Can we talk strollers? FTMs: Plan ahead for 2 kids?

RDK24 · May 2013

XP from July 2013 BMB:

I'm still trying to decide what to get and have recently been thinking a lot about buying a stroller that converts to a double. Not to put the cart before the horse here, but DH and I probably would like to try for our second to be close in age with the first.

Initially, I was sold on the City Mini GT (we live in NYC and I plan to do a ton of walking/errands/outings w/the stroller and want something nice and sturdy). But if we are lucky enough to have baby #2 while #1 still rides in a stroller, the GT would be useless and we'd have to buy a whole other stroller that could accommodate two kids.

So now I'm thinking about the City Select, as you can buy a second seat with it and convert it to a double down the line. There's a big cost benefit to doing this rather than having to invest in a double stroller in addition to a single. But we all know what they say about best laid plans, and planning for a second child now before I've even had my first does feel a bit odd.

Curious to hear what others think, both from the BTDT perspective and other FTMs. Thanks!

momofcatan · May 2013

I am in a similar situation as you, if all goes well we are also planning on having a second in the near future (and potentially more). I decided to go with a single stroller that best fit my needs and not worry about getting a "convertible" stroller. My reasoning is at this point I won't know 100% what I will want in a stroller until I start using one and why plan for so far ahead when I will probably understand my needs a lot better when #2 is in the picture. I also figure a single stroller that I love will still be useful even when I have more kids, and if not I'll sell it to finance a new purchase. That's my 2 cents, but I'm also curious to see what some BTDT moms have to say.

PS I'm 99% sure I'm going to get the City Mini GT

animalcrckr · May 2013

We ended up buying the City Select after DS2 was born. He will be 3 in July, DS1 will be 5 in the fall. They both still ride in this stroller several times a week. We just bought the roller board so we can push 3 at once:)

I would definitely buy this stroller and use it as a single until you have another. It's expensive but well worth it, especially for the versatility.

PortlandValentineBride · May 2013

I bought the uppababy vista with plans to have 4 kids. I don't think it's crazy to plan ahead like that. You will probably love having the city select as a single and the ease of adjusting when you add to your family. No reason to anticipate trouble trying to conceive #2, IMO.

LittleApple · May 2013

The Select sounds right up your ally. The Britax is great, BUT the second seat is not as big as the top seat. I also like with the Select, you can have the seats in a bunch of different configurations.

sometimesalwayschaotic · May 2013

I guess it depends. If you can find a stroller that turns into a 2 kid stroller that you really like, buy it!! I wish I had planned ahead but never anticipated we'd have them this close together. We not have a double stroller and a single and use both so it wasn't a loss.

orangecurls · May 2013

Personally I would get the city mini gt. you can always sell it if you decide you need the select. The city mini is so easy to use and there are always newer and better strollers coming out.

MrsJetSet · May 2013

I wavered on our stroller because of the same thinking. I loved the UB vista but reviews as a double are not great. Ultimately we just decided to go with what we liked at the time. We can always sell and buy something different when we cross that bridge. Timing doesn't always work as planned and your ideas may change too. I always wanted 2 kids and now I would be perfectly happy with just one.

JilllyBean · May 2013

I debated this too but decided we could sell the uppababy Cruz if we wanted a double. You just never know what life has in store and my friend with the select says it is a beast and she uses her umbrella a lot more bc the select is so big. Plus styles change and more stuff is released each year. There might be something better out then

RDK24 · May 2013

Very helpful to hear your opinions. Thanks, ladies!

mmluvswdw · May 2013

We thought about this situation and ended up buying the select with a used citi mini. We have used the citi mini more but when we have traveled or been some where with crazy terrain we used the select and LOVE it. The select can be a beast, but I've been happy with our choice and now that we have number 2 coming I believe we will like the select even more.

daffy2k · June 2013

FTM due June 8 - I definitely considered our future children when I was stroller shopping. For me, I knew I was likely to spend a fair bit on a stroller anyways, I was considering the Uppababy Vista and the City Select, so having th option to convert it later definitely made more sense than buying a whole new double later on. I felt like they were both a good, sturdy stroller. Easy to maneuver, fairly all terrain (important in the area where we live). I chose the city select because I prefer the double options on this stroller to the others in its class (Vista, Britax B-Ready, etc). Even though I bought it as a single, I love the fact that it will easily convert to an inline double when we need it.

nadiag7 · June 2013

Not odd at all! I recently had this dilemma; buying the stroller I want or buying one that converts. I ended up not buying the double because I knew I would probably still want to buy a new one when the next came! If I knew I would stick with it, I would have just invested in the double. Good luck!

PinkRoses53 · June 2013

Like you, initially we were going to go with the City Mini. However, after thinking about and having a couple STM friends tell us they wish they had gotten a stroller that converted to a double it we went with the City Select bc we like the option of converting it to double if we need to in the future.

As for the stroller itself, I absolutely love it and am really glad we went with it!

aandg · June 2013

We got the City Mini single when I was pregnant with DS. We knew we wanted to have another baby pretty quickly. We were going back and forth between the City Select and the City Mini double while I was pregnant with DD and ended up going with the double. If the City Select would have been out when we bought the first stroller, I would have definitely gone with it. Then there wouldn't have been any need to buy two strollers.

JRanalli10 · June 2013

I debated on the same thing when I was pregnant with dd. I ended up getting the city mini gt and I love it. BUT.... Now that I am pregnant with baby 2 I sooo wish I would have just gotten the city select from the beginning. I plan on selling the gt and buying the city select soon.

ebp913 · June 2013

I think it's much wiser to buy for what you have now. There will be new things out of the market when you have your second and you may not like what you chose now. You can always sell the single and put it towards the double but personally I think even with 2 you need a good single to hold onto.

RDK24 · June 2013

JRanalli10:
I debated on the same thing when I was pregnant with dd. I ended up getting the city mini gt and I love it. BUT.... Now that I am pregnant with baby 2 I sooo wish I would have just gotten the city select from the beginning. I plan on selling the gt and buying the city select soon.

Thanks, everyone. And JRanalli, your DD is ADORABLE!

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