Convertible car seat vs. Infant car seat–what do you think?
Well, I just found out that the car seat I have doesn't meet safety standards. So, I have to buy a new one.
I've been looking online, and I've found that I can buy a convertible car seat for around and it fits a baby from 5 pounds all the way to 40 pounds. Or, I can buy an infant car seat for that only fits a baby from 5 pounds to 22 pounds.
Really, the only thing I can see that I would miss out on if I got the convertible seat would be the carrier option. To save money (now as well as later when I would have to buy a new one) I was thinking it would be better to just buy the convertible seat.
So, I wanted to hear opinions from women who have been through this. Which do you think is better?
Thanks in advance!
Thanks for the helpful answers so far. No, I don't already have children. I have the car seat because a friend gave it to me (that's why I'm in this situation--not because I'm just "cheap" or something). I took it to the state police to be inspected because I do think that safety is the most important thing--but it would be nice if I could save a little bit of money too.
I'm going to be a SAHM for the first 7 months (until I go to nursing school) so I really don't think I'll be in the car much. I am thinking it would be nice to have the carrier though for the grocery store and things like that....
Comments
12 Responses to “Convertible car seat vs. Infant car seat–what do you think?”-
infant car seat Guides
Right Now On eBay
Baby Car Seat Ratings
Loading ...
there are infant car seats that go up to 30 pounds.
Also if you are going to go with a convertable car seat you should get the one that goes up to 65 or 85 pounds so you dont have to bother with boosters or anything else after that.
Considering that you already have one child (i assume you do since you have a car seat) you would be the best authority on knowing how convinient the carrier option really is. Also how often do you use your car? If every day you will have an infant in the car then waking up a sleeping infant b/c you have no carrier option would really suck.
Edit for your edit: I would say that if you are going to go for the carrier up to 22pounds you might not actually make it past 7 months. I have a few friends whose babies are 4-5 months and are already 20 pounds. So counting on making it a whole year with the infant carrier is not realistic, even though average babies do reach 22 pounds at 1 year. Having said that, i think if for 7 months you are not going to be using the car much, i would just go for a convertable and invest in a good solid infant carrier that you strap to yourself.. If you live in a city- meaning you can walk to a grocery store or to just about anywhere else, the best bet for you is baby carrier. You are not going to want to carry an infant car seat to the grocery store in your hands- they ARE heavy for long term carrying. It is one thing to carry from parking lot into store and another to just carry into the store.
Get a good long term convertable seat and a baby carrier.
Also, you should know that a child is not supposed to be left in their infant car seat for more than a few hours a day- it is actually bad for their back, so even though it is convinient to let them continue sleeping in there once you bring them into the house, you are supposed to take them out of the carrier and put them on a hard flat surface. I know many people do not do that but you really should.
well I just got the convertible type(Evenflo triumph LX….) but i just read that if u are planning for your baby to be in a daycare you may need to have a carrier(not a problem for me as I dont plan to have her in childcare) but if u are that would be one thing to consider.
also, if you have more than one vehicle it may be better to do the infant seat as you can get an extra base for the second car….
Some smaller babies feel more secure in an infant seat moreso than in a convertible. But that’s about it. I sometimes help out a local moms of multiples group and many of them only get convertibles (3 seats at one time is a lot of $$). Their babies are often pretty small when they leave the hospital, but it works out just fine.
The one advantage of the carrier option is that if you have a baby with reflux problems or colic, placing them in a carseat to sleep is often a good solution for many.
If you get a sling you can use the convertible and then put the baby in the sling when you need to carry him. Or you can get a stroller, but it can be hard to put the newborn in a stroller. Also, if you have to fly with the baby, the carrier seat is nice. But once they get bigger (like 15 pounds) the carrier becomes really heavy to carry, so then you need a stroller anyways to attach the carrier onto, so yeah you can skip the carrier seat.
Don’t go by price — go by SAFETY RATINGS .. or you’re going to end up in the same situation you are in now.
We got our son a Chicco Infant Car Seat (we got the travel system so it came with the stroller ..)
When he outgrew that at 21 lbs., we got him a Britax Convertible Car Seat (which goes up to 40 lbs.)
They’re a little more expensive — but you can’t put a price on safety!
How much do you drive?
If your child will be in the car every day, for many miles, it’s worth opting for an infant seat. There are several reasons: first, a convertible car seat works fine, but it’s not terribly snug, so you’ll probably have to buy an insert (like the Snuzzler – see link) to make it cozy. Second, some parents say that their kid wakes up on the transfer from car to home if the baby isn’t in an infant carrier. If you’re in the car often, that infant seat may be very worn indeed by the time you’re ready to graduate to the next size up. And lastly, you can buy a convertible that starts at 20 pounds and lasts longer … so you’ll stretch your dollar somewhere along the way.
Because we drive rarely, we went with a convertible seat that worked from birth to almost age 3. But we spent quite a bit of money on a Britax so it had a washable/easily replaceable liner. And we washed the liner a lot, esp. considering how little we drove. If we’d been more reliant on our car and had one of the less expensive models where you have to sponge off the entire seat? I don’t think it would’ve worked so well – especially when he was a leaky infant! And we also bought a Snuzzler, so that was another $20 or so.
Most kids go through at least two, if not three car/booster seats before they age out of them. There’s no way around it.
both have plus and minus… infant is easier when under 6 months because when they fall asleep you dont wake them but cost wise a convertible one is cheaper …its the only one you need
We own a Graco safety seat. It is a car seat/carrier. It is safe for babies up to 30 pounds, but she is 17 pounds and only 4 months old. The convertible car seat will save you from buying a new one later, but you will probably want a carrier.
i got an infant carseat at walmart with a stroller and it only cost $109 But they also have infant carseats for $65
I have a carrier car seat, but I personally cant wait to get a convertable, It’s alot of trouble to go into a store and carry your baby in a carrier, I think it’s way too heavy, so as soon as my son is able to sit up in a cart I plan on getting him a convertable… the only thing I like about my carrier car seat is that when I go to someone elses house I can put my baby in his car seat if he goes to sleep there… what you really should consider is when you go into a store… when you have an infant do you really want to carry it around the store the whole time? So what I would do is buy a fairly inexpensive carrier car seat at first, and then do like I’m doin when your child can ride in a cart without a carrier then go buy a convertable car seat.
I wouldn’t go with a 45 dollar convertible. I am not a proponent of carrier seats–the likelihood of them detaching in a crash is much higher than a convertible seat flying from the car. I’d recommend a seat with a higher weight limit–try the Sunshine Kids Radian 65 or the Fisher Price Safe Voyage. Both will hold your child until he/she is 65 lbs in a 5 pt harness (safest ride for baby). Cost should be secondary to safety. Safety is the most important thing when choosing a seat. Many people only use the carrier for a few months. Go with a convertible and stay away from Cosco and Safety 1st seats. I have also heard bad things about Evenflo. The Chicago Tribune just did a study (search for it on their site) on car seat safety and those three companies were labeled as no go’s.
Good for you that you tossed that used seat! Its unsafe to use a used car seat
It is really completely up to your preference, but, here’s my 2cents. Personally, I’d pick out an awesome stroller (since the ones that come in a travel system often aren’t all that great!) b/c the stroller is the part that you will be using for the next 3-4 years. You really need to like it, and have it be quality so you don’t find yourself with a busted stroller in a year. Also, you can save money by purchasing a high quality used stroller, whereas if you buy a travel system, you can’t get it used b/c it is not safe to get a used car seat. You could however, get a used stroller and check its compatibility, and get a car seat new that would work with it. That’s what I did.
All that said – as a single parent on a seriously limited income, I now realize I should’ve completely skipped the infant carrier stage. Its not a ‘needed’ stage in car seats, its just a convenience thing, and a recent – as in the last 15 years or so – invention to have a stay in car base and separate carrier. Here’s why I think its a waste: doesn’t last babies very long at all. You spend $60 and up on this carrier that is only going to last 5-8 months! And then you have to purchase a convertible car seat, and somewhere down the line a booster seat. If you skip the carrier phase, you just eliminated one seat. There is now one carrier on the market that promises to fit 99% of babies up to at least their first birthday – Graco SafeSeat1, goes to 30lbs. However, there are limitations to this awesome seat. It really will fit most kids that long, but that’s a catch-22. You really going to carry your 25lbs baby in a carrier?! And, the recline can not be adjusted when its installed in the car. Newborns have to be rear facing and reclined 45 degrees. Older babies who can hold their heads up well can be 30-45 degrees, and most want to so they can see more. So your baby may come to hate the SafeSeat at some point b/c he can’t sit up any straighter, but then again, maybe not. You never know. Also – b/c it is a bigger seat to last longer, it doesn’t always fit well in smaller vehicles. Try before you buy. And – it costs significantly mroe than its regular weight (22lbs) counterparts, at least double. My son was a BIG baby (still is a BIG kid!) and outgrew his carrier at 4 months. And, after baby gets above 10lbs or so, they are a pain in the butt to carry – quite awkward. So its not as convenient as it may at first seem. And some of the ‘convenient’ ways people use them aren’t good.
Carriers should NEVER be placed on grocery carts. It makes the carts unstable and they can tip over, seriously injuring the baby. Also, not all car seats fit all carts, and they don’t lock on, they’re just sitting there, posing an obvious threat. And some of the carts are shaped or sized in a way that it puts the carrier at an unsafe/uncomfortable angle for the baby. I’ve seen babies laying in carriers on carts with their head lower than their feet – not a good idea for digestion or spit up.
The American Academy of Pediatrics says Parents and caregivers should never Place an infant carrier on top of the shopping cart. "Many infant-only car safety seats lock into shopping carts, and many stores have shopping carts with built-in infant seats. This may seem safe, but thousands of children are hurt every year from falling out of shopping carts or from the carts tipping over. Instead of placing your baby’s car safety seat on the cart, consider using a stroller or front pack while shopping with your baby. "
Also, we are seeing rampant developmental delays becuase babies are in these carriers (and swings, and bouncy seats…) so much. Look around everywhere you go and instead of holding their babies, people have them in these carriers. When on their back and harnessed (and any time a child is in a carrier, he needs to be harnessed, even though its not in a car!) they can not work the muscles they need to develop to crawl, sit up, and walk. In the manuals for these carriers, it even says specifically ‘for use in cars and strollers only’! But we all seem to miss that part.
So I highly recommend skipping the carrier phase. I think they are more a pain than a blessing, and a wasted of money if you don’t have a lot to throw around. Instead, get a convertible car seat that will fit a newborn (more on that later) and a sling, pouch, or wrap. Not one of those silly snugli or infantino carriers, but something like a ringsling, moby, or maya wrap. Wearing your baby gives everybody what they need. Babies get much needed closeness to mom (or dad, or anyone else for that matter!) and you get your hands free to do what you need to do, as well as you can even breastfeed in one! They offer many different positions to use them in, too, and go higher than carrier car seat weights (20-22lbs). Most go to at least 35lbs, so you will get much more use out of it for your money.
OK – so if you choose to skip the carrier phase, be careful about the convertible car seat you choose, b/c not all will fit newborns well. You want it to have low bottom slots.
Perfect options:
The Evenflo Triumph Advance (not the original Triumph, make sure it says Advance) is a great seat. $150 version at Babies R Us has padding similar to Britax seats, top slots of 17", harnesses to 35lbs rear facing, and 50lbs forward facing. $120 Walmart version just has little less plush padding. Wide open belt path, easy to install, though it doesn’t have built in lockoffs. The harness adjusts at the front of the car seat, you don’t have to take the car seat out of the car just to raise/lower the straps. It’s one of only 2 seats that does this (The Britax Boulevard is the other, I believE), and it has infinite harness adjustment so the harness always fits perfectly until its outgrown. No more tugging straps to tighten them either. You tighten and loosen the harness using knobs on the side of the seat. As a major bonus, it can be used in a recline position even in forward facing mode. Awesome for kids who still sleep in the car. I LOVE THIS SEAT! LOL My son, who is too big for every other car seat at Walmart has the same amount of room in this as the Britax Marathon.
Cosco Scenera – $50 at Walmart/Kmart/Target. Great seat for the price. Goes up to 35lbs rear facing, 40lbs forward facing. Great rear facing seat, but is outgrown very quickly forward facing b/c of short top slots and short shell. You’ll still get you’re $50 worth out of it, though, as it will last most kids to at least 2 years, quadruple the amount of time of an infant seat! This is likely that $45 one that you saw – the only to really keep in mind is that it will NOT be the last harnessed seat you will buy. Most kids outgrow it at 2-3 years old so you will need another harnessed seat at that time, not a big deal, especially when its only $45 for those 3 years, instead of $60-$80 for a carrier that only lasts 4-7 months and then buying a convertible one on top of that. If you really want to save money in the long run, go with the Evenflo Triumph Advance. It will last longer, fitting most kids to 4-5 years. And at 5 they can usually safely use a booster. (though its best to keep them harnessed as long as possible.)
As you’re shopping, remember these rules about seats:
1)the BEST seat is the one that fits your child, fits your car, and will be used correctly 100% of the time. (This is why convenience features DO make a difference and ARE worth the money! If its easy to use, you’re more likely to use it correctly.
2)Children should stay rear facing AS LONG AS POSSIBLE!!!! A forward-facing child under 2 years old is 5 times more likely to be killed or seriously injured in a crash than a rear-facing child of the same age.
3)Once you do turn them forward facing, they need to stay in a 5 point harness as long as possible.
****Just wanted to correct some previously posted info: The Sunshine Kids Radian65 is a good seat for a newborn, and will last a long time, but I do not readily recommend it b/c it has some serious install issues and can be really difficult to install in many different vehicles, if not completely incompatible. And it takes up a lot of room rear facing, which won’t work in a small car. But it is a great seat. If you’re interested in it, check out this thread detailing what some owners have/haven’t had luck fitting it in: http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=18235
And the Fisher Price Safe Voyage convertible seat is a great seat. Or was…it was discontinued mid’07 so any one you get now will already be almost a year old, losing a full year of life and possibly expiring before your child outgrows it. And more importantly, it does NOT fit a newborn well. The Scenera and Triumph Advance both fit newborns very well b/c of short bottlom harness slots, just like carrier seats. And many many techs frequently recommend the $45 Scenera b/c of the 35lbs rear facing limit. Until Feb ’08, it was higher than Britax rear facing limit so many techs who had Britax convertibles would go buy one when they kids hit 33lbs so they could get 2 more lbs of rear facing. There is nothing wrong with the seat. The Scenera does not come with any infant positioning, but do not buy one, you are never supposed to use aftermarket products with car seats. Just use a rolled up receiving blanket on each side of the baby. Works perfectly, is cheaper, and safe.