infant carrier vs. convertible car seat

eaduvall · February 2011

my aunt wants to buy us our car seat and I had planed to get a travel system until I realized that the baby will only be in that car seat for a few months. Now i don't know if I should still get a travel system or if I should just get a convertible car seat that will last up to 60lbs.

Some of my friends are telling me that their children grew out of the carriers fairly quickly and I am kinda freaking out a little bit. I know that i will have to move to a bigger car seat, but how soon is really realistic and what is the best think to have first? Please share your thoughts with this 1st time mom 2 be. TIA!

naturelle25 · February 2011

You will need an infant carrier. I dont see how on earth you could get by without one. DD was in the carrier until about 9 months and DS will be switched very shortly. He is, as of now, still in the carrier. While it certainly is a PITA to haul around, it has been SO nice to just take him in and out of the car with one click instead of buckling and unbuckling two kids in this kind of weather,

MrsBalletStar05 · February 2011

Personally, I loved the infant seat. DS#2 is just now growing out of it. I should install the convertible seat soon. The infant seat is very handy. He'll fall asleep in it, and I can just pull him out of the car and carry him around while running my errands and not have to disrupt him - he stays in the seat. In the convertible seat, you will have to take him out and carry him or put him in the stroller. If you do do the convertible seat, I would also suggest getting some type of baby carrier or wrap so you can take the baby with you while shopping or whatever.

I remember this discussion once a long time ago. I too, thought the same as you - we'd just get a convertible seat. When it came down to it though, the infant seat was SO HANDY and most people agreed that it was much more convenient. Doing the convertible seat right off the bat is certainly not impossible though.

naturelle25 · February 2011

MrsBalletStar05:

Personally, I loved the infant seat. DS#2 is just now growing out of it. I should install the convertible seat soon. The infant seat is very handy. He'll fall asleep in it, and I can just pull him out of the car and carry him around while running my errands and not have to disrupt him - he stays in the seat. In the convertible seat, you will have to take him out and carry him or put him in the stroller. If you do do the convertible seat, I would also suggest getting some type of baby carrier or wrap so you can take the baby with you while shopping or whatever.

I remember this discussion once a long time ago. I too, thought the same as you - we'd just get a convertible seat. When it came down to it though, the infant seat was SO HANDY and most people agreed that it was much more convenient. Doing the convertible seat right off the bat is certainly not impossible though.

You are totally right about this but all I can envision in my head is a little baby slumped over in a convertible car seat, lol. I just dont see it!

Shozzies · February 2011

You have to have a convertible car seat because that is what babies move into once they are too big for the infant car seat. If you have an infant car seat, you won't need it right away, but sooner or later you will need one.

Technically, you do not need an infant car seat. A lot of convertible car seats can be used for newborns, but I wouldn't recommend it. The infant car seats are nice because you can carry them to and from the car without waking them up. It provides a nice little seat for the baby in restaurants or other places that a stroller would take up too much room. It provides a seat for the baby in a shopping cart. A lot of the grocery stores do not have the old carts with the baby seats around here anymore. It is easier to get the baby in and out of the car. In cold weather, you can throw a blanket over the baby and keep them warm as opposed to putting them directly into a convertible car seat. It's not safe to have a thick coat or snow suit in between the baby and the car seat straps.

I hate my travel system stroller. I would look for a lighter more compact stroller. A lot of single strollers are adaptable with certain infant seats even if they are not made by the same company.

lbaby08 · February 2011

Personally, I would go with an infant seat that attaches to the chassis of a stroller. You literally pop the frame up and attach the infant seat. When they outgrow the infant seat you attach a different basket seat to the stroller and obviously use a convertible car seat in the car. I am afraid this is not making sense! I would just show you ours but it is a UK company and you can't buy it in the US so that wouldn't really help. I think Bugaboo, Orbit and Quinny all make models that are a chassis with different attachable baskets/car seat. I loved the ease of being able to move the car seat directly onto the chassis without removing the baby (best part of a travel system IMO) but didn't have the bulk and weight of a big travel system. The convertible strollers are typically more lightweight and much easier to maneuver.

Maybe someone else can explain it better...

DD was in her infant seat until her 1st birthday. She was 7lbs. 3 oz. at birth so just an average size baby. I think most manufacturers say 9 months is the average age to make the move but it will all depend on how your baby grows.

celiabwatson · February 2011

My boy could still be in his infant carrier and he's over a year old. He doesn't like being moved around in it anymore and it's getting pretty heavy for me so I had been leaving it in the car and buckling and unbuckling. However, we switched at about a year to the convertible in my car (where he rides the most) and still use the infant seat in my husband's car because we don't want to have to switch the convertible between cars. I also leave the infant seat with people who are caring for him because it's easier than moving the convertible. My son is 1 year and 2 weeks. He weighs 20 pounds and is 31 inches. We'll probably get a 2nd convertible soon but I'm trying to wait as long as possible.

JOEBunny · February 2011

Our infant car seat went to 32 inches and 30 pounds. DD was in it until 18 months and DS until about 14 mo. I had a snap n go, so I didn't mind lifting him to put it in that, especially if I was just running in someplace for a minute. Look for one with a higher height/weight limit (35 p and 32"), skip the travel system and get a snap n go and another stroller you can use for a child instead of an infant, especially if money is tight.

Andrewsgal · February 2011

JOEBunny:
Our infant car seat went to 32 inches and 30 pounds. DD was in it until 18 months and DS until about 14 mo. I had a snap n go, so I didn't mind lifting him to put it in that, especially if I was just running in someplace for a minute. Look for one with a higher height/weight limit (35 p and 32"), skip the travel system and get a snap n go and another stroller you can use for a child instead of an infant, especially if money is tight.

just to warn you against this. Both of my kids wanted out of their infant seats as soon as they could sit up, they would try over and over again to sit up in the infant seats, they hated them, this was about 5 months old for both of them. Although weight wise they could have stayed in it longer they had no desire to. There is no way I could have had my 18 month old in one, she was talking in four sentances by then how odd that would have been to have her in a baby seat.

MrsBalletStar05 · February 2011

JOEBunny:
Our infant car seat went to 32 inches and 30 pounds. DD was in it until 18 months and DS until about 14 mo. I had a snap n go, so I didn't mind lifting him to put it in that, especially if I was just running in someplace for a minute. Look for one with a higher height/weight limit (35 p and 32"), skip the travel system and get a snap n go and another stroller you can use for a child instead of an infant, especially if money is tight.

This is good advice! Yes, not all infant seats have the same weight limit - for one to last longer get one with a higher weight limit. And snap n gos are very convenient as well.

And like someone else said - you will eventually need the convertible seat. And then the booster seat....a lot of car seats to be bought through the kid's life, haha.

JOEBunny · February 2011

Andrewsgal:
JOEBunny:
Our infant car seat went to 32 inches and 30 pounds. DD was in it until 18 months and DS until about 14 mo. I had a snap n go, so I didn't mind lifting him to put it in that, especially if I was just running in someplace for a minute. Look for one with a higher height/weight limit (35 p and 32"), skip the travel system and get a snap n go and another stroller you can use for a child instead of an infant, especially if money is tight.
just to warn you against this. Both of my kids wanted out of their infant seats as soon as they could sit up, they would try over and over again to sit up in the infant seats, they hated them, this was about 5 months old for both of them. Although weight wise they could have stayed in it longer they had no desire to. There is no way I could have had my 18 month old in one, she was talking in four sentances by then how odd that would have been to have her in a baby seat.

As usual, Andrews, your kids are far more advanced of most of ours!

IME, pretty much every baby I know is in the infant seat until at least 9 months. and the majority over a year.

There was nothing odd about DD sitting in her infant seat, which was designed to have a person of her size. Of course, she wasn't exceptional talking in full sentences at 18 months like your kids or expressing her desire for a different car seat at 5 months. She was still just being a regular baby.

Dochas · February 2011

My son is no where near growing out of his so you will certainly get more than a few months out of it! I also recommend getting the stroller frame rather than a travel system. A couple of moms I know wish they hadn't gotten the system when they saw how easy the frames are for getting around. We were in a restaurant recently and a woman came in with twins who had just grown out of their infant car seats. She came over to me and said "keep him in that seat as long as you can. It's a pain in the neck when they're out of it".

sunnybrook. · February 2011

I used Graco Snugride infants seats and a Double Snap-n-Go. I bought a "real" stroller when the babies were 7 months. One has moved into a convertible car seat and the other (at 1 year) is still in an infant carrier. They both could be in an infant carrier since they are only 18lbs, but one really started to dislike it.

I couldn't imagine not using an infant carrier. You can let the baby sleep and plop her into the Snap-n-Go without waking her up. That would NEVER happen with a convertible car seat. I will be so sad when I can't use my infant carrier anymore. It's so convenient.

rachbenn2007 · February 2011

Graco has new carriers out that can carry your child up to 32 or 35lbs and 32 or 35in here'st he website for graco www.gracobaby.com

Shozzies · February 2011

DD outgrew her Graco Snugride at 5 months by height. She's always been in the 95-99th percentile for height. She was no where near the weight limit. I was not ready to move her especially since she wasn't sitting well. I hated baby wearing in the grocery store.

memali26 · February 2011

We have the Graco Snugride 32 (can be used until baby is 32 inches and 32 lbs). I love it. Having the infant carrier is so convenient for all the reaons previous posters have listed, and I especially loved being able to snap it right into my stroller. At 11 months DD is 18.5 lbs at the most and about 28 inches, and I occasionally still take her out of the car in the infant seat on days when we have sub-zero temps. We will probably move her to a convertible seat in early summer so she can adjust to the new seat before #2 is born in Sept, but she doesn't seem to mind the seat so we'll use it a while longer.

HarrietNJMommy · February 2011

I can't imagine not having the convenience of an infant carrier, even if it's a few months.

My infant carrier went through 4 kids before it expired - my 3 kids and my Priest's baby.........it got good use........

I think DD#2 was in it the longest. I took her out around 9 months old as the spring started. My other 2 were winter babies, so in the summer I didn't want to lug around that seat.

GL!

spunkyprincessmande · February 2011

I'm discovering that everything only lasts a couple months when dealing with babies. If I took that attitude about everything I wouldn't have a bouncy seat, a swing, a playmat, most of his toys, a jumperoo, a Bumbo... That's just the nature of a baby--they're always changing.

That being said, since you're having a summer baby you could probably get away without an infant seat, but only if you wear your baby in a wrap or carrier everywhere you go. It can be done, but I personally love the convenience that an infant seat provides. I do enjoy wearing my son, but with this cold weather, it's so much easier to keep him in the carrier. Plus, when he was just a newborn he always fell asleep in his seat and stayed asleep while we were out shopping, at a restaurant, etc. (now it's a different story, he falls asleep in the car, but wakes up as soon as we get inside of wherever we're going). It was so nice not to have to disturb him to get him out of the seat. And it was nice because I didn't have to worry about people touching him and getting their germs all over him while he was wrapped up in his seat.

So, it's doable with just a convertible seat, but I think the convenience of an infant seat is worth it.

mandymack · February 2011

Hi there!

So generous of your Aunt to offer to purchase your Infant car seat - take her up on it FOR SURE (as the previous posters have already said there are numerous reasons for using an infant seat!) and spend $60 on a Snap 'n Go stroller frame. Then, around the average 9month mark, you can purchase a "light weight" stroller (like a Maclaren) or any stroller YOU like and the Convertible car seat and you'll be good to go until the average age of about 4-6years old and somewhere around 60lbs.

Emily was in her Chicco KeyFit infant seat until 9 months (she outgrew the height of the seat). She's now 4 years old, 36lbs and still very comfortable in the Britax Marathon convertible seat we purchased. We had both the Snap 'n go stroller frame and the matching Chicco travel system stroller and loved having both! I have to say, Emily can still sit in that stroller although we haven't used in in years.

GL!!!

eaduvall · February 2011

Thanks everyone! It was so helpful to hear what you had to say. I was pretty sure that I still wanted to go with the infant carrier and try to wait until Christmas at the earliest to get a convertible car seat. I registered for both so maybe someone else might get the other seat.

kacelle · February 2011

I was advised not to put a newborn directly into a convertible car seat for reasons of size, safety, and convenience. DH and I have this:

https://www.target.com/Graco-Snugride-Infant-Carseat-Stroller/dp/B003EGEJM2/ref=sr_1_15?ie=UTF8&searchView=grid5&keywords=graco travel system&fromGsearch=true&sr=1-15&qid=1296947910&rh=&searchRank=target104545&id=Graco Snugride Infant Carseat Stroller&node=1038576|1287991011&searchSize=90&searchPage=1&searchNodeID=1038576|1287991011&searchBinNameList=subjectbin,price,target_com_primary_color-bin,target_com_size-bin,target_com_brand-bin&frombrowse=0

Because it isn't an expensive travel system (on sale now for $107.99 shipped), we didn't feel like it was a major issue to get the infant carrier and stroller frame for the first few months and to register for a convertible car seat for when she grows out of it.

momofmanyinthemitten · February 2011

I have back problems, so a carrier wasn't an option for me. The convertible car seat has worked out well. If LO's asleep in it when we get home, she will stay asleep as I'm getting her out. I wear her in the Moby when we grocery shop and put her in the stroller or carry her for shorter errands.

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infant carrier vs. convertible car seat

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