FTM - Some questions about car seats and getting around

snookums2013 · August 2013

Ok here are my questions (of the day) ;-)

1) When you go to the grocery store, do you wear your baby or put the car seat in the cart? I put the car seat in the cart today (my first time taking her to a store) and it took up the whole darn cart. And of course my luck would be that I got the gimpy loud cart, but somehow she slept through it anyway! Any tips on how to fit the babe and the groceries?

2) Also, along the cart lines, do you put the car seat in the car, close her in and then go put the cart away, or do you put the cart away and then carry her car seat to the car? What about when you get home if you're alone and have to carry everything in yourself - what order?

3) Any tips for calming baby once she's in the car seat if you have to drive and no one is sitting in the back with her? I sat in the back for a few mins because she got fussy right when I was backing out of my driveway and kind of bounced her up and down a little bit and somehow that got her to fall asleep (and she stayed asleep for the entire trip!) Just wondering if there's anything else that works well. I have not given her a pacifier yet and am trying to hold out as long as possible on that.

4) I have the Graco Snugride 35 and the harness seems like it doesn't have enough give for getting her in and out of it. I already loosened it once and it looks like it's hitting her shoulders at the right place, but it seems like I have to bend her legs into a really uncomfortable position to get her in and out of it. Is that normal or am I doing something wrong? She is only 6 pounds if that makes a difference.

5) What time of day have you found to be the best time to go on errands (e.g. right after feeding, etc)?

Any other tips for going places? Thanks!

CelticWife · August 2013

1. It depends on whether baby is awake. If asleep, I leave baby in her carseat. If she is awake, I will put her in her carrier. We just tuck the groceries around the carseat, or tuck them under the cart. I try to save big trips until DH can go, and I put her in the stroller.

2. After having kids... I always park next to the cart return. That way, I can tuck them into the car and return the cart without having to step away. (Plus it helps for getting them into the store as well.)

3. The best you can do is start driving. Usually, it calms LO down.

4. I don't have a graco, I have a maxi cosi. On mine, you just push a button and pull the straps to loosen it; pull the bottom strap to tighten again. Does yours do that? It sounds pretty normal, though. It is hard getting them in and out.

5. Depends on baby. I always feed first, and I try to aim for nap time with a good stretch of sleep in the beginning.

Robi1 · August 2013

1) When you go to the grocery store, do you wear your baby or put the car seat in the cart? We don't have an infant seat, so I take her out and wear her.

2) Also, along the cart lines, do you put the car seat in the car, close her in and then go put the cart away, or do you put the cart away and then carry her car seat to the car? I put the cart away then put her in the car.

3) Any tips for calming baby once she's in the car seat if you have to drive and no one is sitting in the back with her? My LO falls asleep in the carseat no problem once it's moving so I haven't had to deal with having to calm her.

4) I have the Graco Snugride 35 and the harness seems like it doesn't have enough give for getting her in and out of it. Don't know.

5) What time of day have you found to be the best time to go on errands (e.g. right after feeding, etc)? I just feed her before we go anywhere. She's good as long as she's fed.

tokenhoser · August 2013

1. Baby carrier (ring sling or Freehand) or in car seat in base of cart. Depends if I have 2 kids, and if she's awake or sleeping.

2. I put the kids in the car and then return the cart. I can run the a/c or heat with the remote start and lock the doors while I'm away for 45 seconds. It's much safer, considering I have 2 to wrangle.

3. Other than a paci, all you can do is crank music to try to drown them out.

4. Normal, although you can tighten and loosen each time if you want.

5. I just go when ever. I can feed in the ring sling, which is a very useful skill. She eats all the time, still.

With my first, he was always happier out of the house, so the bad days were the days I made sure to go somewhere.

snookums2013 · August 2013

2013mommy said:

4. I have a Graco seat as well. You shouldn't have to put her legs in a crazy or uncomfortable position to get her in and out. I always loosen the straps all the way, put DS down, and then strap him in and tighten so the chest piece is in the right place. Only their arms go through the strap and their legs lie on either side of the crotch buckle.

OMG, I bet I have been putting the harness on wrong! Thanks! I just assumed that her legs were supposed to go through it too. I asked the nurse that discharged us from the hospital to check it for me and she said they weren't allowed to which I thought was weird since I had heard that they require it to be checked before letting you leave.

memali26 · August 2013

snookums2013 said:

2013mommy said:

4. I have a Graco seat as well. You shouldn't have to put her legs in a crazy or uncomfortable position to get her in and out. I always loosen the straps all the way, put DS down, and then strap him in and tighten so the chest piece is in the right place. Only their arms go through the strap and their legs lie on either side of the crotch buckle.

OMG, I bet I have been putting the harness on wrong! Thanks! I just assumed that her legs were supposed to go through it too. I asked the nurse that discharged us from the hospital to check it for me and she said they weren't allowed to which I thought was weird since I had heard that they require it to be checked before letting you leave.

@snookums2013 - please check out this link. There's a lot of car seat info, but I'm linking it specifically for the picture under point #1 of the baby properly strapped in to the car seat. Arms through the straps, so the straps lay over the shoulders and thighs, with crotch buckle between their legs. Legs do not go through the straps, just arms.

http://www.treadingragingwaters.com/2012/02/11-deadly-mistakes-you-didnt-know-you.html

memali26 · August 2013

And to answer your other questions -

1. Baby in car seat in the basket of the cart. I put a carrying basket on the bottom of the cart to hold groceries and pack around the car seat. Sometimes I wear the baby to free up the whole cart, sometimes DH goes with me and we get two carts.

2. If I can see my car the entire time I am returning the cart, I strap the kids in and then walk the cart back. If I can't see my car the entire time, I take them with me to return the cart. When we get home, I take the kids in the house first, then go back for groceries, etc.,

3. Pacifier or radio static. Really, there's not much you can do but just keep driving. If I stopped every time one of the girls cried in the car we'd never get anywhere.

4. See the link I posted above.

5. Immediately following a feeding, and usually in the morning. I found my babies to be more content in the mornings as opposed to afternoons.

You'll get the hang out going out eventually!

ASmallWonder · August 2013

apbloye said:

One the first note: I take my DD to the store all the time when I grocery shop. I put in the car seat on the part that folds out and the car seat actually locks in place.

Second note: I put the groceries away and then walk with her still in the car to the cart return and carry her back. I would never leave my child alone in a car if I don't have to. Just my opinion please don't take offense to it. We all do things different and if it works for you it works for you.

Third note: Yea good luck with that one. I have no choice but to let her CIO (cry it out). It breaks my heart but I can't reach behind me and put the paci in her mouth all the time. I live in Oregon and drivers are horrible. If you have a Baby on Board sign. They seem to attack your car worse.

Fourth note: I have a different travel system so I don't know how to help you with this. The buckles should be universal so if you have to move her legs into an uncomfortable position I would go to YouTube and see if anyone has a video on it.

Fifth note: I found that when you are ready and can handle a feeding or changing while you are out. That is the best time. If you are in the right mindset and able to handle your DD or DS needs then thats the best time to do it. If you are stressed out even a little I wouldn't do it, because its a lot harder to handle.

Other note: Don't be afraid to walk the mall or take her places where other people are at. They love the gentle sound of people talking. I take my DD on dates (just me and her) and we go to restaurants. Ask them if they have a "sling" or something to put a car seat in so that you don't have to take her out. Most restaurants have something like this. Dennys has a highchair that pops out and you can sit the car seat directly on top of the braces.

Please please don't do this. The "locking" you are referring to is only meant to lock that seat onto the car seat base and by putting it on a carriage you are risking damaging the locking mechanism and that means your seat could fail in a crash. Also, it's never recommended to put a seat on top of the cart. The carts weren't designed for that and it can make them top heavy, causing the cart to tip. My father works at a local store and personally witnessed a baby suffer a skull fracture doing this. Some car seat manufacturers (Chicco) have actually changed the design of their seats to a smooth bottom specifically to deter the practice of putting them on carts.

RissNRuss · August 2013

I always wear her when we're out, I would return the cart with her, then put her in her seat. Also, I bring her inside first if I'm making multiple trips and settle her in her bassinet/PnP.

We went straight to a convertible, no infant seat, so I can't advise there, but I don't think it's ever "easy" to get a baby or kid into a carseat. I usually talk to her from the time she goes into the seat until she's calmed down- usually by the end of our street.

BelhurstBride · August 2013

1) I babywear. I rarely take the infant seat out of the car. I hate the damn thing.

2) I wear here until everything's put away.

3) paci and drive and hope for the best. DD1 hated the infant seat and didn't calm down in it until we switched to the convertible.

4) I think it's just the build of the infant seat. I find the convertible much easier.

5) Mornings have always worked best for us.

BelhurstBride · August 2013

apbloye said:

I've been doing it for years and not once have I ever even come close to an incident. I stay with the cart at all times and never leaver her alone. It doesn't "lock" in it sits there. Plus with everything that you are putting into it makes the center of gravity closer to the front rather than the back. I do appreciate the concerns that everyone has posted and will take it into consideration.

FFS?

ASmallWonder · August 2013

measton8809 said:

BelhurstBride said:

apbloye said:

I've been doing it for years and not once have I ever even come close to an incident. I stay with the cart at all times and never leaver her alone. It doesn't "lock" in it sits there. Plus with everything that you are putting into it makes the center of gravity closer to the front rather than the back. I do appreciate the concerns that everyone has posted and will take it into consideration.

FFS?

It's never an issue until it is right?

This. People tend to make issues of safety read: "If you do X, Y WILL happen." No one ever says that doing a dangerous thing will always result in a bad outcome. Doing a dangerous thing means you are running a higher than normal risk of something bad happening. The fact is, most people can do most dangerous things and be fine but if the bad things weren't happening to SOME of them, it wouldn't be dangerous.

FTM - Some questions about car seats and getting around

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