What do you use if you have a 4 year old and a newborn?

[October2002Bride]

In terms of strollers and car seats?

And what if you dont have an SUV but a 4 door sedan? I suppose both the newborn and the toddler go on either side? is that dangerous?

I sorry to sound ignorant but Ive only had 1 baby for 3 years and now that we are seriously thinking of having another I dont know how to handle it in terms of what IVe asked above.

Thank you very much for any ideas or tips you may have.
:)

[Txfish]

I put my 5 year old in her booster on the passenger side, and the infant seat behind the driver's side. My SUV isn't wide enough for three across or one in the middle anyway.

And, my older kid never used a stroller (I mean, literally. We used a stroller approximately 6 times in her life LOL) so I still just have the single... although I'm searching much harder now that #3 is coming.

So from what I've found so far, there are some sie by side doubles that apparently do well with kids of much different weights (I found that on Babies R Us), or that Sit N Stand -- I know Joovy makes one -- where there's just a bench seat on the back for an older kid IF they need/want to ride (although at 4 years -- how much would they actually be in a stroller still? Remember, I'm clueless because my kid's been walking herself everywhere since she grew out of the backpack.)

Good luck!

[October2002Bride]

Thanks for that

My DD is 3 1/2 and she absolutely loves her stroller always has. She will walk but she definitely likes it still. I guess by the time # 2 comes along she wont be using it anymore? dont know?

[blondegirl]

My DD was 5 when her sister was born. By that oint, she had been out of her stroller for a while- I'd say even before she was 4. She always loved her stroller as well.

I also put DD in her booster on the passenger side, and her sister in the infant seat behind the driver.

[Mrs. M.]

I have a 3yo and a baby - I got the Peg Venezia stroller so the 3yo could stand on the back. She was always in her stroller before her sister came. I prepared her by talking about it a bunch - how baby was going to ride in the stroller and she could stand and be the big sister. She used that option for about 3 weeks, and now she walks everywhere. We live in the city and don't drive, so we walk and use public transport daily. I am really impressed by how well she walks everywhere now. I guess the baby really helped with getting her away from needing the stroller.

As for the carseats, sorry I can't answer that since we live carless :)

[Neen]

Mine are closer in age (13months apart), but I put one car sear on each side of the vehicle (we had a sedan too when they were little). I love the double stroller we had! (and the kids did too!) We used it until they were about 4 or 5 (maybe 6). It was one where they sat behind each other (sorry, don't know the brand). It was much easier to move and not as wide as the side by side ones!

[firefly]

Every time I read this thread title I just mentally say ,Valium :p

[Peever]

We're TTC now, but my son will be at least 3 1/2 by the time #2 is born. He's never liked the stroller so I'm not buying a double one. I know a lot of people have a stroller that the older child can stand on a platform in the back. If we're on an all day outing and my older child gets tired, I'll just sling the newborn and let my older child sleep in the stroller and usually in those situations I have either my husband or a friend along and they could push an extra single stroller too.

I'll have a car seat on each side in the back. That's perfectly fine.

[magdesilver]

car-seat wise, you want the least protected child in the most protected spot if possible. So, assuming your 4 year old is forward facing (either harnessed or in a booster), they would be the least protected so if you can fit it, put them in the middle. The baby in the rearfacing infant seat is more protected so they can be on either side outboard. If you can't fit both seats next to each other, then put one on each side outboard. It's not dangerous by any means, it's just that it's a bit safer in terms of crash protection to be in the center, in case of a side-impact collision, but it's a pretty small difference, statistically speaking. :)