Another child on the way or are you expecting twins? Then you definitely need a twin stroller!

Before you begin, you need to determine which stroller is best for your lifestyle. For example, it doesn’t make sense to purchase the same double stroller your friend raves about if you’re an avid jogger and her favorite hobby is walking.

Discover the best double stroller for you by answering the eight following questions.

1. What activities do you need a double stroller for?

Do you do most of your shopping in malls? Do you like to jog or take long walks around the neighborhood in all types of weather? Are you a frequent traveler?

The activities you do most often will decide what type of twin stroller you should choose, whether it be a regular twin mall stroller, a lightweight (ex. umbrella) twin stroller, a double jogging stroller or a twin all-terrain stroller.

2. Which seating design would best suit your needs?

Twin strollers come in two seating designs: tandem (one seat in front of the other) or side-by-side. Both designs have their advantages and disadvantages, so it’s important for you to think carefully about what your lifestyle will be like with twins or two children of different ages (although this is not easy to do before actually living through it!).

3. What are the ages and temperaments of your children?

Your twin stroller needs will be slightly different if you’re the parents of twins than if you have a baby and an older child. Some double strollers are true twin strollers, meaning they have features that are meant to accommodate two children of the same age, such as the ability to clip in two infant car seats. There are also double strollers that are designed so that a toddler can sit in the front seat where he can have a better view and more leg room while baby brother or sister sleeps comfortably in the fully reclining rear seat.

Many parents find that side-by-side double strollers help keep the peace between children because they prevent arguments about who gets to sit in the front seat. On the other hand, being side-by-side can also create other problems with the two children sitting in such close proximity.

4. How often are you going to use the twin stroller?

If you’re only planning on using a stroller for quick errands to the mall a couple times a week, you don’t need to purchase a heavy-duty, high-end double stroller with a lot of features. However, if you like going for walks or runs on a daily basis, or if you go out with your children often and for long periods of time, you should consider getting something that is comfortable and durable, since double strollers take twice the abuse of single strollers.

5. Who will be using the stroller?

Keep in mind the height and stride of the person or persons who will be using the twin stroller the most, as well as their physical strength. It’s no fun pushing a stroller with a handle that is too low or too high for comfort and neither is folding and picking up one that is cumbersome. It’s true that double strollers are heavier and bulkier than single strollers due to their very nature, but there are models on the market that are easier to handle than others.

6. What features are you looking for?

Do you want a simple, no frills twin stroller, or something with lots of comfort, durability and storage space? This brings us back to the types of activities you do most often. It’s very disappointing to purchase a stroller and then realize that its features don’t meet your needs as well as they could have.

7. How much space do you have for transporting and storing it?

With a few exceptions, twin strollers take up a lot of room. The size of your vehicle may be a big deciding factor when choosing a double model. Make sure it fits! Also, take into account where you will store the stroller at home.

8. What can you afford?

This is probably the most important question of all. Think carefully of your present and future stroller needs with your two children. What is the minimum you are willing to live with? Can you afford to pay for a higher quality twin stroller that will make your life easier in the long run, or are you willing to take your chances with a budget stroller that may break down before you’re done using it? For twins, a double universal car seat carrier (stroller frame) is an inexpensive alternative to buying an actual stroller during the infant stage if you’re yet not sure what you’ll need later on.

Once you’ve determined what you really need, then you can begin researching the various brands and models that are on the market. Read as many twin stroller reviews as possible. You will be able to quickly eliminate twin strollers that don’t fit your criteria, making the whole process a lot easier and less time-consuming.

About the author: Anik Giguère-Biollo is the mother of a six year-old girl and four year-old twin boys and has owned a total of nine baby strollers of different types over the years. She’s learned a thing or two about finding the the best twin strollers in the process.

Copyright © 2005-2008 by Anik Giguère-Biollo. Permission is granted to reproduce this article in electronic newsletters or on websites provided that it is not edited in any way, all the links are left active, and that neither the copyright declaration nor this license are removed.

If your pregnancy symptoms are earlier and more pronounced than you’d normally expect, you may be carrying a twin pregnancy. However, only a health professional can tell for sure.

1. You just feel that you are carrying more than one baby. Some mothers of twins (or higher order multiples) say that they knew right from the start that they were carrying more than one baby.

2. You experience more nausea and/or morning sickness. If you are having more than one baby, you may have an elevated hCG level (hCG is a pregnancy related hormone). This hormone is the one associated with morning sickness.

3. Other typical pregnancy symptoms may be exaggerated. Many women — but not all — who are pregnant with twins have more intense pregnancy symptoms, probably related to the extra hormones circulating through their system. You may find that your breasts are extremely tender, you have to urinate frequently, you are hungry all the time and you are always very tired.

4. A higher than average weight gain in the first 16 weeks may be your first clue that you’re carrying more than one baby. Good weight gain in early twin pregnancy is associated with a favourable outcome.
With each additional fetus a woman carries, the range of weight gain will increase. For example, a woman who starts a pregnancy in a healthy weight range might expect her weight gain to be as follows:

One fetus, 11 kg (24 lb) to 16 kg (35 lb)
Twins, 16 kg (35 lb) to 20 kg (44 lb)
Triplets, 20 kg (44 lb) to 23 kg (51 lb)
Quads, 23 kg (51 lb) to 25 kg (55 lb)

5. Your uterus seems large for gestational age. If your last menstrual period indicates an eight-week gestation, your uterus may feel more like 10 to 12 weeks to your obstetrician. This may prompt a request for an ultrasound examination.

6. You are told that you have elevated levels of AFP. AFP is one of the chemicals tested to screen for Down’s syndrome and spina bifida abnormalities. AFP levels are higher in twin pregnancies.

7. Your health care provider hears two fetal heartbeats. Two separate heartbeats can be distinguishable with a Doppler in your care provider’s office from around 18 weeks. At around 28 weeks, it may be possible to differentiate two fetal heads and multiple small parts when doing an abdominal exam.

8. You have a positive ultrasound. If you believe you are pregnant with twins, an ultrasound can be performed quite early in pregnancy. With a skilled ultrasonographer, two gestational sacs, two embryos and two distinct fetal heartbeats can be seen six weeks after the first day of the last menstrual period. Many twins have been diagnosed as early as five weeks — when you’re just one week late for your menstrual period.

9. In later pregnancy, you may experience difficulty catching your breath, swelling (oedema) of the hands and legs, an unusual rate of weight gain and abdominal enlargement and excessive fetal movement. Anaemia or low iron (decreased haemoglobin) is also common with twin and multiple pregnancies.

10. There is considerable disagreement among medical professionals as to whether a woman carrying twins is more likely to feel movement earlier. But many mothers do claim that those early flutters and flips were their first clue that they might be having more than one.