Using a convertible carseat for newborn

[marigold91]

Hi all

I don't post much but wanted to get some opinions...

We have a 4 year old and still have the convertible car seats we bought for her when she outgrew her infant seat. They won't be expired, haven't been in an accident, and are safe to use with a newborn as well (they go from 5lbs - 40lbs). I'm considering using them straight away with this baby so that I don't have to buy an infant car seat.

Being a second time mom, I know that the infant seats are sooo much more convenient (transferring them from car to house without waking them up, they can stay in the infant seat during errands and grocery store trips, etc), but I don't want to add any more expenses to us if we don't have to. The travel system I would buy isn't expensive, only about $200, but that's still $200 I could be putting into our savings for my (unpaid - grr) maternity leave.

Have any of you used a convertible car seat with a newborn? Do you regret it? What did you find difficult? Bottom line - Do you think I should spend the $200 for the sake of convenience when I already have two perfectly fine convertible car seats?

 

[PurpleIvy44]

I started off with a travel system and think it's much more convenient when they're that small. Especially during winter!! I received a fleece carrier cover so you can just zip them up in it and also had a car seat canopy so it blocked out the weather and light. I live where we have winter for 5-6 mos and it worked best for us. That's not to say that you cannot put them right into a convertible car seat especially if you already have one. I totally get that it's an extra cost that you could avoid. We plan to sell ours once DD2 has out grown it so maybe you can find one 2nd hand, if your comfortable with doing that. Sorry to not be much help!

 

[marigold91]

I started off with a travel system and think it's much more convenient when they're that small. Especially during winter!! I received a fleece carrier cover so you can just zip them up in it and also had a car seat canopy so it blocked out the weather and light. I live where we have winter for 5-6 mos and it worked best for us. That's not to say that you cannot put them right into a convertible car seat especially if you already have one. I totally get that it's an extra cost that you could avoid. We plan to sell ours once DD2 has out grown it so maybe you can find one 2nd hand, if your comfortable with doing that. Sorry to not be much help!

No, those are exactly the kind of opinions I want! Thanks for replying I am leaning towards buying the travel system - we are in Northern Michigan so we have extremely long and harsh winters here, too. Plus I drop my daughter off at preschool every morning and it would be such a pain to have to take baby out of the carseat, etc, rather than just grab the infant seat and go...

 

[winterbabies3]

Just make sure it can be reclined back far enough so babys head isn't everywhere! We got one and I just found it to be less convenient and a hassle with me and a toddler. But I completely understand about money!

 

[jlw617]

For me it's totally worth the money...my babies were also small though so I was able to use the infant seat for quite some time, however echoing what the other ladies are saying, it's especially convenient in the winter, and depending on where you live, possibly safer, we can get a lot of ice over here and I can't imaging slipping while holding my baby, especially as a new born...however slipping and falling while holding the car seat with baby safely buckled in would more than likely take a lot less damage.

 

[CandiceSj]

I couldn't live without the "shell" of the travel system. The baby doesn't need a winter outfit (since I have that envelope-like thing that goes into that seat - don't know if you use something like that) and I can't imagine having to carry the baby around or use the stroller every single time I went out for a small errand, etc. It's completely indispensable for me!

Also just to note, it's not considered safe to have a kid tied in a car seat ON TOP of a winter coat (in an accident, the air compresses from impact and the baby is practically loose), so IMO a used, even expired "shell" from a travel system paired with an envelope-blanket-thing (so that the baby is tied straight on himself rather than over a coat is safer than a good, lawful convertible carseat where you tie your kid over his puffy winter outfit. Not that I recommend or suggest an expired seat!

Do you have a stroller already?

 

[Spudtastic]

Is there anywhere you can hire one? Our local baby centre hires them out for a minimal fee. It could reduce the cost.

 

[winterbabies3]

That reminds me, my hospital actually gives carseats away but you have to qualify. Wouldn't hurt to call and ask if there is a carseat program.

 

[Misscalais]

I only bought a travel system with my 3rd baby and kicking myself i didn't have one for my 1st two. Its soooo much more convenient, specially with other kids to get in and out of the car. I sold mine after DS3 grew out of it because we weren't having and more, so will have to buy another.

 

[xdxxtx]

I wear my babies, so I've used a convertible car seat with all but my first. I used a carrier car seat with him because I had it - my mum bought it for me as a gift. I like the convertibles much better and feel they're much safer. I just used a little newborn insert until baby had a strong enough neck to hold their own head up, just like I did with the carrier car seat. The only con is that I wasn't able to just carry in the whole car seat when baby was asleep, but I don't like to let babies sleep in car seats anyway and would gently put my sleeping newborns into a rocker instead, and they learned to sleep more soundly.

I had three under 2 1/2 and never missed the carrier. I never had anywhere to put it while wrangling my other children in a store (unless I wanted to take up the whole cart and not buy anything). Also, like I said, I wear my babies. In winter, I wear baby in a wrap, which I put on before leaving the house and slip my baby into right out of their car seat. In the warmer months, I wear a Boba, which is even faster and easier, and if I forget my wrap and only have my Boba in winter, I ALWAYS have a blanket (and hat!) in my car to throw over baby. Both carriers press baby right up against you, and your body heat is not gonna let that baby get cold (but the Boba IS nice and cool in the summer). In fact, when we went on an outing around Christmastime (winter here) when it was snowy and freezing out, I had to complain eventually that I was just too hot in the heavy winter wrap and took off my coat and just put a blanket on my baby to make sure she was covered completely. It was great, though. We were soooo warm and toasty together, while my other kids kept warm by running around, and my OH was shivering and asked to wear the baby the next time we went out. Nope! My little heater!!