STMs - Let's talk car seats

schnookee · June 2014

Have any of you used a convertible car seat from the start instead of an infant seat? Was it a PIA not having the infant carrier?
If you did have an infant seat and you're a two car family have any of you successfully used one car seat base and just switched it between cars? I'm trying to figure out if there's any where that we can reasonably save some money. Thanks!

BeachM · June 2014

We used an infant seat and had 2 bases. I'm a SAHM though so I was driving around DS 99% of the time. It's also not difficult to install the infant seat using the belt instead of the base.

Third&goal · June 2014

I agree. Get an infant bucket seat with just one base. Keep the base in the main car and instal with the belt on as needed basis in the second car.

We put the money saved on the base (usually about $75) and put that money towards a convertible for the second car. Around six months we got that and installed it in the second car (again just using as needed) our main car had the base and infant seat until about 10-12 months.

tamarar5 · June 2014

I've never used the infant seats. The only way I ever would use one would be if we had a preemie. I hate them. I would rather just carry the baby, than struggle with the added weight and awkward angle of the carrier.

No, I didn't find it an inconvenience. Actually, I think it's better. E usually stays asleep taking him out of the convertible.

But again, I had bigger babies. DD1 was 7.3 and 21 inches, DS was 9.2 and 21 inches, so they filled the convertible nice and securely.

simplein06 · June 2014

We had one infant seat and two bases. Do you know of anyone that you trust that could loan/sell you their extra base?

MereDe3 · June 2014

We used an infant carrier with our first two kids. Besides the pp who mentioned not having to wake a sleeping baby, the other big advantage is when you go somewhere other than your home, you don't have to worry about where to put the baby when u get there, they can just stay in the carrier. We also have two cars and one base, we just used the seatbelt in the second car, but we also didn't use it very often to drive the kids. If we had to use both cars daily we definitely would have bought a second base.

shevaCC · June 2014

Third&goal said:
I agree. Get an infant bucket seat with just one base. Keep the base in the main car and instal with the belt on as needed basis in the second car.

We put the money saved on the base (usually about $75) and put that money towards a convertible for the second car. Around six months we got that and installed it in the second car (again just using as needed) our main car had the base and infant seat until about 10-12 months.

We did exactly this. While I was on maternity leave the base stayed in my car and we rarely used DH's car anyway. Once I went back to work and we were alternating daycare drop-offs and pick ups DH did the seatbelt install for a few months. Around 6 months we bought a convertible seat for my car and moved the base to DH's car. Around then we stopped taking the infant seat in and out of the car.

cappleby · June 2014

The infant seat is really nice for popping into a stroller since most strollers recommend not putting a baby under 6 months in them. The seat belt install without the base is so easy with the britax chaperone we had for DS that this time I'm planning on just taking the seat and not the base to the hospital in DH's car so that my mom can bring DS to visit in the he hospital in my car without moving his seat. I wouldn't recommend doing that if you haven't installed car seats before because thinking you know how to do it and strapping an actual baby in is totally different (from our experience of taking 45 min to leave the hospital because we couldn't figure out his car seat straps)

happylady07 · June 2014

If you go with a convertable from the get go, I would just be really careful about getting one that TRULY will fit a tiny infant properly. A lot of convertibles don't have shoulder straps that will go low enough to safely secure an average sized newborn, and those that do, may not last you as long rear facing (or generally) as a more generously sized one anyways, making you buy a bigger convertable down the line anyways. That would be biggest concern, personally.

We have one base, and primarily use one car, though even now it only takes DH a couple minutes to switch the convertible car seat to his truck if we have to drive it, we have never splurged on separate seats for each vehicle (I am a SAHM though...)

Valancyy · June 2014

happylady07 said:

If you go with a convertable from the get go, I would just be really careful about getting one that TRULY will fit a tiny infant properly. A lot of convertibles don't have shoulder straps that will go low enough to safely secure an average sized newborn, and those that do, may not last you as long rear facing (or generally) as a more generously sized one anyways, making you buy a bigger convertable down the line anyways. That would be biggest concern, personally. We have one base, and primarily use one car, though even now it only takes DH a couple minutes to switch the convertible car seat to his truck if we have to drive it, we have never splurged on separate seats for each vehicle (I am a SAHM though...)

My thoughts are along this line. The main reason we got an infant seat was safety. We only had to buy it once and will be using it for the third time with this baby. I also plan to wear this baby most of the time, so I don't plan to actually use the carrier part much, if at all. But, I feel better knowing that the infant seats are safer for little newborns.

ebp913 · June 2014

I have a convertible I can use from birth but I really preferred the convenience of the infant seat. I am not a fan of leaving baby in the seat for non car rides but for quick errands (which we do a lot of) I couldn't imagine not having it. I also babywear but I am in Texas and that's just not always feasible in the summer. We have 2 bases but my husband and I both drove the kids a lot when we got it. You could just have 1 base and use it in the primary car and then install the seat baseless in the other car. When we initially got our car seat when our oldest was born, we alternated who did daycare drop off and pick up so 2 bases was a must for us. Now we have a nanny so things are a little different.

We have a nanny and 3 cars so our plan is to have a base in the nanny's car and my car (our primary vehicle) and then install baseless in my husband's when needed.

Rannndi · June 2014

I'm definitely not a STM, but we're doing everything for convenience sake because of having two. We've definitely gone with the infant seats for all sorts of reasons. I honestly don't know how we could do it without infant seats LOL

We also have bases in each car with an extra set, just in case. I can't imagine having to move them both around so much and installing their things in a new car each time. For me, it's worth splurging a little bit to save my sanity...and my back.

raquelynn714 · June 2014

I'm skipping the infant seat for convenience. Straight to convertible - we splurged on an expensive safe convertible (Chicco Next Fit) and an expensive stroller (City Select with a bassinet attachment). I have a bad left hand, and with carpel tunnel now in my right hand, there's no way I'm carrying an infant seat in it! Baby wearing all the way-or pushing my fancy ass stroller.