how long do the babies stay in their infant car seat? just wondering when i should start thinking about getting a convertible car seat. thanks in advance!!
As long as they fit the requirements for weight and height, they can stay in the infant seat. You can switch to a convertible seat anytime you want to. I think I switched both my kids around 4 or 5 months when they started sitting up.
We made the switch about a month ago. I decided that I they were getting to heavy to carry in the infant seats. So I gave them to my mom to use and I put the convertible car seats in my car.
Whenever you want. However, you don't have to carry the infant seat, you can leave it in the car to use like a convertible. You might as well get as much use out of it as you can. That is my biggest regret, because my seat expires this year, and we only used it for maybe 14 months total out of its 6 years.
As long as your baby hasn't passed the weight limit, and has at least 1" of shell over their head, then you are fine to continue using it.
We used the infant seat but left it in the car all the time from the beginning. We only moved out of it when he got too tall. My son was about 7 or 8 months when we needed a convertible for him. My daughter is 7 months now and has about a half inch left before she needs a convertible. We plan to make the switch this month.
We moved DS at about 6 mos. He was still under the weight and height limit for his infant seat, but he looked so crammed in there and uncomfy that we opted to switch him. He seems much happier in his convertible.
Caleb Jonathan
Born November 30, 2011
The Winking of an Eye
A blog about the mommyhood, wifehood and lifehood of a misplaced Minnesotan in SoCal
Same with us. We decided to move to a convertible around 6 months because she looked so uncomfortable. We got the Britax Boulevard CS and she seems much more comfortable and happy. We're taking a long car trip in a week and I'm happy we made the switch before this...it could have been a disaster
We switched DD at about 5 1/2 months. She's a chunka and was starting to get very heavy to carry in the infant seat. She also HATED the car, and we thought a change of scenery might help with that problem. She is much more comfortable in convertable seat.
Each seat has a height and/or weight and/or age requirement. For instance, my DD was in her infant seat until she was 11 months old and then was over the weight limit, but my DS is larger than she was and at 8 months, I can see him growing out of it by 9-10 months.
DD has about three pounds to go before she hits the limit for her infant seat. We leave it in the car, now, because it is too heavy to lift with her in it, but we're just starting to research the next seat.
Re: Transition to a Convertible Carseat
Whenever you want. However, you don't have to carry the infant seat, you can leave it in the car to use like a convertible. You might as well get as much use out of it as you can. That is my biggest regret, because my seat expires this year, and we only used it for maybe 14 months total out of its 6 years.
As long as your baby hasn't passed the weight limit, and has at least 1" of shell over their head, then you are fine to continue using it.
We used the infant seat but left it in the car all the time from the beginning. We only moved out of it when he got too tall. My son was about 7 or 8 months when we needed a convertible for him. My daughter is 7 months now and has about a half inch left before she needs a convertible. We plan to make the switch this month.
Caleb Jonathan
Born November 30, 2011
The Winking of an Eye
A blog about the mommyhood, wifehood and lifehood of a misplaced Minnesotan in SoCal
Burned by the Bear