will you travel? Will you fly or drive? How will you store/transport the strollers? We flew to Orlando when the kids were 20 and 7 months old. We took both strollers. We also flew with the grandparents so there was a 4:3 adult child ratio."

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