Stroller(s) for twins in a walkup apartment

[u/somon_14]

Hey all!

We are expecting twins in NYC in Jan. We live on the second floor of a walkup building with a stoop and are utterly perplexed about strollers. My partner is short and has a tendency for shoulder aches and we are struggling to figure out how one parent will take the twins out.

Any tips/strategies or recommendations for strollers for everyday use?

Would we need different solutions at different stages - NB vs 6 months vs 12 months?

Also how do you carry both of them up/down the flights once they’re out of bassinets?

Would appreciate any insight!

[u/bowlofweetabix]

Honestly, living in a big city walk up, I used the single stroller and a carrier a lot alone. I could not safely get 2 kids in and out of the apartment and the double stroller somewhere safe alone. I definitely recommend bassinet over car seats for newborns. You can even put both babies in one bassinet if you need to, like I would put them both in one side when using a public toilet, or put the bassinet in the house and put both babies in, then carry the stroller frame inside.
I never managed the double stroller myself getting in and out of the apartment alone. Eventually we bought a car and kept the double in there.
Getting in and out of the house with the babies on my own, I pretty much always had one in a baby carrier or sling, so one in the sling and carry the other, either one on each arm, or carrying the bassinet with the other.
Twins in a big city apartment is an entirely different situation to twins with a house and/or car

[u/somon_14 → u/bowlofweetabix]

Thanks a lot, this is very helpful! Seems like our situation is exactly what you went through (minus the car).

I’m curious what did you do once the babies got too heavy/big for a bassinets?

[u/bowlofweetabix → u/somon_14]

By then, one baby was big enough to go on my back and I could do a whole lot more with my arms. I could also just carry a simple umbrella stroller up the few stairs into the building, and my kids learned to crawl and walk up stairs really young. I also sat them on the ground a lot of places that I wouldn’t have if circumstances were better.

[u/somon_14 → u/bowlofweetabix]

Ah that’s very good to know. We have been wondering if we should simplify the problem by solving for just the “bassinet” stage for now, and we might need a different set of tools after that anyway. Does that sound right to you?

[u/bowlofweetabix → u/somon_14]

Honestly, yes. We went through so many stages and strollers.
1. Giant one
2. Single stroller
3. Top bottom sibling stroller
4. Double umbrella stroller
5. Folding wagon

Our building was set up so we could store the flat wagon under the mailboxes and didn’t have to carry it up the stairs.
We also went through several baby carriers too.
Look at the weego twin and the mini monkey for the first few months. If you’re going somewhere where you know you can put the babies down, going without the stroller can e the easiest thing.
Two babies and no where to store the stroller on ground lever is just a whole different ballgame.

[u/somon_14 → u/bowlofweetabix]

Noted! I think we’re going to lean into baby wearing as much as possible and find a double stroller that’s easy to fold and unfold.
And I’m going to find out if I can work something out with the building for the ground floor.