Questions To Ask Before Buying a Double Stroller

Motherhood has always been a bliss for women. If there is something in this world that has the potential of changing the lives of a woman upside down, then it’s the anticipation of a newborn and then seeing the dream come true, giving life to a life, holding a part of you! There has always been so much to much write and read about motherhood and parenting, but when once the euphoria and excitement of a positive pregnancy subsides, that’s when the reality and practicality hits hard on the face. Managing and caring for kids, especially the newborns is nothing less than learning guerrilla warfare! That includes taking care of their food, diapers and also safe transport.

In such a situation, if you are the one who is seeking for a double stroller for two of your kids, it is the right time for you to stop in your track and read on to know in depth of these strollers and the questions you must ask yourself before buying one! (also find the actual answer to them!)

How old are your children?

Double Strollers best suit families that have twins or are expecting one. With a tendency of shifting to one side due to the unequal weight of the toddlers, in case of twins, the strollers remain balanced because of the almost similar weight of the kids.

In case of families with kids of varying size and weight, Double Strollers don’t work well. Instead, tandem stroller proves to be a better bet. Seating in a tandem stroller is somewhat similar to seating in an airplane. While the seating compartment for the front child is roomy and spacious like seating in a first class compartment of an airplane, the rear, the bigger child is left with less space, similar to an economy class.

The major issue with tandem strollers is that very less space is left for the bigger child. However, the best strollers provide the ability to change seating arrangement as per the need., allowing both children to face each other or the bigger child to stand.

Does a Double Stroller fit your life?

Just like before buying any household item, we check its compatibility with our homes and lives, it is equally important to check the compatibility of double strollers, if they’ll fit in or instead of being an aid would turn out to be something not worth.

Since most of the double strollers allow to fit in both the children laterally, side by side, such that the size of the stroller increases horizontally, roughly double the size of a normal stroller, it becomes difficult to carry the stroller to crowded places, narrow doorways adding to already tough lives of urban areas.

Contrary to this, in tandem strollers, since both the children are placed facing each other the size of the stroller is exactly similar to a normal stroller. However, a tandem stroller is difficult to maneuver instead. Unlike most of the double strollers that are difficult and heavy to fold to fit into the car trunk, a tandem stroller becomes a savior.

How often do you use your current stroller?

The impact and feel of using a double stroller completely depend on how regularly you use your current stroller. If you are in a habit of using your stroller on a daily basis then chances are that you may not like using a double stroller. On the other hand, if you will be using a stroller for the first time, it would give you the feel of riding an SUV in a compact form!

However, most double strollers provide the flexibility of carrying two or more kids at a time without compromising the ease of access and maneuverability. In addition to this, double strollers are more prone to tip over, risking the safety of your tiny trot. To ensure maximum safety, buy stroller models with safety features like five-point harness system and the logo from the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association (JPMA). These models are tested to comply with the essential safety standards for harness, breaking, pinch points and other systems needed in a stroller.

As of now, we recommend only the following three double stroller models:

The Joovy Scooter X2
The Graco FastAction Fold Duo Click Connect
The Bugaboo Donkey Duo

Instead, we suggest, if both the parents are available for each of the children, the best choice is to opt for strollers for each child individually and buy an additional double model for times when only one parent is available to look for both the children.

Additionally, if you live in city areas, look for tandem strollers for they are easy to carry in the much-crowded areas and look for side-by-side models only when you live in suburbs or folding and stashing in a car trunk, maneuver of the stroller is not an issue for you and it is very less likely for you to encounter any obstructions in your path for double models are prone to tiptoeing even on the smallest pebbles. If one of the children to be transported is under the age of six, look for strollers that accept infant seat. Lastly look at how much time the stroller has to be used.

Considering all the pros and cons of a double, side-by-side stroller and a tandem stroller, it is best advised to go for either of them that best suits your requirement and doesn’t create a fuss for you.