Do infant car seat bases expire?

HereWeGo2014

I had a Graco snugride with DD that we have 2 bases for.  I know the car seat is expired, do the bases expire as well?  I would assume the plastic of the bases is just as subject to degradation at the car seat.  Mine are in storage or I'd go check the bottom and look.  My quick google search found a lot of people asking the same thing, but no definite answers.  I guess i really should just plan on replacing all of it.

Meanwhile - anyone plan on using a convertible seat to start with and NOT going for the infant seat?

Armyratt

Don't know about the base expiring but I plan on going for a convertible car seat and skipping the infant seat. I just don't want to buy an infant seat and then have to replace it in 5 to 6 months. Plus the convenience factor of putting the seat straight into the travel system does not work for me in Alaska cause strollers during the winter are useless.

KatelynEA90

I think they do expire. You could probably call Graco and ask.

Since we have an unexpired infant seat, we will be using it. I plan on baby wearing a lot though.

twobluelines

I think we are getting a travel system for my car and a convertible seat for my husband's car.  That way i can have the convenience of clicking it out and putting it into a stroller. 

sugarland726

I would be surprised if you called Graco and they said it wasn't expired. I'd plan on getting a whole new set up. I am not going straight to a convertible because even though the bucket seat is heavy, it's still convenient, especially while going out with a toddler.

LimeDrops

I had an infant seat with DD but I liked the convertible better. It was August, and she was always hot, I just wanted to get her out of it when we left the car, anyway.

I won't be doing it this time because of the time of year, I want to bundle LO in the house/store and carry them out in the cold with everything already in place. 

Cewilliams207554

I don't know about the base either. I know where i live they have different locations around town fire stations, hospitals, etc that install your car seat for you, as well as give safety tips and instruction. Maybe there is a place like that in your area.
I never knew they had a convertible carseat for infants. I love convertible items! I would consider it only if i could use a stroller with it. I love the fact that i could just lift the whole car seat and not have to disturb my son, which means if he was asleep i wouldn't wake him. Once i changed car seats and had to modify him out every time, my nosey one would be up for the rest of the trip!

Firefly9

They do expire.  I forget if it's 5 or 6 years--the "expiration date" should be printed on the base.

LatteLady5

HereWeGo2014:

I had a Graco snugride with DD that we have 2 bases for.  I know the car seat is expired, do the bases expire as well?  I would assume the plastic of the bases is just as subject to degradation at the car seat.  Mine are in storage or I'd go check the bottom and look.  My quick google search found a lot of people asking the same thing, but no definite answers.  I guess i really should just plan on replacing all of it.

Meanwhile - anyone plan on using a convertible seat to start with and NOT going for the infant seat?

If the carseat is expired I was probably assume the bases are too. Is there a manufacture date stamped on them? The rule is 5 years from manufacture unless other wise printed I believe.

 

mrsjenni

I believe the whole system expires.  We have to buy a new carseat/bases with this baby because DS will be 5 in July and his Chicco seat (that we used for all 3 babies) expires in August.  I'll likely just steal my sisters new Britax seat and bases for this baby and then give them back to her before her second comes along.

cja06

Crap! It never occurred to me that they would expire! I just assumed that I would use the same seat and bases, which are all in great condition from my first DS who will be 6 when this baby is born. I guess I have to review all the items  - swing, bouncy, etc. I hate the idea of having to buy new things when the babies grow out of them all so quickly and our stuff is in good condition.

What do you do with expired car seats? I hate the idea of them wasting away in landfills, especially if they are in good condition, but I know safety trumps everything.

 

folkfemme

bridefromafar:

Crap! It never occurred to me that they would expire! I just assumed that I would use the same seat and bases, which are all in great condition from my first DS who will be 6 when this baby is born. I guess I have to review all the items  - swing, bouncy, etc. I hate the idea of having to buy new things when the babies grow out of them all so quickly and our stuff is in good condition.

What do you do with expired car seats? I hate the idea of them wasting away in landfills, especially if they are in good condition, but I know safety trumps everything.

 

You cut the straps and recycle them. (So no one can dig them out of the bin and use them) An expired seat isn't in good condition internally, despite how it may look. The expiry date is because the high density foam and products used inside the seat itself break down over weather/temperature exposure, time etc. The internal workings are designed to absorb the majority of the shock of a crash, while only transferring a small amount to your baby. Over times it will break down and in the event of a crash, it wouldn't work as it was supposed to and your baby would absorb much more of the shock than necessary.

(I hope that makes sense - I have a serious case of pregnancy brain today, and I'm struggling formulating proper sentence structure.)

Our seat expires Aug 14, so it worked out really well for us. I totally understand the pain of having to buy something that you already have and appears to be fine, but it's worth it. (I wasn't directing that at you specifically, bridefromafar - just a general 'you'...) 

shortstuff15

Armyratt:

Don't know about the base expiring but I plan on going for a convertible car seat and skipping the infant seat. I just don't want to buy an infant seat and then have to replace it in 5 to 6 months. Plus the convenience factor of putting the seat straight into the travel system does not work for me in Alaska cause strollers during the winter are useless.

I'm not as far north as Alaska, but I'm close (think about a 12 hour drive - most of that going west, not north), and I would possibly re-think your skipping the infant seat.  It may not work to put it directly into the stroller, but it is definitely nice to be able to keep baby warm by keeping him/her in the seat with a blanket overtop.  You can put the seat directly into the shopping cart instead of the stroller or if it's a short distance, just carry the bucket.  It still keeps baby warmer then pulling them out of the seat and trying to wrap them up in -40 or more cold.

We will be using our bucket seat.  We are lucky in that we will be able to get 3 kids out of it.  It was manufactured in 2009 and so we are just cutting it in regards to the expiry date. 

shortstuff15

bridefromafar:

Crap! It never occurred to me that they would expire! I just assumed that I would use the same seat and bases, which are all in great condition from my first DS who will be 6 when this baby is born. I guess I have to review all the items  - swing, bouncy, etc. I hate the idea of having to buy new things when the babies grow out of them all so quickly and our stuff is in good condition.

What do you do with expired car seats? I hate the idea of them wasting away in landfills, especially if they are in good condition, but I know safety trumps everything.

 

I don't think swings and bouncy chairs expire.  They may be dated looking, but I don't think they expire the way carseats do.

LatteLady5

lovelovelovelovelove:

bridefromafar:

Crap! It never occurred to me that they would expire! I just assumed that I would use the same seat and bases, which are all in great condition from my first DS who will be 6 when this baby is born. I guess I have to review all the items  - swing, bouncy, etc. I hate the idea of having to buy new things when the babies grow out of them all so quickly and our stuff is in good condition.

What do you do with expired car seats? I hate the idea of them wasting away in landfills, especially if they are in good condition, but I know safety trumps everything.

 

You cut the straps and recycle them. (So no one can dig them out of the bin and use them) An expired seat isn't in good condition internally, despite how it may look. The expiry date is because the high density foam and products used inside the seat itself break down over weather/temperature exposure, time etc. The internal workings are designed to absorb the majority of the shock of a crash, while only transferring a small amount to your baby. Over times it will break down and in the event of a crash, it wouldn't work as it was supposed to and your baby would absorb much more of the shock than necessary.

Our seat expires Aug 14, so it worked out really well for us. I totally understand the pain of having to buy something that you already have and appears to be fine, but it's worth it. (I wasn't directing that at you specifically, bridefromafar - just a general 'you'...) 

All of this. Even the nicest looking carseat isn't safe after expiration. 

RingOfFire11

Firefly9:

They do expire.  I forget if it's 5 or 6 years--the "expiration date" should be printed on the base.

This.

Piach

bridefromafar:

Crap! It never occurred to me that they would expire! I just assumed that I would use the same seat and bases, which are all in great condition from my first DS who will be 6 when this baby is born. I guess I have to review all the items  - swing, bouncy, etc. I hate the idea of having to buy new things when the babies grow out of them all so quickly and our stuff is in good condition.

What do you do with expired car seats? I hate the idea of them wasting away in landfills, especially if they are in good condition, but I know safety trumps everything.

Babies R Us does have trade in events where they offer 25% coupons when trading in big ticket items like cribs, carseats, strollers, etc. As far as I know, they dispose of the expired items safely, but you still end up with a 25% off coupon!

HereWeGo2014

Piach:

Babies R Us does have trade in events where they offer 25% coupons when trading in big ticket items like cribs, carseats, strollers, etc. As far as I know, they dispose of the expired items safely, but you still end up with a 25% off coupon!

This is what I'm waiting for.  I should probably check my convertible carseat as well. 

Armyratt

dhviel:

Armyratt:

Don't know about the base expiring but I plan on going for a convertible car seat and skipping the infant seat. I just don't want to buy an infant seat and then have to replace it in 5 to 6 months. Plus the convenience factor of putting the seat straight into the travel system does not work for me in Alaska cause strollers during the winter are useless.

I'm not as far north as Alaska, but I'm close (think about a 12 hour drive - most of that going west, not north), and I would possibly re-think your skipping the infant seat.  It may not work to put it directly into the stroller, but it is definitely nice to be able to keep baby warm by keeping him/her in the seat with a blanket overtop.  You can put the seat directly into the shopping cart instead of the stroller or if it's a short distance, just carry the bucket.  It still keeps baby warmer then pulling them out of the seat and trying to wrap them up in -40 or more cold.

We will be using our bucket seat.  We are lucky in that we will be able to get 3 kids out of it.  It was manufactured in 2009 and so we are just cutting it in regards to the expiry date. 

Yeah I have thought about that. I was planning on baby wearing and have the jacket that will go over the sling....plus I have a van in which I can get back and put baby in the sling before getting out.

jldubb0626

Like others have said, I think the whole set expires, not just the seat.

I loved having the bucket seat. DS was a January baby and it was nice to have the seat inside so it was warm when I put him in it. Then I just bundled him up and clicked him in the base.