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How small does a scenera REALLY fit?
- Thread starter todzwife
- Start date
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safeinthecar
Moderator - CPS Technician
I've put 5lbers in a Scenera. If the hospital gives you grief, would your friend with the Keyfit be willing to bring it to you just for the ride home?
Some people find that they don't go tight enough, but I've never seen that particular problem. I put a very small newborn-sized, almost preemie-sized doll in a Scenera at my tech class, and was able to get a correctly tight fit with the shoulders at the bottom slots.
No one has any right to stop you leaving the hospital with the baby once you are both discharged as long as it's a proper fit (or in most states, even if it's not.) That would be unlawful imprisonment. If you are nervous, you might want to have a backup lined up (an infant seat you can borrow from a trusted friend, for example.) That's what I did with my third-- brought her home in a Radian, but had the infant seat out ready to use without a base (only way it would fit in our setup) just in case, out of storage and clean. If I hadn't still had it from the last kid I would have borrowed one from a friend I trusted after going through the used seat checklist with them instead.
No one has any right to stop you leaving the hospital with the baby once you are both discharged as long as it's a proper fit (or in most states, even if it's not.) That would be unlawful imprisonment. If you are nervous, you might want to have a backup lined up (an infant seat you can borrow from a trusted friend, for example.) That's what I did with my third-- brought her home in a Radian, but had the infant seat out ready to use without a base (only way it would fit in our setup) just in case, out of storage and clean. If I hadn't still had it from the last kid I would have borrowed one from a friend I trusted after going through the used seat checklist with them instead.
todzwife
New member
thepeach80
Senior Community Member
This is Ilana at 6 wks and 8#. She was 6#7oz at discharge, she would've never fit.
todzwife
New member
Thank you 
Those pictures are very helpful. I doubt my tiny preemie would have fit in there either. Shoot. That was my "fallback" incase I couldn't decide in time LOL!
DS was 7 pounds and 37 weeks. DD was a preemie and 35 weeks weighing 5 pounds when discharged. There is a high likelyhood that I'll have another preemie.
Those pictures are very helpful. I doubt my tiny preemie would have fit in there either. Shoot. That was my "fallback" incase I couldn't decide in time LOL!DS was 7 pounds and 37 weeks. DD was a preemie and 35 weeks weighing 5 pounds when discharged. There is a high likelyhood that I'll have another preemie.
You still can give it a shot, you know. Every baby is shaped differently. I've seen a 5 1/2 lb. baby fit perfectly in a Scenera too now I think of it (friends I know brought home their daughter in one, she was at the bottom slots and it got JUST tight enough.) She needed rolled blankets on either side and a rolled washcloth in the crotch to keep her from sliding, but she fit!
I think if you haven't decided by the time you have the baby, as long as you have some kind of budget for something available locally that you'll be happy with, you can have someone go out and get one once you see the baby, right? What are your options locally?
I think if you haven't decided by the time you have the baby, as long as you have some kind of budget for something available locally that you'll be happy with, you can have someone go out and get one once you see the baby, right? What are your options locally?
todzwife
New member
That's kind of the problem. I have a Wal-Mart, a Target (with a VERY small car seat section- only 1 baby trend and 1 snugride) and 1 upscale baby boutique that carries combi at full retail price.
Right now, I'm just trying to decide between getting the infant seat (keyfit) or just skipping it and doing a coccoro.
I have 2 Radians (well I have 1 and 1 is backordered but will be here before the baby) that are for my other 2 kids, but I don't know if I can get them rear-facing in my car or not. I could probably make it work for the ride home if needed. Would a 5 pounder fit in a Radian?
I am going to guess no. The slots on the Scenera are lower than the Radian's.
The Coccoro fits newborns excellently well. And it's not as hard to take out and put back in as a traditional convertible. As long as you're pretty sure that you will have at least a 5 lb. baby, that's what I'd personally choose in your shoes-- it's not significantly taller than the Keyfit so if you have the Keyfit there's really no point in buying a Coccoro later, to my mind.
The Coccoro fits newborns excellently well. And it's not as hard to take out and put back in as a traditional convertible. As long as you're pretty sure that you will have at least a 5 lb. baby, that's what I'd personally choose in your shoes-- it's not significantly taller than the Keyfit so if you have the Keyfit there's really no point in buying a Coccoro later, to my mind.
todzwife
New member
Thank you so much.
I'll know more at my u/s on Monday whether or not I'm going to end up on bedrest sooner rather than later etc. I'm pretty sure she'll be 5 pounds, but maybe just barely unless I get lucky and make it to 37 weeks.
My dilemma was just the convenience of a bucket vs. skipping it and getting the coccoro to use until the Radian is outgrown by my 6 YO. OR going w/ a keyfit and then moving her into the Radian and skipping the coccoro, but I don't know how well the Radian will fit RFing so I may have to use a scenera until she can be FF in the Radian.
Ugh. I don't know. I wanted a Minivan so I didn't have to think so much about it, but DH didn't budge on that so I've got a bigger SUV, but it's still much smaller than I'd like.
Well, in terms of small cars, it may be less convenient but the Coccoro will fit better in a small space-- no handle and no base to take up any extra room. I've never once wished for a bucket this time around, which I did not use even though I had one. My husband says he wished for one once. That was it. If you're used to car seats and used to carrying babies around and not having a winter baby, and you're this ambivalent about it, I think you probably won't miss it that much.
steph_s
New member
It really depends on the child! I've had a 5lb 1oz baby fit in it where a 8lb 3ox baby did not. Part of it is torso length, but the bigger part is how big around their chest is around the rib cage. The little one that fit was rather long in torso, bigger around the chest, but skin and bones basically. The larger infants that don't seem to fit are those that have shorter torso's and aren't as big around the chest area. The vast majority of my newborns I get that are full term and not horribly drug exposed do fit well in the Scenera. You will need a wash cloth and a few blankets so they don't flop though.
I've put a 3lb 9oz baby in the scenera and it did fit him! I didn't use it for him, but he did fit and the straps went tight enough and the harness was just at his shoulders.
As for letting you out of the hospital. Some nurses will throw a fit, but the law requires you leave the hospital with your child in a car seat. No rules state you must leave with them in an infant bucket seat. My friends actually left the hospital with their baby and got on a city bus and the nurse had a fit about it! The bus went right in front of the hospital and took them directly in front of the house next door to theirs. Yes they had a car, but it was in the shop (no time to pick it up yet) and they didn't see the need to ask someone to come pick them up (which I would have) when it was such a quick trip.
I've put a 3lb 9oz baby in the scenera and it did fit him! I didn't use it for him, but he did fit and the straps went tight enough and the harness was just at his shoulders.
As for letting you out of the hospital. Some nurses will throw a fit, but the law requires you leave the hospital with your child in a car seat. No rules state you must leave with them in an infant bucket seat. My friends actually left the hospital with their baby and got on a city bus and the nurse had a fit about it! The bus went right in front of the hospital and took them directly in front of the house next door to theirs. Yes they had a car, but it was in the shop (no time to pick it up yet) and they didn't see the need to ask someone to come pick them up (which I would have) when it was such a quick trip.
Kat_Momof3
New member
the coccoro is the best bet for a small baby and small car (just have to leave off those harness pads for a bit)
of course, with any seat, a nice bulky cloth diaper does help!
of course, with any seat, a nice bulky cloth diaper does help!
thepeach80
Senior Community Member
I thought she was smaller here, but here's Olivia at 10.5# in the XT. W/ all the pads she fit well.
W/out the pads.
Ilana at 8# in the old Radian. They changed something and the straps don't get as tight as they used to, but you can see for shoulder height.
W/out the pads.
Ilana at 8# in the old Radian. They changed something and the straps don't get as tight as they used to, but you can see for shoulder height.
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