So how many carseats do you really need?!

Rosie24 · August 2011

If you are getting an infant seat, there is a gap before you can use a booster so would you still need a convertible in between?? Or do I need something else in between an infant seat and booster?

Choosing car seats and strollers have not been fun at all!

kwcw · August 2011

With DD we used an infant seat until around 9 months, then we moved her to a convertible rear facing, she still uses the convertible at 2.5 and I think she will for quite some time.

EveryNameIWantIsTaken · August 2011

We're on ds's 3rd carseat. The infant seat only fit him until about 6 months so we needed a convertible to keep him as long rear facing as possible. Then he grew shoulder height wise out of the convertible so we needed another. You could avoid this by spending lots on a convertible that will work for taller heights. Look into the Sunshine Radian ones for that. The one he is in now is the Graco Nautalis which will take him all the way through the rest of needing a car seat. It works as a 5 point harness, a high backed booster, and a backless booster.

iluvmylab · August 2011

Yes, you will need a convertible. We are going to get an infant seat with an extra base and then probably buy 2 convertibes since DH and I will share the daycare duty. I'm not registered for that yet and haven't even researched convertibles. We have time before we will need that.

DarthNBJenni · August 2011

Graco has a new one that goes from birth to booster. I think it's like $299 at BRU, but it doesn't look like it carries easily like an infant seat would. My girls are almost 3 and we're still on our convertible car seat. I doubt we'll go to a booster for a long time, since they're only 25 pounds.

linaboop · August 2011

Are there ones that work from the beginning through booster?

robynlynn83 · August 2011

I would have an infant seat and a good convertible seat. The Sunshine Radian is awesome and will last you the longest. We have an almost 6 year old and I will not put her in a booster until I absolutely have to (safety tests of boosters vs extended harnessing, super scary....plus, having just a seat belt restrain a kid who weighs 40lbs, eek).

Our 6 year old has been in two seats-- infant carrier and now convertible (Graco Nautilus, but that cannot rear face and has only been out since Peyton was 3 and already in a convertible).

I would hold off on a booster as long as possible and get a good convertible after the infant seat.

JNicMTek · August 2011

We have an infant seat, and an extra base. One in my car, one in H's and one in my mothers.

DD outgrew the infant seat by 6 months and I thought we were all set because my father bought us a convertable seat, however it wasn't rear-facing. So we bought two more rear facing/front facing seats that aren't convertable, but DD is still in those seats in H's car and we gave the other to my mother so she could have one. Now that DD fits in the seat my father bought, she's done for my car, since it converts to a booster, but she'll need something in H's car in the not so distant future.

A booster is for closer to 5 year olds I believe, (depending on weight and size of course).

Mye · August 2011

you can actually go straight to a convertible car seat, they start at 5lbs babies

MrsT2008 · August 2011

A good convertible should last you years (the one we're looking at has a 70 pound forward facing weight limit) before you'll NEED a booster.

We're going to have 1 infant seat with 2 bases and eventually 2 convertibles.

Rosie24 · August 2011

Thanks all. I was all set to register for 2 types of seats then realized I need 3 if I am going to do an infant seat. FUN stuff!

MrsT2008 · August 2011

I wouldn't register for a booster if I were you - it will be years before you need it and so much can change with safety regulations by then.

GoldenPeaches · August 2011

MrsT2008:
I wouldn't register for a booster if I were you - it will be years before you need it and so much can change with safety regulations by then.

Yeah, this. Car seats have an expiration of 5-6 years. It might be expired and will definitely be out of date by the time you will need it.

You can get by with two car seats total; a convertible and a booster. If you want to add the convenience factor of an infant seat then that makes three. Honestly, I think you should just research the car seat you are starting with (infant or convertible) and look into the rest later. Kids don't go into boosters until they are in school or close to it--you have time to get a booster.

capulet · August 2011

MrsT2008:
I wouldn't register for a booster if I were you - it will be years before you need it and so much can change with safety regulations by then.

This. DD is almost four and I haven't even thought about getting her a booster seat yet. She's been using her convertible for three years and is nowhere near outgrowing it. We also didn't buy her convertible until she was done with her infant seat, but since they're in the infant seat for a relatively short time it's probably still worth it to register for a convertible.

Ruby_Soho · August 2011

I agree with all the PP that recommended the Sunshine Kids Radian. We have a Safe 'n' Sound (NZ equivalent of Britax) convertible seat for DS but we're using part of my tax return to buy the Radian. The RF weight limit is 13lbs higher and the FF weight limit of the SnS is the RF limit of the Radian!!!! The Radian FF limits are 80lbs or 53". That's amazing for a seat you can use from 5lbs. DS was 5 weeks prem and could have used that seat from birth!

Rosie24 · August 2011

Good points! I really didn't realize that a booster is used so much later until I read that portion of my research today..lol!

Mike&Care · August 2011

Rosie24:
Good points! I really didn't realize that a booster is used so much later until I read that portion of my research today..lol!

Yeah, we didnt use a booster till age 5 1/2. My daughter just got out of the booster (she's in 2nd grade, age 7, 64 lbs and about 5 feet tall -- she was super embarrassed of her booster. lol).

You will use the convertible for approx. 5 years and the infant seat for only 6-12 months.

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So how many carseats do you really need?!

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