Do I REALLY need the snap and go carseat/travel system?

Suparstarz714 · May 2009

I am just curious if travel system is really something that need or if I can get a convertable carseat and regular stroller.

princess101 · May 2009

Not sure of the exact product you're talking about but i'd say a base/carseat is necessary or at least saves a ton of time. We have the base and carseat and then the stroller that the carseat sits right into and it's a godsend. When we've gone on trips without the base it's a PITA to make sure the seat is in the right position and very secure.

evenstar622 · May 2009

I have a BabyTrend infant carseat and a Snap and Go stroller. I really like it. I don't know how the travel system differs from what I have. But I like the carseat and snap and go. It is pretty handy to just throw the carseat on top and go.

I don't know if that answers your question though.....sorry!

princess101 · May 2009

evenstar622:
I have a BabyTrend infant carseat and a Snap and Go stroller. I really like it. I don't know how the travel system differs from what I have. But I like the carseat and snap and go. It is pretty handy to just throw the carseat on top and go.

I don't know if that answers your question though.....sorry!

I have the babytrend one too and I love it. Never had any problems and get compliments just about every time i'm out with it.

DeeandBrad · May 2009

I have a travel system and I love it. We bought two bases (one for DH and my car). It is so easy. We just snap the carseat in the base and go. We have the stroller that the carseat snaps into which is great because if DD falls asleep it we don't wake her up when we put her in the stroller.

britti<3 · May 2009

it's all preference. our stroller the carseat doesn't snap into it. I have a rockstar baby stroller and a britax vigour.

the infant seat is nice if you plan on going out to eat just so you have somehwere for the baby to sit.

JAWMIN · May 2009

If you do skip getting a travel system, I suggest investing in a carrier (ie moby or ergo). They can't really sit in strollers for awhile. Plus getting the stroller in and out of car is a pain, and I wouldn;t want to do that on a regular basis. When we go to the store we just put the infant seat in the cart. It's so much easier.

MissesRootbeer · May 2009

You don't NEED the travel system or snap and go carseat, but it sure would make your life a lot easier. I could not imagine having to take my newborn in and out of her carseat every time we went somewhere. Usually she ends up falling asleep in the car so it's much easier to just unlatch her seat and let her keep napping. Plus in the earler days they are so floppy and fragile it's easier to put them in the seat correctly when you're not in the car from a side angle.

britti<3 · May 2009

JAWMIN:
If you do skip getting a travel system, I suggest investing in a carrier (ie moby or ergo). They can't really sit in strollers for awhile. Plus getting the stroller in and out of car is a pain, and I wouldn;t want to do that on a regular basis. When we go to the store we just put the infant seat in the cart. It's so much easier.

this. you have to get a stroller that can lay flat or have the bassinet feature if you're going that way.

Suparstarz714 · May 2009

Thanks for the info ladies. The travel system sounds like something I should definitly invest in.

princess101 · May 2009

You can get cheap ones too, if the cost is something you're concerned about. I'm a deal finder and I got the babytrend carseat on clearance for $16. Yep, sixteen dollars. I found the stroller brand new in the box for $50 on ebay.

Good luck!

Tigerli387 · May 2009

I don't have a travel system that snaps together. I have a britax decathlon and a baby trend expedition and i love both. I havent really had any problems with getting her in and out of the carseat, and the stroller reclines back enough that she can still sleep in her stroller, and we take that into places.

shari_rngleson · May 2009

i can't imagine not having one. ?we use it inside the house, at restaurants, while shopping...baby sleeps in it all the time!

LittleEgypt · May 2009

Check out Baby Bargains. They will pretty much tell you the same thing as me:

1) Get an infant car seat. It's the safest way for an infant to ride, and it makes a handy carrier. It is very convenient to let him sleep in it and bring him inside when he falls asleep in the car. Also, you can get extra bases instead of multiple seats for each of your cars or your caregiver's cars.

2) Don't get the full-on travel system. They are super bulky and overpriced for the quality. You can buy a stroller frame like a Snap & Go (Graco also makes one) as an alternative. We have been using that and are definitely at the point where a regular stroller will work.

Baby Bargains is a great book, though, and they have more details about brands and picking a stroller based on your living situation (urban, suburban, rural).

formossissima · May 2009

Do you need to buy them together? No, probably not. We did, and I'm happy with the purchase - it's a Graco system, which was rated highly by Consumer Reports.

Do you need an infant carrier? Yes! Our DD takes about half of her naps in hers. It's incredible to be able to take her from house to car to stroller without buckling anything. We read that the recline angle of an infant carrier is better for newborns than a convertible carseat - less likely to have their floppy heads loll forward and put pressure on their airways. As a bonus, the angle works almost perfectly to help DD keep her nose and sinuses clear (she's had a cold already, and the wacky heat and dust in our house have meant some stuffiness) so she can sleep! When she's congested, she really can't sleep in her bed, but does just fine in the carrier or her swing.

I guess it might depend on how often you're planning to take baby out of the house, but DD is out and about at least once a day, and I don't think we could manage that without the travel system.

Kris721 · May 2009

We have a Graco travel system and I love it. We also have a snap n go (which we just put together a few days ago so I haven't used it by myself yet). Yes, the travel system is a tad bulky/heavy but you get used to it (and think of the muscles you are building!) and it is so quick to just flip up the handle and your stroller is ready to go, all you have to do is lock the carseat on which is simple!

bells of ireland · May 2009

The snap and go system is really handy... you don't have to worry about how secure the car seat is everytime you put your child in it.

leslienpete · May 2009

we have a Graco snug ride w/ Graco snap-n-go. I really love it! I can just pop the carseat into the stroller and go. I use it a lot! If I am going to the grocery store for a few things, I will use that and put items in the bottom. It is so much easier to stroll that thing around then a cart w/ the car seat inside.

We waited to purchase our stroller for when she grows out of the infant car seat. I figure we will know a little more about our needs once the time comes and we will make a decision then.

TimingisEverything · May 2009

I would say yes, you do.

eris1995 · May 2009

LittleEgypt:

Check out Baby Bargains. They will pretty much tell you the same thing as me:

1) Get an infant car seat. It's the safest way for an infant to ride, and it makes a handy carrier. It is very convenient to let him sleep in it and bring him inside when he falls asleep in the car. Also, you can get extra bases instead of multiple seats for each of your cars or your caregiver's cars.

2) Don't get the full-on travel system. They are super bulky and overpriced for the quality. You can buy a stroller frame like a Snap & Go (Graco also makes one) as an alternative. We have been using that and are definitely at the point where a regular stroller will work.

Baby Bargains is a great book, though, and they have more details about brands and picking a stroller based on your living situation (urban, suburban, rural).

I agree with all of this. I don't know what I would've done w/o Baby Bargains. We didn't get a regular stroller until a couple weeks ago. I was able to do more research and knew what I was looking for. I am so happy w/ the stroller we got, but probably would've gotten something I ended up not liking if i got one when pg. The snap & go stroller is all you need in the beginning.

eris1995 · May 2009

LittleEgypt:

Check out Baby Bargains. They will pretty much tell you the same thing as me:

1) Get an infant car seat. It's the safest way for an infant to ride, and it makes a handy carrier. It is very convenient to let him sleep in it and bring him inside when he falls asleep in the car. Also, you can get extra bases instead of multiple seats for each of your cars or your caregiver's cars.

2) Don't get the full-on travel system. They are super bulky and overpriced for the quality. You can buy a stroller frame like a Snap & Go (Graco also makes one) as an alternative. We have been using that and are definitely at the point where a regular stroller will work.

Baby Bargains is a great book, though, and they have more details about brands and picking a stroller based on your living situation (urban, suburban, rural).

I agree with all of this. I don't know what I would've done w/o Baby Bargains. We didn't get a regular stroller until a couple weeks ago. I was able to do more research and knew what I was looking for. I am so happy w/ the stroller we got, but probably would've gotten something I ended up not liking if i got one when pg. The snap & go stroller is all you need in the beginning.

cluk3510 · May 2009

evenstar622:

I have a BabyTrend infant carseat and a Snap and Go stroller. I really like it. I don't know how the travel system differs from what I have. But I like the carseat and snap and go. It is pretty handy to just throw the carseat on top and go.

I don't know if that answers your question though.....sorry!

I love the Snap and Go Stroller for the car seat. It is so easy for me to take DD places. The stroller that came with the car seating is a jogging one, so it is big and takes up a lot of space in the car. The Snap and Go fold ups nicely and is easy to use.

xmasbabymama · May 2009

I like the Snap N Go, I think it's a nice alternative to a travel system. However, i ended up buying the Graco stroller that goes with the SnugRide. I can't remember what it is called, but it was about $200 total and I'm glad I did because it has a sunshade. So, on days when it is really sunny, or if there is a little bit of rain, DD is totally protected by the shade on the carseat and then the one that goes the other way on the stroller. The snap N go, doesn't have that. For the $40, the snap n go saved, I thought the graco systems was worth it. It is sort of bulky, but liveable.

PharmDmom2be · May 2009

I chose to go the travel system route, and I am really glad I did.

My baby was predicted to be 10 lbs (it was only 7, but that is another story!), and I figured he would grow out of the SnugRide too quickly, so I chose the SafeSeat carseat (which is now the SnugRIde 32). When I priced out the Carseat and the Snap and go it came out the same price as my travel system, so I decided to get the travel system, and then buy a snap and go if I really needed it after the LO was here.

I've snapped the carseat into the stroller a few times and I find that my LO ends up waking anyway. He doesn't sleep very soundly in the carseat, he loves to sleep in the stroller. The plus to my travel system stroller is that it reclines to be completely flat like a bed (my husband calls the stroller a rolling crib). If I'm going into a store where I don't need the carseat I'll wear him in my carrier or put the carseat on the cart (depending on the store and how my carseat fits into the cart.).

The stroller is big and bulky, and doesn't fit into the trunk of my husband's car, but my kid is more comfortable, so I don't mind the inconvenience.

ajp458 · May 2009

I have a graco travel system and it's the best thing. It's so much easier if he's sleeping you just leave him in his seat and do whatever you have to do.

kabarbanel · May 2009

DeeandBrad:
I have a travel system and I love it. We bought two bases (one for DH and my car). It is so easy. We just snap the carseat in the base and go. We have the stroller that the carseat snaps into which is great because if DD falls asleep it we don't wake her up when we put her in the stroller.

this

lemen99 · May 2009

def get the snap & go. We also got an umbrella stroller but can't use it until he's 3 months old!

angelallyse · May 2009

I found the travel system more convienient... I like to be able to just take my son out of the car in his car seat and snap him on the stroller and go compaired to having to take him out and puttin him in the stroller expecially if its raining hes completely protected cuz you can put up the stroller canopy and the carseat canopy and make him in like a little bubble lol. I also like everything matching.

The only downsides I see to the system are that they are more expensive and if you have two children you usually cant get a double stroller I've never seen a double stroller travel system.

lewis514 · May 2009

I would also add that you should have an infant car seat in the beginning. For us, it was necessary bc DD was small when she was born. She would not have fit well without lots of support in a convertible car seat. We also needed to do a car seat challenge and you have to bring the seat into the hospital for it which would have been very difficult.

We're using the snap n go with a baby trend car seat. It's been great for us bc the snap n go is so light. Makes it very easy for us.

lehighubride04 · May 2009

I love my safeseat car seat with Baby Trend snap n go stroller!!! It is great that you don't have to wake a sleeping baby...

krestel50704 · May 2009

I love the snap-n-go because it is so much lighter than the travel systems. Plus if my LO is sleeping I don't have to wake her to take her out of her carseat to move her to her stroller. She just snaps right onto the stroller.

Do I REALLY need the snap and go carseat/travel system?

Re: Do I REALLY need the snap and go carseat/travel system?

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