Has anyone put their car seats in the car before baby arrives?

lakeia1025 · May 2015

38 weeks and I'm wondering have anybody put the car seats in the car yet?

MrsWhiteToBe · May 2015

Yes. You sort of have to, because most hospitals won't let you take the baby home unless you have a car seat that has been properly secured.

bean8213 · May 2015

Yup. I put mine in a couple days ago. DH could always do it once baby is born, but I like knowing that I did it right.

SmrBrd2012 · May 2015

Yup 39+1 and we did ours last weekend.

gkrenzel · May 2015

Yep! Did ours hen it came in the mail last week...glad I did too. DH tends to get distracted..he insisted he could install himself. I went out the next day and double checked, the whole thing flipped over and the angle of the base was set for 20-30 lbs :-w I love him but sometimes...
Car seat now SAFELY installed and DH learned how to use properly

jennygirlmt · May 2015

We won't until I'm in the hospital because it changes the configuration of seats to be less desirable, esp for prek drop off. But DH is a pro now and it will take him three minutes.

I had ours in by 37 weeks for our first which was good because I had her at 38 weeks.

LadyBlood · May 2015

We've had ours installed since about 37 weeks. Now 40+ weeks. Cant hurt to have it done early

justkeeptrying · May 2015

Car seat base has been in the car for about 3 weeks. I'm 39 weeks today.

saric83 · May 2015

Yep! We put it in at 36 weeks.

smashbaby111 · May 2015

I'm 39+1,we just did it this past weekend... We did get it checked out by the police department, but YouTube was a way better resource than the instruction manual when it came to understanding a proper install and how to adjust the seat, FYI

icajesica82 · May 2015

I just installed the base Monday. Finally got around to it. I'm a little obsessed so I wanted to do it instead of DH

TBsquared · May 2015

Oh yes get it done! If it's your first time installing it can be tricky. We installed ours last night but it's our second child so we knew what we were doing this time around. Actually I still have to adjust the straps on the seat but the base is installed.

redsocks59 · May 2015

Remember to read the manual! Every seat is different and needs to be installed a little differently. A majority of seats are installed incorrectly.

I haven't installed ours yet because I want to give the car a good cleaning out before I do. That has to wait until DH goes to the dump tomorrow. I'm 38 weeks tomorrow. I am putting 3 seats across in a Bravada and fitting them in right takes patience. DH isn't the most patient guy so I'd rather do them myself. It will make it a bit harder to put the 1 year old in, as she's moving from the door to the center seat. But I plan to just install the infant seat base and keep the seat in the back so we aren't reaching over an empty seat to buckle her.

mrswynn2014 · May 2015

Installing ours tonight!

kaynix21 · May 2015

Yeah I put mine in like 2 weeks ago - early but oh well. I have to move it to the other side I think so doing that today

Mellerknee · May 2015

DH has installed our base and taken it out several times. We try not to drive around town with the car seat in, just in case we have an accident. We're so close to D-day now that we just leave the base in and snap in the seat when we go to doctor appointments (our hospital and doctor are a good 50 minutes away in the big city). Maybe I'm paranoid, but if we are in an accident, I'd much rather just have to buy a replacement base.

Side note/Vent: I've heard the safest place to install the seat is in the middle, but OF COURSE the Latch system is only good for one side or the other (not the middle). I know we can install it the old-fashioned way in the middle...I just wish they'd made the safest spot the easiest, not the most difficult!

GRR

smashbaby111 · May 2015

@Mellerknee I was frustrated by that too! Why did they design our car like that?! Hello, if the point of the latch system is safety, why not go all the way and actually make it available where it would be safest?

CanadaMom17 · May 2015

Yup, took mine to the fire department to install the base about 3 weeks ago. Glad I did, since the poor man had to kneel on the base and heave on the strap in order to get it tight enough. That sucker is staying in there for the duration! The seat will stay in the house until baby comes.

MommaAlyx · May 2015

I put mine in at 37+5, I was, at the time, convinced I'd go early. Here I am, 4 days beyond my due date, car seat awaits, cozy and safe to cradle my little girl... Sigh... I can't wait to use it Lol.

icajesica82 · May 2015

Mellerknee said:
DH has installed our base and taken it out several times. We try not to drive around town with the car seat in, just in case we have an accident. We're so close to D-day now that we just leave the base in and snap in the seat when we go to doctor appointments (our hospital and doctor are a good 50 minutes away in the big city). Maybe I'm paranoid, but if we are in an accident, I'd much rather just have to buy a replacement base.

Side note/Vent: I've heard the safest place to install the seat is in the middle, but OF COURSE the Latch system is only good for one side or the other (not the middle). I know we can install it the old-fashioned way in the middle...I just wish they'd made the safest spot the easiest, not the most difficult! GRR

I actually don't drive with the carseat for the same reason. The base is in but IF something happened I can replace the base cheaper than the whole thing.

lakeia1025 · May 2015

Thanks ladies we well be installing our car seat today.

FTArmyM · May 2015

Yes i installed mine as soon as baby was considered savable if premature. I think 26 weeks.

kmb0324 · May 2015

Just got done vacuuming and cleNing the whole car. After I was done I got the car seat all installed! Might as well get it done now so you won't have to worry later

I'm 39+1, so hopefully I'll go into labor at anytime.....

rosannewild · May 2015

I had a friend who knows a lot about car seats help install our bases in both cars and give us complete tutorial the day after my Baby Shower. That was at 35 weeks. Early, but at least it was a huge check mark off my "things to do before baby comes" list

nursej519 · May 2015

No I didn't but granted I delivered at 35 weeks. When my water broke, we threw it in the car knowing we may be coming home with a baby. After delivery, my brother helped DH install it correctly while I was in the hospital.

u197034 · May 2015

Just installed ours yesterday (along with cleaning the whole car, inside and out- can we say nesting?!). I am currently 40w+4d.

Knottie54288128 · May 2015

37.5 here and still haven't packed the hospital bag...

CateOfChicago · May 2015

I would recommend it. I delivered dd at 37 weeks. DH waited until our release date. Dd and I waited hours for him. He wasn't confident in what he did and ended up going to the fire dept to have it checked. Knock it off your list.

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