infant car seat vs. convertable

EmilyRanae22

Babies r' us has an infant car seat and a convertable car seat on the registry checklist. What are the pros and cons of both?

It seems you can't take the convertable's out and carry them around but is that necessarily a bad thing? I registered for an infant seat, a snap 'n' go stroller, and a jogging stroller but the convertable car seats look way more comfortable and safe for the older kids than other toddler/small kid seats. What do you all think? is it worth it to have both?

I also was thinking that since I plan to baby wear (I have a hand me down moby and know I love it b/c I have used it with my niece) do I really need a car seat that I can take in and out and the snap n go?

A big benefit I see of the infant seat is if she is sleeping I won't need to disturb her in order to get her out of the car. So, infant seat and later a booster seat or just go the "less is more" avenue and just get the convertable?

Decisions decisions!

rszalley

IMHO, an infant car seat is only useful if you plan on clipping it out at regular intervals to put into a stroller (for walking/shopping/etc) or if you have a baby who will only want to sleep in the car and you are terrified of waking them. The infant seat is grown out of at 30#s or when you switch from RF to FF (~2yrs is now the preferred). So if you think you're going to have a big baby, you're going to need a convertible anyway to keep them RF until they are 2. My peanut only hit 30# recently (~2.5), but length-wise outgrew her infant seat ~2-3 months before her 2nd birthday.

If you are the type to do babywearing more than pushing a stroller, plan on extended RF or want a car seat to have a longer life, go with the convertible.

PLEASE: do yourself a favor and check carseat.org for your make & model of car and see what other folks suggest. Not all carseats work in all cars. This will prevent you from getting your hear set on something only to have it not work so well in your vehicle. (ie my Subi does not like some of the Evenflo seats at all)

the biggest pro of an infant car seat is the delay of having to get multiple seats since you can have multiple bases and move the seat back and forth. If you have a one parent drop off/other parent pick up at daycare, this may be terribly exciting.

We're expecting Kid 2.0 this July, and I'm happy to say that one of our two convertible seats will flip around and the other (that even converts to a booster!) will move into that car. Then, the car stays with the kids.

RBXChas

It really depends on your needs. For me, I did both (infant carrier/car seat then switched to a convertible seat around 7 months when he was just too heavy to carry around in the carrier and put in the car seat base).

The good thing about the carrier is that you can buy multiple bases, so that way you have flexibility in what car the baby rides in and aren't always stuck driving your car. If you only have one car, this may not be a big deal.

The other good thing is that if the baby falls asleep in the car, you can let him/her sleep by just removing the carrier and bringing it in the house or wherever else you are. It's also a great place to let him/her rest when you're not home (ie, not around all your baby gear) but don't want your hands full and don't want to/can't baby-wear. It was extraordinarily convenient at restaurants, when obviously the baby is not eating the restaurant's food.

The carrier also (usually) fits nicely into the Snap 'n Go stroller, which is AWESOME! I used to use it for grocery shopping and stuff (assuming I wasn't going on some huge shopping trip). I had the Graco SnugRide 35, and it fit into the Snap 'n Go with no problem.

Overall, it's just nice while out and about because it's a safe, comfortable, clean place for the baby to be. Of course baby-wearing is, too! But I liked bringing it in the house every time I got home and that way (1) I could go pee really quickly or put away groceries while the baby was still in the carrier, then take him out and do diaper changes/feedings/whatever, and (2) I liked being able to put him in the carrier first (and bundle him up appropriately if it was cold out), then the carrier in the car.

One more thing - most infant car seat-carriers are made so that you can bring it in another car and use a seat belt across it (I know mine has that ability). So say you are in a taxi with seatbelts, you can strap the baby in. It's not as super-safe as using the carrier with the base, but it's better than having to lug around a convertible car seat.

I was very sad when we switched from the infant seat-carrier to the convertible seat because it meant having to strap/un-strap my son at every stop wherever we went, plus figure out how to deal with him once we got wherever we were going. For example, if it meant we were going to, say, Barnes & Noble, where there are no shopping carts, I'd have to either carry him or put him in a regular stroller (I got a Britax Blink stroller on sale that stays in my car permanently - and I love it!). It was an adjustment for me, but it was ok. I got faster at it, but on weekends my husband does all the strapping in and unstrapping (1) because he needs to know how to do it right and (2) because I do it all week long 99% of the time.

The convertible seat is fine and will eventually be necessary - my carrier goes up to 35 lbs, which my nearly 2-year-old doesn't weigh yet (he's about 30 lbs), but he maxed out the height limit long ago, before 18 months (he's unusually tall). Most kids would outgrow the infant seat long before they could ever be in just a booster, so you pretty much have to have a convertible seat at some point. Our convertible seat is the Britax Boulevard 70 CS, so it goes up to 70 lbs. I plan on using it basically until he exceeds its height and/or weight limits. The longer your child is in the harness, the better. My sister's son, who's nearly 5, still rides in the convertible seat. The idea of putting a kid in a booster before they're 50 or 60 pounds doesn't sit right with me. I read an article recently about a 4-year-old in a backless booster who was killed in a car accident (her dad, who was driving, was critically injured) when another car hit their car. The family released a statement urging parents to hold off on using a booster as long as possible, since the investigation revealed that she might have survived, though she would have likely been injured, had she been in a car seat with a harness. Authorities said that adult seat belts are just inappropriate for kids until they are a certain height/weight, and these boosters rely on those. (I'm not sure if there are harness boosters or what, but I figure I've got the convertible seat until 70 lbs (and whatever height), and that sucker was expensive, so I'm getting my money's worth!)

Admittedly the convertible seat is a total pain in the butt to remove and put back in. I know because my son threw up in the car recently, which necessitated taking out the seat to clean it (and the car), then putting it back in. Total PITA. If you have two cars and want your baby to be able to ride in both, you have to either resign yourself to moving the car seat around or to buying two seats. The Britax ones we bought were NOT cheap (my parents bought one as a gift, and my in-laws bought the other - however with #2 on the way we have to face this cost on our own this time), so this is an expensive option.

The question then becomes, do you just use a convertible seat from the beginning? My son is still rear-facing (the AAP recommends it until age 2, so we're going to make the switch to front-facing this weekend, a week before his 2nd birthday), and this morning I looked at the reclining angle the seat is in for rear-facing, which is pretty reclined. I would say it's appropriate for a newborn/infant. (When we turn it around, it has to be switched to an upright position.) However, I felt like the infant seat-carrier was more snuggly. I hope that makes sense!

Anyway, I know that's a ton to read, but I hope it's helpful

myfitnessisavirtue

I would get the infant seat and buy a convertible later on. When you take the baby with you for your post partem checks you usually can't hold the baby the whole time. Also true in a restaurant until they can sit up in a high chair at 4 to 6 months. We like to keep our children rear facing for extra long (2 to 3 years), so we have to get a convertible after the infant seat. Car seats expire though, so you don't want to buy them a whole year before you need them.

Also nice about the infant seat is that you can buckle them in where it is a nice temp, and then quickly drop them in the base and not be out in the hot or cold trying to buckle a baby in. But if you want to wear baby you can still leave the infant seat in the car just like a convertible.

I have seen jogging strollers that come with an infant seat so you could skip the snap and go really, especially if you babywear.

RBXChas

I would get the infant seat and buy a convertible later on. When you take the baby with you for your post partem checks you usually can't hold the baby the whole time. Also true in a restaurant until they can sit up in a high chair at 4 to 6 months. We like to keep our children rear facing for extra long (2 to 3 years), so we have to get a convertible after the infant seat. Car seats expire though, so you don't want to buy them a whole year before you need them.

I agree! When you go to the OB 6 weeks postpartum, you really can't be wearing your baby (my OB did a breast exam, I remember, because it surprised me - she kind of treated it like an annual visit aside from the clearing for activity). I would hold off on buying the convertible until you need it (or as close as you can get if you are getting an awesome deal), since, as mentioned above, they do have expiration dates.

Since we will need to buy convertible seats for baby #2, I am just looking now. This baby is due in late May, so I'll be using the infant carrier we already have until at least Thanksgiving/Christmas - so I'm hoping to find great Black Friday or pre- or post-Christmas deals for convertible seats so that I can save some money, plus then I'm not buying them too early.

That said, I bought my infant carrier and extra base from Amazon, and albeebaby.com (based in NY with good customer service and free shipping over $100) also has good deals. BRU is usually on the more expensive side, but then again they usually have 20% off coupons floating around.

GTSally

OP, you mentioned that you registered for a jogging stroller. Most jogging strollers are recommended for babies 6 months and up since they don't usually provide neck support or the harness/straps are not sized appropriately for an infant. However, many (but not all) jogging strollers can accommodate infant car seats with a snap-in feature. I have a BOB and you have to buy an additional attachment, but then you can snap in the infant seat.

Just something else to consider if you plan to walk or run with your baby prior to 6 months!

EmilyRanae22

OP, you mentioned that you registered for a jogging stroller. Most jogging strollers are recommended for babies 6 months and up since they don't usually provide neck support or the harness/straps are not sized appropriately for an infant. However, many (but not all) jogging strollers can accommodate infant car seats with a snap-in feature. I have a BOB and you have to buy an additional attachment, but then you can snap in the infant seat.

Just something else to consider if you plan to walk or run with your baby prior to 6 months!

I've heard the BOB is great! In the beginning I plan to mostly walk with baby in the Moby and my puppy...but having the option to snap in the car seat so I could bring the stroller should I so desire might be nice

acampbe2umd

I would go with an infant and then switch for all of the reasons previously mentioned (mainly ease of getting in and out of the car). I live in a colder climate so to expect that I could wear a baby in the dead of winter isn't ideal. The downside for me is that I have big kids. They start out as average babies (8 and 8 1/2 lbs at birth) and then grow like crazy and I was moving my infants into a convertible by 4 months. The good news is that I hadn't purchased a convertible yet, so then I knew that my kids were going to be pretty big and that allowed me to make a more educated decision on the type of convertible to buy. I wanted one that would accomodate them RF as long as possible. Unfortunately both boys grew too quickly. At my oldest's 4 year wbv, he was already 4 1/2 feet tall and his little brother has been measuring taller at each milestone and is only 2 1/2. So from a maturity standpoint, the 4 year old needed to be in a 5 point harness booster, but from a physical standpoint, he could have easily been in a backless booster. What I'm trying to say is that you can't see into the future and know how your babe will grow, so my advice is to wait and purchase as you go based on your needs.

sallydurkin

Here's my thoughts.... I am preg with #5 .... my first we started with bucket that we could take out after some manufactures defects we returned it, we found we did not use it, loved carrying him, I did a lot of baby wearing as well. So we purchased a convertable one and I did not mind it at all, i live in a cold climate as well (Canada) so I just knew to bundle him up. For our first we loved not using the bucket, but then we had our second and we decided that with #2 we should have the bucket for him. It was easier to carry him in a seat and walk with a toddler.So we researched and researched for that one and found peg perego at that time the best.... and now all of mine are expired and I need one for next september no idea what I am going to do. I don't want to buy a new one for one baby. Because I'm pretty sure this is it!

redheadmommy

It is soon much easier to have an infant carseat in the first 6 month, when you are running errands, quick in and out of stores , gas stations,post office etc,
. For example imagine that every time you pick a parcel at the post office or want to pick up a beverage when you are getting gas, you can snap out the carseat run in and out and done in 5 minutes. Or you have to take the baby out, who is often sleeping, put into the carrier, put the baby in, go to the store with a screaming baby, and when you finish you have to do it again. It is just a hassle.
We got an infant carseat , but DS outgrown it when he was 6 months, so we got a convtible rare facing carseat at that point. I dearly missed my infant carseat , becaue every little thing became a whole lot time consuming .

About expiration time. Usually most seat lifespan is around 6 yrs plus minus 1 yr depending the manufactur and model. If you buy a new carseat there is a good chance you can use it for multiple children.
I have 4 yrs age gap between my kids, and i still can reuse all the carseats. My infant carseat still have 1 yr left, so that is perfect as my baby # 2 is just a month old. By the fall baby # 2 will outgrow the infant carseat , and will be ready for the convertible. At the same time my firstborn will be 5 and will outgrow the convertible and will be ready for the booster.

Also I want to warn you about th height restriction of the carseats. Usually manufacturers do not advertise the height restrictions, but I find that for us that was the limiting factor. For example we have britax boulevard 65 for convertible seat, which is good upto 65 lb. However I have a tall kid and he is only 40 lb, but very close to outgrow the seat by height. If you and the baby 's dad is tall, look into the height restriction as well.

vim_n_vigor

I had both seats for both kids. The infant seat is very helpful for the infants in the beginning. Many hospitals won't let you leave without the infant seat. The convertible seats tend to be rated for children that are larger than newborns and don't usually offer the same support. We used the infant seat for several months and my children were very long. The convertible seat did last much longer, I think probably close to 2 or 3 years, and I have very tall children. My 6 year old is almost tall enough to not be required by law to have a carseat anymore.

RBXChas

Also I want to warn you about th height restriction of the carseats. Usually manufacturers do not advertise the height restrictions, but I find that for us that was the limiting factor. For example we have britax boulevard 65 for convertible seat, which is good upto 65 lb. However I have a tall kid and he is only 40 lb, but very close to outgrow the seat by height. If you and the baby 's dad is tall, look into the height restriction as well.

^THIS! I didn't notice the height restrictions until I was thinking about how long I'd use the infant seat for #2 (mine has a 35-lb limit), and I realized there was a height restriction. My husband and I are not short, but we're not particularly tall, either, but we both have tall genes in our families - our son is off the charts for height, though he's not heavy. So keep an eye on it regardless.

RBXChas

I had both seats for both kids. The infant seat is very helpful for the infants in the beginning. Many hospitals won't let you leave without the infant seat. The convertible seats tend to be rated for children that are larger than newborns and don't usually offer the same support. We used the infant seat for several months and my children were very long. The convertible seat did last much longer, I think probably close to 2 or 3 years, and I have very tall children. My 6 year old is almost tall enough to not be required by law to have a carseat anymore.

This is kind of what I meant when I said that the infant seat seemed more "snuggly" for a newborn/young infant than a convertible seat. My infant seat had a newborn insert and just seemed to "hug" him better than the convertible seat did.

EmilyRanae22

Thanks for all the input everyone. I think I'll register for both. My friend thinks her newborn will outgrow their infant seat by the time ours is born but I am doubting that....are kids really 30lbs by 4 months?!

On a different note, any input on strollers on registry? I already mentioned what I registered for, but then I saw the "room to grow" stroller by Graco which seems like it will be great for having kids that are close together in age (which we plan on). Is it excessive to register for a snap n go, jogger and a 2 kid stroller? If you don't know the stroller I'm talking about, check it out...it's pretty awesome!

http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=12319184

edit: after reading the reviews maybe it isn't so awesome!

RBXChas

Thanks for all the input everyone. I think I'll register for both. My friend thinks her newborn will outgrow their infant seat by the time ours is born but I am doubting that....are kids really 30lbs by 4 months?!

On a different note, any input on strollers on registry? I already mentioned what I registered for, but then I saw the "room to grow" stroller by Graco which seems like it will be great for having kids that are close together in age (which we plan on). Is it excessive to register for a snap n go, jogger and a 2 kid stroller? If you don't know the stroller I'm talking about, check it out...it's pretty awesome!

http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=12319184

edit: after reading the reviews maybe it isn't so awesome!

The Snap 'n Go and the jogging stroller have two very different purposes, and unless you have an attachment that allows your infant carrier to be secured to the jogging stroller, you won't be using the jogging stroller for a while (your baby will be too small otherwise). My jogging stroller is pretty compact as far as jogging strollers go, but it's still pretty big when it's folded. The Snap 'n Go folds up nicely to fit in the back of my car, but the jogging stroller requires my putting down one of the back seats to fit it.

When my son was using his infant seat/carrier, I used the Snap 'n Go and nothing else. Once he "outgrew" it, I bought a used jogging stroller for walks around the neighborhood and the Britax Blink on sale to stay in the back of my car permanently for outings. Both were great purchases.

I would hold off on registering for a double stroller until you are at least expecting your second. My son will be 2yrs 4 months when this one is born, and even I'm not sure about double strollers. I think we are going to play it by ear and decide as we go. My sister's boys have the exact same age split, and it wasn't that long after her second was born that her first really didn't put up with being in a stroller and preferred to walk. My brother has a set of twins and gave us his double stroller, but I'm not sure how good it is, so we may or may not end up purchasing one of our own. Who knows if we'll even use the one he gave us.

As far as your friend's baby outgrowing the infant seat, it's not always a matter of exceeding the weight limit but how comfortable you are with carrying your child around in it. Once our son was ~20 lbs we moved him to the convertible seat because it's not easy to lift that much weight over and over again in and out of the car, etc., since it's large and cumbersome. At that point moving the baby alone is much easier (and more maneuverable)!

Also, I don't like the idea of counting on someone else to give you something that you need right away like an infant carrier. My sister was supposed to give me her infant carrier because her younger son is 6 months older than my son. I was getting close to my due date, and it became clear that she wasn't ready to give up the seat. Given that the seat she was going to give me would expire before we could possibly have another baby (it was my brother's before it was hers), I told her not to worry about it, that we'd just buy our own so that we could take the pressure off of her and be sure that we'd have a seat that would span both (or all, if we were to have more than two) of our children. She ended up relaxing and continuing to use the infant seat until my son was two or three months old.

EmilyRanae22

IMHO, an infant car seat is only useful if you plan on clipping it out at regular intervals to put into a stroller (for walking/shopping/etc) or if you have a baby who will only want to sleep in the car and you are terrified of waking them. The infant seat is grown out of at 30#s or when you switch from RF to FF (~2yrs is now the preferred). So if you think you're going to have a big baby, you're going to need a convertible anyway to keep them RF until they are 2. My peanut only hit 30# recently (~2.5), but length-wise outgrew her infant seat ~2-3 months before her 2nd birthday.

If you are the type to do babywearing more than pushing a stroller, plan on extended RF or want a car seat to have a longer life, go with the convertible.

PLEASE: do yourself a favor and check carseat.org for your make & model of car and see what other folks suggest. Not all carseats work in all cars. This will prevent you from getting your hear set on something only to have it not work so well in your vehicle. (ie my Subi does not like some of the Evenflo seats at all)

the biggest pro of an infant car seat is the delay of having to get multiple seats since you can have multiple bases and move the seat back and forth. If you have a one parent drop off/other parent pick up at daycare, this may be terribly exciting.

We're expecting Kid 2.0 this July, and I'm happy to say that one of our two convertible seats will flip around and the other (that even converts to a booster!) will move into that car. Then, the car stays with the kids.

Does your subi have the middle carseat attachment? My middle seat (Impreza Outback) isn't a real seat it's just for carseats....I'm asking because the convertable seat I'm looking at is evenflo