Infant carrier carseat vs. Convertible carseat

Angie&Doc · January 2010

I am really trying to decide whether or not to even buy an infant carseat this time. We had one with ds, it was a travel system. I hated the travel system. The infant seat only worked for 5 1/2 months and he was in a convertible carseat b/c he was so big. So, my question for myself is should I really spend the money on an infant carseat and then have to turn around in 6 months and buy another carseat?

Did you use an infant carseat or just purchase the convertible carseat and use it from birth? Trying to decide what I want to do this time.

MrsBeckO · January 2010

The infant seats are better suited to protect tiny little bodies than convertibles.

fjaril · January 2010

Did you get rid of the other infant seat? if it's not expired, I'd reuse it and wait to buy the convertible for when the little one is bigger.

rssnlvr · January 2010

We are using an infant carseat. I can't even tell you the number of times she's fallen asleep in the car and we've been able to just plop her seat in her room and let her keep snoozing. I would hate to have had to wake her up all those times. And I feel like the convertible seat would just have been so big, you know? She seems more snug in the infant seat.

Angie&Doc · January 2010

No, unfortunately I gave away our other one to a friend of mine. I remember how nice it was when he was sleeping and transporting him around. But, I don't have a stroller that it will hook on to either, and I really don't want a travel system. I don't care for those strollers. I don't know... I guess this is something I will have to think about. :-)

MrsBeckO · January 2010

Angie&Doc:
No, unfortunately I gave away our other one to a friend of mine. I remember how nice it was when he was sleeping and transporting him around. But, I don't have a stroller that it will hook on to either, and I really don't want a travel system. I don't care for those strollers. I don't know... I guess this is something I will have to think about. :-)

Have you considered the infant seat by itself and then trying to find a used snap n go rather than a travel system stroller?

MrsH07 · January 2010

we used the infant carseat and it was heaven on the very rare occassion that DS would fall asleep in it. We would just pull it out and bring it in the house and let him slee. Unfortunately we couldnt use it too long because he has really bad Acid Reflux and we think that the infant seat made him scrouch down too much. He started doing a bit better in the car once we put him in the convertible one.

Kristen&Doyle · January 2010

It's kind of hard to decide without meeting your LO in my opinion. All babies are so different and the infant seat might suit some babies better than others, especially when it comes to them sleeping in them. I'm going to just re-use the infant car seat we had for Colton (I don't think it has expired yet!) but I do plan on slinging this baby more, so it might not be used as much as it was last time. DH was just complaining last night about having to carry around one of those car seats again. I told him he could pick his kid now, so at least I'm willing to carry the infant car seat if it works for this baby.

Taytee · January 2010

It's been pretty nice to have on many occasions. I especially like it being climate controlled in the house before we head out to the car. ie -it's not ice cold like DD's seat in the mornings and it won't been a thousand degrees in the summer.

But overall I don't leave her in it much anymore when we're out now that I've mastered the Moby wrap. Abby is a little runaway in stores (better in the parking lot) and it's great to have Emily on me while I go get Abby and not just leave her unattended in the carseat. More hands available to remove Abby's grubby little hands from things too.

I do feel it's worth borrowing an infant carrier even if it's just for the first month or two. It does afford better protection I think.

bobcatsteph · January 2010

I would definitely get an infant seat if I were you...unless you're planning on wearing LO #2 everywhere.

mlf625 · January 2010

I can count on one hand the number of times I took DS's infant seat out of the car. I hated hauling that thing around, it was bulky and awkward for me. I wore him in a Bjorn 95% of the time, and we had him moved to a convertible when he was 4 or 5 months old.

I'm planning to use his infant seat for DD, but only because we already have it so I might as well get another use out of it. If we didn't still have DS's infant seat, I'd put her in a convertible from the start. Many are considered just as safe as infant seats for babies 5+ pounds. IDK, the infant seat may prove to be more useful with #2, but I can't think of many cases where carrying that bigass seat around would be more convenient than just wearing her and pushing DS in his umbrella stroller, shopping cart, or holding his hand as he walks.

jakbtx · January 2010

i've been using the convertible w#3 from the get go, and i've much preferred it than the infant seat. i lugged the infant seat around w/toddler last time & i realized how much easier it was to carry my 2yo while wearing the infant than carrying the 2 yo + carseat. none of my boys have ever stayed asleep in the infant seat once out of the car, so i wasn't too worried about that. it's very easy to pop him in the sling, etc and then get my other guys out of the car. he seems snug in the conv w/ the pads, etc too.?

Angie&Doc · January 2010

Mandie - That is exactly what I was thinking. It will be so much more work with that big ole seat than me just wearing the baby. I do plan on wearing this baby all of the time and pushing Austin in the stroller or walking with me.

All of the convertible carseats I have looked at say for infants 5lbs. + so, I know that they are safe enough.

Thank you all for your input and ideas/thoughts. :-)

brideonjuly8 · January 2010

I used our infant carrier until the last possible day. I loved it and wished we had bought the Keyfit 30 so he had more room. He loves his convertible seat, but at times when he was sleeping and we'd go out to eat or something he had to wake him up.

Want a personalized experience?

Infant carrier carseat vs. Convertible carseat

Re: Infant carrier carseat vs. Convertible carseat

Choose Another Board

Search Boards