Debate between Strollers and Car seats?
My girlfriend and I are due in September and have recently registered. We are now engaging in a debate into where to put most of our budget into.
We are not sure if we should do a seperate infant carrier, stroller and convertible carseat, and where we should focus our budget into.
My opinion is that most of the budget should go into the convertible carseat and then into the stroller and the least of the budget should be the infant carrier, due to the fact that he will probably only use that for a few months.
What are your opinions and experiences? We are first time parents so all the help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks
EDIT: We are going to have a stroller, convertible carseat and infant carrier, just wondering where we should spend the majority of the money. Is Convertible Carseat the most important, since they will be in it longer, or is the stroller the most important, or perhaps the infant carrier? We have a budget to of $450-500 to work with. Thanks guys
Camping & Hiking Gear
Tags: Car Seats, Experiences, Girlfriend, Money, Strollers
April 28th, 2009 at 5:08 am
Triathlon Gear
I went with a travel system stroller. It had the infant carseat/carrier and the stroller. The stroller you will be using for a good few years and get a bit of milage out of, a VERY worth while expense. But you do not want to skimp on your car seat either. I got a good brand stroller and in return I got a good car seat aswell. The base stayed locked into the car and the seat simply lifted out so we were able to carry him around like a carrier.
I wouldn’t buy a seperate stroller, carrier and carseat, that is not managing money wisely, especially if your tight. You will get more than a couple months from the carseat/carrier. Invest in that then when the time comes get the convertable seat.
April 30th, 2009 at 4:17 pm
Climbing & Caving Gear
I agree 110% with Becky, The travel system is the way to go. My daughter stayed in her infant carrier/car seat for 1 year, she is almost 4 and she still rides in the stroller when we do a lot of walking. Hope this helps
May 2nd, 2009 at 5:39 am
Backyard Games
Bit of info on convertible car seats. They are nice for that older baby/young toddler stage however they do not generally recline back as well as needed for a newborn’s weak neck. (personal experience there) Also young infants sleep ALOT. No one wants to wake a sleeping baby and if you insist on using a convertible car seat from day one you are going to have a very fussy baby since getting them in and out will wake them up every time.
Another thing to look at is how often will baby be going to the store with mom and you? Do you really want to be packing baby around on your shoulder/in your arms walking through the store? Babies generally can’t sit up even with help until 4-5 months old and you can’t exactly lay them down in a cart. Infant carriers are designed to latch onto the cart and keep them contained safely.
Personally if money is tight this time of year is the best for getting used equipment. I understand not buying used car seats/infant carriers but you can always fine nice strollers fairly cheap at garage sales/ craigslist.
Depending on the infant carrier you’ll be able to use it until 6-8 months old. some go to 26 inches some go to 29 inches for baby’s height.
Also call your insurance provider…many of them have programs that as long as you continue with their prenatal program will provide a free carseat/infant carrier voucher. You take the voucher to walmart/target etc and generally it’s a certain amount of money off whichever one you decide on.
Personally I agree with others. The travel system is the best and easiest way to go those early months. The infant carrier is designed to snap onto the tray of the stroller that matches and makes life much nicer.
May 3rd, 2009 at 12:23 pm
Fishing Gear
I would do the stroller/infant carrier/base set first. Your child will use that for almost if not up to 1 year old (unless they weigh more than 20-22lbs, or taller than 29 inches before that). You can get decent brand travel systems for $110 at Walmart. The convertible car seat, while it might be more useful in the long run, you can buy those at Walmart for $45 down the road, and those can go rear facing (for under 1 year old and up to 35 pounds) or forward facing over 1 year old and up to 40 lbs. At that point though, you will mostly be ready for a regular forward facing car seat/booster combo, so you might as well wait for that (about the same cost at Walmart, they come with the 5 point harness and then when tall enough have the seat belt positioners). I’m pregnant with my 3rd child, and we ended up having to go straight from infant carrier to forward facing car seat/booster combo with our other 2, because my kids were both over 22 lbs at 1 year old, so there was no reason to get the convertible car seats.
Edit: You have a budget of that much, you have nothing to worry about. I would use Graco Baby products all the way, get the travel system (around $129 at Walmart, and a reliable brand) and you’ll have an awesome stroller that unless you are heavily abusive with it (I traveled to and from Germany with mine several times, otherwise mine would have lasted longer) you will have it for several years. Also, the car seat that comes with it is very good. I’ve had my Graco infant car seat that came with the set for 4 years, used it for 2 kids, and will use it for this 3rd child. If you can find a convertible car seat that will also convert to the booster/seat belt positioner, invest the rest of the budget on that, but make sure it would work in whatever car you will have at that time (many seatbelt positions/seatbelt styles don’t work with these types of carseats, such as automatic belts, buckles that are in the middle of the seat, are attatched to the door, etc).
May 5th, 2009 at 5:11 am
Paragliding Gear
We had a Graco Snugride travel system when DD was born. We moved her into a Britax Marathon when she was 6 months old and outgrew her Snugride by height (which most children outgrow first in all seats).
If I had it to do over again, I would get an infant carrier with 5 point harness and front harness adjuster and just use a stroller frame like the snap n go.
I would then get a great, versatile stroller with features I liked.
Don’t skimp on the convertible. My DD was in her Snugride for 6 months, but has already been in her Britax Marathons for 3 years and will get at least another 2 years out of them. All seats expire after 6 years, so don’t purchase the convertible yet. Wait until you absolutely need it and then get one with a very recent date of manufacture!
Come visit car-seat.org where you will find a plethora of information.
May 7th, 2009 at 6:50 am
Airsoft Gear
Wow, with a budget of that much, I don’t know what you’re worried about!
My budget was half of that, and I managed to get all 3! I did buy a used stroller, but that was only because I had my heart set on a certain one, but that brand was VERY expensive, so I bought it used off of ebay.
As for what you should buy, definately go with the travel system for now, and either get a good convertible carseat that will go from about 15 to 60+ lbs, so you’ll get your money’s worth out of it, or just hold off on the convertable seat until later.
We used the infant seat for the first 8 months, then switched to the convertible seat. the infant seat was so convenient, that I hated to give it up. If baby falls asleep in the car, you can take her int he house without waking her up, or you can go to the supermarket alone with her, and the seat can attach to the cart. One thing I loved about it was being able to buckly my son in and get him all covered up before taking him out to the cold car (he was born in February. Brr!).
One ‘extra’ that I really suggest spending the money on is at least one extra base. The base straps into the car permanently, and then the infant seat snaps on and off of it. If you have two vehicles, it’s so nice to have a base in each one already, rather than switch it every day. If grandma will be babysitting alot, it’s also practical to have a third base for her car.
I spent about $80 on my stroller, $50 on my infant seat, and $80 on my convertible carseat.
As for where most of your budget should go, well, I think it should be a pretty even 3-way split. Sure, you might get more use out of the convertible seat, but does that mean you want to skimp on the seat that your precious newborn will be in for the first 8 months of his life? No way! You want her to be as safe as possible, all the time! Don’t buy a cheap, poorly made (or used!) infant seat OR convertible carseat, for safety’s sake.
And you don’t wanna go cheap on the stroller, either, or else you will regret it later when you’re wrestling with it because it won’t fold up in the mall parking lot, or something.
May 8th, 2009 at 8:12 am
Go-Karts (Recreational)
Well…depends. Actually, you don’t HAVE to have an infant car seat at all. Newborns can go home in a rear facing convertible car seat. So that would free up some money for a better quality stroller and convertible car seat. If you really want an infant carrier they’re all pretty similar, just make sure its a 5 point harness seat (NOT a 3 point) and steer clear of Evenflo. they just make cheaper infant seats and have loads of recalls for seriously dangerous stuff, including the infant carrier flying off the base.
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?! 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!
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 LNOG AS POSSIBLE!!!! The 20lbs/1 year rule is outdated and provides a bare minimum for turning kids forward facing. The American Academy of Pediatrics and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration both recommend keeping kids rear facing as long as possible, up to the limits of their seat, preferably until at least 2 years of age. For good reason: A forward-facing child under 2 years old is 4 times more likely to be killed or seriously injured in a crash than a rear-facing child of the same age. A child’s vertabrae do not fully fuse until 3-6 years old, before then, she is at great risk for internal decapitation. The spinal column can stretch up to 2 inches in a crash BUT the spinal cord can only stretch up to 1/4 inch before it snaps and baby is gone. In other countries, rear facing 2 – 3 – 4 year olds is standard, they understand that its safer. Here, we turn them as soon as we get to, seeing it as a right of passage thing or something. Ridiculous. Most convertible seats have a 30lbs rear facing limit, Cosco/Dorel/Safety1st/Eddie Bauer seats rear face to 35lbs, Britax rear faces to 33lbs.
3)Once you do turn them forward facing, they need to stay in a 5 point harness as long as possible. 4 years/40lbs is the minimum for riding in a booster, and most 4 year olds have no business using one yet. If they can’t sit upright for an entire trip, they need the harness of a car seat still. And, even if they do sit properly, a 5 point harness is safer, so you want to keep them in one as long as possible. This is important to consider b/c most car seats only forward face to 40lbs. My son just turned 3, and is in the 95th% for height and weight – 40″ tall and weighs 41lbs. He outgrew the 40lbs seats shortly after his 2nd birthday. It was a total waste of money. He now has a Britax Marathon, which goes to 65lbs, and will be able to fit it for some time yet. If I’d have bought it when he was born, I could have had one car seat this whole time instead of the 3 I wasted money on. They are more expensive for many reasons, this is one.