When to switch?

bellevuebride07

When did you switch your LO from an infant seat to a convertable car seat?  We have an infant seat that will last till 32 lbs.  Is there any benefit to switching him to a convertable seat now.  I only consider it b/c I can barely lift the seat anyway so I mostly just leave it in the car anyway. 

Thanks

kel716

We did around 9 mos.  At that point he really wanted to sit up more.  We bought the seats about 8.5 mos.  I really wasn't looking forward to giving up the convenience of the pumpkin seat, but it just got too heavy to carry. 

Watch for deals at BRU- that's when we jumped.  Also, even if you don't buy from them, it is helpful to go and try them out.  We went in thinking we'd get one seat and walked out with a different one. 

FWIW, Brandon is now 27 lbs, and he's 75%-ilie for weight. 

sistrkate

I did it at 9 months with Justin, and I really dreaded doing it.  But after I did it, oh my gosh what a relief!  It's so much easier to carry them, and put them in a stroller or shopping cart or whatever......

If Leo can sit up on his own, I think you would be glad you switched.  If you're already leaving the infant seat in the car, I'd say go ahead and do it.  Tyler's already over 17 lbs and I think his seat weighs 7 or 8......I can't imagine carrying a 32 lb infant in a 7 pound seat!

bellevuebride07

Is it easier to strap them into a convertable seat than the infant seat?

kel716

Hmmm... that depends.  It was easier before he started flipping himself around as soon as you put him in the carseat, LOL. 

I personally found the infant seat easier to strap in and out of just because I would strap in before we got to the car.  Now I'm leaning over a carseat.  But Katie is right- not lugging that thing around is much easier. 

teacherjess

We switched around 9 months because it was getting too heavy for me to lift. 

I may be on the other side here, but I loved the infant seat and only changed because it was getting too heavy. I used a Snap N Go stroller and it was much easier for me to snap her in than it is now trying to transfer her in and out. She loved her infant seat, though, because it seemed she liked being snug.

Klmorgan83

kel716:

Hmmm... that depends.  It was easier before he started flipping himself around as soon as you put him in the carseat, LOL. 

I personally found the infant seat easier to strap in and out of just because I would strap in before we got to the car.  Now I'm leaning over a carseat.  But Katie is right- not lugging that thing around is much easier. 

Ditto all of this.  We switched around 9 months, and it was easier to buckle him in.  With the infant seat you aren't having to lean over them trying to do it, and Noah is much squirmier (is that a word??) now.   Noah is probably around 25lbs, and I find it a little hard to actually get him into the convertable seat, but he's still RFing, so I'm not sure if it will be easier when he's FFing or not.

cat81305

We switched not long after he could sit up on his own.  I got tired of carrying the heavy seat with him in it when it was easier to pull him out of his carseat and carry him or sit him in the cart.  Good luck in your decision.