We found our infant car seat and stroller when Adam was shopping around for bargains. It was a steal and we couldn't pass it up. Was it the best or the coolest? No. But baby stuff is so expensive! It's made by Graco, was safe and I thought that was fine enough.
An infant car seat is one that can be removed from a base and carried around. I still think it's a must-have when you have an infant because they sleep so often. Then you're not carrying them in and out of the seat. Infant car seats can also be sold as a set with a stroller they can snap into. This is handy to get your newbie to and fro without much movement, although the strollers tend to be more bulky.
We also registered for a bigger Graco car seat because I did know that eventually she'd grow out of the infant seat and need a bigger one to move into. I don't know how I managed to do it, but I registered for a seat that is only forward facing. (The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends rear-facing until 2, however, many people turn their child forward around one. To each's own.) I didn't realize the next seat we received was only forward-facing until Adly was 8 months, I had thrown out the box, dragged it into the car and spent 20 minutes trying to figure out how to secure the seat in a rear-facing position. Apparently, despite recommendations by the AAP, manufacturers still sell front-facing only seats for baby 20 pounds and up (which happens between 8-12 months). At that point, I knew I couldn't return it, so we kept up with the infant seat and I figured I'd just switch to the other seat when Adly was older than one.
Since then, here I've been, tra-la-la-ing all around here and there with Adly in her infant carseat. I knew that the weight limit was 30 pounds, which she is no where near. But the height limit was 30 inches, which she has surpassed.
It wasn't until I actually thought about the fact that Adly was still in an "infant" seat and she is now a toddler that I started to do research about when to change seats and what kind to change to. This was all a lot of overwhelming and conflicting information. I spent weeks reading reviews and manufacturers recommendations and stressing over whether we just front-face her now. The reason for this was because I found myself at the crossroads of needing to buy yet another car seat to essentially last us for 10 more months until we can use the next one, or just flipping Adly front-facing and using the seat we already had.
In all of my research, the one piece of information that made me decide she needed to be out of the infant seat was this: when a child's head is less than an inch below the top of the car seat, they are too big to be held in properly in the event of a crash. I had no idea about any of this before I started reading.
Now, I have to start by saying that I think when to turn your child front-facing is a personal and individual decision. I based my decision on the fact that Adly is comfortable sitting rear-facing. There are numerous studies that wee ones are safer riding rear-facing until 2. That said, riding in a car has never been an issue for her. However, for many babies it is. I can say for a fact that if Adly was screaming every time we got in the car, I wouldn't have blinked an eye at flipping her as soon as she turned one. You cannot judge the safety of that until you've tried driving a car with a screaming child in the backseat. That alone will cause an accident faster than anything else.
Because she's fine riding rear-facing, Adam and I ultimately decided to purchase a convertible car seat that can hold from 5-65 pounds and can rear-face until 40 pounds. This car seat could easily last Adly until she was ready to be out of a booster seat, however we still have our other car seat that she will be able to use when she's ready to front-face. Our reason for purchasing was also based on the fact we think we may have another child and in that event, we'll need another car seat anyways.
So, for a rundown, I recommend purchasing the following types of seats when you find yourself with child:
Now, I have to start by saying that I think when to turn your child front-facing is a personal and individual decision. I based my decision on the fact that Adly is comfortable sitting rear-facing. There are numerous studies that wee ones are safer riding rear-facing until 2. That said, riding in a car has never been an issue for her. However, for many babies it is. I can say for a fact that if Adly was screaming every time we got in the car, I wouldn't have blinked an eye at flipping her as soon as she turned one. You cannot judge the safety of that until you've tried driving a car with a screaming child in the backseat. That alone will cause an accident faster than anything else.
Because she's fine riding rear-facing, Adam and I ultimately decided to purchase a convertible car seat that can hold from 5-65 pounds and can rear-face until 40 pounds. This car seat could easily last Adly until she was ready to be out of a booster seat, however we still have our other car seat that she will be able to use when she's ready to front-face. Our reason for purchasing was also based on the fact we think we may have another child and in that event, we'll need another car seat anyways.
So, for a rundown, I recommend purchasing the following types of seats when you find yourself with child:
-Infant car seat/stroller set OR infant car seat (ensure it can click into strollers)
-Convertible car seat (which changes to front-facing, then booster seat)
While it was a very drawn out decision that took a lot of time and energy, I'm glad I spent so much time on it. It was ultimately the right decision for us and our family as of now. And the best part is, someone else seems to enjoy the new seat as well....
15 minutes into first car ride with the new seat:
