Carseat Situation--what should I do?

richard&charity

A coworker of mine offered to give us her granddaughter's car seat, stroller, and two car bases but I just found out that I will have to wait until her granddaughter outgrows the car seat before she can give it to us. That's estimated to happen in mid-January but I'm now 33wks 4d now and my EDD is February 5 which is right around the corner. Should I try to wait it out or just buy the one we originally wanted? P.S. I don't know really anything about the car seat and stroller we were offered (including the brand) and I was diagnosed with GD a couple weeks ago so my EDD may change if I have to be induced due to the size of the baby.

Latina211508

I personally would just buy the car seat I want. You know the brand, it will be new etc. Even though it's a kind gesture, at the moment you have no idea what brand it is, if it's been in a car accident and how long they have had it. Plus there's no guarantee when you will deliver and I personally prefer to be prepared.

brushesnbrunch

Buy your own.

g8trkim

I would buy your own. Are you registered? I'm due the same day as you and got my completion coupons about a week ago.

DrillSergeantCat

I would also just go ahead and buy the one you want. With you having GD, there's a really big possibility that you won't make to your EDD. I'd tell her that you sincerely appreciate the gesture, but that you're concerned that it won't be available in time so you purchased your own. 

richard&charity

@g8trkim Yes, I'm registered with Babies 'R' Us. I'm hoping I will get my completion coupons any day now.

cMichelle0423

It's not recommended to use second hand car seats. You never know if they've been in an accident and you know don't how the previous owners treated the seat prior to you getting it. It's a nice gesture but essentially you're trusting the previous owner with your child's life. I'd definitely buy your own.

g8trkim

FWIW I also find it strange about the whole "estimated to grow out in mid January" thing. I'm assuming she's moving to a convertible which she could just get now. Why make you wait until the last minute?

thisusername

I'm having car seat issues too! This is the first time my MIL has done something "annoying" she insists on buying us a car/seat stroller combo and hasn't even ordered it or sent it and gets mad every time we ask about it. If we need to buy it I just want to know, it's making my anxiety go NUTS waiting around. She said she sent it the other day but I just checked and it hasn't been ordered or sent..
I suggest asking about the brand and stuff and if it's an ammaaaaaaazing one just get a cheaper one to tide you over for safety reasons. Trust me, just get it done. You do not want to be underprepared.

g8trkim

richard&charity said:

@g8trkim Yes, I'm registered with Babies 'R' Us. I'm hoping I will get my completion coupons any day now.

Hmmm, not sure when they will send it. Mine were Target and Amazon. I think BRU does their trade in event again in January. You may want to call and ask. Moms on my local swap board were giving away or selling for like $5 old crappy seats for other moms to trade in.

g8trkim

thisusername said:

I'm having car seat issues too! This is the first time my MIL has done something "annoying" she insists on buying us a car/seat stroller combo and hasn't even ordered it or sent it and gets mad every time we ask about it. If we need to buy it I just want to know, it's making my anxiety go NUTS waiting around. She said she sent it the other day but I just checked and it hasn't been ordered or sent..
I suggest asking about the brand and stuff and if it's an ammaaaaaaazing one just get a cheaper one to tide you over for safety reasons. Trust me, just get it done. You do not want to be underprepared.

That would bother me too. Plenty of people go into early labor. What's she waiting for?

MississippiCatfish

So, I'm a total cheap-o, but this is what I would do: I would buy an infant seat and keep it in the box until I got the hand-me-downs, and then return it. If you do go into labor early, you'll have a seat that you can install. I know that so many people will say that it's such a pain to install and you want it done in advance. I understand and agree that's the most convenient, but if it would save me a couple hundred bucks, I'd be fine with potentially having to install it at the hospital.

I will say, though, that I also wouldn't take a car seat from someone that I didn't really trust.

summererdvig

If it were me (I still don't have my stroller/car seat so you're not alone!) I would get my own. Only because the hospitals require you to have them before you can leave with baby and you wouldn't want your SO or family members having to run out to get one during such an exciting time when they want to be at the hospital or visiting you and baby. Plus, as others have said, while I am an advocate for second hand baby products, car seats make me personally very nervous. Not so much the accident part, because you know the lady and I doubt her granddaughter would be in it after and accident but there are all sorts of recalls and updates made to car seats. I will be getting a Safety1st travel system and due to the holidays it's marked down to 130 or 140 when it's usually 180-190. With the holidays there are tons of mark downs!

richard&charity

Thank you for your advice everyone. I think I will go ahead and purchase the travel system we were originally set on. That will be a big a relief for me.

thisusername

g8trkim said:

thisusername said:

I'm having car seat issues too! This is the first time my MIL has done something "annoying" she insists on buying us a car/seat stroller combo and hasn't even ordered it or sent it and gets mad every time we ask about it. If we need to buy it I just want to know, it's making my anxiety go NUTS waiting around. She said she sent it the other day but I just checked and it hasn't been ordered or sent..
I suggest asking about the brand and stuff and if it's an ammaaaaaaazing one just get a cheaper one to tide you over for safety reasons. Trust me, just get it done. You do not want to be underprepared.

That would bother me too. Plenty of people go into early labor. What's she waiting for?

I have no idea! I keep telling her if you can't afford it right now but are dead set on paying for it, then let us buy it and pay us back. I've been to L&D twice already and the baby is head down and I'm anemic, which apparently puts me at an even higher risk for preterm labor. Worrying about this car seat is not how I wanted to spend the holidays! Plus it'll take at least two weeks to get here and I'm 33 weeks. Crazy. DH and I were talking about getting a $50 graco car seat to use until it gets here, the car seat isn't the most comfortable but it has good safety ratings and we would just need it to get home from the hospital (all 6 miles) . I love my MIL, she's usually GREAT, but this is crazy! I told we already had 3 births from people near my due date and t makes me nervous and her response was "that makes you less likely" . No.. No it doesn't.

Cheryl Renee

Buy your own! Less stress!

Shatzegirl

I would just buy it so you can check it off your list and not have to worry about it anymore.

meg+on+the+DL

I had the same thing happen with a stroller. But my thought... having two won't hurt. You can have one in your car and one for DH's. Or if you parents take the baby, they will have one.

I'm kind of a snob when it comes to stuff like that. I'm picky about styles and colors. But having it as a back up is just as good too!

Shatzegirl

maluevano said:

I had the same thing happen with a stroller. But my thought... having two won't hurt. You can have one in your car and one for DH's. Or if you parents take the baby, they will have one.

I'm kind of a snob when it comes to stuff like that. I'm picky about styles and colors. But having it as a back up is just as good too!

That's a good idea! It is nice having two car seats. We have a regular stroller and an umbrella stroller which is convienent as well.

oxsarah7ox

I agree with a lot of PPs. I would just go get the carseat you want/need. It wouldn't hurt to take the strollers later though. You just want to make sure you have the carseat for the hospital.

purpletulip

I'm in the minority but I would wait. If you trust the family that the car seat hasn't been in any accidents, that's a nice way to save money, especially since it has the stroller with it. Worst case, if you go into labor earlier than expected and need a different car seat, DH can go out an grab one.
That's what we had to do with our first baby, as the nurses said he was too small to go home in the convertible car seat we had for him.
And the car seat we have for this baby (since our previous one expired) is from a good friend whose son outgrew it.
However, if it'll drive you crazy to not be prepared now (which I understand!) you could always go with the PP suggestion to have one one hand but unopened just in case!

4N6s

if you want to save money, wait! If you have the money or feel odd waiting, buy.

oxfordlanding

I think it's important to pick a car seat you get on with and most importantly try installing it yourself. Some of them are a complete pain to install. Eg I simply couldn't get the Graco tight at all because of the design of the straps, but the Chicco was much better (the peg was lovely but too expensive). You are going to want to be confident installing it.

wisco29

MississippiCatfish said:

So, I'm a total cheap-o, but this is what I would do: I would buy an infant seat and keep it in the box until I got the hand-me-downs, and then return it. If you do go into labor early, you'll have a seat that you can install. I know that so many people will say that it's such a pain to install and you want it done in advance. I understand and agree that's the most convenient, but if it would save me a couple hundred bucks, I'd be fine with potentially having to install it at the hospital.

I will say, though, that I also wouldn't take a car seat from someone that I didn't really trust.

wss^

ambdtb

All books and info I have read states how important it is to buy a new car seat and not take a used one. For safety reasons.