Just as the siggy says....

jennzee · Jan 9, 2012

To bucket or not to bucket? I've got to start thinking about the carseat situation!

I've done buckets with all of my babies, and they definitely have their advantages. However, there is a greater chance than not that this will be our last baby, so I'm not excited about the prospects of investing in an infant seat that will only be used by one baby.

My oldest rode in the bucket until just after his first birthday. We switched the twins over to convertibles at 6 months because they were just too darn heavy to carry both. I thought it would be a pain, but I didn't mind it at all. If I do use a bucket, I see myself being inclined again to move to a convertible around 6 months old.

So, my leanings are toward just going straight for the convertible. But I need help knowing what the best seats are for noobs.....unless you talk me out of it and make me decide the bucket is the better way to go. I have a history of pre-term delivery, so even though we hope to get full-term this time, I need to be prepared for a tiny baby.

My twins will be 5 next month and will start booster training (well, one of them...not sure the other is quite ready yet). If that goes well, I could have a Radian80 available by the time the baby gets here. Are they any good for itty bitties?

I know that CCO's are good for little ones, and I've wanted one for a long time if for no reason other than I think they are dang cute. How long can one expect to get out of one before having to get a bigger seat? My boys are both on the small side and my daughter is on the higher end of average....so it could go either way for the next baby. We drive a Dodge Durango, if anybody has installation info that could affect this choice.

Any other convertibles to consider for tiny babies? Or any advice in general (in favor of bucket or convertible)?

stephpook · Jan 9, 2012

We opted to go with a convertible from birth for this last baby (My Ride 65) and for the most part, I haven't regretted it. It can be a pain getting her in and out of the car seat and into the Snugli every time I have to go into a store or holding her on my lap whenever we go out to eat, but then, I don't have to worry about lugging around a heavy car seat as I'm chasing around after a crazy 3-year old or fitting groceries around it in the cart so I guess it kind of evens out. I may have gotten a bucket if we were planning on having more kids, but in the end, we just couldn't justify spending $180 for a Keyfit when we had the option of buying a MyRide for $100. And the infant padding on the MyRide fit my 6lb15oz/20in newborn quite well.

mcomommy · Jan 9, 2012

I am having the same problem. My bucket is expired so I need a new one if I want one but I just don't know if I want to drop the money. We already have a Radian80 that will last the baby from birth until he or she is 4 so I don't need a seat at all but I also know a bucket can be really nice sometimes. I am leaning towards not bucketing though because I want a new stroller more

Pixels · Jan 9, 2012

While many convertibles will fit a full-term newborn, not many will fit a preemie. The Coccoro, particularly the new one with the lower weight limit, the Scenera (but 5 pound minimum), and that's all I can think of. The Radian's bottom slots probably aren't low enough for a preemie.

My petite DD outgrew the Coccoro right around 2y9mo. Two years seems to be more typical. It's almost identical in size to the Scenera, but with lower RF weight limits.

Lenae · Jan 9, 2012

If you don't want to bucket, I'd get the CCO. That will buy you time until your soon to be 5 yo are booster trained, and then you can pass one of those seats down to baby when baby outgrows CCO.

I went with the bucket for both kids. I'd do it again. My children are great sleepers, in their beds. But definitely not great car sleepers, so anytime they fell asleep in the bucket and I could move them undisturbed, I was thankful I had the bucket. Just my experience.

T4K · Jan 9, 2012

I'm a bucket person and I wear my baby. I love having the option of the bucket. I had a shuttle and loved it.

cookie123 · Jan 9, 2012

Is the Shuttle 33 okay for preemies? Someone asked me just last nite and I wasn't sure.

T4K · Jan 9, 2012

Depends. Combi says there isn't a lower weight and that you can use it with the straps above shoulders. My 6.5 pounder with a short torso was right at the slots but (I feel stupid know) I don't think I had the harness down all the way.

jennzee · Jan 9, 2012

Lenae said:
If you don't want to bucket, I'd get the CCO. That will buy you time until your soon to be 5 yo are booster trained, and then you can pass one of those seats down to baby when baby outgrows CCO.

My Radians have 3 years left on them (I think as of May...but maybe March...I can't remember). If I wound up with a smaller child like my boys, the CCO has the potential to get us somewhere between 2.5-3 years old....so passing down the Radian wouldn't help for too long. If I were only going to use the CCO for 6 months to a year and then pass down the Radian, then I'm really no better off than I would be getting a bucket, in terms of money spent.

If I have a bigger baby that outgrows the CCO before 2 years, then I've still only got a year left on the Radians before we've got to get something new, and it would possibly still need to RF, so the harness-to-booster seats wouldn't be an option, and we'd need to eventually buy yet another seat (even if it is just a booster). So maybe the CCO isn't the best option in terms of trying to get the most bang for our buck.

We're not in the poor house, but I got rid of virtually everything after my twins were born and started to outgrow things. We're starting from scratch, right down to maternity clothes. I plan to buy lots of stuff used, and will be trying to stick to must-haves, but I know that dh is going to have a heart attack over how much this is going to cost us! I don't necessarily need a full-of-bells-and-whistles seat, but *I* wouldn't want to sit in something as non-plush as a Scenera, so I have a hard time making my kids do it.

I've been trying to think of someone I could borrow a bucket from for 6 months or so, but everybody I trust is either using theirs, or will be soon.

So, if you were me, how long would you wait to make a decision? Do you think I'm better off to get closer to the end so that I'll know better if I'm likely to make it full term or not?

Brigala · Jan 9, 2012

Honestly, if you want to be prepared for a smaller than average baby, my advice would be to get an inexpensive bucket seat. I would hate to have my options for convertibles limited by which ones will actually fit 5 lb babies well (basically, the Coccoro, the Pria, and possibly the Scenera or the Comfortsport).

One option would be to check out the Swap board here and look for a LBW-appropriate infant seat to have on hand for less money than new.

Another option could be to go with the convertible of your choice, but put something like a Comfy Carry Elite on your registry at a nearby store that carries it in stock. Then if you end up with a small baby, you can quickly send out a grandparent or a friend or a DH out to grab it (and know they'll get the right thing because it was on your registry).

Sometimes you can find good deals on new but "outdated" (not expired, but having some of their useful lifespan already used up) car seats on Nobetterdeal.com or through Albeebaby's ebay outlet (seller name "babysurplus").

If you happen to want a Coccoro or a Pria anyway, then you're golden. But if you have your eye on something else... what's the point of "saving" money by avoiding the infant bucket only to later go out and buy what you really wanted anyway?

momtoo3 · Jan 9, 2012

You could also try an Evenflo Titan for a small newborn. We had one for ds2 as a back up seat from birth and he fit great. He was 6 pounds 13 oz and 19 inches, born at 35 weeks, 0 days. The Titan Elite has nice padding and is under $100 dollars. I just looked at the measurements and it looks like the Evenflo Triumph, Momentum and Symphony have decently low slots too. I think I remember the straps being a little wide in the shoulders on the EFTA we had but we had the old style chest clip. I don't know if the new style is any better.

And since I

shopping, here are some links:
http://www.target.com/p/Evenflo-Titan-Elite-Convertible-Car-Seat-Santa-Monica/-/A-13306509
http://www.overstock.com/Baby/Evenf...ible-Car-Seat-in-Houston/5670959/product.html
http://www.sears.com/evenflo-titan-...8314000P&pageInd=product&i_cntr=1324748919489

jennzee · Jan 10, 2012

Brigala said:
I would hate to have my options for convertibles limited by which ones will actually fit 5 lb babies well

That's true...hadn't thought about it that way before. I think I'll spend my time researching and deciding what I ultimately want. If I do end up going early, we'll have time while the baby is in the NICU to order something that will be a better fit. If I make it to 36 weeks and things are looking good, then I'll be more likely to be able to get the seat I really want (which still may be a CCO because I just can't get over their cuteness

).

mkmama · Jan 10, 2012

Depending on the year of your Durango, I highly doubt you'll be able to get a Radian into it at a newborn angle without making the front passenger seat unuseable. Radians do fit little's well, but not necessarily preemies.

I had the same debate with myself for this one...I ended up getting a steal on a CCO, so I picked it up, and still have my old (though almost expired) bucket for backup if I decide that I really really want the convenience of the bucket.

EmmaGrace'sMom · Jan 10, 2012

Keep an eye out at babyearth gaga deals, or whatever it's called, I grabbed our sitter a Chaperone for $50! Also nobetterdeals.com often has infant seats. I had a Keyfit for DD2 and really only lost $50-60 when I sold it, well worth having a bucket in my opinion!

karina250 · Jan 10, 2012

We had a MyRide for DD, but she was born at 4 lbs 7 oz (and left the hospital at 4lbs 3 oz) so we borrowed a friends OnBoard 35 since it was rated from 4 lbs. Once she was consistently 5 lbs though I moved her to the MyRide and she has been using it ever since. I was happy with the way it fit her (and still like the way it fits now). We did have to use a crotch roll for awhile though. I have pictures of her in it at 5lbs if you would want to see.

jsmom · Jan 10, 2012

I wasnt sure whether I wanted a bucket or not, what made up my mind was the time of year. I cant imagine carrying a newborn in the freezing cold and then the thought of slipping on ice or something. With the bucket, I ordered a JJ Cole carseat canopy and plan on using a small blanket for her in the seat.

lpperry · Jan 10, 2012

I don't like buckets at all. I used one for about 3 months with my youngest. Then we used it as a seat in the second car until it expired (it was my stepdaughters. I hated it and rarely ever took it out of the car. I am glad I didn't buy it because it would have been a huge waste of money.

I got my Coccoro when Oliver was 9 months because I knew I would use it for the next baby. When Oliver was 18 months, he moved seats, and Claudia got the Coccoro. I love the Coccoro! Oliver actually still fit at 2 1/2 but it was really squished. It wouldn't have been great for a main seat at this age.

When Claudia is 17 months, the new baby should be here, so she's going to move to a different seat and the baby will get the Coccoro.

I love having a convertible from birth.

jennzee · Jan 11, 2012

I'm not overly concerned about having a baby coming home under 5 lbs....and not even in the low 5 lb. range. My smallest preemie was just under 6 lbs at discharge.....the other two were both 6 lbs. 4 oz. It's possible, sure, but that hasn't been the norm for my preemies.

mkmama said:
Depending on the year of your Durango, I highly doubt you'll be able to get a Radian into it at a newborn angle without making the front passenger seat unuseable. Radians do fit little's well, but not necessarily preemies.

It's a 2007. I've never attempted to install our Radians RF in it. Good to know that it might not be a good fit.

I nearly scored a Britax infant seat yesterday from a friend who was getting rid of it, until I found out it was a Companion that expires in November of this year. I'll have to keep an eye out on those sites that were mentioned. I can see pros and cons of going either way....decisions, decisions.

daniele_ut · Jan 11, 2012

All of my babies have been born in fall/winter, so I really appreciated having an infant seat each time. The pp's comment about slipping on the ice was always a concern of mine as well. Our garage is detached so there would be no way to avoid baby going out into the cold on the way to the car. Since you are due in August, though, that's less of a concern for you. I also had the preemie issue to deal with and that's part of why I bought the Keyfit when I was pregnant with DD. She wasn't premature, but since DS was, I've been glad to have it. He's still barely 7lbs.

I would have been happy to pass on my Keyfit to you, but I don't think we'll be done with it by August. I don't think I'll really be able to sell it because it expires in 2013. You are welcome to try out my Coccoro in your Durango any time. Right now we are still using it for dd FF in dh's car, but it's only in there sporadically since dh is driving carpool in the mornings.

mkmama · Jan 12, 2012

jennzee said:
It's a 2007. I've never attempted to install our Radians RF in it. Good to know that it might not be a good fit.

I'm not sure what year Durango models changed...but there's no way I could get a Radian at newborn angle in my SIL's 2005 Durango. We barely got it installed very upright lightly braced behind the driver for her 3 year old. Center was a no-go too, because it still touched the passenger seat, which is disallowed in the Durango.

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