Moms of big babies... (lots of carseat questions!)

When did your DC outgrow their infant carrier/carseat?

What did you switch to?

It looks like Loey will out grow the Chicco cortina carseat any minute now! We're not sure what to do...

We have 2 cars, but only ONE convertible carseat. He's in both cars all the time... Daddy takes him out during the week (SAHD) and I take him out after work during the week sometimes and on the weekends. I can't drive DH's car (it's manual). WWYD?

Get another convertible carseat? (Are there any that aren't SO expensive? - and which car would you put the expensive one in? DH's since he has the baby more often during the week?) Or would you get an infant carrier that holds 30-35 lbs? He seems so little for the convertible seat!

ETA: We have Loey's 4 month appointment on 4/21, but last week DH weighed him at home on our scale and he was around 20 lbs! (We have the Chicco Cortina which holds 22 lbs!)

Message edited 4/5/2010 12:30:19 PM.

Re: Moms of big babies... (lots of carseat questions!)

Ian is almost 6 months and almost 18 pounds and about 27" tall! i just bought a second car so i put the convertible seat in there. i have the Evenflo Symphany 65. The infant seat is still in my DH's car. but hes carrying him to and from the car. we have the snugride32 and its just so heavy!!

ETA the seat cost $180. It holds DS rear facing up to 35lbs, forward facing up to 65lbs and booster up to 100lbs. so hopefully ill never have to buy another seat. i love it and it was so easy to install.

Message edited 4/5/2010 2:23:39 PM.

Re: Moms of big babies... (lots of carseat questions!)

We gave up on the infant carseat at 3.5 months. DS is 4 months and he weighs 16 lbs and is 25 inches. It was getting too hard to bend his legs to get him in and out of the infant carseat. Our convertible is an Evenflo Triumph and it starts at 5lbs, so he was fine, it has adjustable height straps. We have two, one for each car, and my MIL has one since she watches him 2 days a week. We only paid $99 for MIL's and we actually only paid $50 for each of ours (they were on clearance at Target)

Re: Moms of big babies... (lots of carseat questions!)

Hayley we're going to have to get two convertible carseats. We have th Britax Marathon and well get another one for DH's car!! Uggg sooo expensive!!! Eventually you'll need to anyway right. I'd go straight to the convertible one instead of another infant carseat for a few months.

Re: Moms of big babies... (lots of carseat questions!)

We only have 1 car but we gave up the infant car seat pretty early. I want to say like 6 months or so. It got too heavy!! I would probably invest in another convertible if you can!

Re: Moms of big babies... (lots of carseat questions!)

we gave up the infant car seat at 4 months almost. it was just too heavy and he was getting to big for the seat. We bought the Graco Comfortsport and all said and done with coupons I paid $80 for it. We just bought a second convertible car seat. We just bought the Graco My Ride 65....with coupons it came to $140. Not too bad either. I have to say I really like the My Ride 65 so much better. I think DS likes it much better too....he look so much more comfortable in it.

Re: Moms of big babies... (lots of carseat questions!)

I have been using my infant seat as if it were a convertible. Our seat weight limit is 35 lbs. I never carry him in it, we just take him in and out of the seat, but I like that he can stay rear facing longer.

Once he is out of it, I will likely get the Britax, or the Graco convertible.

Re: Moms of big babies... (lots of carseat questions!)

We aren't ready to give up the infant seat yet (DS is a 12lb peanut) but, we'll be getting multiple convertible seats when the time comes. Unfortunately, since he's in my car, DH's car and my ILs car, we'll need three.

I'd get another convertible instead of buying a larger infant seat since he won't be in it for that long and then you'll probably have to still by the convertible anyway.

Re: Moms of big babies... (lots of carseat questions!)

I don't have a big baby, but as a BTDT

Get a graco comfortsport and put it in your car since DH has him more during the day. The seat runs approximately $79-99 at Target depending on the fabrics, etc and is a great seat. We've flown with it 3x now (another time in July)

We've had it since Christopher was 10 months old and he is going to be three this month and we still can use it. It has a 40lbs and 40inches limit on it.

Re: Moms of big babies... (lots of carseat questions!)

Re: Moms of big babies... (lots of carseat questions!)

Posted by KateDevine

Posted by MAC222

I have been using my infant seat as if it were a convertible. Our seat weight limit is 35 lbs. I never carry him in it, we just take him in and out of the seat, but I like that he can stay rear facing longer.

Once he is out of it, I will likely get the Britax, or the Graco convertible.

I'm sure you know this but DC has to stay rear facing until they are 20lbs AND one (and the AAP recommends til 2)

Re: Moms of big babies... (lots of carseat questions!)

Posted by MAC222

Posted by KateDevine

Posted by MAC222

I have been using my infant seat as if it were a convertible. Our seat weight limit is 35 lbs. I never carry him in it, we just take him in and out of the seat, but I like that he can stay rear facing longer.

Once he is out of it, I will likely get the Britax, or the Graco convertible.

I'm sure you know this but DC has to stay rear facing until they are 20lbs AND one (and the AAP recommends til 2)

Confused by this.. He will stay rear facing in the seat I have now...which is a Graco Snugride 35..meaning until 35 lbs...

Re: Moms of big babies... (lots of carseat questions!)

Posted by MAC222

Posted by KateDevine

Posted by MAC222

I have been using my infant seat as if it were a convertible. Our seat weight limit is 35 lbs. I never carry him in it, we just take him in and out of the seat, but I like that he can stay rear facing longer.

Once he is out of it, I will likely get the Britax, or the Graco convertible.

I'm sure you know this but DC has to stay rear facing until they are 20lbs AND one (and the AAP recommends til 2)

Confused by this.. He will stay rear facing in the seat I have now...which is a Graco Snugride 35..meaning until 35 lbs...

Re: Moms of big babies... (lots of carseat questions!)

Posted by maybeamommy

Posted by MAC222

Posted by KateDevine

Posted by MAC222

I have been using my infant seat as if it were a convertible. Our seat weight limit is 35 lbs. I never carry him in it, we just take him in and out of the seat, but I like that he can stay rear facing longer.

Once he is out of it, I will likely get the Britax, or the Graco convertible.

I'm sure you know this but DC has to stay rear facing until they are 20lbs AND one (and the AAP recommends til 2)

Confused by this.. He will stay rear facing in the seat I have now...which is a Graco Snugride 35..meaning until 35 lbs...

I think she's just saying that regardless of his weight over 20 lbs, he should be at least one year old before turning him to face forward.

Re: Moms of big babies... (lots of carseat questions!)

We gave up the infant seat at around 7 months. DS was getting too long for the infant seat. Even at 10 months he still wouldn't outweight the seat but he is too long for it.

We have 2 Britax Marathon seats. I know they are expensive but we felt it was worth the expense since DS really is in both cars equal amounts of time. And we also figured that he would be in it for a while too!

Re: Moms of big babies... (lots of carseat questions!)

we have the chicco cortina as well that goes up to 22 lbs. we are still using it b/c as of last week DS was 17 1/2 lbs at just over 5 mos. Im going to use it until we cant any longer. but he is getting kinda snug in it..LOL.

we bought a Graco My ride 65 for our car. We are getting a 2nd car for myself..a little crap car i can drive around locally. I will need to get another seat for this car. I think the Graco Comfort Sport which i see mentioned on here lately is a good convertible seat thats not too expensive.

I would keep the expensive one you have in DH's car since he does most travelling during the week, and get a less expensive one for you. I wouldnt get another infant carrier b/c you'll need to get a convertible anyway at some point.

Im a little confused b/c i thought the Chicco cortina came with the Keyfit 30; but our seat says only goes up to 22lbs.

Re: Moms of big babies... (lots of carseat questions!)

At 28 months, DS would still meet the weight requirement on his infant carseat (under 35 pounds)!, but there is no way he could fit in it at this point. He was too long for it at about 8 months, so I wouldn't get another infant seat, especially not if your DC is long.

You could get a convertible carseat for him now and keep him rear facing as others have suggested. We have a Britax Blvd. which is expensive, but DS looked sort of big for the smaller carseats when we looked. If your child tends to be larger, I would go for that or the Marathon, either should last you awhile.

Good luck!

Re: Moms of big babies... (lots of carseat questions!)

Posted by KateDevine

Posted by maybeamommy

Posted by MAC222

Posted by KateDevine

Posted by MAC222

I have been using my infant seat as if it were a convertible. Our seat weight limit is 35 lbs. I never carry him in it, we just take him in and out of the seat, but I like that he can stay rear facing longer.

Once he is out of it, I will likely get the Britax, or the Graco convertible.

I'm sure you know this but DC has to stay rear facing until they are 20lbs AND one (and the AAP recommends til 2)

Confused by this.. He will stay rear facing in the seat I have now...which is a Graco Snugride 35..meaning until 35 lbs...

I think she's just saying that regardless of his weight over 20 lbs, he should be at least one year old before turning him to face forward.

Yup. That they have to be at least one and 20lbs.

Maybe I misread your post, but I read that he can stay rear facing longer as if when you move him to the convertible, he could be front facing

I love that the snugride goes to 35lbs. My son is almost 3 and 30lbs

Re: Moms of big babies... (lots of carseat questions!)

Peyton outgrew her carrier(by weight) at 4 months. We switched to the convertible carseat. We have the Britax Boulevard it goes up to 65lbs. DH has a Graco(cant remember what one) She is huge, so we knew we could not get a marathon or another seat that only goes up to 40something pounds. It was worth the extra $ to us.

Re: Moms of big babies... (lots of carseat questions!)

Jack was out of his infant seat at 2 months and went right into a Marathon. He was huge

I would put the better carseat in DH's car and then a second convertible for your car. I would not buy the Snugride at this point.

Re: Moms of big babies... (lots of carseat questions!)

From Birth we use Britax convertible car seat. We will rear face until 2 ...

Re: Moms of big babies... (lots of carseat questions!)

DS was out of the infant carrier by 4.5 months, and even then I was struggling.

I have the Britax Boulevard in my car since I drive him the most.

Both my mom and my DH have the Britax Diplomat in their cars.

Re: Moms of big babies... (lots of carseat questions!)

I just gave up the baby car seat this weekend @ 7 months.
She's 17 lbs and I could no longer carry that seat.

If I was you, I would get a convertible. If you buy an infant car seat, you will have to buy a convertible eventually.

We got the first years true fit.
Installed it this weekend, I like it. She looks comfy in there too.

I got it online at BRU for $189 and used a 20% off coupon.


I wanted a good quality/safe carseat but didn't want to spend $300+ on each when we have to buy two.


HTH!!

Message edited 4/5/2010 2:49:17 PM.

Re: Moms of big babies... (lots of carseat questions!)

DS was 8 lb 6 oz when he was born and was out of the infant seat a little before 6 months. He was way too heavy in it!

We bought 2 Britax for our cars, but I bought my Mom a Graco Comfortsport for her car and it is great. It was only $100 or so at BBB. I would put the cheaper carseat in the "safer" car OR the car he will be riding in less if that makes sense?

Re: Moms of big babies... (lots of carseat questions!)

We stopped using the carrier at 5 months, it was just to heavy to carry! We have a convertable for both our cars, plus one in each grandma's cars. I LOVE the Evenflo Triumph. So comfy for them and I love the way you tighten the straps. They aren't too expensive, maybe $130??