I hаνе never paid enough attention tο hοw much mу friend’s аnԁ family’s babies weigh, аnԁ now аm left wondering іf іt іѕ worth spending ѕο much money οn infant car seats, whеn a convertible сουƖԁ bе used (although nοt аѕ conveniently). I need tο hаνе a car seat (οr base fοr thе infant seat) іn each οf thе households two cars – аѕ hе wіƖƖ travel іn both regularly, ѕο уου саn see hοw thе cost сουƖԁ potentially add up іf I need tο bυу 3 οr possibly 4 carseats between birth аnԁ 20 lbs.
Anу suggestions? I know babies аrе hard tο pin down fοr weights аnԁ measures – bυt I thουɡht I mіɡht bе аbƖе tο ɡеt ѕοmе advice οn whether thе infant car seats аrе absolutely necessary аnԁ worth thе excess expenditure fοr thе convenience. Whеn ԁο infants typically outgrow thе infant carrier style (whеrе thе base stays іn thе car) carseats?
Frοm ѕοmе οf thе аnѕwеrѕ іt appears thаt I ԁіԁ nοt mаkе myself very clear – I wаѕ merely curious іf thе convenience factor οf a carrier car seat wаѕ worth thе cost, considering I wουƖԁ need tο bυу 2 convertible car seats whеn mу baby outgrows thе infant seat anyway (hе wіƖƖ bе riding іn two different cars οn a day аftеr day footing – hardly convenient tο ɡο thе whole seat 2-3 times per day). I’ve сhοѕе thаt even іf hе mау outgrow thе smaller infant carrier іn 4 οr 5 months (wе аrе both mean builds, bυt thеrе іѕ nο saying іf thе baby wіƖƖ bе born аt 6 lbs οr 8 аnԁ hοw qυісk hе wіƖƖ grow!) іt іѕ subdue worth іt ѕіnсе hе wіƖƖ bе tіnу during fall аnԁ mid-winter months іn Minnesota (worth thе money tο bе аbƖе tο bundle hіm up inside аnԁ keep hіm thаt way). Jυѕt wanted tο сƖаrіfу whу I mentioned needing tο bυу ѕο many carseats іn ѕο fleeting a time – I didn’t rесkοn hе wουƖԁ outgrow ѕο many, I wіƖƖ јυѕt need tο outfit mу cars wіth nеw seats 2 times. Wе аrе buying аn infant seat аnԁ extra base first.
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23 Responses to “How quickly do infants outgrow car seats?”
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I used an infant car seat for a couple of months and then bought a convertible one.. My son is huge for his age though and he grew out of the infant one quickly
My modest girl is six months ancient and subdue uses an infant seat. Until a baby can sit up on their own for long periods of time, a convertible seat is just not comfortable for them, and you’ll have a very upset child.
you must use the rear facing infant carseat for the first year. some babies may outgrow this sooner. but a rearfacing seat with one extra base for the 2nd car must be fine for the first year.
you must only need one car seat between birth and 1yr ancient.
Since you are buying two, you could buy the more expensive ones that convert to a toddler car seat for when they are ready for the next step, and it must convert all the way to a booster seat for when they are even older. (convertible car seat)
That would probablybe your best option!
Most infant carriers w/ base go up to 23 lbs….my son lasted in it until like 9-10 months…then we got the next stage and it will last him unil 40 lbs or untill he wants a reg plain ol booster seat…..We only had one infant carrier, you can buy 2 bases for them….but its simple to buckle in w/ out a base…the larger carseat was more of a hassle to switch back and forth so we have one for each of our vehicles……
http://www.nextag.com/cosco-car-seat/search-html
**I have the Alpha Omega Elite….
for an infant seat I had the baby trend laurel flexloc carseat w/ base + baby carriage……
Most infant carseats maxes are 20 lbs or 26 inches. So usually its before they are 6 months ancient. But the infant carseats are SO convienient. Trust me. Its worth it.
It all depends on your baby… For my son I used an Infant car seat till he was one, then bought him a toddler one. So I just needed two so far, I know when he gets older I’ll have to buy the booster seat next…
My son exceeded the weight and height on his infant carrier at 4 months, but that is pretty early. The “mean” baby will exceed 20lbs at about 9 months according to the CDC growth chart, but really half will outgrow it before then.
But there is at least one infant seat on the market that is approved for up to 30lbs and claims to fit 97% of babies at one year.
Also with infant seats they can be installed without the base, and you can buy the bases unconnectedly for a bit less than half the fee of the seat. So you wouldn’t need an infant seat for each car.
Here is the Graco safeseat that is approved for up to 30lbs:
http://www.gracobaby.com/catalog/product.aspx?modelNumber=8A02SMB&CategoryID=1
(well that’s just one colour for some reason every colour gets its own page)
MSRP $189.99
And here is the base alone:
http://www.gracobaby.com/catalog/product.aspx?modelNumber=8A04SIL&CategoryID=1
MSRP $49.99
Given that the base is that inexpensive and that it is excellent for up to 30lbs I honestly reckon that may be your best option. Because when it is outgrown you might know more what you are looking for in a seat you will use for at least 4 or 5 years. Also bundling the baby up inside is convenient in the winter as the less layers on the baby the safer it is. Then you layer blankets on top. Also it is simpler to care for the head loading an infant in and out when the seat is not in a car!
But you could make due with two convertible seats as well and that would save money in the long run.
Then again if you have another baby you will can use the infant seat again while the older child is in the other seat.
This is a concern I had too. I used an infant car seat/carrier for my son until he was one. He’s a pretty huge boy and grew very quick but he subdue fit in it. (it’s a rear facing carrier type seat which holds an infant to 23 lbs.)
Things to keep in mind when you buy a seat… It needs to be rear facing until he is 1-year ancient AND and no less than 20 pounds. Both criteria must be met. So be sure the seat you hold is a rear facing seat. Some of the larger seats are not appropriate for an infant either so be sure to check the min./max. weights for the product you are thinking about buying.
Best of luck and congratulations!
There are really 2 parts to your question. The first is infant carrier vs convertible car seat. The second is weight/length restrictions on each.
Carrier vs convertible seat: While your child is subdue tiny, a carrier is far more convenient because you can load your child into the carrier at home and quicky place in or take out the carrier and child with smallest effort. Plus a carrier with a base ensures the security and positioning that keep your baby safe during an accident. You can take a second base to keep in the other vehicle and transfer the carrier back and forth. But as your child grows the combined weight of carrier and baby can get to be hard to carry nearly all the time. A convertible car seat has the benefit of being useable for a longer time because you can turn it nearly to face forward once your child is ancient enough and weighs enough. But properly securing a car seat is not a quick task, so it is safer to have a seat in each vehicle rather than constantly swapping back and forth.
Weight/Length Restrictions: Regardless of which type you choose, read the owners manual thoroughly. There will be weight limits and length limits that are vital for ensuring your childs protection in case of an accident. Not all carriers and car seats have the same limits, so read to be sure.
Lastly, make sure you know exactly what your local laws are regarding car seat positioning. All children <1 year ancient must face rearward and be in the back seat only. States differ on when a child may face forward. In NC, a child must be 1 year ancient AND 20 pounds in weight. Other states go by age alone, weight alone, or age OR weight. (It can get confusing.)
my daughter out grew her infant seat at 6 months ancient.why not just by 1 and transfer it from car to car..save some money.
It is hard to answer this question, because different manufacturers have different weight and height standards on their child protection seats. But in all-purpose, a baby must remain in a rear-facing infant seat until he is 20 pounds, or a year ancient, which ever comes first. After that, he can be in a convertible, front-facing car seat.
My son is 27 months ancient and only 26 lbs, he stayed in his carrier until he was 1.5. The simplest way to figure out how long he would stay in it is to look at your self and your babies father are you both on the smaller size or are you both on the larger size or a modest of both. Also, if you do want to just skip the carrier I would go with the Alpha Omega Convertable carseat, it is a modest expensive about $140.00 but it will last until your child is 100 lbs. It reclines back when rearfacing to make the baby comfortable even if they are really modest.
It really varies a lot…my modest girl is tiny, she’s 9 1/2 months ancient and can subdue use an infant carrier, although we use a convertible. She’s only 16lbs and 28″, well within the weight and height limits…but my cousin’s modest boy (he is in my in-home daycare) he just turned 6 months ancient and is over 22lbs and nearly 29″ so he’s too huge for the infant carrier.
Here’s an thought…get one an infant carrier and order an extra base (there is a form to mail in or you can do it online) and then buy a convertible too, then you have all the bases covered…no pun intended LOL
Edit:
I just read one of the answers, that said there is an infant carrier that goes up to 30lbs…that’s SO amusing cause my 4 1/2 year ancient would have fit in it up until last fall! He just now weighs 33lbs
car seats are tough business. infant car seat last up to 13kg or 29lbs. the Length of time your child can use a particular car seat depends on weight, this is really vital its not age or length. if you get an infant carrier they last up to 12 to 18 months then upgrade to a forward facing car seat (maxi cosy priory xp is fantastic!) forward facing car seats last to about 3 years of age (9 – 18kg or 20 – 40lb) then a booster seat until no longer required. although certain brands do a infant carrier and base and when you upgrade to the forward facing car seat you can use the same base as long as you buy the same brand! its vital to know that not all car seats fit properly in all cars, not all knows they re not universal and places like toys r us and halfords and mothercare do free fitting of car seats before hold to make sure they fit as car seats are non refundable as once they’ve been in an accident they re no longer safe. i know its a pain buying lots of car seats as Ive had to do the same but in all honesty you have to buy the one you are most pleased with, forget the fee and go with your gut instinct which is the safest, cos you cant fee your child’s protection.
When your baby will grow out of his car seat can be estimated by the growth curve your baby is on once your baby settles onto a curve. One of my twins outgrew her seat at nearly 7 months (over 95th percentile). The other baby is possibly subdue tiny enough for her infant seat at 14 months (10th percentile), although we have her in a convertible seat now. Unfortunately, you probably want to make your buying choice before your baby is born.
I would opt for an infant car seat that is simple to switch between vehicles and two convertible seats, personally. Some car seats have two mechanisms for securing the seat – a car seat base that the seat just clicks into, and a seat belt harness system that doesn’t use the base but takes a modest more work each time you place the seat into the car. I would place the base in the car you drive your child in more regularly, and use the seat belting system in the other car until your child outgrows the infant seat. When you get used to the belting system, you can do it in below a minute easily. You can also buy a second infant seat base on Amazon for about $40 for a Graco SnugRide, if you don’t want to use the belting system.
Graco makes some fantastic ones…but you’ll have to pay close attention…some of the infant seats go to 22 pounds and others go all the way to 30!
Sadly I bought the 22 pounder and my son is 7 months and already just about to grow out of it.
If you got the 30 pound one and a couple of bases…I reckon you’d be ok for AT LEAST the first year. And Extra bases are only about 30 bucks.
I’d rather buy a toddler seat at this point…but because he’s subdue below a year…I’ll be stuck buing a convertable AND a toddler seat later on…
Make sure you get the 30 pounder
http://www.elitecarseats.com/Graco-Safe-Seat-Step-1.pro
Excellent Luck!
I would definately go with the convertable seat. You’re going to need one eventually and if you have a larger baby he will probably outgrow the infant seat before his first year. My son is 6 months and has just outgrown his infant seat, although we switched him to a convertable seat when he was 3 or 4 months ancient. I really don’t like the infant seats. I reckon they encourage you not to hold your baby, and holding and interacting with your infant are the most vital things you can do to raise a pleased and gifted child.
There are some really $$$ converable seats, but we got the Cosco Scenera, which was only about $40 and shares the highest saftey rating with a $200 + seat. He’ll be able to use it until he weighs 40 pounds, so we will in all likelihood get years of use out of it. Even buying two, this or another of the less expensive seats won’t break the bank. If you want one of the more expensive ones with all of the bells and whistles you can find one that will hold your baby until he weighs 65 lbs.
Infants typically grow out of their car seat by five months. You must hold a carrier because they are smaller and compact for an infant. if fee is an come forth, go online an hold the seats from a wholesaler. it would be much cheaper than buying from your traditionl seller.
Like you said, every baby is different! You won’t, but, need to buy 3 or 4 in the first year. My son is 6 months ancient and is nearly 20 lbs, so we’re about to buy him a new car seat. But on the other hand, both of my friend’s babies were tiny and didn’t hit 20 lbs until they turned a year ancient. (Carriers hold up to 22-25lbs, depending on the brand)
I will tell you though, that having the travel system was really worth it, if even for just the first few months. (that’s the carrier car seat that snaps into the baby carriage, also comes with one base) It’s so much simpler to take the whole carrier straight from the car into the baby carriage or the grocery cart. Plus, when they’re infants they fall asleep easily in the car and it’s much simpler to take the carrier out as opposed to having to wake them up and take them inside. I can’t tell you the number of times that my son got awesome naps in the carrier this way!
You can also buy a 3 in 1 convertible carseat, and that will take them from rear facing/infant (less than 20lbs AND 1 year), to forward facing (after 20 lbs and 1 year), and then will turn into a toddler seat with a lapbelt, saving you from having to keep buying them seperately. These usually hold up to between 65 and 100 lbs, depending on the brand and cost about $175-$200.
If I had to do it all over again, even meaningful that my son would grow out of the carrier by 6 months, I would subdue get a carrier. It was awesome for the first few months when I walked nearly the mall, neighborhood, supplies, etc…
Try checking out Craigslist in your area, a lot of Moms place up their carseats for a decent fee and it’s only been used for one kid. Just make sure that you get a excellent one, and look for the end date, it’s usually excellent for 5-6 years. After that, the plastic can become brittle and break. If you’re not comfortable with this, you can sometimes find just the base on Craigslist or even a baby carriage that the car seat snaps into.
One business that I learned is to not buy the base from supplies, but look at Amazon.com. I paid $50 for my second base at BabiesRUs and found it on Amazon groundbreaking new with free shipping for $30. Sheesh! Oh, and we bought the Graco Metrolite travel system and it was $170, and includes the baby carriage and one base. Not a terrible deal!)
Excellent luck and congratulations! Sorry this is so long, I hope it’s not too much info!
If cost is the largest come forth, a convertible seat is the best bet for your money. You do not NEED a carrier. They are nice, and can be very convenient, but they also add to the number of car seats you have to buy. You child will need a convertible car seat regardless, so it’d be one (2?) less seats you have to buy. The only time it becomes a need is when you have a tiny newborn. Convertible car seats are usually rated for 5lbs and up, but very fleeting infants can be too tiny for the smallest harness setting. I would buy a convertible, and if baby turns out to be really tiny, get an inexpensive infant carrier. Most babies outgrow the carrier between 4-6 months. Very few make it to 12 months, except in the Graco Safe Seat Step 1, which holds up to 30lbs and has taller height limit, too. Height is vital to remember – a child has outgrown the carrier by height when his head is over the shell, or his shoulders are over the top slots. Most babies outgrow their seats (both carrier and convertible) by height before weight.
Example: my 2.5 year ancient outgrew his Triumph (5-40lbs) at 36lbs. because he was too tall for it. Weight limits aren’t the only vital things to look at: the harness slot heights are vital, too. Which is why the Cosco Alpha Omega (also the Eddie Bauer 3 in 1, same seat, both by Dorel/Safety1st/Cosco) is NOT a excellent buy. The harness slots are too low. Unless its being used wrongly, few kids will ever make it to 40lbs in it, and, its really not a excellent buy. Its never the ‘only car seat you will ever need’ because car seats expire 6 years after the date of manufacture anyway and kids need boosters long after their 6th birthday.
Babies need to stay rear facing AS LONG AS POSSIBLE!! Not just to 20lbs/1year. That is the bare minimum for when you can turn them forward facing, but not when you must. Their bones have not gone through the ossification process that hardens and bonds them together like adult bones and they need the bracing and support provided by a rear facing seat. They must stay rear facing until they are over either the height or weight limit of their seat rear facing. Then, they must stay in a 5 point harness as long as possible. Even though my son is nearly 40lbs, he’s only nearly 3 years ancient, so we had to get him a seat that would keep him harnessed longer.
Best convertibles are the ones that have high harness slots and higher weight limits. On the one hand, all seats in the US MUST pass the same protection standards, so technically they are all safe. On the other hand, some seats exceed those protection ratings and/or have features that make them simpler to use which makes them safer or have higher height/weight limits, making them safer. Britax Marathon sounds like a lot of money up front, but it saves money in the long run. It will hold a child from 5lbs-65lbs. (up to 33lbs rear facing, 65lbs front facing) Remembering most kisd outgrow by height before weight, this seat will hold most kids until they are at least 4 years ancient, many kids subdue fit at 6 years ancient!!! So if you bought one, that limits your car seat buying to 2 stages: convertible and booster. Fantastic deal for $250!!
If cost is a real problem, consider the Fisher Fee Safe Voyage Convertible seat. Its made by Britax, without the bells and whistles of pretty covers and such. $130 with free shipping online, it will hold 5-33lbs rear facing, and up to 55lbs front facing. Sunshine Kids Radian65 or Radian80 is fantastic, as long as your seat belt buckle (female end) comes out of the crack of the seat where seat back and seat bottom meet. If the buckle is forward of that, it won’t work. It will go from birth to 33lbs rear facing, and then forward face to 65lbs! It has 18inch top slots. Marathon has 17inch top slots, whereas the Alpha Omega only has 15inch top slots. Two inches in height could take a year ! Certain difference. The first link not more than is somewhere that’s doing a $50 rebate on seats over $200, $25 for seats between $100-200. They have both the Fisher Fee and MArathon.
As for my personal experience: people use carriers too dang much. I despise seeing modest babies sitting by their lonesome in those dumb carriers all the time. Car seats are meant to be used in the car or on a baby carriage. Period. Not to have a place to stick a baby all the time. Slings are better for the baby and simpler for the parent, since it leaves your hands free and doesn’t require Popeye’s muscles. (Ever try transportation nearly an 18lbs baby in a seat? UGH!)
Really the scale is yours. Yes having an infant carseatis more convienient, but when it comes yo cost it makes sense to buy a convertable set. The converyable holds your infant no matter how much they eigh at birth up to 40 or 50lbs. My son reached 20 lbs by the tme he reached 4 months so for me it was a waste of money. It was simpler to carry him in and i could just hook it into the base, but as you said especially if you’re going to be possibly buying 3 – 4 seats it just makes sense. WWalmart has a convertable seat for approx $45 and it would be the only seat you’d need. Excellent luck on your quest.
Hi, I’m a first time mom. My son who is now 7 months ancient outgrew his graco infant seat at about 5 1/2 months, he got to tall for it (meaning he could push his feet flat against the back of the seat) I now have a convertible seat which I like, but I don’t reckon I would have liked putting him in it when he was first born, even though it reclines I reckon his head would have went nearly to much before he had control of it. I used to baby-sit a modest girl who was nearly 1 before she outgrew her infant seat, so it all depends on the baby.
Here is my suggestion, check to see what the fee difference is between a travel system baby carriage (one that comes with the car seat) and a regular one. You might find that for a few extra bucks you can get an infant seat. The extra bases for mine were nearly $40 each, and depending on your location you might be able to take them to a consignment shop or something after you’re done with them.
Excellent luck!