If you're a two under two mom there are a couple of items that you need. Really, really need.
The first one is a baby sling. Properly used, a baby sling will help you hold and comfort your baby while simultaneously remaining hands-free so you can chase after your toddler.
The second one is a stroller. OK, maybe a stroller is the first one.
You can't run errands without a stroller, not really. I suppose it's possible if you are going somewhere that has shopping carts (you can put your infant seat in the basket and your toddler in the seat), but you can't go to a shopping mall or any kind of shopping center unless you have a stroller. You have to be with your baby at all times, and that means you can't be chasing after a toddler. And you certainly can't get any errands done if you're chasing after a toddler anyway.
I have owned four double strollers in my long career as a two under two mom. The first one was a very cheap stroller I got on sale at K-Mart. It was a tandem stroller, and it was so long it was impossible to steer. I couldn't open doors without the assistance of a kind stranger. I kept bumping into store displays. I never knocked anything over, but that was by sheer luck. I only had the stroller for a couple of months before I realized it wouldn't do.
My second double stroller was a BOB dualie. I love this stroller and still own it. It's perfect for traveling anywhere outdoors. You can drag it (with some difficulty) on to the beach, you can use it on trails (albeit very wide trails), you can take it on walks, and your kids will stay safe and comfortable. You can't use it for shopping, though. The BOB dualie is so wide it won't go through most doors, and you have to be careful at attractions like zoos and theme parks because it's usually too big to go through the turnstiles. (It's still a great stroller for these places, but you have to ask park employees if you can use an alternate entrance.) Yes the BOB is a great stroller, but an errand-runner it is not.
My third double stroller was a Graco dual glider. Nice stroller, worked pretty well, but when I traded in my Graco infant car seat on a FlexLoc I could no longer use it because it wasn't compatible with my new infant seat. It was also an older model that lacked cup holders. Now, I used to scoff at cup holders because they just seemed like such a gimmick. But when you have two adults, two older kids and two little kids at an event somewhere and everyone wants something to drink having cup holders is really, really useful. Really, really useful.
My current double stroller is a Baby-Trend Sit and Stand Double stroller. I love, love, love this stroller. It is super easy to steer, and I never have to ask for anyone's help opening a door and maneuvering my stroller inside. It has the coveted cup holders. It has a ton of storage underneath for shopping and errands-running. I can clip my infant seat into the front seat or the back seat, whichever I prefer. I can take the back seat off and convert the stroller into a sit-and-stand version when my toddler is older and no longer needs to be confined. It has a canopy for each seat. It's comfy. It folds and unfolds with one hand. It can be taken almost anywhere, even to a clothing store because it's narrow and maneuverable.
Two under two is challenging, but if you have the right tools it makes handling your day to day chores a whole lot easier (stay tuned for more product recommendations!)
The first one is a baby sling. Properly used, a baby sling will help you hold and comfort your baby while simultaneously remaining hands-free so you can chase after your toddler.
The second one is a stroller. OK, maybe a stroller is the first one.
You can't run errands without a stroller, not really. I suppose it's possible if you are going somewhere that has shopping carts (you can put your infant seat in the basket and your toddler in the seat), but you can't go to a shopping mall or any kind of shopping center unless you have a stroller. You have to be with your baby at all times, and that means you can't be chasing after a toddler. And you certainly can't get any errands done if you're chasing after a toddler anyway.
I have owned four double strollers in my long career as a two under two mom. The first one was a very cheap stroller I got on sale at K-Mart. It was a tandem stroller, and it was so long it was impossible to steer. I couldn't open doors without the assistance of a kind stranger. I kept bumping into store displays. I never knocked anything over, but that was by sheer luck. I only had the stroller for a couple of months before I realized it wouldn't do.
My second double stroller was a BOB dualie. I love this stroller and still own it. It's perfect for traveling anywhere outdoors. You can drag it (with some difficulty) on to the beach, you can use it on trails (albeit very wide trails), you can take it on walks, and your kids will stay safe and comfortable. You can't use it for shopping, though. The BOB dualie is so wide it won't go through most doors, and you have to be careful at attractions like zoos and theme parks because it's usually too big to go through the turnstiles. (It's still a great stroller for these places, but you have to ask park employees if you can use an alternate entrance.) Yes the BOB is a great stroller, but an errand-runner it is not.
My third double stroller was a Graco dual glider. Nice stroller, worked pretty well, but when I traded in my Graco infant car seat on a FlexLoc I could no longer use it because it wasn't compatible with my new infant seat. It was also an older model that lacked cup holders. Now, I used to scoff at cup holders because they just seemed like such a gimmick. But when you have two adults, two older kids and two little kids at an event somewhere and everyone wants something to drink having cup holders is really, really useful. Really, really useful.
My current double stroller is a Baby-Trend Sit and Stand Double stroller. I love, love, love this stroller. It is super easy to steer, and I never have to ask for anyone's help opening a door and maneuvering my stroller inside. It has the coveted cup holders. It has a ton of storage underneath for shopping and errands-running. I can clip my infant seat into the front seat or the back seat, whichever I prefer. I can take the back seat off and convert the stroller into a sit-and-stand version when my toddler is older and no longer needs to be confined. It has a canopy for each seat. It's comfy. It folds and unfolds with one hand. It can be taken almost anywhere, even to a clothing store because it's narrow and maneuverable.
Two under two is challenging, but if you have the right tools it makes handling your day to day chores a whole lot easier (stay tuned for more product recommendations!)
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