How long was your LO in an infant carseat?

talkthewholetime · March 2014

How long did you use the infant seat before switching to the convertible? Trying to decide if it's worth getting a second base for when I go back to work for DH's car or just use the convertibles in his/our babysitter's car.

IBackBevo · March 2014

Until 1 year.

christieep · March 2014

We used the carrier until DS was 10 months old. He has always been in the lower percentiles and honestly probably could have fit longer. Like PP said, you can use a convertible from the beginning, but there is some ease in using the carrier.

Miles2Go · March 2014

We used it for 12 months. Could have gone longer since dd didn't hit 30 inches until 15/16 months.

talkthewholetime · March 2014

Thanks guys. I'm going to be home for about 6 months, and we usually take my car anyway. DH won't really be driving her anywhere that he couldn't take my car (or me!) until I go back to work, when he might have some drop off duty at our baby sitter's. I think by 6 months though it won't really be worth it to buy a second base, we might as well just put the convertible in his car from the beginning.

Thanks ladies!

Junebug060609 · March 2014

Kimbus22 said:
5 months. He still fit at that point but he was starting to get cranky in the car and that stopped as soon as he was in the convertible and could see out the windows.

This, but make it six months. He was still within specs for the seat, but was cranky when we would drive.

FWIW, DS is still...at 2.5 years old...below the weight limit for the infant seat. He has way surpassed the height.

runningyogimama · March 2014

About 5 months, I think? She was just over it, so as soon as she could sit up in a shopping cart, we switched to a convertible seat. She's only 15-25th percentile, so we could still be using it at almost a year, but...not happily.

gutsysneakers · March 2014

I would also check with your hospital - not sure if just in my area - but I've heard some hospitals REQUIRE you to take LO home in an infant car seat vs convertible. Again, not sure about the logistics of that one, but thought I'd toss it out there.

jjtyler · March 2014

I think we used it for the first year. I stop carrying her around in it at around 8 months.
My daughter literally toed the line for middle of the road percentile and still does.

ABColeslaw · March 2014

7/8 months I think. We switched before we needed to because we had a friend in need of an infant seat and gave ours to him.

You don't need the base for the infant seat, you can strap the seat right into the car, so there is that as well.

spinsoffresonance · March 2014

DD is 85th percentile for height and we used it for 9months. We switched when she hit 29" so technically we could have use it a couple more months. If you're not driving LO in DH's car often you don't need to get a base you can strap the seat in with the seatbelt, takes 10seconds and is just as safe. That's what we always did with DD since we didn't own a car and used zipcar for 6m after she was born.

pistolpackinmomma · March 2014

6 months

typeset · March 2014

Special snowflake. He was in a convertible from day one.

kb2bkk · March 2014

Until just before her 1st birthday. She is still well under the weight requirements.

usernewname · March 2014

Jcrewgirl85 said:
I would also check with your hospital - not sure if just in my area - but I've heard some hospitals REQUIRE you to take LO home in an infant car seat vs convertible. Again, not sure about the logistics of that one, but thought I'd toss it out there.

My MW warned me that the hospital will make a fuss over the convertible and won't hide their dislike but they can't tell you what car seat you can or can't have. Of course it's easier for them to check baby is in properly in your room versus going out to the car. I'm in Canada so it could be different.

TheBeeCharmer · March 2014

We only used ours with DS until about 4 months. He was huge and it became too hard to lug him around that way. It was easier to just carry him in and out. With DD it was a little longer, maybe about 6 months.

Kris2011RN · March 2014

5 months, DS has been off the charts in height since birth.

The hospital I work at doesn't care what car seat you use. As long as you have one and it's installed well are happy.

talkthewholetime · March 2014

We're definitely getting one, I'm just not sure on how many bases I want for it.

Miles2Go · March 2014

2 bases. Case closed.

RachelCA29 · March 2014

My sisters twins grew at rapidly different paces, One outgrew the height and weight for an infant seat before 9 months. The other could have gone over a year in his.

Unknown · March 2014

This content has been removed.

ksyknelvr73 · March 2014

Six months for us. DS was such a big baby and it became way too heavy to lug that thing around with him in it. Plus he looked so and acted so uncomfortable in it. He was always between 85-90% for weight and height, for reference.

danabsd · March 2014

We switched at 8 months. Nothing to do with size, she just hated it. Switching to the convertible didn't help THAT much. I wouldn't have been against switching earlier but I was waiting for a good sale before to snag the seat we wanted.

artichoken · March 2014

convertible seat from day one. Imo, bucket seats are a waste of money

MissLadyTay · March 2014

5 months.

MrsT2008 · March 2014

We moved DD to a convertible around 7 months. She was around 50% for weight and about 80+% for height. Basically when she could sit up on her own (stable), I was okay with moving her. The infant seat got heavy to carry and we got our convertible seats from my parents before she was born so we already had them.

cnbean · March 2014

I think DS was about 9 or 10 months when we switched. The only reason I did was because I got the convertible one that I wanted on sale and it didn't make sense not to use it if we had it. But DS could have very easily stayed in the other seat until at least a year, and he has always been in the 90% for height and weight. Actually with the infant seat we have he still could fit into it weight wise. We have 3 bases for our seat and it was nice to be able to leave one in each car and grandma's and not have to worry that it wouldn't get installed correctly.

rainydayluck · March 2014

Another one here that used a convertible from day one and never regretted it. We were given an infant seat with 2 bases for this LO, so we will start with one. I anticipate changing over to a convertible pretty quickly since I already hate carrying the empty car seat anywhere. It's so annoying! I'd much rather stick baby in a sling or something.

daizijayne · March 2014

We gave up the infant car seat around 11 months when DS was getting close to the minimum allowable distance between his head and the top of the seat.

Chellbell20 · March 2014

Around a year. Could have gotten away with longer but the store was running a deal on the seats I wanted.

mrt · March 2014

typeset said:
Special snowflake. He was in a convertible from day one.

Me too.

CMDR513 · March 2014

About 9-10 months.

gurleymomma · March 2014

10 months but dd is small (15 lbs) so we really could still use it for her,but we got a converter seat so she could sit up and see better.made her so much less cranky in the car.we also wanted to use the infant carrier for lo and didnt want dd to feel like we were taking something away from her just so lo could have it.we wanted her to have time to get used to her new seat before the baby arrived.

amroke · March 2014

I can't remember how old he was, but I think my son was 16 pounds when we switched to convertible. My husband would have kept him in the infant seat longer, but lugging it around was getting too heavy for me.

LoveIsAll25 · March 2014

We used it until he was about 14 months old.

Miles2Go · March 2014

Also for those of you saying it got too heavy: you can use it like a convertible if you want. Just leave it in the car. No reason to carry it around if you don't want to....

Ladiebug30 · March 2014

We switched a little after he turned 1. He was fine on weight but was getting close to the height. Carrying / hefting him in and out of the base did get tiresome near the end because it's an awkward lift for me.

danabsd · March 2014

Miles2Go said:

Also for those of you saying it got too heavy: you can use it like a convertible if you want. Just leave it in the car. No reason to carry it around if you don't want to....

Yea, this is how we used it from about 5-6 months until we switched.

ho11yday · March 2014

Two bases were so convenient. Friend gave us an unexpired one but I'd purchase one again if needed.

ckandi007 · March 2014

7 months. He hated the bucket seat and was much happier in a convertible.

amroke · March 2014

Miles2Go said:
Also for those of you saying it got too heavy: you can use it like a convertible if you want. Just leave it in the car. No reason to carry it around if you don't want to....

I bring my son to daycare and my husband picks him up. So there would be a daily need to take it out of the car.

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