Author Topic: Child Car Seats  (Read 10824 times)

zataks

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 348
  • Location: Silicon Valley
Child Car Seats
« on: May 15, 2015, 01:27:31 PM »
I originally posted this on a car-specific forum but thought, given my goals, this would be a good place to seek advice as well.

I'm not really worried about getting the child car seat into the car ('13 WRX and '12 OB). Nor am I worried about compacting the stroller into the hatch.

My problem is that I'm frugal bordering cheap and that the car seats and strollers my wife (who is at 20 weeks now) wants are friggin' expensive. So naturally, my response was, if we're spending this much money (~$500), lets get the Recaro. She does not like the Recaro. =\

She found a Graco stroller with a car seat for <$300 I think.  But even still that's a butt load of money.  (I mean, we are high earners but I hate the idea of spending that much plus the amount for a second seat base for our other car).

I'm leaning towards the cheapest, safety-standards meeting car seats we can find. For strollers, someone at work mentioned he had gotten practically the cheapest Target special years ago and recycled it when the kid would no longer get into it. I'm going to aim for something like that as well.  Maybe I can just push our kid on my skateboard. =p

What's everybody else using and why?

Liralen

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 12
Re: Child Car Seats
« Reply #1 on: May 15, 2015, 03:09:39 PM »
I used the Chicco Keyfit 30 - not cheap! But I researched carseats and this one received good safety and ease of use reviews. We bought 1 seat but a carseat base for each of our cars. This made it very easy to transfer the carseat from car to car. When our kid was a little over a year old, I was in an accident with her as a passenger. My car was totaled. I was sore from the impact and airbag, but she was totally fine, just scared. For me, that carseat was well worth the cost! When we moved up to a bigger carseat, we again went with a Chicco :)

Also, I've noticed, that the cheapest carseats can be more of a hassle to install. We paid more for our seat, but it is super easy to install properly in the car and adjust for the kiddo.

klystomane

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 180
Re: Child Car Seats
« Reply #2 on: May 15, 2015, 03:19:01 PM »
Britax Marathon here, ~$250 I believe. Did a bit of research and based on advice from family/friends, concluded that it's safe and comfortable.

Car seats last what, 6-7 years? A $500 vs $100 car seat costs you $80 more per year.

Even if you factor in investment earnings, $80 isn't a whole lot for the peace of mind of knowing that your child is safe and comfortable; some people spend that amount of money on drinks when going out.

emily2244

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 28
Re: Child Car Seats
« Reply #3 on: May 15, 2015, 07:04:26 PM »
The best thing is not to drive.

But, we have always used the Cosco Scenera and I don't see why anyone would buy anything else. The safety rating is very high and it is around $50. The only reason that people give for not buying them is that they seem like they would be uncomfortable. I don't believe that babies and small children need a lot of padding for comfort because they don't weigh very much. Also, I've never noticed any signs of discomfort with my own children.

I walk a lot with my kids, rather than drive, so I do have a more expensive jogging stroller. But, it's still only $100.

La Bibliotecaria Feroz

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 7124
Re: Child Car Seats
« Reply #4 on: May 16, 2015, 10:24:21 AM »
I had an Evenflo something--Tribute? Triumph?--which at Baby Depot was hardly more than the Scenera and it has some better kind of impact-resistant foam (EPS?). On another occasion, I bought a fancier seat (Safety 1st Alpha Omega Elite) but I HATE it. The head rest adjuster broke and half the reason for buying it was that it converts to a high-back booster seat--but who wants such a stupidly heavy and bulky booster seat when you can get a super-lightweight Evenflo for $30?

All car seats meet the same safety standards. My understanding is that the fancy Britax-type seats have two main advantages: 1. The straps don't get twisted as much. 2. They often have higher weight limits, so you can rear-face your three-year-old and keep your six-year-old in a five-point harness. (Technically, these things are much safer. I don't do them.)

I've heard that people don't really like those "travel system" strollers because they're so heavy and awkward. More often, people want something more lightweight and smaller folding--even if you have a giant trunk, it's still hard to wrestle a big stroller into it.

But your wife wants fancy. So I would try to convince her to just buy the "baby bucket" seat for now and something like a Snap N Go and hope that the urge to buy super-fancy things wears off once the kid arrives :-).

bogart

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1094
Re: Child Car Seats
« Reply #5 on: May 16, 2015, 11:20:05 AM »
When my son was little (some time ago), I think we had exactly the setup you are describing -- I'm sure it wasn't exactly the same because it was some time ago, and cheaper because ditto, but -- all the same.  It worked well for us.  We had our 2 cars and shared childcare dropoff/pickup + had a grandma also involved, so being able to put a base in each car was handy.  Having the "bucket" seat with a handle was also something I liked a bunch as I found I was pretty committed to "never wake a sleeping baby," and it served us well in that regard.  We used the stroller for years, my husband absolutely walked the heck out of it (I was more of a baby carrier/wearer).  I think we used it (less and less over time, obviously) until DS was about 4.

There's really no right answer here.  Certainly nothing wrong with getting a less expensive option.  If anyone will be throwing you a baby shower, and/or there are grandparents in the picture who would like to get something "nice" related to safety, well maybe they'd like to get you this.  My only other thought is that, given that you've said you have the means, saving a few hundred dollars by getting a carseat/baby stroller that is other than what the mom-to-be of a first baby wants may not be the best option available to save some funds.    Every now and then when you have a kid, you are going to find yourself spending money needlessly on something that is (otherwise) entirely useless and short-lived but that will bring someone joy.  This may be a good opportunity to sample that experience. 

zataks

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 348
  • Location: Silicon Valley
Re: Child Car Seats
« Reply #6 on: May 16, 2015, 12:25:04 PM »
DW isn't necessarily into super fancy but she wants something nice.  But after mentioning I wanted something cheaper I'm getting a barrage of texts of links to different things.  I think I need to graciously step back and encourage her that I whole-heartedly support whatever she wants.  =) 
There are just so many options that all look the same with very minor differences.  And my attitude is, if there safety is there and it's functional, woohoo!  I mean, people have been having kids for at least a little while before the latest model of seats and strollers came out, right?

La Bibliotecaria Feroz

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 7124
Re: Child Car Seats
« Reply #7 on: May 16, 2015, 12:48:22 PM »
Oh, and you might not need the second base. Some bucket seats are really easy to install with a seat belt over top (no, really, you can do that) so if baby will be in one car more often, you might as well try it before committing.

It's fine to let your wife choose the car seat if she cares more. But... if you want to be a real co-parent and not the backup parent--you know, the kind who "babysits" the kid--then don't let her care more about every single baby-related decision, if you know what I mean.

jen2015

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 4
  • Location: Germany
Re: Child Car Seats
« Reply #8 on: May 16, 2015, 01:58:58 PM »
Have you looked into the Snap and Go strollers? The car seat clicks into the simple stroller base. They are pretty easy to find used.

RunHappy

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 560
Re: Child Car Seats
« Reply #9 on: May 16, 2015, 05:33:07 PM »
I originally posted this on a car-specific forum but thought, given my goals, this would be a good place to seek advice as well.

I'm not really worried about getting the child car seat into the car ('13 WRX and '12 OB). Nor am I worried about compacting the stroller into the hatch.

My problem is that I'm frugal bordering cheap and that the car seats and strollers my wife (who is at 20 weeks now) wants are friggin' expensive. So naturally, my response was, if we're spending this much money (~$500), lets get the Recaro. She does not like the Recaro. =\

She found a Graco stroller with a car seat for <$300 I think.  But even still that's a butt load of money.  (I mean, we are high earners but I hate the idea of spending that much plus the amount for a second seat base for our other car).

I'm leaning towards the cheapest, safety-standards meeting car seats we can find. For strollers, someone at work mentioned he had gotten practically the cheapest Target special years ago and recycled it when the kid would no longer get into it. I'm going to aim for something like that as well.  Maybe I can just push our kid on my skateboard. =p

What's everybody else using and why?

I'm looking at car seats right now, but haven't decided on what to buy.  We are going to need one for each car.  All new car seats are going to meet safety standards.  For us we have different types of vehicles (my hatchback and his truck), so we are looking more at size and weight limits.

We are not buying a stroller until we are sure we will need one (after the baby is born), right now both of use are committed to wearing. 

MayDay

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 4953
Re: Child Car Seats
« Reply #10 on: May 16, 2015, 05:33:57 PM »
For a nice stroller that pushes well, folds small, and has great resale, consider the baby jogger city mini. It is really excellent but doesn't cost as much as the seriously insane ones.

Pushing well and being tall enough for someone over 5'6" is huge. It's worth paying a bit more for if you walk a lot, and if you pick a popular one, resale will be excellent.

Albee baby tends to have great prices.

Mirwen

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 160
  • Location: Las Vegas
Re: Child Car Seats
« Reply #11 on: May 16, 2015, 06:00:58 PM »
I just had my second child and for the carseat I bought a Chicco Nextfit with a 20% off coupon from Albee baby.  I think it was about $225.  That's a lot of money for me, but I really like it and it fits newborns very well for a convertible.  With my first child I bought a big stroller and hated it.  I craigslisted it and bought an umbrella stroller for about $30.  I liked it a lot better, but it wasn't really necessary.  Now I don't have a stroller at all and I just use my Ergo Baby performance carrier or my Lite-On-Shoulder sling carrier.  The sling carrier is good for the really little babies the Ergo Baby is better for the larger babies or longer distances.  I've gone hiking carrying my 40 lb. son on my back with the Ergo.  You can front carry with it too.  The used ones resell so well that you could buy a new one for $120 and sell it for $80.  They are tough enough to last through multiple children. 

As you can tell, I've completely switched from strollers to carriers and it is so much better.  Strollers are unnecessary.

K-ice

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 982
  • Location: Canada
Re: Child Car Seats
« Reply #12 on: May 18, 2015, 11:16:38 AM »
You don't need the best of everything.
But safety is important.


You are not supposed to buy used car seats for safety. But I got one from a professional colleague for 1/2 price.

Hand me down stroller. The infant car seat didn't perfectly snap in but I jimmy rigged a strap to make it work.

Trust me, I coveted the fancy 5 way convertible, expandable, snapable, car seat stroller combos. They are hard to resist.

New crib (gift from grandma) but no other baby furniture. Nothing!

DH did an amazing paint job in the baby room so it needs nothing more.

Change tables are a waste of money. On the floor hands & knees is the safest.

When it was time to upgrade to the non infant seat I focused on safety & size.
This is the one place I didn't factor $$.
I bought the Sunshine Kids Radian now close to the Diono Radian. This seat has some of the highest weight ratings for rear facing (the safest for as long as possible) as well as 5-point harness. My almost 5y old is often mistaken for 6-7 but still fits in the "race car" harness. We call it that since most of his bobble head friends are in the more convienent booster seat but that is not the safest. Drives me nuts to see parents picking convienence over Safety. He was rear facing until 2.5, again less convenient but safer.

Bedroom furniture now he is older. Just a double bed mattress & box spring on the floor. That's all he needs.

He kind of wants bunk beds, but again I pull the safety card. He's not old enough yet. I will get him on board saving his allowance for 1/2 the cost if that's something he really wants when he's over 6.


I hope this helps. Spend more for safety but be frugal on the rest.




relena

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 45
Re: Child Car Seats
« Reply #13 on: May 18, 2015, 04:05:37 PM »
I had a chicco keyfit 30 with extra base when my daughter was an infant and then bought a britax boulevard for $199 + tax when she outgrew that. I watched for a sale and knew that i wanted a britax boulevard. I got it from amazon for that price less than 2 years ago for my son. Both car seats have good safety ratings, easy to install, etc.

firelight

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1070
Re: Child Car Seats
« Reply #14 on: May 18, 2015, 04:15:40 PM »
We got a graco snugride with the snap n go stroller frame when our DD was an infant and are now moving towards diono radian. She is on the tall side and the radian would be a perfect fit.

La Bibliotecaria Feroz

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 7124
Re: Child Car Seats
« Reply #15 on: May 18, 2015, 04:39:42 PM »
You don't need the best of everything.
But safety is important.


You are not supposed to buy used car seats for safety. But I got one from a professional colleague for 1/2 price.

Hand me down stroller. The infant car seat didn't perfectly snap in but I jimmy rigged a strap to make it work.

Trust me, I coveted the fancy 5 way convertible, expandable, snapable, car seat stroller combos. They are hard to resist.

New crib (gift from grandma) but no other baby furniture. Nothing!

DH did an amazing paint job in the baby room so it needs nothing more.

Change tables are a waste of money. On the floor hands & knees is the safest.

When it was time to upgrade to the non infant seat I focused on safety & size.
This is the one place I didn't factor $$.
I bought the Sunshine Kids Radian now close to the Diono Radian. This seat has some of the highest weight ratings for rear facing (the safest for as long as possible) as well as 5-point harness. My almost 5y old is often mistaken for 6-7 but still fits in the "race car" harness. We call it that since most of his bobble head friends are in the more convienent booster seat but that is not the safest. Drives me nuts to see parents picking convienence over Safety. He was rear facing until 2.5, again less convenient but safer.

Bedroom furniture now he is older. Just a double bed mattress & box spring on the floor. That's all he needs.

He kind of wants bunk beds, but again I pull the safety card. He's not old enough yet. I will get him on board saving his allowance for 1/2 the cost if that's something he really wants when he's over 6.


I hope this helps. Spend more for safety but be frugal on the rest.




Just to defend myself for putting my four-year-old in a booster: I read that a booster seat, secured with a seat belt, can be safer than a harness seat in older cars, like mine, which lack rear tethers.

chouchouu

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 340
Re: Child Car Seats
« Reply #16 on: May 24, 2015, 03:38:58 AM »
We bought second hand seats from the Facebook swap. I think it was about $60 for two seats. We splurged on the stroller because we walk everywhere (we don't own a car-just rentals every now and then) I would never buy a stroller for everyday use that you can't buy parts for. If something can't be fixed its not going to last several years of everyday use.

mabinogi

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 76
Re: Child Car Seats
« Reply #17 on: May 28, 2015, 12:41:52 PM »
Are you looking at infant car seats (bucket seats) or convertible seats? There's really no need to buy a separate infant seat, so you can save a good bit of money by going straight for a convertible seat. If you decide to go that route, all seats are equally safe, EXCEPT that some seats will allow you to keep your child rear-facing longer, and rear-facing is MUCH safer than front-facing. The Graco convertible seats are some of the cheapest that will allow for extended rear-facing.

zataks

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 348
  • Location: Silicon Valley
Re: Child Car Seats
« Reply #18 on: May 28, 2015, 12:44:07 PM »
I guess I should update this.  We ordered http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00ASI748K?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00 as well as an additional base.  Put it together already, seems alright.

Emlove

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 6
Re: Child Car Seats
« Reply #19 on: June 27, 2015, 07:25:12 PM »
We bought our car seats new, but our strollers are used from craigslist. I walked a lot with my kids and liked the Bob strollers with big, swivel tires that can go on grass and dirt trails. The one I bought had a bar that you could click an infant seat into the stroller, until they were old enough to be in a jogger stroller. We sold the stroller back on craigslist when we were done using it.

forummm

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 7374
  • Senior Mustachian
Re: Child Car Seats
« Reply #20 on: June 28, 2015, 06:22:23 AM »
There really isn't any safety difference between the $50 and the $800 models. They all have to meet pretty high government safety standards.
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/27/your-money/car-seats-that-make-sure-the-baby-on-board-is-snug-and-safe.html

Scubanewbie

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 107
Re: Child Car Seats
« Reply #21 on: July 01, 2015, 09:59:35 AM »
+1 for saying an expensive carseat is NO more "safe" than a cheap one.  A WELL INSTALLED carseat (regardless of price point) is more safe than an improperly installed one.  A more expensive one CAN be more convenient but don't pick one based on its price.  Question if you need the feature.  For instance, easy installing/reinstalling.  Important?  It is if you are going to be sharing between two cars.  If you're not?  I take ours out when I clean the car 2x a year.  I never cared about twisting car seat straps...um, untangle them?  Its not rocket science (to me).  The no-rethread harness, eh, nice to have but with only four "slots" in the old style one you by definition only have to rethread it three times.  I second the opinion that the Scenera, $39 right now on Walmart.com, its a great seat and we own two http://www.walmart.com/ip/16932756?wmlspartner=wlpa&adid=22222222227000889282&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=c&wl3=40331530232&wl4=&wl5=pla&wl6=78292782752&veh=sem

That said, in the interest of full disclosure (putting up my hands in preparation for face punches) We have 8 carseats for two children.  Yep, one for each of my husband and my car, another set for both sets of grandparents.  We could live with any amount of tangling straps but the idea of installing/uninstalling every week (each set of grandparents watch the kids 1x a week in the summer)...nope, not interested.  Others come up with other value propositions.  Decide what's important to you.  I also am the type to rear face for a long time so my 2.5 year old is still rear facing and my 6 year old is still 5-point harnessed so that means I prioritized things other may not.  My purchases were like this:
- bucket seat - used for both kids for 1 year each - CHEAP, I wanted it light for carrying as I have RA, nothing else mattered (again, they are ALL safe if installed properly) but TO ME the ability not to wake the baby every time we got into/out of the car = priceless.  As does being able to put a blanket over them in cold weather since they aren't supposed to wear puffy coats in carseats.
- rear facing seat - used for both kids - expires after 6 years but luckily our kids are close enough to each other that this worked, used for 2-3 years per kid
- front facing seat - used by my oldest and will be passed down to my youngest in a few months (when her rear facing seat expires, conveniently right after she turns 3 years old)
- booster seat - don't own yet but oldest kid will go into when I give his front facing seat to younger kid - might be as soon as when he's 6.5 years old which means he's been harnessed 2.5 years longer than many but honestly, he can buckle/unbuckle himself, he looks like a race car and when he falls asleep it keeps him upright, I don't understand the rush to move him on.

As for strollers, I think they're practically useless but this is one of those cases where it depends on your lifestyle.  I babywear (http://mobywrap.com/) and think strollers are a big PITA, I'm aware others, particularly joggers, get a lot of use out of theirs.  I use it MAYBE 1x a year as our hiking doesn't allow for strollers and when I go to the zoo/aquarium the kid can't see anything from the stroller anyways.  I would save the money and see how you feel when LO shows up.  If anything, "umbrella strollers" are like $15.

firelight

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1070
Re: Child Car Seats
« Reply #22 on: July 01, 2015, 12:12:55 PM »
We bought a city versa stroller and use it every single day! We go on walks and to parks almost every day and this stroller is light weight, easy to navigate and baby can sit in different recounts and on front facing or rear facing. It also has a huge basket making grocery shopping super easy. We spent $100 on it. I think it's one of the best $100 we've spent.

AZDude

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1296
Re: Child Car Seats
« Reply #23 on: July 01, 2015, 01:08:53 PM »
I originally posted this on a car-specific forum but thought, given my goals, this would be a good place to seek advice as well.

I'm not really worried about getting the child car seat into the car ('13 WRX and '12 OB). Nor am I worried about compacting the stroller into the hatch.

My problem is that I'm frugal bordering cheap and that the car seats and strollers my wife (who is at 20 weeks now) wants are friggin' expensive. So naturally, my response was, if we're spending this much money (~$500), lets get the Recaro. She does not like the Recaro. =\

She found a Graco stroller with a car seat for <$300 I think.  But even still that's a butt load of money.  (I mean, we are high earners but I hate the idea of spending that much plus the amount for a second seat base for our other car).

I'm leaning towards the cheapest, safety-standards meeting car seats we can find. For strollers, someone at work mentioned he had gotten practically the cheapest Target special years ago and recycled it when the kid would no longer get into it. I'm going to aim for something like that as well.  Maybe I can just push our kid on my skateboard. =p

What's everybody else using and why?

Try going to a kid's resale shop. You can get stuff that 1 year old for a fraction of the price. Maybe you can find that expensive stroller/carseat for cheap. Just make sure you check the model for recalls. Also, you can offset some of the cost knowing you can sell your stuff back to these stores later.

I'm a red panda

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 8186
  • Location: United States
Re: Child Car Seats
« Reply #24 on: July 01, 2015, 01:15:24 PM »

- bucket seat - used for both kids for 1 year each - CHEAP, I wanted it light for carrying as I have RA, nothing else mattered (again, they are ALL safe if installed properly) but TO ME the ability not to wake the baby every time we got into/out of the car = priceless.  As does being able to put a blanket over them in cold weather since they aren't supposed to wear puffy coats in carseats.

Do you have a recommendation for the bucket seat?  LIGHT is a huge issue for me. 

Disposaleer

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 20
  • Location: East Coast
Re: Child Car Seats
« Reply #25 on: July 01, 2015, 01:23:37 PM »
We used one of the Graco clik connect models with the accompanying stroller (~$300). Fortunately our family had a spare base from other children for our other car. The issue we are hitting now is our son outgrew the infant car seat that fits the stroller at 7 months old, and the next size up requires him to be a year old. To solve this we got a 3-in-1 (4-in-1?) Safety 1st car seat at Sam's Club for $79.99 this weekend that goes from 5-100 lbs and can convert from rear-facing to forward-facing. We plan on using this car seat for our next kid as well since our current child should be big enough for a $20 booster. The Graco was really nice when he was sleeping though, we could just carry him inside in the car seat instead of having to wrestle him out of the harness and waking him up.

Scubanewbie

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 107
Re: Child Car Seats
« Reply #26 on: July 01, 2015, 02:07:11 PM »

Do you have a recommendation for the bucket seat?  LIGHT is a huge issue for me.
[/quote]

I don't know for sure, sorry.  I was doing a registry to so I went to the store and looked up the weights of all of the ones they had available and chose the lightest (after making sure it also had decent ratings).  A quick peek on Amazon shows Evenflo advertising "25% lighter than comparable infant car seats light weight for mom; same protection for baby".  It shows a weight of 15.2lbs
http://www.amazon.com/Evenflo-Embrace-Infant-Seat-Raleigh/dp/B00J69XJ04/ref=sr_1_3?s=baby-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1435780950&sr=1-3&keywords=infant+car+seat

Compare that with like a Chicco Keyfit which is 21lbs.  Granted it's only 6lbs difference so not a huge deal but keep in mind you'll also eventually have a 8-20lb kid in there so all of a sudden it becomes 40lbs :)

labrat

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 92
  • Location: USA
  • Lady Mustachian-in-training!
Re: Child Car Seats
« Reply #27 on: July 13, 2015, 07:33:21 PM »
Went cheap on everything except the car seat.  We bought the "floor model" Chicco KeyFit 30 + one base at a >50% discount from a fancy-pants baby boutique.  I think we spent about $100.  The only catch was the base and seat expiration date was 13 months after our due date.  We kept our eyes out for sales/deals and ended up trading it in about a month before the expiration date (we have an incredibly tall baby!) and scored a 25% off Babies R Us coupon (once or twice a year you can trade in old baby gear and get a coupon) and bought a Chicco NextFit.  We compared safety ratings, and checked out Britax, Graco, and Chicco seats in person - the Chicco had the best cushioning and easiest installation, and a stellar safety rating.

In case anyone is unaware, you can get your car seat installation safety checked by many police/fire departments and children's hospitals for free.  Even the highest rated seat can become unsafe if not installed properly.


I'm a red panda

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 8186
  • Location: United States
Re: Child Car Seats
« Reply #28 on: July 16, 2015, 07:41:54 AM »
A friend gave me a really good idea- because we were going to have to buy two bases for the infant seat (because on rare occasion husband will do daycare pickups.)

Put the infant seat in the most used car, and just go right ahead and get a convertible carseat for the other car. It will be a bit of a pain for him to use the convertible car seat with an infant, but it will be rare.  And then you don't waste money on the second base which will rarely be used since you need the convertible anyway.


(She actually recommends NO infant seat unless you have the newborn in a true winter climate; that way you can get them covered inside.  She said it is more convenient, but something you can totally do without as long as your baby comes home at least 5 pounds. Of course, when I have my baby the windchills commonly reach -30F, so I'm going with the infant seat.)

KCM5

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 881
Re: Child Car Seats
« Reply #29 on: July 16, 2015, 08:54:32 AM »
A friend gave me a really good idea- because we were going to have to buy two bases for the infant seat (because on rare occasion husband will do daycare pickups.)

Put the infant seat in the most used car, and just go right ahead and get a convertible carseat for the other car. It will be a bit of a pain for him to use the convertible car seat with an infant, but it will be rare.  And then you don't waste money on the second base which will rarely be used since you need the convertible anyway.


(She actually recommends NO infant seat unless you have the newborn in a true winter climate; that way you can get them covered inside.  She said it is more convenient, but something you can totally do without as long as your baby comes home at least 5 pounds. Of course, when I have my baby the windchills commonly reach -30F, so I'm going with the infant seat.)

Your friend is exactly right. We went with a baby bucket for the main car, Cosco Scenara for the little used car. And then upgraded the baby bucket to a way nicer than necessary convertible that will rear face until 4 (Clek Foonf - awesome, but even on sale was $300). I didn't want to get a baby bucket, but a newborn in January around here - I'd rather use a baby bucket than do something ridiculous like warm up my car before putting the baby in it. Also, note upthread the person that mentioned you can install a baby bucket with just the seatbelt, no base (most of them anyway). Something to consider and then you don't even need the second car seat for a while.

I'm a red panda

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 8186
  • Location: United States
Re: Child Car Seats
« Reply #30 on: July 16, 2015, 09:01:05 AM »
Also, note upthread the person that mentioned you can install a baby bucket with just the seatbelt, no base (most of them anyway). Something to consider and then you don't even need the second car seat for a while.

Yeah, my BIL told me that- but I'd worry about incorrect installation. I'm a "install it, have it checked, leave it" kind of person.

/at least for the first kid.

RunHappy

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 560
Re: Child Car Seats
« Reply #31 on: July 16, 2015, 09:21:46 AM »
A friend gave me a really good idea- because we were going to have to buy two bases for the infant seat (because on rare occasion husband will do daycare pickups.)

Put the infant seat in the most used car, and just go right ahead and get a convertible carseat for the other car. It will be a bit of a pain for him to use the convertible car seat with an infant, but it will be rare.  And then you don't waste money on the second base which will rarely be used since you need the convertible anyway.


(She actually recommends NO infant seat unless you have the newborn in a true winter climate; that way you can get them covered inside.  She said it is more convenient, but something you can totally do without as long as your baby comes home at least 5 pounds. Of course, when I have my baby the windchills commonly reach -30F, so I'm going with the infant seat.)

Your friend is exactly right. We went with a baby bucket for the main car, Cosco Scenara for the little used car. And then upgraded the baby bucket to a way nicer than necessary convertible that will rear face until 4 (Clek Foonf - awesome, but even on sale was $300). I didn't want to get a baby bucket, but a newborn in January around here - I'd rather use a baby bucket than do something ridiculous like warm up my car before putting the baby in it. Also, note upthread the person that mentioned you can install a baby bucket with just the seatbelt, no base (most of them anyway). Something to consider and then you don't even need the second car seat for a while.

At what age would they no longer need the infant seat and can use a convertible car seat?  I'm still looking at carseats and am overwhelmed by all the choices!  My baby is due mid-September with winter hitting around late October/early November.

The ones I'm considering at the Chicco Keyfit 30 Infant Seat vs the Graco 4ever All-in-one Convertible Six-position Recline Car Seat

K-ice

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 982
  • Location: Canada
Re: Child Car Seats
« Reply #32 on: July 16, 2015, 09:47:50 AM »


[/quote]

At what age would they no longer need the infant seat and can use a convertible car seat?  I'm still looking at carseats and am overwhelmed by all the choices!  My baby is due mid-September with winter hitting around late October/early November.

The ones I'm considering at the Chicco Keyfit 30 Infant Seat vs the Graco 4ever All-in-one Convertible Six-position Recline Car Seat
[/quote]

I am not familiar with those particular seats. But the most important thing is that all states are different but that AGE doesn't really matter.

One huge mistake is flipping a child around on their 1st birthday. I think this was/is the rule in some places.

Follow the height weight rules for your state & seat.

There is overlap for seats too. I don't know the exact numbers but for example rear facing is good from birth to 30lbs. But some fwd facing start at 22 lbs.

Although you can legally flip them around once they are 22lbs it is safest to stay rear as long as the seat recommends ie 30lbs. (check height too, a tall skinny baby may need to be moved sooner for proper head/neck support)

I hope that helps. Get AGE out of your mind.

There may be an upper age limit around 9-10years and even some petite adults could fit in a booster but AGE isn't a concern for a decade.





RunHappy

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 560
Re: Child Car Seats
« Reply #33 on: July 16, 2015, 10:11:16 AM »
I am not familiar with those particular seats. But the most important thing is that all states are different but that AGE doesn't really matter.

One huge mistake is flipping a child around on their 1st birthday. I think this was/is the rule in some places.

Follow the height weight rules for your state & seat.

There is overlap for seats too. I don't know the exact numbers but for example rear facing is good from birth to 30lbs. But some fwd facing start at 22 lbs.

Although you can legally flip them around once they are 22lbs it is safest to stay rear as long as the seat recommends ie 30lbs. (check height too, a tall skinny baby may need to be moved sooner for proper head/neck support)

I hope that helps. Get AGE out of your mind.

There may be an upper age limit around 9-10years and even some petite adults could fit in a booster but AGE isn't a concern for a decade.

Not exactly what I was looking for, but thanks.

I had to google what I was looking for.  The average age of a 30lbs baby is between 18-24 months (there are factors which can change this).  I was trying to figure out if I was only going to use an infant car seat for 4-6 months or if it would be longer.  If it was only 4-6 months than I would go with a convertible car seat from day (unless she is born very early), but it doesn't sound like many babies are 30lbs by 12 months. 

I'm a red panda

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 8186
  • Location: United States
Re: Child Car Seats
« Reply #34 on: July 16, 2015, 10:29:56 AM »
I am not familiar with those particular seats. But the most important thing is that all states are different but that AGE doesn't really matter.

One huge mistake is flipping a child around on their 1st birthday. I think this was/is the rule in some places.

Follow the height weight rules for your state & seat.

There is overlap for seats too. I don't know the exact numbers but for example rear facing is good from birth to 30lbs. But some fwd facing start at 22 lbs.

Although you can legally flip them around once they are 22lbs it is safest to stay rear as long as the seat recommends ie 30lbs. (check height too, a tall skinny baby may need to be moved sooner for proper head/neck support)

I hope that helps. Get AGE out of your mind.

There may be an upper age limit around 9-10years and even some petite adults could fit in a booster but AGE isn't a concern for a decade.

Not exactly what I was looking for, but thanks.

I had to google what I was looking for.  The average age of a 30lbs baby is between 18-24 months (there are factors which can change this).  I was trying to figure out if I was only going to use an infant car seat for 4-6 months or if it would be longer.  If it was only 4-6 months than I would go with a convertible car seat from day (unless she is born very early), but it doesn't sound like many babies are 30lbs by 12 months.

Infant carriers are really heavy. They get awkward to carry when the baby reaches about 15 pounds, in my experience.  I know I would not be able to keep a kid in one until 30 pounds, but maybe someone strong could handle it.

You can use a convertible (with an infant insert) starting at 5 pounds.  The reason you might not want to do this, is you can't cover and bundle up the baby until they are in the car. (Jackets should be OVER the car seat- not buckled under them.)  So if you live somewhere that is very cold, the infant seat means you can get them all snuggled in, then take them out to the car.  It also means you don't have to wake them if they are sleeping to get them out of the carseat.

I don't have a kid yet, but I was a lead teacher in an infant room of a daycare. Typically parents would stop using the carriers between 6-8 months.  It was practically a unicorn sighting to have a 2 month old come in without one (but mustachians are often rare breeds.)

« Last Edit: July 16, 2015, 10:32:51 AM by iowajes »

RunHappy

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 560
Re: Child Car Seats
« Reply #35 on: July 16, 2015, 11:01:02 AM »
I am not familiar with those particular seats. But the most important thing is that all states are different but that AGE doesn't really matter.

One huge mistake is flipping a child around on their 1st birthday. I think this was/is the rule in some places.

Follow the height weight rules for your state & seat.

There is overlap for seats too. I don't know the exact numbers but for example rear facing is good from birth to 30lbs. But some fwd facing start at 22 lbs.

Although you can legally flip them around once they are 22lbs it is safest to stay rear as long as the seat recommends ie 30lbs. (check height too, a tall skinny baby may need to be moved sooner for proper head/neck support)

I hope that helps. Get AGE out of your mind.

There may be an upper age limit around 9-10years and even some petite adults could fit in a booster but AGE isn't a concern for a decade.

Not exactly what I was looking for, but thanks.

I had to google what I was looking for.  The average age of a 30lbs baby is between 18-24 months (there are factors which can change this).  I was trying to figure out if I was only going to use an infant car seat for 4-6 months or if it would be longer.  If it was only 4-6 months than I would go with a convertible car seat from day (unless she is born very early), but it doesn't sound like many babies are 30lbs by 12 months.

Infant carriers are really heavy. They get awkward to carry when the baby reaches about 15 pounds, in my experience.  I know I would not be able to keep a kid in one until 30 pounds, but maybe someone strong could handle it.

You can use a convertible (with an infant insert) starting at 5 pounds.  The reason you might not want to do this, is you can't cover and bundle up the baby until they are in the car. (Jackets should be OVER the car seat- not buckled under them.)  So if you live somewhere that is very cold, the infant seat means you can get them all snuggled in, then take them out to the car.  It also means you don't have to wake them if they are sleeping to get them out of the carseat.

I don't have a kid yet, but I was a lead teacher in an infant room of a daycare. Typically parents would stop using the carriers between 6-8 months.  It was practically a unicorn sighting to have a 2 month old come in without one (but mustachians are often rare breeds.)

Ok that makes sense.   I'm still not sure what we will end up doing.  We live in NH so it starts to get cold quick, but we keep the cars in the garage.  We might do what the other poster suggested, get an infant car seat for the primary car and convertible for the secondary car.  Right now we are not planning to get a stroller so basically the carrier would be used to bring the kid from the house to the car to the house (or doctor or wherever) without disturbing a nap.

firelight

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1070
Re: Child Car Seats
« Reply #36 on: July 16, 2015, 11:22:39 AM »
We got an infant car seat and a snap n go stroller. It was a blessing - our baby slept in any car ride (even short ten minute ones) and we could bring her in without waking her up. The snap n go meant I wasn't lugging a huge stroller with the baby car seat. Now she is 9 months old and stopped napping in the car rides. So we stopped taking the seat out (guess we stopped around 6-7 months). She still fits comfortably in it and I'm hoping to keep her there till she outgrows by height (our car seat weight limit is 35 pounds and I think she'll outgrow by height first).

Around 6-7 months she also preferred sitting in a less reclined position in the stroller and we got a city versa. It's super light weight, has a lot of storage under the seat and can recline in multiple positions AND rear face and front face. The first two months, she loved looking at us, then got bored and we switched her front. We expect she'll be in that stroller for ages.

We are thinking of a convertible car seat soon but don't plan to buy till she actually needs it. I'm hoping it would be around thanksgiving time so I can get it on sale.

K-ice

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 982
  • Location: Canada
Re: Child Car Seats
« Reply #37 on: July 16, 2015, 11:32:33 AM »
The snap& go are convienent for babies. I used my infant seat for about a year. It's really convienent to take them from the car into the house without waking them up. Especially all Winter. Definitely get the carry/clip kind for that ~first year. Once they outgrow that you can still get a rear facing, front facing, convertible  that should last another 3-5 years. Then one booster.

I know 3 seats seams crazy but that is what you will need. Overwhelming. Just make the choice on the first one today. Styles & rules may change by the time you get the others.

FLBiker

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1786
  • Age: 47
  • Location: Canada
    • Chop Wood Carry FIRE
Re: Child Car Seats
« Reply #38 on: July 21, 2015, 09:28:13 AM »
We live in FL (so I can't speak to cold weather benefits) and we have 1 infant carseat (no base).  It was actually free from our hospital.  It's nothing fancy, but I went to AAA to make sure it was properly installed.  We'll get a convertible -- we looked at Britax (and have a 2ndhand b-agile stroller) but we may be able to get a free by taking a class at a county office.

Instead of having the carrier option, my wife (and I, to a lesser extent) have been wearing her.  It's really nice, once you get the hang of it.  Our favorites (so far, 3 months in) are a woven wrap and a ring sling.