Advice Needed: extra car seat bases?

HappyToBeHere

Okay, DH and I agreed on this car seat: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008KCR7U6/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=V0K5H84GWMP9&coliid=I2OWWYCR0NEPHN&psc=1

So my MIL says this past weekend, "make sure you get us an extra base for our car so you don't have to go through the hassle of changing yours over".  She did offer to pay for the base, but it's $75!  I just don't anticipate LO to be riding in their car enough to justify the $75 (they live about 45 minutes away).  In my experience, the bases are not that hard to change over.  

Thoughts?  Experience?  Should I just let her dish out the $75, or should I politely tell her to save the $75 and if/when she has the baby, I'll happily change over our base?

Dimples0101

We had two bases, but one stayed in my car and one stayed in DH.  I would definitely recommend that.  As far as having a third for her car...eh.  I don't think it's worth it.  Personally I would rather she save the $75 or (if she was insistent on spending money) buy something else we need for the baby.  Ours wasn't difficult to switch to another car and DD didn't ride with other people very often.

missnacholover

I wouldn't unless she's going to be caring for baby every day!  Seems a bit much to me.

We also registered for 2 - one for each of our cars! 

Sarahbeth612

Extra bases make life easy but are so expensive. Have to be my least favorite baby thing to buy. I would ask if she's sure she wants to spend that much, but it may be one of those things to just leave alone. My MIL insisted on having her very own carseat for her car. Who knows.

meeshybee

Unless she's going to be transporting LO fairly often I wouldn't bother. Technically, unless they have changed carseat designs in the last couple years, you don't have to have a base. The base is just easier than buckling/unbuckling the carseat itself. For only occasional trips, I wouldn't bother moving the base at all.

jj0313

We are registering for one for each of our cars. If she is paying, I'd say that's up to her but would probably just tell her the price and that you don't anticipate it will be that hard to switch back a forth so maybe wait and see.

uncharted01

meeshybee said:

Unless she's going to be transporting LO fairly often I wouldn't bother. Technically, unless they have changed carseat designs in the last couple years, you don't have to have a base. The base is just easier than buckling/unbuckling the carseat itself. For only occasional trips, I wouldn't bother moving the base at all.

This. I had no idea that you didn't need a car seat base until I was reading through Lucie's List. This is from the website:
Many people don’t know this, but car seat bases are simply for convenience. You install the base very snug and secure in your back seat and leave it in place. The car seat simply snaps in and out of it. This is good if you are doubting your ability to properly install and remove the seat every time, especially if you are always in a hurry (like me!). However, you don’t *have to* use the base. In fact, if you are caught across town in the rain with your car seat/stroller, you can hail a cab, install the car seat (only), throw the stroller base in the trunk and be on your merry way. The same goes for renting a car, flying on a plane, etc. Bottom line: just buy a base for the vehicles you use most frequently (the seat itself should come with ONE base). You don’t need a base for every member of the extended fam-damily. And for godsakes, don’t bring the base when you travel. What a pain.

so72409

eBay! Seriously, u can find them for half the cost. They are super handy to have. But like you said, it may not even be worth it if you're not around them a lot. I bought extras on eBay for my MIL but they live 2 miles away and transport the girls often. Just make sure you know expiration dates on the bases you find on eBay

krgriffin26

We are probably going to have 3 or more circling around by the time LO gets here. But anyone who isn't me or DH will be buying their own. We are buying 2. Knowing my MIL she will buy one for herself. She picks up niece and nephew all the time so I see her randomly calling to pick up this LO. DH's father and step mom also pick up kids a lot so I see them buying their own later on too. His fam hates having to switch all the cars out because of not having their own. Whatever, I'm not paying for it.

momtojad

You don't need to change the base, you will just do a seat belt install.

hiketheworld

Some bases, like the cybex aton2 and q, have extra safety features. So while using no base meets the safety standards, with the base exceeds the standards. This probably varies depending on the car seat model.

SugarSnap83

In addition to a base for my car and DH's car, both my mom and MIL have a base for their car that we bought. But they also live in town and transport DS and eventually the new baby once a week or so.

I have never heard of using a carrier without a base in the car, so I have no advice on that. If MIL offers to buy it, I'd let her.

angelajo19

We just installed the car seat without the base with DD1 when we were occasionally riding with someone. Save the money.

Also, be really careful buying a cheap one from eBay. Don't buy if it's used because you don't know it's been in an accident or not.

JPerona0205

I'm not even buying a second base. We decided to use my car for our family errands/outings, and on the occasions where DH needs to transport baby, he can either move the base or just thread the seat belt through. Babies aren't in infant seats very long so it seemed like a waste for a second (or more) base. There are enough other things I need to get as a FTM!

mussalynn

Meh, I figure if she wants to pay for it, why not?

ElinJ

Her money would be better spent on a convertible that can accommodate an infant. We were going to buy a second base for our infant seat, but wouldn't need it until LO was 3 months old & I went back to work. When I saw the price I was like "NO WAY!", knowing LO would only use it until about 1 year of age. $75 for 9 months of use?!? So we bought a convertible that can be used from birth. Best decision ever.

Here's some really helpful info from the Car Seats For The Littles website on buying a convertible to use from birth: https://csftl.org/choosing-a-convertible-car-seat-for-a-newborn/

Also, like others have said, you don't have to use a base with an infant seat. I used it this way around 5-10 times when visiting my parents or something. Heck, more than once we even brought the infant seat even though we were traveling in my husband's SUV which had the convertible, just so we could easily install it with the seat belts in my parents car.

HappyToBeHere

Thank you, everyone, for the awesome input .  I mentioned the price to her, and told her if we choose the car seat we're looking at, then we'll likely only have one or two bases that we will use for our cars (and that we would switch/not use a base when LO is being toted around by others).  I left it open for her to get her own, but she too seemed to think $75 was a bit much for just a base.

mb314

The bases aren't that hard to change over, and also, you don't even need the base with the infant car seat.  I got pretty adept at installing the infant car seat with the seat belt without the base. 

I wouldn't pay $75 for a base for occaisional use, but if your ILs are saying they'll buy it themselves, I don't see the harm.  

brooklyngirl18

uncharted01 said:

meeshybee said:

Unless she's going to be transporting LO fairly often I wouldn't bother. Technically, unless they have changed carseat designs in the last couple years, you don't have to have a base. The base is just easier than buckling/unbuckling the carseat itself. For only occasional trips, I wouldn't bother moving the base at all.

This. I had no idea that you didn't need a car seat base until I was reading through Lucie's List. This is from the website:
Many people don’t know this, but car seat bases are simply for convenience. You install the base very snug and secure in your back seat and leave it in place. The car seat simply snaps in and out of it. This is good if you are doubting your ability to properly install and remove the seat every time, especially if you are always in a hurry (like me!). However, you don’t *have to* use the base. In fact, if you are caught across town in the rain with your car seat/stroller, you can hail a cab, install the car seat (only), throw the stroller base in the trunk and be on your merry way. The same goes for renting a car, flying on a plane, etc. Bottom line: just buy a base for the vehicles you use most frequently (the seat itself should come with ONE base). You don’t need a base for every member of the extended fam-damily. And for godsakes, don’t bring the base when you travel. What a pain.

i didn't know a base came with with the carseat (reading fail on my part) i registered for 2 bases but now looks like we'll only need one additional base for DH's car. thanks!

2ndGeneration

 I think the ability to buy extra bases is awesome! I got a travel system when I had DS #2, who is nearly 18-they had just come out, and you just got the one base that came with it. They didn't sell extras.

 This time I'm getting a base for dh's truck and one for my mom-that way I know she has the seat in right without her having to wrangle seat belts. But yeah, they are not cheap! But my mom will be transporting at least once a week.

mrsodonnell12

We have this seat. Love it! We will be using it again for this lo. I wouldn't bother to buy a base specifically for mil car. That seems ridiculous. This seat is very easy to install without the base.

HappyToBeHere

mrsodonnell12 said:

We have this seat. Love it! We will be using it again for this lo. I wouldn't bother to buy a base specifically for mil car. That seems ridiculous. This seat is very easy to install without the base.

I'm so glad to hear you love it! (And that it installs easily without the base).

carcrashheart

Yeah, there has been no need for grandparents to drive with DS. And I'm too cautious with car seat safety and they are too much not. So no , I wouldn't have the money wasted. DS has been driven by someone else once and the car seat was returned altered (they raised the head wings, which lengthened the straps and put them at the wrong position), so that won't be happening again. There is just no need for them to be driving him anywhere since they don't take him out alone.