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1st Trimester
Two cars, one car seat?
Do you have to have two car seats for two cars? We're thinking of getting the Combi Coccoro and the flash stroller frame:
https://www.combi-intl.com/Products/Item.aspx?Item=12
https://www.combi-intl.com/Products/Item.aspx?Item=49
The seat snaps into the frame to become a stroller, so there's no travel system, no infant car seat, just the one deal to get the kid through close to age 3. (We may get another stroller as well, but haven't decided.)
So are two car seats really necessary? It's unlikely DH will be taking LO anywhere in a hurry - we usually only take his car on weekends to run errands or on long car trips - so we're thinking, even if installation isn't the easiest of tasks, it's not like we'd have to switch it to another car in a flash...But everyone seems to have a separate car seat for each car. It just seems like a waste of money to me...
This discussion has been closed.
Re: Two cars, one car seat?
i would find it annoying if that carseat did not have a handle on it to carry dc around. ds lived in his carseat for the first 5 months or so. its how we did shopping, went out to dinner, etc... and if you cant carry your dc around in that, what will you carry them in???
also, we hardly ever use the stroller with ds anymore, he just wants to run, or push it.
We're probably just going with one. I will be interested to see what 2nd time moms have to say.
BFP #1 11/28/09 ~ EDD 8/6/10 ~ DS Born 8/9/10
BFP #2 8/27/13 ~ EDD 5/8/14 ~ Natural MC 9/18/13 at 6 weeks, 6 days
BFP#3 3/28/14 ~ EDD 12/7/14 ~ DD Born 11/21/14
BFP#4 6/15/17 ~ EDD 2/20/18
Are you set on that car seat? If I were to forgo the infant seat, I'd get a convertible with higher weight limits than 33 lbs rear facing and 40 lbs forward facing.
We had one infant seat with two bases (a base in each car, then moved the seat between the two cars) but have a convertible seat for each car. If your LO would be riding in your car 90% of the time it would probably be fine to just get one, but if you are going to switch cars on a somewhat regular basis I'd probably get two. It's a bit of a pain to move the seat - especially while managing an infant.
I like having the infant seat to take in and out of the car. I could never go straight to a convertible.
If you are seat on having a convertible, and plan on wearing your baby out and about, then that is a fine seat to have. It will last "most" kids rear-facing until the age of 3. It is a very small seat though.
I would at least have a back up seat later (cosco scenera is a good choice) because I suspect that you will get tired of taking the seat in and out.
We just have one carseat. Whoever has Ethan gets the car with the carseat. I initially wanted an extra base, but we never would have used it.
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Also, if you are taking the car seat out of the car to snap into the stroller every day, then who is going to hold your little one while you re-install the car seat into the car.
The Combi seat is a covertible so there is no base to snap into. Which means that you have un-install/re-install every time you take it out.
The moment a child is born, the mother is also born. She never existed before. The woman existed, but the mother, never. A mother is something absolutely new.
This. Also, do you really want to have to take that seat out of the car with a 40 lbs child strapped in to put it in a stroller? I think DC would be so sick of that seat that car rides and trips in the stroller would be hell. Not to mention that I really like that my stroller has a reclining seat and a snack tray. I just think it would be uncomfortable sitting in the same seat if you guys were out for the day.
I'm not dead set on this seat yet, but I have a very small back seat and we need to get a seat that fits - for small cars, this seems to be one of the ones that's highly recommended. I plan on babywearing as much as possible, so the snapping the seat into the stroller would be more for if he's sleeping when we arrive somewhere and I don't want to wake him...
I don't want to be unrealistic, but I really don't want to spend the money on anything we don't really really need. So I guess my question has now morphed into...if you only had one seat, did you find it a total PITA to switch it between cars?
Super cute and Carlab took the words right out of my mouth!
Having one seat wouldn't be as much of an issue if it were an infant seat. Infant seats can be installed without the base, and often the belt fits right across the top of the seat. So, you don't have to constantly move the base.
I think the logistics of that seat and getting it in and out by yourself with the baby = crazy. Even if you are baby wearing, it would be nearly impossible for me to correctly install my DD's convertible seat while wearing an infant. In fact, in order to get the tightest install, I usually have to kneel into the seat itself.
I just don't see it happening... sorry.
An infant seat isn't that difficult to move from car to car. Especially if you have two bases (but even without two bases it isn't that difficult). A convertible seat is more of a pain to move regularly.
And will you be working? If so, will one of you always be doing pick up and drop off? Otherwise you would need to take the car seat out of the car and leave it at daycare.
What car do you have? The website https://www.car-seat.org/ has a forum and people there are extremely knowledgable about what car seats will fit with what car.
Installing any carseat is a PITA in my opinion, in order to get it tight you really need to get and put your weight on it (I always use my knee) It's not a quick snap and go it takes a few minutes if you do it properly. There is no way you could get it in correctly with a child in it or while you are wearing one. I couldn't imagine having to install the carseat without having someone around to watch the LO.
I have a 2 door Chevy caviler, now that is small. lol But I can still fit a infant seat in there. As far as moving yes it is a PITA. But if you get an infant seat just buy 2 bases.
Also if your are not wanting to wake the baby the infant seat would be perfect.
Two car seats are not necessary, but it depends on your situation if you'd appreciate one.
I drive a large minivan during the week when I'm home alone with the kids. I hate the thing, but we thought it was necessary. Anyway, DH drives a little Ford Focus, and whenever he's home, we take that places. It saves us a ton on gas money by using the smaller car, especially since his family is almost 3 hours away. We said we'd just switch out the car seat(s eventually) and use his car, but the reality was that it was a pain. Once we got two sets, we were much better about using his car for the majority of family driving. We are even trying to figure out now how we can fit a 3rd car seat back there after this next baby comes.
But if your car will be the main vehicle that you use for family rides, then it really wouldn't be necessary.
Oh, and if you do use two cars regularly, an extra stroller is handy...there are decent but affordable umbrella strollers that work well almost from birth.
One last thought...now that I own a good infant carrier (Ergo) I rarely use the infant seat to transport my babies outside the car. It's heavy, and they're happier next to me.
Personal opinion.
I would def get an infant seat with 2 bases.
I would never move seats from car to car. Once installed and inspected it is done.
For an infant seat - I'd do one seat, two bases. Once you switch to a convertible I'd do two seats.
That being said - I wish we'd gone straight to a convertible. We never used the seat w/ DD out of the car.
This exactly. There is also no way I would have started out with a convertible seat - I know it says they can be used for newborns, but the baby is just so small at that point and it would not be as safe IMO.