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Infant Car Seats |
Choosing Between an Infant Car Seat or Convertible
One of the early decisions troubling you as you research child
safety seats may be: “Do I get an infant car seat or a
convertible child car seat?”.
This article will help you decide which you need. First, it
describes each type and their use. Then it provides comparisons
of cost, advantages, and disadvantages. Finally, it summarizes
with a recommendation based on our personal experience and
provides a final point of consideration.
Safety Seats For Infants - Types and Use
Infant Car Seats are infant carrier type safety seats. These are
the almost bassinet like seats that snugly cradle your baby. They
can only be used for infants. You put your baby into the car seat
and then transfer the car seat into your vehicle. Infant car seats
snap on to a stay-in-car base. This makes it quick and easy get
them in and out of your vehicle. A multi-point harness
(recommended by safety experts) secures your baby in the seat.
The seat has a foldable handle. The handle enables you to carry
the infant car seat while your infant is securely seated inside.
Infant car seats have a retractable canopy. This shields your
baby from weather and sunlight.
Convertible Child Car Seats are safety seats that can be used
as an infant car seat and then as a child car seat. They are
installed rear-facing for infants and forward facing for toddlers
and children. They remain installed in your car. They cannot be
used to carry around your baby. You transfer your baby into the
car seat while it is your vehicle. These types of seats also use a
multi-point harness to secure your child.
Combination Child Car Seats are similar to convertibles except
they can also be used as a booster seat when your child is older.
Cost Comparison
From a cost point of view it’s hard to say which route is
less expensive. Prices for all types of child safety seats vary
widely. The difference between the most expensive convertible
or combination and the least expensive can be over $100. The
cost of a good combination seat may be equivalent to the total
cost of buying an infant car seat, a child car seat, and a booster
seat. Even with a combination seat there is no guarantee that
you will not have to buy a separate booster seat if you child
becomes too big for the combination seat.
Pros and Cons Comparison
What are the advantages and disadvantages of each? Why would
you choose one over the other? Here are the advantages and
disadvantages of each type, starting with infant car seats.
Infant Car Seats - Advantages
The main advantage of an infant car seat is you don’t have
to disturb your baby as you move them in and out of your
vehicle. Virtually all infant car seats have a stay-in-car base that
the infant car seat snaps on to. You just lift the infant car seat
into your vehicle and snap it onto the base. This is a simple as
placing the seat on the base, there are no levers or handles to
fiddle with. To remove, you just pull an easily reached handle and
lift the infant car seat off the base. The whole time your baby can
be peacefully sleeping, undisturbed.
Many, but not all infant car seats, can also be used in the car
without the base, a handy feature. (See resources at the end of
this article to learn which infant car seats have this handy
feature.)
Convertible and combination car seats require you to
transfer your baby into the car seat while it is in your
vehicle. To remove your baby you have to undo the harness and
then lift them out. Remember, all this is done with the car seat
facing backwards. This means you have to get into the back seat
of your car and reach into the car seat, somewhat awkward to
do. It’s not much trouble with newborns, but with older and
heavier babies this can become more awkward or difficult.
Infant car seats fit infants better. With less space on either
side of the baby and higher sides they cradle an infant better as
well as provide more side protection. The shoulder strap slots of
infant car seats are also better positioned (lower) for more
security. For these reasons many people consider infant car seats
to be safer for babies than convertible or combination car seats.
Another advantage of an infant car seat is that it serves as
a baby carrier. You can stroll through the mall carrying your
sleeping baby in the infant car seat. Or you can snap the car seat
onto a stroller base.
Many infant car seats are part of stroller systems. These
are strollers that accommodate an infant car seat. Later, they can
be used as a regular toddler stroller. You can also get universal
strollers. These are strollers with a frame that will accept most
infant car seats. Universal strollers can not be used as a regular
toddler stroller. (See resources at the end of the article for more
about stroller systems.)
The adjustable canopy of an infant car seat is another
advantage. Convertible/combination seats do not have a
canopy. The canopy protects your baby from the weather and the
hot sun. Use it to protect your baby’s eyes from direct sunlight
while riding in the car. When you are driving with the sun to the
rear of your vehicle the strong light shines through the rear
window and into your baby’s face. This is can make your baby hot
and the glare can be irritating. There’s also potential for damage
to their eyes if they stare at the sun. The canopy can be
positioned to prevent this.
Infant car seats have curved bottoms, some with no-slip
rubber pads. This permits you to rock your baby while they are
in the car seat. Of course, this does not work when the infant car
seat is in your vehicle.
Beside making it easier to carry an infant car seat, the
foldable handle can be used to dangle baby toys in front of
your infant. It can also serve like a tent pole to support any
covering you might want to place over your baby while they are
in the infant car seat. The handle folds all the way back to the
floor to stabilize the infant car seat and prevent rocking. This is
a safety feature as well as a convenience.
Infant Car Seats - Disadvantages
About the only disadvantage of the infant car seat is that
it has limited life. After your baby is about one year old they
will need a toddler car seat. If you have a larger baby they might
out grow an infant car seat even sooner. This mean you’ll be
shopping for another child safety seat within a year. On the other
hand, if you plan on having another baby soon you’ll need
multiple safety seats anyhow.
Another disadvantage is that infant car seats do not have
side pockets like child car seats. Side pockets are handy for
storing toys, bottles, snacks, books or other items.
Convertible/Combination Car Seats - Advantages
The main advantage of the combination child car seats is
“one-stop shopping”. You only need one child safety seat as
your child grows. A combination seat can be used for an infant,
toddler, and young child. A convertible seat can be used for an
infant and toddler, you will still need to get a booster when they
are older. So, you will spend less time shopping for child safety
seats as your child grows.
Any cost advantage depends on how much you want to
spend. You could buy a combination seat for less than the total
cost of an infant car seat and child car seat, or you could spend
more. It just depends on what you want to get. If you compare
the total cost of raising a child with the initial cost spent on safety
seats, then any savings in safety seats is trivial.
Child car seats have side pockets and/or trays, infant car
seats do not. These are handy for storing toys, bottles, snacks,
books or other items.
Convertible/Combination Car Seats - Disadvantages
Although combination seats can be used as a booster seat
you may find your child becomes too big to use it. So you
might have to buy a separate booster seat. In which case paying
the extra cost of the combination car seat for the booster aspect
is wasted.
As mentioned in the infant car seat advantages, you will
have to transfer your baby in and out of convertible/
combination car seats. This can be awkward because you have
to climb into the back seat to accomplish this, unlike infant car
seats which you just lift it in and place on the base. With
convertible/combination seats there is also the risk of disturbing
a sleeping baby as you make the transfer. There’s even the risk
of fumbling your baby or bumping their head as you climb in and
out of your vehicle holding them in your arms.
You may think this highly unlikely, and it is, but
circumstances could occur that would result in this type of
accident. For example, a heavy rain causes you to rush or you
are hurrying for an appointment. Perhaps you slip on some ice
while getting into or out of your vehicle. With an infant car seat
your baby is safe and secure during the whole process.
Another disadvantage with convertible/combination
seats is that you will require a separate infant stroller or
carriage for your baby. Otherwise, you’ll have to carry your
baby in your arms or a baby carrier like Baby Bjorn or Snugli. In
contrast, infant car seats act as a carrier as well as a car seat.
A final disadvantage with convertible/combination seats
is that they may not fit your baby as well as an infant car
seat. The shoulder straps slots may not be low enough for a good
fit. This is especially true with tiny infants such as preemies.
Since child car seats must eventually accommodate a child they
are wider than an infant car seat, so spacing on either side of
your baby may be excessive. Infant car seats are designed to
cradle your baby snugly and provide more side protection.
Summary
Hopefully, this article provided enough information to help you
decide between an infant car seat or a convertible/combination
child car seat. Our recommendation based, on personal
experience, is to use an infant car seat. We have experienced no
regrets.
A final point for consideration. Many hospitals recommend an
infant car seat. In fact, some maternity wards insist you use one.
They want to see you carry your baby out of the ward in an infant
car seat. This was the case each time when we left with both of
our newborn sons.
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