Convertible car seats vs infant car seat

lynze06

I apologize if a thread like this has been posted. I saw other car seat threads but nothing with my specific question. So, I have went to the stores and searched online at car seats. I'm a FTM and struggling what to get. I have seen great deals on convertible car seats but they look so big for infants, even though they say they fit at 5lbs. Have any other moms used a convertible seat and liked that better than getting an infant and buying as the baby grows.

Target has the britax marathon G4 on sale for $180 right now and from what I read seems like a good deal. However, it is also so hard to tell. Appreciate all your previous experience and your advice. Thanks!

Suesse2009

We had an infant seat and will also be using it for this little one. My daughter always fell asleep in the car so it was nice being able to just take the car seat in with us especially if we were going out to eat. She would wake up if we took her out. Also this doesn't apply to this new baby but it was nice getting an infant settled in the car seat in the house before going out in the cold.

DMG122183

I agree with the above posts. A convertable seat stays in the car. An infant seat clicks in and out. You can't even understand how important it is to have the option to carry the seat out until you have a sleeping baby in the car. I would not choose the infant seat as a way to save cash.

karboss

I was on the fence about this and then my sister said a couple of things that made sense. What are you going to do when YOU have to go to the doctor? Who will hold the baby then? How about at a grocery store or restaurant? That's the other reason the baby seat works. You just need a safe place to put baby sometimes when you aren't at home.

HK1020

Actually, as a second time mom, we are forgoing the infant car seat and only buying a convertable car seat. While it was sort of convenient to be able to remove the car seat with baby in it if he fell asleep, that thing weighed about 100 tons , making it an extreme inconvenience to lug around. Plus, it was an expensive piece of gear that our son outgrew very quickly. Now, we are going to buy this new baby a convertable seat and keep one or two baby carriers in the car. Baby can sleep in the carrier.

redneckmomma25

Infant then a convertible. No way would I take a nb in and out of a convertible car seat. Just not happening. Ease of transportation and storage of the child. Carry with one hand and hold DD'S hand bs trying to carry a nb and wrangle a toddler. Nope. One is at least contained.

If you plan on having more kids you will get additional use of the seat. Most expire after a minimum of 5 years. Some 6 or 7. So you could use it for 2 or 3 babies.

ElleB*

I don't think its a waste of money, but I also don't think that it's a complete necessity.

In our case, we did get both...it was useful because of the activities that our family did/does where being able to carry a sleeping baby to or from the car, and having a place to put the little one down to rest while being involved in activities was very helpful.  For most trips to the store and such, I much preferred a sling/carrier.  The convertible seats do look huge, but they come with infant inserts (or are available separately) and buying just one type of seat does mean that you can perhaps spend more on one that will last longer.

lindsayanne14

I only used a convertible and it worked well for us. I put a lot of thought into the decision, and the reasons I choose to forgo the infant seat made sense for my situation.

My DS was not going to day care, this was important because he wasn't going to be in the car every day so the convenience of the removable seat didn't factor in to my day to day routine. He was staying in our home with my mom when I returned to work.

I wore DS a lot, I put him in a carrier when we went to the store or the mall so I never really had an issue bringing him in stores and things, plus I always had free hands.

My mom, who is retired, lives on our property so if I needed to go somewhere alone (like the Dr) she was there to stay with him for awhile.

I explained my reasons only because I think the option of the infant seat is truly worth it for a lot of people, I felt like in my situation I could do without, and I haven't regretted the decision but I can see why it would be invaluable to many people.

As far as a convertible being too big for a new born, DS was 7 lbs 12 oz when we left the hospital and he fit fine, we bought an insert for the seat that he used for a few weeks. Looking back we probably didn't need it. If you do this, just be sure it is the same brand as your seat and intended to be used in car seats (ie. crashed tested with the seat).

Good luck making your decision! We have a Britax Marathon and love it. That's a great deal so you may want to snap it up for the future if you decide an infant seat is the way to go!

bowman958

This may or may not matter for your particular situation, but another convenience factor for the infant seat is the easy and quick ability to change cars. If you have an extra base, it can go in your H's car and the only think you have to do when changing car seats is click. If you are a family where one parent will do DC drop off and the other will do pick up, it is nice to only need one seat for the first while. The infant seat should last about a year, give or take a bit.

starshollow

I loved having an infant seat. Yes it is HEAVY to carry but I wasn't lugging it far. Mostly into the house from the garage or from the car to the stroller. It was worth it to not disturb a sleeping baby. DS is a slow grower and we used it until well over a year and he could have used it longer.

MPKbaby237

In our area, the hospitals will not release the baby if not in an infant car seat. They will not accept convertible after delivery. I recommend checking with your hospital to see if this applies near you, too

jlissy27

mrsblissed said:

I don't want to have to buy more than one. I'm getting a Peg Perego convertible. Pricy, but from what I've heard - worth it. I also love that they're the only car seat not made in China - they're manufactured in Italy.

We bought the peg perego for the same reason and love it. Although I did also buy an infant seat. I loved that the infant seat could go from car to stroller. Like everyone has said, it's nice if the baby has fallen asleep to bit have to wake them.

PinkDahLia44

Many infant car seats are a part if the stroller set. You will likely need a stroller anyway, so the only added cost is a $30 car seat base.

rmaurer08

steph0611 said:

I just couldn't see my infant in a convertible. We went with the Chicco Keyfit and then moved dd to a Graco convertible.

Us too!

crichter18

If you do go straight to a convertible do extra research and make sure it will actually properly fit a newborn. I just bought an Alpha Omega Elite (really nice seat, supposed to rear face 5-40 lbs) for my one year old and she doesn't fit so no way a newborn would fit. The straps are supposed to come from below the shoulders for rearfacing but even on the lowest slot it's a good 4 inches above her shoulders.

WeLiveInMaine

The laws for car seats have gotten to the point you *have to* end up getting 2 seats, so it's a question of do you want the convenience of an infant seat or not?
Britax is actually updating the infant seat in December I think so there are some really good deals on the older model right now. I saw them for as low as about$120 on Amazon.

theinvadermothership

Personally I'm very torn as a FTM. I don't think I'll do a whole lot of driving in the beginning and honestly, I'm short (5') with a bad back and i know how heavy those infant seats are. I'm not entirely sure i can carry it with a growing baby. So I'm very hesitant and unsure what to do.

meredith6484

I don't mind an infant carsest when for a newborn, but I prefer a reversable car seat. This is my fourth baby and I am using the reversable in my vehicle and my husband is usin an infant seat in his because he doesn't need one latched in.

hillbillywife

@theinvadermothership‌ I hear what you're saying. My back isn't bad per say, but I had a lot of back pain when I had DS and I had a harder time with my back wearing him than I did carrying the car seat. But I just had a cheapo carrier so that could factor in as well too. Something to think about

SMFB

I didn't want to have to buy two but the evenflo travel system was on sale at Walmart Canada for $99 so it was too good to pass up. This one goes up to 35lbs so it was perfect. I also scored a nice graco crib for $124

theinvadermothership

@hillbillywife‌ thanks for the info. I used to baby sit a lot and i always struggled with them (i haven't grown since 14...) so I'm really contemplating what to do. The only places i think I'd be going is to the grocery store and putting the seat into the cart isn't too bad... i don't know! So torn! There are pros and cons to both.

hillbillywife

I'm sure you'll figure it out @theinvadermothership‌! If you find a good deal on an infant seat, you don't HAVE to take it out of the car. But if DH is with you then he can lug it etc. I've been seriously wondering why pregnant women have to make important decisions while they're pregnant lol. It's too much for me! Good luck!

theinvadermothership

Lol @hillbillywife‌ ! It's kinda true. You get pregnant and have to make some really important decisions. Obvious the responsibility comes with the territory but it's definitely a little overwhelming for a ftm. And tbh, my husband goes in and out of being super interested.

I was kinda thinking the same thing... if he is going with me, he can carry it, or we'll just have to deal with pulling baby out every time and wearing her or putting her in the stroller. Again, pros and cons to both sides.

My stupid moment was 'i wish the infant seats had wheels, so i could drag it and not have to hurt my back'... then i realized that's what a stroller is for... GO ME.

Suesse2009

Laynabella said:

Get the Marathon!! Thats a great deal, mine was over $250 (and worth every penny)... You will get years of use out if it, regardless or your choice.

But I would never go without an infant seat also, personally. Look into a basic graco snugride if you want something inexpensive yet quality. Or grab a used carseat on craigslist if your not sure you will use it, but atleast have the option. I sold my last one for only $40 and it was like new. (Thought I was done with babies, whoops)...

This time I'm splurging on either a peg perego or chicco... Then hopping ds will be out of his marathon in time for new baby to graduate to it so i really get my moneys worth

------
It isn't a good idea to buy used car seats. You don't know the history of it like if it has been in an accident. Car seats need to be replaced after accidents.

Critter015

The biggest convenience of having the infant seat for me was the ease in moving it from one car to another. When DD was small I drove her to daycare every day and left the seat with her. I had a long commute that was prone to accidents making it twice as long. It gave me peace of mind knowing that if I wasn't able to get there to pick her up in time, DH or one of my in-laws could easily and safely take her home. When we had only one kid, it was super easy to buckle the seat into someone else's car and ride with them somewhere, and we also had two primary vehicles ourselves at the time but only needed to worry about one seat. I miss the convenience of that infant seat every time I have to try to move our convertibles from one car to another. I moved DS out of the infant seat a little before he turned one, but at 16 months he still fits and I sometimes have him use it if we need to ride in a different car (like when our's broke down recently) so that I only had to deal with moving one convertible seat.

redneckmomma25

Do not buy a used car seat! Ever! If there is anything to splurge on that is it! I would accept a used seat from a close friend or family member maybe and that is pushing it. Your child's safety is worth it. Just because a lot of people chose to purchase/sell a used seat does not mean it is right or less dangerous than it is. I cringe every time I see people selling their used seats. I am a pretty laid back mom. I don't stick to anything hard and fast except car seat safety. It is so important. It really is a life or death matter. I hope you never have to test the limits of your car seat but I want to give my kids every advantage when it comes to car seat safety.

CivilMommy

IMO - a seat designed for an infant will do better for an infant rather than a one-size-fits-all would do for an infant.  sure the convertibles rated for 5-70+ pounds meet the minimum safety standards for a tiny baby- but perhaps something specifically engineered for a smaller weight range of 5-30 pounds would do better than minimum standards.

I use an infant seat for my infants and move them to convertibles when they outgrow the infant seat.

I also like the ability to carry the infant seat into the house/store/daycare if the baby is sleeping, rather than risk waking the baby by taking it out of the seat.

redneckmomma25

rsaj0807 said:

@theinvadermothership‌ At the grocery store is where I find it pertinent for an infant seat. They click right into the basket seat and keep them snug. I like baby wearing, but I'm short too. They hurt my back. I used the Baby Bjorn, and I loved it. After a while, it would kill my back. Also keep in mind, talk to your MW and make sure they'll let you leave with a convertible before you go that route. I saw someone mentioned it earlier, and for some places it's true. I couldn't leave the hospital without the infant seat (they even inspected it). MWs might be different though.

I'm going to sound like the crazy car seat lady now. The carts are not made to have the car seat on top. Yes it may click but it is so very dangerous. We had a little baby just last year die from the car seat being clicked to the top of the cart. You place the car seat in the actual basket of the cart or you wear the baby. You never put it on top. Even with a cart load of groceries.

ETA a link

https://thecarseatlady.com/shoppingcart/

redneckmomma25

rsaj0807 said:

@redneckmomma25‌ third time mom here, and I learn something new every single day! I did not know that!

So many don't know! Chances are nothing would happen but it doesn't make it any less dangerous.

KMidge09

We ordered a Britax B-safe based on family reviews and consumer reports. We actually found the car seat at Kohls and ended up saving a ton of money (we applied Kohls cash that we earned and an additional cyber Monday discount). Good luck on your search. I know it can be overwhelming!

theinvadermothership

@rsaj0807‌ that's good to know. I guess i will be asking at my next appointment. I kinda hope not bc I'm starting to really lean towards a convertible. Honestly i don't leave very often and don't expect to go anywhere much the first month or so. If i do grocery shopping it'll hopefully be when my hubby is home. Or I'll send him with a list or whatever. But that would be really sucky to not be prepared and then not be able to leave the facility...

lynze06

Thanks for all the advice. @somerandomchick‌ what car seat did you get?

redneckmomma25

Our hospital inspected the car seat in the vehicle. They made sure the seat was installed properly and a proper car seat. No idea if they care about bucket vs convertible.

Stucas

My daughter was only 5lbs when we left the hospital and barely fit in her infant seat. There's no way I would have been comfortable with her in a convertible. We are reusing her seat for my son so I don't have to worry about buying another one but I would without hesitation. My daughter would wake up when I took her out of her seat and she HATED being worn we never would have been able to leave the house otherwise.