When did you move your baby out of the infant car seat?

[Itsychik]

My DS2 is 7 months old and we have him in a maxi cosi infant car seat while in the car. I love the fact that I can put him in it and carry it in/out of the car (even though he's getting HEAVY to lug around like that!) but it's just really convenient!

However, he's definitely the biggest of my 3 babies, at nearly 20lbs (8.8 kg) and he's a little wide so with the bulky winter clothing on he looks a little squished in the car seat.

We've been thinking of moving DS2 into a (rear-facing) convertible car seat, but I'm wondering if the infant carrier is supposed to be much safer? My DD was tiny and she was in it until 14 or 15 months, and my DS1 until 13 months, so it *feels* like it's maybe too early to move him out of it, but I think he might be more comfortable in a different seat...

So what have you done??

 

[Starlight32]

I'm wondering the same. My 6 month old is tall and won't fit into the infant car seat soon. I'm worried about the convertible one because it seems a lot off convenient going to and from the car.

 

[misspriss]

Most convertables are 5lbs and up. My son was moved into a convertable around 3 months (he was preemie so tiny), my daughter went straight into a convertable.

Please be careful of putting your child in the seat with bulky clothes on, it can be unsafe. Better to dress them in layers and strap them in and then cover them with a blanket.

https://thecarseatlady.com/warmandsafe/

Also mine are both still rear facing in the same seats at 3.5 and 18 months.

 

[krissie328]

My son was 11 months but very tiny. I actually think I switched him to the convertible too soon.

 

[redneckhippy]

You can actually use a convertible seat right from birth as long as you can get a good fit. They are just as safe as an infant seat, possibly safer if your LObis nearing the upper weight limit. We started putting my son rear facing in a convertible at 4 months old.

 

[minties]

Thomas went into one at 8 weeks, Sophie from birth and Emma just this week so 4.5 months.

Emma's the only one whom I carried in her infant seat outside of the car, hence the longer time in it.

 

[Teri7489]

We used the maxi cosi until 17 months with my daughter as she was really petite. My son is 16 months and although a little bigger he is still short enough to fit in it comfortably. Like another said, be careful with clothing before putting your lo in. They shouldn't have coats or blankets around them before the straps as can be dangerous in an accident. xxx

 

[Babybump87]

We used a maxi cosy for DD2 up until this week. She turned one a few days agom Her head was near the top of the seat and she looked squashed. We moved her to a Britex car seat

 

[CRWx]

My DD is still in her car seat that she's been in since day 1, it is upto approx 18 months though. xxx

 

[Bevziibubble]

Holly was 18 months. James is still in his.

 

[MindUtopia]

I think infant carriers are safer when they are small and less able to hold themselves up (as most of the next stage car seats have them sitting much more upright even when they have a recline feature). Of course, the regulation is really down to weight and many seats have a minimum weight they are approved for.

We moved ours at 13 months into an ERF seat and even then she was still a little droopy and couldn't always hold herself up as well as I would have liked (though at that point, she had maxed out on length in her infant carrier seat). I would keep going until you can't use the infant carrier anymore probably at this stage, but if you are getting over the weight or height limits, then yes, I'd start looking to move up.

 

[Twag]

I moved Izzy from her carrier seat to her iSize seat at 8 months (although her carry seat was up to 15months because the car seat was so big & heavy to carry) but her iSize seat is from newborn to 4 years so..... She does still require the inserts in it at the moment and is of course still rear facing

 

[Spudtastic]

You can still put the next seat up as rear facing.

With dd1 she was in her capsule until 14 months. Then she was rear facing until 2 years (25 months). I would have liked to keep her rear facing longer but she wasn't enjoying it at all.

Dd2 is nearly 11 months and is in her capsule still.

 

[loeylo]

Gracie went straight into her convertible seat, which I felt comfortable with as ours did recline and she also had good head control from birth. We did have an infant carrier but it was used as a spare, as for me the extra security of isofix was important and I didn't want to buy a third seat (our infant carrier came as a package with her travel system)

Just to reiterate what others have said about bulky clothes, its quite a big risk - there are videos on google. Maybe give them a peek. Gracie only wears her inside clothes in the car and we cover her in blankets.

 

[minties]

Al the convertible seats I've use recline just as much as infant carrier. They have level lines on the side that you use, and can use a pool noodle or rolled up towel to get level with the ground.

Emma's seat goes from 2.3kg to 18kg rear facing so should do her till age 4.

 

[marmoset]

We've used a convertible seat from birth as well, rear facing of course. They're perfectly safe provided the setup and fit are correct;

 

[dani_tinks]

We're moving E into a convertible seat in the new year. Only because her infant one is very old (was my sons) and is therefore quite uncomfortable now because it's lost a lot of it's padding. Otherwise we'd probably have left it until she outgrew

 

[Gem_Clem]

Ive just been thinking about this too, I can't remember when I moved DD1. I feel like I must have a monster baby reading some of these posts, theres no way she's last in it until she is a year old. She is over 20lbs already and her feet are sticking over the edge and her head is right at the top, she is so squished in at the sides she can hardly move her arms lol. I am also struggling to carry her in and out the house because it is so heavy

 

[loeylo]

Ive just been thinking about this too, I can't remember when I moved DD1. I feel like I must have a monster baby reading some of these posts, theres no way she's last in it until she is a year old. She is over 20lbs already and her feet are sticking over the edge and her head is right at the top, she is so squished in at the sides she can hardly move her arms lol. I am also struggling to carry her in and out the house because it is so heavy

Check the weight limit, most of them are up to 20lbs.

 

[misspriss]

I thought most went to 30 or 35 lbs?

My graco went to 30, but they make a 35 and a 40 (but its a specialty). The keyfit comes in 30 and 35 models.