Post by milfintraining on Mar 8, 2015 19:29:44 GMT -5
I feel like once I make a decision, I read reviews to change my mind. I have looked at Lucieslist too. I was looking at Chicco keyfit, but reviews on Amazon said its not shopping cart friendly unless you put it on the main basket. I know you're not supposed to do that, but until the baby can sit up I don't see other options. The grocery stores here have like one cart with the already mounted seat on it and with the weather (rain and snow) juggling a baby with an umbrella or putting baby in a carrier during those weather conditions doesn't seem ideal.
I just want a safe and lightweight infant car seat that is preferably under $200, that comes in and out of a car with ease, machine washable and energy absorbing fabric, a sun shade that actually blocks all of the sun from baby's face (read reviews on some wishing the canopy was bigger), and that can be put on shopping carts. Is this too much to ask?
I feel like once I make a decision, I read reviews to change my mind. I have looked at Lucieslist too. I was looking at Chicco keyfit, but reviews on Amazon said its not shopping cart friendly unless you put it on the main basket. I know you're not supposed to do that, but until the baby can sit up I don't see other options. The grocery stores here have like one cart with the already mounted seat on it and with the weather (rain and snow) juggling a baby with an umbrella or putting baby in a carrier during those weather conditions doesn't seem ideal.
I just want a safe and lightweight infant car seat that is preferably under $200, that comes in and out of a car with ease, machine washable and energy absorbing fabric, a sun shade that actually blocks all of the sun from baby's face (read reviews on some wishing the canopy was bigger), and that can be put on shopping carts. Is this too much to ask?
You could always baby wear in the store. That's what I plan to do. There is no good reason to knowingly put your baby in danger.
No carseat is made to click into a shopping cart. Not only do you risk the cart tipping over and injuring baby, this also damages the seats ability to correctly & securely click into the carseat base.
It's a lot easier to push a shopping cart if you're wearing the baby (and safer, too). Having a car seat on top of the car changes its center of gravity and makes it harder to push the cart. It's also tougher to see over it. We used a convertible (Britax Marathon) from birth, so no recommendations on infant car seats, but I think the Chicco Keyfit is generally considered to be a fantastic seat.
We had a chicco keyfit for DD1, but rarely used it. We didn't actually own a car and lived in a very pedestrian friendly area.
We just bought another chicco for DD2 and I know it will be a pain to take her out of the carseat to baby wear, but that is my plan too. My plan B is to try to do as much shopping as possible without bringing DDs.
Never ever ever click or balance your infant seat on the top of the shopping cart. It is so dangerous that some manufacturers have made it specifically so the seats don't fit (good for them!). The bucket should go in the main portion of the cart if you want to bring it into the store. I shopped like that plenty and just put the food around the seat or on the little seat.
I have the britax b-safe travel system (includes the infant seat) haven't used it yet but love it already. I heard good things about the Chicco Keyfit.
And I second what PP say about car seat safety and shopping carts.
Another vote for baby wearing in the grocery store. Its amazing and guarantees that my LO will sleep peacefully. We both love it.
I also have the britax bagile system and highly recommend. I am small and it is really really easy to get in and out of the car. I tend to see the stroller at non-grocery places where I dont need to carry so many items.
Join the car seats for the littles group on Facebook. They have a lot of great advise on there and can help with what fits in your specific car. I remember those days of having a car seat in the cart well - it's not ideal since it takes up space but its the safest spot for the seat - and looking back it was much easier than shopping these days chasing a 2 year old around the store
Edited to add - keyfit is what I would get next time around.
Post by milfintraining on Mar 11, 2015 0:30:17 GMT -5
Thanks ladies. I'm going to go to BRU and test out both Chicco and Britax and see how I do.
I'm interested in hearing from the baby wearers and how you deal with getting the baby in it when it's raining or snowing?
It rained all day today and I started thinking about what it would be like with baby in this weather. I generally don't use umbrellas unless it's a downpour.
I babywear when grocery shopping, and have all through the winter here. We use a Boba wrap (same thing as a Moby but cheaper), and in cold/bad weather I will put the wrap on at home. Baby goes in the carseat in thin layers, and when we get to the store I take him out and pop him right in the wrap. Takes less than a minute. He normally wears pants/socks, a long sleeve onesie, a fleece jacket, and a warm hat. If it's really cold or windy I'll toss a blanket over him until we get inside the building, just to keep the cold off his face. A little rain in the minute or two it takes to walk from the car to the store won't hurt, and baby won't get too cold that fast.
Thanks ladies. I'm going to go to BRU and test out both Chicco and Britax and see how I do.
I'm interested in hearing from the baby wearers and how you deal with getting the baby in it when it's raining or snowing?
It rained all day today and I started thinking about what it would be like with baby in this weather. I generally don't use umbrellas unless it's a downpour.
I live in Chicago so we just made it through a pretty cold winter. I hop in the backseat and put Ds in the ktan. Then I put my coat on over the ktan. If it is cold or rainy I will leave his hat on. I wrap my coat around him so that plus my body heat keeps him super snuggly and warm.
We have a keyfit that is 2 years old from our first kid and then moved up to a Britax when he outgrew it. It is SO ANNOYING when they move from the easy baby seat to the big kid seat - definitely one of the hardest adjustments we made along the way. Especially with the weather. I was not a baby wearer, but I might be with this one since now there are two of them. Plenty of PP mentioned the shopping cart thing - I know it's hard, but I put almost all the food in the seat and the kid in the bottom. My main comment is about the fabric - it seemed like the keyfits had a variety of different feel fabrics depending on the color. So feel those when you go to the store! Many of the canopies are all pretty much a joke regardless of brand I've noticed over the last couple years. Whatever you pick, you'll get used to and it'll seem like forever ago that you had to make the choice. Good luck
M/c and D&C Mar 2011 at 9.5 weeks, Chemical/MC Jan 2012
IVF June 2012 - 8R, 0F, Rescue ICSI gave us a 3dt of 2 (6 cell, 9+ cell), DS born 3/3/13
Operation Sibling, June 2014 - 10R, 5F, 5dt, DD born 3/7/15
Everyone Welcome!
I never had an infant seat for DD. I just don't have the upper body strength, and I don't like carrying a lot of stuff with me. We had and still have the Graco MyRide 65 for DD (now 3.5 years old). It was installed by a certified car seat inspector in the middle seat. I could then sit next to her seat while I put her in a baby carrier for shopping. This time around I am looking at convertible seats that recline and have adjustable height straps.
We have the Britax BSafe, although we just switched to the Chicco Nextfit for his convertible seat. He was outgrowing the seat length-wise and was getting heavy.
I liked the Keyfit's handle better, but I would have had to have purchased a more expensive and more bulky adapter for the stroller I wanted. With the Britax, the seat clicked in and the adapters were very unobtrusive for my City Versa. But Britax has come out with some new seats, so I'm not sure how they compare. They actually might have addressed my issue with the handle, but we still have many years before the expiration of our seat and won't need to re-purchase.
Have a read through here. Really, it's more about what seats don't work well with newborns, and that's typically the Snugride (22# version) and Baby Trend (with an odd exception). csftl.org/recommended-seats/#rfo
Post by milfintraining on Mar 15, 2015 3:20:36 GMT -5
Jessflar the car seat on the basket part of the shopping cart has been addressed and even acknowledged as a no no by me after others have given similar answers.
Thanks for the recommendations. I'm looking at Baby Trend then Gracco now.
Post by moonandback on Mar 15, 2015 11:40:36 GMT -5
On the grocery shopping in cold weather front - I will bring LO inside in his car seat then put him in the carrier and tuck the car seat in the under part of the basket, or just leave it in the big basket and pile groceries on top.
Then, I put him back in the seat so he is cozy on the walk back to the car. I carry it for this distance since the cart is usually full.
On the grocery shopping in cold weather front - I will bring LO inside in his car seat then put him in the carrier and tuck the car seat in the under part of the basket, or just leave it in the big basket and pile groceries on top.
Then, I put him back in the seat so he is cozy on the walk back to the car. I carry it for this distance since the cart is usually full.
On the grocery shopping front, I just put the seat in the main basket and then piled everything around him. I couldn't buy as much, but i just made sure that when they bagged everything to do it small enough so I could tuck around or put on the bottom of the cart to get it to the car. Also, I sometimes would add one of those small baskets they have for people picking up one or two things to the bottom so I could also put small items or meat down there.
Jessflar the car seat on the basket part of the shopping cart has been addressed and even acknowledged as a no no by me after others have given similar answers.
Thanks for the recommendations. I'm looking at Baby Trend then Gracco now.
The Baby Trend very rarely fits newborns, especially with the restriction that the harness must come from at or below the shoulders. The bottom harness position is 8" and most newbs are at 7". You may find yourself running out to get a different seat. Same goes with the Graco Snugride (with the 22" limit). The Snugride 30 & 35 are great.
If you're on a budget the Light n Comfy Elite or Comfy Carry Elite are great seats.
This can sometimes be the exception to the Baby Trend seats, but they don't all come with this insert and it still can have fit issues on smaller newbs.http://www.toysrus.com/buy/car-seats/baby-trend-ez-flex-loc-32-infant-car-seat-venice-cs47777-35045906
Jessflar the car seat on the basket part of the shopping cart has been addressed and even acknowledged as a no no by me after others have given similar answers.
Thanks for the recommendations. I'm looking at Baby Trend then Gracco now.
The Baby Trend very rarely fits newborns, especially with the restriction that the harness must come from at or below the shoulders. The bottom harness position is 8" and most newbs are at 7". You may find yourself running out to get a different seat. Same goes with the Graco Snugride (with the 22" limit). The Snugride 30 & 35 are great.
If you're on a budget the Light n Comfy Elite or Comfy Carry Elite are great seats.
This can sometimes be the exception to the Baby Trend seats, but they don't all come with this insert and it still can have fit issues on smaller newbs.http://www.toysrus.com/buy/car-seats/baby-trend-ez-flex-loc-32-infant-car-seat-venice-cs47777-35045906
That and the inertia are the seats we're looking at.
Post by bennieangel on Mar 17, 2015 12:52:00 GMT -5
On the cold weather front - we live in MN & I use the stroller (britax b-agile) click him in & tuck blankets around & then pull up the canopy on both the stroller & seat to block out any wind or precipitation. Then I push the stroller & use a basket, or the stroller is easy enough that I can push one handed & push the cart.
We just switched to his convertible & now I have to figure out a new strategy...
Then Comes Family, LLC is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising
program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.