The double stroller problem

Ever since we found out we're expecting number two, I have been researching strollers. We have a really great stroller for Luke but he will only be 19 months when baby number two arrives so we will need a double stroller. We love going outside and Luke just won't be able to walk on his own for very long or stand on a board behind te stroller. The problem is: double strollers are expensive and I'm just not convinced about any of them. Here are the ones I have found:

The Stokke crusi with sibling seat. This would be great because we have a Stokke crusi so we wouldn't need to buy a whole new stroller. But Lucas would have to sit below the new baby which I don't like and neither will he. It seems like the sibling seat is very low to the ground and the child is just looking at peoples feet. The seat also has just one position and it's not completely upright, not great for a toddler. I'm kind of disappointed that this is the only Stokke duo stroller option.

Another option is the Icandy peach 3 blossom. Icandy is not a well known brand in Belgium yet so I can't find much about it. Some stores do sell them but most don't show them on their site. We saw one in a store but we didn't have Luke with us so I couldn't really test to see if the seat was wide and long enough to keep him comfortable for a few more years. It did seem to be quite roomy for a double though. Here are the pros and cons in my opinion:
Pros:

• Looks good (I like the black frame best)
• Can be used as a mono and duo
• Not too big and foldes quite compact
• Both children can see something even if the seats are high/low

Cons:

• Can't use our Stokke izi go in the duo
• The duo cot seems a little small

I have also been looking at the ABC Design zoom duo. I haven't seen it in any stores so I can only go by what I can find online.

Pros:

• It looks really beautiful
• It seems to be really comfortable for both children even when they get bigger
• Both seats can face both ways
• Both children are at the same height

Cons:

• Very long and very heavy
• Can't use our Stokke izi go
• might be too big to go shopping with
• Can't be used as a mono

If you are looking for a double stroller, you will come across the Bugaboo donkey everywhere. It is probably the most well known double stroller in Belgium.

Pros:

• Looks good, not that many colours but I prefer blacks or greys anyway
• Very narrow for a side by side stroller
• Can be used as a mono
• Compatible with our Stokke Izi go 
• Easy to move around

Cons:

• So expensive!
• Quite big when folded

It's a good thing we have 5 months! I think I will be visiting a lot of stores before we make our desicion. If anybody has experience with any of these or can recommend another one, do let me know!

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Baby must haves 0-3 months

I thought I would write my first post about baby must haves. When I was pregnant these were my favorite things to read and they helped a lot. Of course I still bought some things I didn't need but I do think it helped me make some good choices.

This post will be focused on the things I used most from birth until 3 months.

1. The first thing was a co-sleeper. I hadn't expected to use a co-sleeper. I had a crib set up in our bedroom but after a few days it became clear that I would't get any sleep like that. My son would only sleep well on or next to me. I borrowed a co-sleeper from my cousin and it was a lifesaver. My son felt like he was close to me but I could still sleep without him being in danger of falling or getting hurt. It was a borrowed co-sleeper so I'm not sure about the brand but there are loads out there. I quite like the look of the Chicco Next to me sleeper. The one we used was a wooden one and it worked fine but as Luke got older he would hit his hands on it quite hard because co-sleepers are narrow and this Chicco one would be softer.

Chicco Next to me

2. The other thing that helped him sleep was a white noise (womb sounds) Doodoo bear. The sound really soothed him. We had to change the batteries several times because we used it so much. I also prefered this to a musical bear because this noise didn't bother me while I was trying to fall asleep.

Doodoo bear

                                       
3. His stroller. We have the Stokke crusi stroller. It is not a cheap stroller by any means and it is quite large but I love it. The bassinet is big enough for your baby to sleep in comfortably when you are out and about. My son was a few weeks old during the holidays and he could comfortably sleep in his stroller while we visited family. And when Luke was two months we went to London for a few days. The cribs they give you in most hotels have a matras as thin as paper and so Luke just slept in his stroller. It was quite cold outside while we walked through the city but he never even noticed because he was so cosy in his bassinet.

Stokke Crusi

                                             


4. The Fisher Price woodsy friends bouncer. I bought this on amazon during their black friday sales and it is one of the best impulse buys I have ever made. We started using this when he was a few weeks old. He would just lie in this while we had dinner and as he got bigger, we used it more and more. He loved the musical owl and he practiced his grabbing on the apples. He would happily sit in it while I did some laundry or cleaned a bit and he got so excited when he was able to pull the owl and make music himself.

Fisher Price bouncer
 

5. I used the small Doomoo breastfeeding pillow from day one. The size is perfect. The first few months, I put it around my waist and now I just put it next to me under my arm for support. I have been using it for almost 8 months all day every day and the shape is still perfect. I couldn't recommend this one more. Perfect for breastfeeding and bottle feeding your baby.

Honorable mention: Aden and Anais swaddles. I probably would have been fine without these or with cheaper versions but I love them anyway. I'm not going to lie, these are pricey but they are also really soft, durable and so so beautiful. I didn't actually use them as swaddles, I used them as a towel to dry Luke off, as a sheet in his crib and stroller, to shield him from the sun while walking outside,...
They get softer every time you wash them and the designs are adorable. Definitely a treat but if you can afford them, they are lovely.



Aden+Anais swaddles