Question Infant or convertible car seat?

U

Unregistered

Guest
My (almost) 6 month old has reached the length capacity of her Graco infant car seat although she is still under the weight capacity (she's 27" and almost 18lbs). I need to get her a new seat but am not sure whether I should get another infant seat with a higher weight/length capacity (I am looking at the Graco Snug Ride 35 or the Britax Chaperone 30, although I don't think I can get the Britax one in Canada) or get a convertible seat.

What I like about the infant seat over the convertible is that I can still use it with the stroller, meaning it is much easier to get her in and out of the car if she's sleeping. She also doesn't seem quite ready to sit in a stroller without the infant seat. It also means I don't have to bundle her up every time we want to go out (since a blanket over the seat is sufficient). But it is pointless to purchase a new infant seat at this point? Will she outgrow it before she's a year old? Are the higher capacity infant seats preferable to the convertible seat in this situation?

Any thoughts are welcome!

Thanks.
 
ADS

sparkyd

Active member
I hear where you are coming from because I was very reluctant to give up my bucket seat when my oldest son outgrew it. I was too used to how I was currently doing things and didn't like the idea of changing my habits (i.e. taking him out of his car seat to do a 2 minute errand, that kind of thing). I very seriously considered buying a higher weight infant seat, especially knowing that we wanted to have another child. I had a friend at the time that did buy a new infant seat for this very reason.

In the end I decided I couldn't justify the expense and bought a convertible seat instead. Once I got into the swing of things and developed new habits (and got used to the new seat), it was fine. You adjust. He was around 9 months but I took my younger son out of the bucket at 6 months (didn't seem like such a big adjustment 2nd time around) and he was fine too. He could sit up in a shopping cart (with my bag or shopping bags smushed up against him for some support), and he was fine in a regular stroller with the seat reclined from way earlier than that. Plus he preferred riding on my back in an Ergo a lot of the time anyway.

If your daughter is only 27" then she likely has a bit of growing room left, although that will depend on how long her torso is. There should be an inch of room above her head in the seat (http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=30201). If she still has room then you can hold off another month till the weather warms up a little more and the "bundling up" issue won't be as big a deal.

In the end it's really a question of what you think will work for you and how much money you have to spend. Just know that if you do decide to switch to a convertible, it'll be a big change but within a month you'll be re-adjusted and it'll be fine. :)
 
U

Unregistered

Guest
Thanks for your helpful response! I've been talking it over with my husband, and I think we've decided to go with the convertible. I agree with you that it is just a matter of me giving up my attachment to the conveniences of the infant seat. And in reality, given that we park in a heated garage and do little car travelling anyway, I am way too attached to something I use so little!! :) And yes, the weather is getting warmer so my concerns about bundling will be no longer an issue either.

It will be an adjustment getting used to the convertible, but isn't that what parenthood is all about anyway? At this point in her life, by the time I am getting used to one thing, she is moving on to the next stage in her development.

I am currently looking at the Britax Marathon 65 or the Graco My Ride 65. Do you have any experience with either of these?

Thanks again
 

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