Infant seat on a shopping cart question...

Shaunam

New member
So obviously it's bad news to put an infant seat on the top of the cart where the child seat is. I saw someone at Kroger the other day who had their seat sideways across the back of the cart, if that makes sense. Still up in the air a little, but only a few inches from the bottom of the basket. Which gave more room for groceries, but seemed safer than the top of the cart.

Is this a total no-no too? To me it seemed a lot safer than the top of the cart since it's not making the it top heavy. And it wouldn't get knocked off as easily. I think it could still go flying if you hit a pot hole or speed bump just right though. But I think you'd really have to be booking it.

Thoughts?
 
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Shaunam

New member
When it "clicks" onto the cart it's not really locked. When it clicks into the base of an infant seat it not only latches by the little hook thingy, but also onto another part of the seat, usually by the front of the seat with metal hooks. On the shopping cart it's just one little piece of plastic hooked on. So if you hit a bump, or someone runs into you with their cart, the seat can go flying. Babies have died and been seriously injured by shopping cart accidents.
 

ketchupqueen

CPST and ketchup snob
Staff member
So obviously it's bad news to put an infant seat on the top of the cart where the child seat is. I saw someone at Kroger the other day who had their seat sideways across the back of the cart, if that makes sense. Still up in the air a little, but only a few inches from the bottom of the basket. Which gave more room for groceries, but seemed safer than the top of the cart.

Is this a total no-no too? To me it seemed a lot safer than the top of the cart since it's not making the it top heavy. And it wouldn't get knocked off as easily. I think it could still go flying if you hit a pot hole or speed bump just right though. But I think you'd really have to be booking it.

Thoughts?

I've seen it and it looks super wobbly. I'm not comfortable with it. When we, rarely, use a bucket in a cart, down in the bottom is the only way we'll do it.
 

MommyShannon

New member
I did both ways with my first kids. Across the back seemed much more secure since most of the seat was down in the cart. Now I don't think either are a good idea. I know someone who had theirs on the top seat clicked in and it flipped with that as a pivot point into the back. Thankfully baby was strapped securely and not hurt. I definitely think babywearing is much more convenient and safer while shopping. The front carry is a little awkward at first but by 6 months I just use my ergo in a back carry (big baby!) and its almost like she isn't there but she's happy and I get shopping done.
 

MommyShannon

New member
hmm, I never had a problem with ours being wobbly on most carts, there are some it doesn't fit on right and then I wouldn't do it but it was the only way I could shop with baby. I would have no room for groceries if his carrier was down in the bottom of the cart. How do people get any shopping done with the baby?

We cross posted. An ergo makes shopping so easy! We have 4 kids. I can't give up any cart space for a baby carrier. It is overflowing! Wearing my baby makes it enjoyable for her and easy on me plus keeps my cart for groceries. Have you tried a soft structured carrier?
 

Shaunam

New member
hmm, I never had a problem with ours being wobbly on most carts, there are some it doesn't fit on right and then I wouldn't do it but it was the only way I could shop with baby. I would have no room for groceries if his carrier was down in the bottom of the cart. How do people get any shopping done with the baby?

And that's the issue with it. So many people think that it's safe. The seat FEELS sturdy, but generally you're not going to get side to side movement, it's the foot of the car seat that can lift up, flipping the whole seat.

Lots of stores now have build in infant seats. There's baby wearing. Stroller with hooks and reusable bags. Push stroller, pull cart. I push my DD's wheelchair and pull the cart when I have to take her with me. I know a lady who would push her son in his wheelchair, have her infant daughter strapped to her front, and pull the cart behind her. I think now that she's older she rides in her brother's lap. Lol
 

featherhead

Well-known member
I haven't seen this mentioned, but putting it on top changes the center of gravity of the cart, making it much easier for the cart to tip, even just turning too sharply. I have put the carseat across the main cart before, and it is not so bad. The weight is much lower that way, so the cart isn't going to tip. It is not really on top, but more inside the cart.
 

MamaErin

New member
We cross posted. An ergo makes shopping so easy! We have 4 kids. I can't give up any cart space for a baby carrier. It is overflowing! Wearing my baby makes it enjoyable for her and easy on me plus keeps my cart for groceries. Have you tried a soft structured carrier?

I'm not sure what you mean by soft structured. We had a baby bjorn carrier and I hated it, it was confusing and hard to get on, it was hot and sticky to wear in the summer and I just felt claustrophobic in it, like I couldn't bend and move how I wanted to. I never really trusted those things either, like leaving 2 little straps to support my baby, I always felt like I had to hold him a bit too so then I didn't have my hands free so it was pointless, I might as well have just carried him through the store.
 

Shaunam

New member
I'm not sure what you mean by soft structured. We had a baby bjorn carrier and I hated it, it was confusing and hard to get on, it was hot and sticky to wear in the summer and I just felt claustrophobic in it, like I couldn't bend and move how I wanted to. I never really trusted those things either, like leaving 2 little straps to support my baby, I always felt like I had to hold him a bit too so then I didn't have my hands free so it was pointless, I might as well have just carried him through the store.

You are right that a baby bjorn doesn't really feel sturdy. There are sturdier carriers. The pp mentioned an ergo. It is a very nice carrier. I had a ring sling with DS. I usually just kept one hand under his butt so my other hand could be free. He was a BIG boy though, and wiggly, so I always worried he'd slide out. He never did though. I also used a wrap with him and I swear you could jump on a trampoline with that thing on (I never would of course)!
 

ketchupqueen

CPST and ketchup snob
Staff member
Baby Bjorns are awful in my experience. There are way more comfy soft structured carriers, or slings (my fave) or wraps, etc. :)
 

Stelvis

New member
Yes, exactly, it changes the center of gravity. There are no safety standards in the US as it relates to shopping carts and children. And I think just about every manufacturer now prohibits using buckets on a shopping cart.

And some manufacturers (Chicco, I think a few others) make their seats so they absolutely won't click onto a cart.
 

Shaunam

New member
Thanks for all the info. I guess for the next baby we will have to look into a different carrier. I always thought the baby bjorns were supposed to be good and we got it as a gift so that was the only one I ever tried. I just didn't trust it. My son was also big, 9.14 at birth and remained above the 90th% until 9 months so I just felt like there wasn't enough support for him and it was definitely not comfortable for me. Hopefully our next won't be so huge!

My Ds was "only" 8,13 at birth but was off the charts for weight for like 9 or 10 months. He was 26 lbs at 6 months I remember. Anyway, yeah I can totally see a bjorn not working for a kid that size!
 

Jessica61624

New member
I'm not sure what you mean by soft structured. We had a baby bjorn carrier and I hated it, it was confusing and hard to get on, it was hot and sticky to wear in the summer and I just felt claustrophobic in it, like I couldn't bend and move how I wanted to. I never really trusted those things either, like leaving 2 little straps to support my baby, I always felt like I had to hold him a bit too so then I didn't have my hands free so it was pointless, I might as well have just carried him through the store.

That's the problem right there. Those are horrible carriers. Look into a Boba or ergo.
 

MommyShannon

New member
Yes! It's all about the right carrier. It is a little limiting when I have her on my front, but its so much easier than carrying a bucket at any point and not being able to walk away from the cart at all. Now I wear her on my back and I just have to crouch down if I want things off the bottom shelf. Otherwise its like being by myself on the shopping trip. Here's dd in the ergo. Oh how I wish I'd had one with my first two kiddos!
4B1E3F6C-445B-4036-97A9-2EDFDD5EB4D9-1138-00000247F29FB24B.jpg

Now the only hindrance when I take her shopping is the 10,000 comments on her cheeks but I don't mind. :)
ETA: I have big babies too. This dd is about 18lbs at 6.5 months. The right carrier will be supportive for you and the baby. We can still carry our 25lb dd on our backs.
 

Ninetales

New member
The Meijer I go to has these carts with a bench in the back. It can lay down flat and has a strap for an infant carrier, or flip up and be a bench seat for 1-2 kids. I love it - my daughter rides on the bench while I wear the baby in a Beco. Now that it's cold I bring the carrier inside and can put the handle in position C and can just fit it under the cart. The greeter gets a kick out of watching me get arranged.

I wish more stores had carts that accommodated infant seats safely. But it doesn't even end there. I worked at Sam's Club for three years and the stuff I saw there with kids and carts would make your hair curl.

My babies were both over 13lbs and I've done carriers for them from the start. I like the Beco and Ergo best but because of how big my babies are they don't fit well until they're past the need for the infant insert. Before that it's the Moby. I never have been able to make a sling work.
 

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