Car seats from birth - swivel or carrier?

[Cara x]

Hi everyone!

Popping over from 2nd tri as I'm unsure whether to get one of the car seats which swivels to allow you to strap baby in at the car door from birth, or a baby carrier type which can go on a travel system pram Which type of car seat did you go for and do you have any regrets? My son is 9 years old and the swivel option didn't exist then, so we had a carrier car seat which clipped onto the pram.

Here's my current thoughts, if you're interested:

Swivel
- Easier to strap baby in and get baby into a car seat which is already in car. Would have isofix either way so wouldn't be struggling with seatbelt, but I remember the strapping in part being an annoyance with my son, especially as I had a c-section.
- Can't clip onto pram
- Heavy and difficult to move between cars (we have 2 cars, plus family will watch baby when I go back to work)
- Will last longer - looking at getting one which lasts to 3/4 years old
- If baby falls asleep in the car I will need to lift them out the seat and risk waking them, or wait in the car.
- Some don't seem to recline enough to support a newborn's head, despite being suitable from birth.

Baby carrier car seat
- Can go onto a travel system
- Would only use the travel system option for popping into the supermarket or running quick errands as I know they shouldn't be in the car seat for longer than 2 hours.
- Would possibly also use the car seat to carry baby into the house for quick visits to family, or visits when they will be there longer but lifted out of the seat once inside. We will have a carrycot for the pram though, so could use this instead, again perhaps risking waking a baby who is asleep in their car seat.
- Heavy to carry as baby gets bigger. I have big babies. I think my son's seat was quite unmanageable for me by about 3 months. I may be having another c-section.
- Doesn't last them long, would need to buy another car seat soon, probably a swivel one.
- Could bring car seat inside if baby fell asleep. Although wouldn't allow to nap for long in the car seat. Could lift them for car seat to Moses basket in the warmth of the house.

As I said, I'd love to know which option you went for, and if you feel it was the right choice!

Thanks in advance

 

[Scout]

I'm not familiar with the swivel seat. I had the car seat/carrier type one when dd was a baby. I bought 2 bases, one for my car and the other for my moms, and that made it easy since my mom babysat my dd at times. The main reason I liked the carrier is that I could get dd all strapped in while still inside the house. I didn't have to stand outside the car getting her in while raining or in the cold. I also liked it for trips to the pediatrician and to the supermarket. I just thought it was convenient. But yes, it did get heavy as dd got older, and they are only useful for about the 1st year.

 

[Perplexed]

I didn't like using carrier carseats... I mean, I got them and kept them in the car for my kids but the taking them out part was just too heavy for me even when they were newborns, I don't think I would ever for a complete travel system again. I usually use the carrier one until 6 - 9 months (6 with my DS, 9 with my DD) then switch to the next category.