Do I need two car seats?

digwriter

Should I have a car seat for my car and DH's car or should we just switch the car seat back and forth? I'm pretty unsure about this. My gut instinct says that I should have two car seats, because swapping the seat back and forth sounds like it'll be annoying after a while.

jamlsull

With our infant seat (chicco keyfit) we originally had a base in my car and DH's car.  He only used it once & we ended up selling it to a friend who needed it.  Unless your LO will be riding in both your cars equally, I wouldn't bother with 2.  Honestly, installing the base (we use the latch system) is VERY easy & quick.  I've even put it in my Mom's car without the latch system & it still was easy.  Now a convertible seat later on might be harder to move around.

LDQAM516

If you can afford it...I would recommend buying a second...but you can easily get by with just one.  But having two would make things A LOT easier...especially if you go between the two vehicles often.

A second base is what Iam referring to. 

Kimee13

With our infant carseat we had one seat, but two bases.  That is all you need for that age.

However, for a convertible carseat I would definitely get two - not only is it a pain to be switching out it could be dangerous, if you're constantly switching them out you could miss a step.  We installed both of ours and took them by the police station to verify they were in correctly. 

LDQAM516

To clarify...I was referring to a second base...which I assume that is what you are talking about.

CarlaAndJames

If you think you'll use both cars, get a second base for your infant carseat. It's so easy to click them in and out, and such a huge pain to uninstall and reinstall a carseat.

My husband does dropoff and I do pickup, so we knew we'd need both. And when we switch to a convertible, we'll each need our own seat. Sucks, but neccessary!

Kimee13

CarlaAndJames:

If you think you'll use both cars, get a second base for your infant carseat. It's so easy to click them in and out, and such a huge pain to uninstall and reinstall a carseat.

My husband does dropoff and I do pickup, so we knew we'd need both. And when we switch to a convertible, we'll each need our own seat. Sucks, but neccessary!

Why do you need both as an infant if you have 2 bases?  We would just carry DS into daycare in his carseat and line it up against the wall with all of the others - that way it doesn't matter who drops off/picks up. 

cynasmin

I'll be the dropping off/ picking up so we are only getting 1 base. it will be very rare that DH will pickup instead or that we couldn't just take my car. going to register for one convertible for DHs car so that we have a convertible or he could just use the infant carrier w/ out the base in a pinch.  then worry about a second convertible or whatever later on for my car when the infant carrier has been out grown.

CarlaAndJames

Kimee13:

CarlaAndJames:

If you think you'll use both cars, get a second base for your infant carseat. It's so easy to click them in and out, and such a huge pain to uninstall and reinstall a carseat.

My husband does dropoff and I do pickup, so we knew we'd need both. And when we switch to a convertible, we'll each need our own seat. Sucks, but neccessary!

Why do you need both as an infant if you have 2 bases?  We would just carry DS into daycare in his carseat and line it up against the wall with all of the others - that way it doesn't matter who drops off/picks up. 

Oh sorry, maybe my post was confusing! We just have one infant seat and 2 bases. We take the carseat in and they put them under the cribs.

Kimee13

CarlaAndJames:

Kimee13:

CarlaAndJames:

If you think you'll use both cars, get a second base for your infant carseat. It's so easy to click them in and out, and such a huge pain to uninstall and reinstall a carseat.

My husband does dropoff and I do pickup, so we knew we'd need both. And when we switch to a convertible, we'll each need our own seat. Sucks, but neccessary!

Why do you need both as an infant if you have 2 bases?  We would just carry DS into daycare in his carseat and line it up against the wall with all of the others - that way it doesn't matter who drops off/picks up. 

Oh sorry, maybe my post was confusing! We just have one infant seat and 2 bases. We take the carseat in and they put them under the cribs.

Gotcha - I was just confused. 

digwriter

With us, I don't drive DH's car(it's stick) and he doesn't drive mine(because well, it's mine -lol), so we switch back and forth depending on how much room we need and who's going where. My household consists of DH and I, my mom, our dog Penny and baby to be. Sometimes mom and I go out somewhere, which means we take my SUV. If DH and I go out somewhere or DH, Penny and me, it usually involves us taking his car. When it's DH, mom and me it can be either car depending on what we're doing...and if Penny comes along with the three of us it's definitely my SUV. So you see my big, fat convoluted dilemma. So, ya, probably two bases at first and then two baby seats.

mac&chip

We're doing 1 seat with 2 bases.

littlehckyplar

mac&chip:

We're doing 1 seat with 2 bases.

 We are doing the same. 

BitsKD13

We're doing one seat and 2 or 3 bases.  My mom will be watching LO two days a week so she'll need one.  I am just trying to decide if DH and I each need our own baseor not.  I might just get us each one and if we find that just one is enough for us I'll CL the second.

ali_bl-nov05

Kimee13:

With our infant carseat we had one seat, but two bases.  That is all you need for that age.

However, for a convertible carseat I would definitely get two - not only is it a pain to be switching out it could be dangerous, if you're constantly switching them out you could miss a step.  We installed both of ours and took them by the police station to verify they were in correctly. 

Honestly, not even that, must infant carseats can bu used w/o a base. It is nice to have two, because it is so much easier to just snap and go.

And ditto on convertible carseats, but I'm not a fan of using them for infants.

GoldenPeaches

The baby will very rarely be in DH's car, so we're getting a convertible for his car from the start, and we have an infant seat/base for mine. I couldn't justify spending 70 dollars on another Chicco base that may be used a handful of times before DS grows out of it. I'd rather take that 70 dollars and apply it towards getting a better convertible seat.

DreadLoc

Kimee13:

With our infant carseat we had one seat, but two bases.  That is all you need for that age.

However, for a convertible carseat I would definitely get two - not only is it a pain to be switching out it could be dangerous, if you're constantly switching them out you could miss a step.  We installed both of ours and took them by the police station to verify they were in correctly. 

ITA.  Get both bases installed and checked and you'll never have to worry about an incorrect installation.  Just click them in and go.