Should I buy a travel system or separate car seat and stroller?

Mila725

I am a new mom-to-be (baby to arrive in 20 weeks!)  I am registering for stuff and this whole car seat thing is a dilemma for me.  I found a travel system I like and a separate car seat I like, but I'm not sure which route to go... 

I like the idea of the travel system because (1) if I buy 2 bases, we can easily put baby in my car or DH's, and (2) I like not have to take baby out of the carseat to move her to the stroller if she is sleeping or something.  I like the separate car seat / stroller idea though because I hate the thought of just having to buy another car seat a year from now.  Seems like a better investment to just buy a good convertible car seat that'll last longer.

I thought maybe I'd ask some experienced moms what they think.  So, any advice to offer?  TIA!

MegGary

We got the travel system. It's worked out great for us. If DD is asleep we just move her in her carrier. Once she outgrows the carrier we still have the stroller to use & don't have to worry about getting one later on.

KimW

I'm really glad I got the travel system.  I  can't tell you how many times I've moved the baby into the house to continue her nap.  Also, I don't know where you live, but it was a godsend during the winter.  I could  bundle her up in the warmth of the house before moving her outside into the freezing cold car.

samfish2bcrab

Having a travel system is fantastic.   Once they fall asleep you do NOT want to wake them.

That being said, if I were to start over i'd buy the same Graco carseat, but not the stroller that went with it.  I'd buy the Snap and Go instead.   It's lighter, easier to get in and out of the car and still has storage space underneath.

afwells

I would have HATED life for the first 4 or so months without the infant seat, base, & stroller combo.

That being said, it's a wonderful thing for the first few months, only.  After that, the baby gets too heavy to carry in the seat (although I only recently gave that up, and I can still fit her in the stroller in the infant car seat because she's a small baby).  I also really like the "matching" stroller, so it was a good investment for me.

I also like that infant car seats are thought to be the safest option for newborns.  So I'm willing to pay for a new convertible seat whenever my baby grows out of her Keyfit for the sake of safety & that convenience.

Seriously.  Would have passed out & died if I had to wake my sleeping newborn to take her out of her seat every time I needed to leave the car.  It's kind of a price versus convenience issue.

MrsL1022

I did not buy a travel system. I boughtthe Graco Snugride carseat, Snap N'go  frame(BEST.THING.EVER), then I had the Inglesina Zippy stroller which I absolutely love and is way more compact in my trunk. If you lock the front wheels it stands up like a golf bag. I can also open and close it with one hand if need be. It reclines all the way so I'd take DS for walks in it around the neighborhood. I have gotten a TON of use out of it b/c it was compatitble with my carseat and fit together like a TS when needed. I traveled with it and it was great. Now I use the Zippy or my BOB Revolution  and I have not needed anything else. The snap n'go is wonderful for running errands and popping the baby in and out of the car, GL Deciding. I am so glad I did not get a TS.

samfish2bcrab

And I agree with the PP in regards to bundling up int eh wintertime.  Wrestling with snowsuits etc. then having to get them into a carseat outside would have been a pain.

july10bride04

We followed the baby bargains advice, which is to buy an infant car seat, the bases and a stroller frame.  It's the same idea as using a travel system, but the stroller is much smaller and easier to keep in your car.  Then when he was big enough we bought a nicer umbrella stroller for when he didn't want to be in his car seat.  This doesn't eliminate the need for a convertable car seat when he grows out of the infant one, but I bought the Grace Safety seat which has larger height/weight limitations, so at 9 months we're still happily using the infant seat.  It's not light, but we don't carry him around it in all that frequently.

I will also agree with you, having the infant seat that they can sleep in is a huge bonus.  Just think, if you need to run to a store, you put the sleeping baby in their carseat into the cart and do your shopping, you won't be able to do that with traditional car seat.  Just a thought.  I'm sure there are plenty of people on here that may think otherwise, but it's just my opinion.

MexicoBride0507

The carrier part of the travel system works great while the baby is very young.  My son actually slept in his car seat for the first few months for reflux.  I have a big baby so we acutally had to get anew car seat at 5 months.  Because of this, I would suggest that you buy whatever stroller you really want, and get an adapter for a separate infant car seat.  I only used the stroller for the first few months, and then started using my Bob Revolution and umbrella stroller. 

kelbrian

We did not buy a travel system. I hate how the strollers look. It's me nitpicking, but oh well. I also live in the city and don't own a car, so my situation is a little different. We walk everywhere or take public transportation, so I didn't have to worry about waking DD because we would just walk in our front door with the stroller and she would continue sleeping. We have the Kolcraft Contour Options 3 Wheel, and I love it. It works great, it's cute, it is adaptable with infant seats, and it is heavy duty, which is great for city streets.?

AmyDrinkie

We didn't get a travel system, and sometimes it would have been convenient but the strollers just didn't seem to suit our needs. ?We needed something very small and lightweight for every day and possible int'l travel, so we got a Maclaren Quest for that. ?Then we needed something more beefy for around the neighborhood b/c there are no sidewalks here, conveniently, so we got a Baby Trend Expedition for that ($100 @ Target). ?We did use the infant seat at the beginning but it was too heavy for me to carry and I had to take him out of it anyway. ?Lucky for me, my baby doesn't wake up and get pissed if you move him in his sleep.

I think, really consider which stroller will suit your needs because many of them will work with a variety of infant seats to make a travel system - sometimes you may need to buy a separate adapter and sometimes they just fit right on. ?I know the Maclaren Techno does and I'm sure other brands to too.

kmmancil

when they're teeny tiny, the travel system is the way to go because you can jsut get them in and out of the car with the seat and minimally disturb them.  Plus, some of the carseats the will hold them till they're in a booster don't always lean back as much so baby's head flops forward

roxysurf99

I think the travel system was a huge waste of money IMO.  I do use the big stroller but don't need to.  I only use it because I feel bad otherwise and I only use it for walks around the neighborhood.  I had a snap n go in the beginning which I used all the time and now I use a Maclaren all the time.  If I were doing it again I would just buy the carseat and a lightweight stroller that holds a carseat (my maclaren does this).  I know everyone feels quite differently about travel systems.  It really depends on where you live and what you will be doing with the stroller. 

Buckets of Moonbeams

If I were buying it again, I would not buy the travel system.  I think I used the stroller part 3 times.  I am a babywearer, not a stoller person, but that's just me...I've only used the umbrella stroller about 5 times!  The infant carrier was extremely convenient as my newborn frequently fell asleep in the car, but if you plan to put baby in a sling often (which is actually MUCH easier when out and about) the whole system is not necessary.

I just last weekend changed my tiny daughter to a convertible carseat and I cannot believe how much more comfortable she is in it.

akayf

Well, we had a infant car seat and then borrowed a snap and go.    We also had a Bumbleride FLyer....it has a car seat bar but we rarely used it.   Honestly, DS was such a great sleeper...I could take him out of the seat and put him in the Flyer and he wouldn't even budge.   

We moved him into the convertible at 6 months since he was getting too long for the infant seat.   We still use the Flyer but just picked up a Maclaren for short trips since the Flyer is pretty big.    

faBriezy

i agree with pp. You want a stroller you can snap your carseat into for the first few months but it doesnt have to be a travel system. Travel system strollers tend to be kind of crappy after your LO grows out of the infant seat. I had a Snugride with the inexpensive Snugrider stroller frame and it was perfect. I recently ordered an Inglesina Zippy and that has an adaper for any carseat so next time around i might just use that. You can even get a carseat adapter for most all terrain strollers as well. So IMHO, get something to snap your carseat into but skip the travel system.

skoorbnibor

as much as the idea of a new carseat seems wasteful, go with the travel system. It is so much easier to be able to take a sleeping baby in her infant seat from place to place, and in cold weather, to carry a bundled up carseat, not baby from house to car and so on. Shopping, restaurants, etc are so much easier!
and my 9 month old is still quite comfy in his infant seat!

NewBlue

I would say you want an infant seat so you can transport the baby in it.  The stoller part of the travel system was a WASTE.  We hardly ever use it because it is so big and takes up so much truck space.  I would recommend a car seat with 2 bases and a snap and go (make sure the car seat fits it).  The snap and go has been a LIFESAVER for us and I use it all the time.