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Two Under 2
Bbelle88
member
a soon to be mom of 2u2 needs advice!
Bbelle88
member
in Two Under 2
When this LO arrives I will have a newborn and a 17 month old.
I only work a couple of days a week right now and when this next baby arrives I may stop working all together. So I am out and about frequently during the week.
I'm starting to panic a little because I feel like it's going to be impossible to get out the door with 2 kids - whether it's a day shopping at the mall or running errands around town. I'm trying to decide if I should get some sort of double stroller but I'm wondering if it's even worth it because my DD is going through a phase where she hates being in the stroller, she wants to walk!
I guess I just was wondering if you ladies can offer any advice on must have baby gear or tricks you learned along the way. Thanks so much for listening!
TIA!
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Re: a soon to be mom of 2u2 needs advice!
When I go grocery shopping alone with the kids I park next to a cart return and get a cart there. I used to put DS2 in my ergo carrier then get DS1 and put him in the cart. Now since my store has carts that seat two, they both ride.
I have a double jogger for exercise and for when we go to outdoor events. It's a side by side so it takes up a lot of space so I don't use it indoors.
For trips to the mall I used to wear one kid then push the other in the stroller. Now we have two 30 doller umbrella strollers the ones with padded not plastic handles for BRU and bought these clips to connect them.
My DS1 also isn't a big stroller fan, but he also doesn't want his brother having something he doesn't, so he usually doesn't fight me on the stroller.
You could also look into a sit and stand type stroller.
2u2 is crazy at times, but I can already tell they're going to be friends.
If DD is on time, mine will be 15 mos apart so I feel your anxiety!
Never heard of the clips that connect two umbrellas...very interesting.
I read a post that recommended waiting a little while before purchasing a double stroller. The bumpie said to get a feel of your lifestyle/needs to see how to spend the money on one.
It will be frigid here in the NE so I don't plan on getting out tons for a while anyway. Too big of a hassle. But when I do, for the first 2-3 mos I'll do the newborn in the carrier and use my current stroller for DS. Hopefully I'll know which stroller best suits us by spring.
My kids are 18months apart. I didn't find it too hard going out places with the 2 of them, just be prepared for it to take you 2hrs to get out the door
I highly recommend getting an Ergo so you can wear baby while chasing the older one. I absolutely love mine. My DD was good about riding in the double stroller. Maybe if you got a side-by-side kind your older one would enjoy it more since they can sit next to baby.
For trips to the grocery store, I would use one of the carts that has the little car on the front. DD had fun playing in there and DS would sit in his baby carrier in the basket. That left hardly any room for groceries, but you get creative. I would make 2-3 trips to the store a week so it wouldn't be too long of an outing so kids wouldn't get bored.
For trips to other places like library storytime, I would put baby in the single stroller, and just let DD hold my hand while we walked through the parking lot. If need be I could carry her.
Also I recommend keeping diapers, wipes, extra snacks and drinks in the car. Minimize the stuff you actually carry in your diaper bag. Often I would give DD a snack in the car while I sat in the back and nursed DS. I would also let her watch videos on my phone sometimes while I finished feeding the baby.
Being a mom to 2u2 is challenging, but it can be done. It's not nearly as crazy as one might think. I was freaking out right before my second one came along (they're only 11 months apart), wondering how it was going to work. We have a double side by side stroller that works well for outside, but I agree with another member that they aren't good for indoors. It's hard to get them through standard doorways, if possible at all. An inline double isn't bad though. Good for malls. I like to wear the younger one (I like the Moby wrap, they're awesome!) and push my older one in an umbrella stroller for appointments. Easier that way, otherwise you're carrying diaper bag(s), a kid on each hip or one on the hip and the other in the carrier. I highly recommend carrying the little one on your body and the older one in a stroller.
I also recommend one single backpack or diaper bag if possible. Sometimes I take both but snag diapers from the older one's bag and stick them in the younger one's bag so I have a few on hand since he's not as messy with his clothes as the little guy. 
I also have 2 high chairs, 2 convertible cribs, one changing table, and I really like the Lamaze convertible car seats. Pricey, but SO worth it. They are REALLY nice, no removing and adjusting straps because it's done in one smooth motion, the cover snaps on around the straps for easy cleanup. We bought two for when my little guy outgrows his carrier.
It was a little challenging for me at first because 6 weeks after my youngest was born, I had to have my gallbladder out. So with him being such a big baby and taking quite the toll on my body and then having to have surgery when I wasn't quite fully recovered, that was a stretch for me but it's so easy now. Trust me, girl, some days you'll feel like you're losing your mind but the good days make up for that lol.
Congrats on your babies!
My 1st 2 are 15 months apart. I had to have a double stroller. I got the city select. It was great and still is since its a double or single. It was really nice when ds1 started walking more and I still needed to put ds2 somewhere. Now I put ds2 and ds3 in it.
I also use a baby k'tan or ergo quite a bit. Now I have to since grocery carts only seat 2 so I wear ds3 and ds1/ds2 go in the cart. A lot of times when I just had 2 I would use the baby k'tan for ds2 and ds1 went into the cart. I park next to the cart return, wipe down the cart with a wipe then load everyone in it. Going to publix or target is the easiest outing since I just grap a cart in the parking lot.
I leave a small book bag in the car at all times for ds1 and now ds2. It has a change of clothes for each and diapers for ds2. I carry a diaper bag for ds3 with me. This helps cut down on forgetting stuff for the older ones. I just have to remember diapers and bottles for the baby.
You'll get the hang of it and figure out what works best for you. Someone gave me the advice right after I had ds2 to just rip the bandaid off and go out with two. The first outing for me was a 10 minute trip to target after that was completed and we all survived I started getting more and more confident with taking both out by myself. I now don't even think twice of loading them up and doing errands or going somewhere. It takes longer to get in/out of hte car but it's not a huge deal.