Carseats - Blue Point,NY

Use a convertible car seat and tilt it back a bit more. Carry him in a Moby Wrap and face him out. He'll love it and you'll have 2 hands free....AND get some weight bearing exercise. ;)

If your carseat is only rated for 20#, he needs to be moved out of it...... I agree with getting a good carrier for when you are out and about. We love our Ergo. And most grocery stores have the carts with an infant seat attached so you could always put him in that when you shop.

I just recently ordered a "Deluxe Shopping Cart Strap" from onestepahead.com that should suit your purpose perfectly. It is a thick strap that goes around your baby's body and secures to the shopping cart with thick velcro on the backside. I bought it mainly because I was sick of scouring store parking lots for carts that didn't have broken straps. Should be able to hold your son upright very well if you make it tight.

the Graco my ride 65 is a great option! We have one for my son, it can be rear or foward facing. It is slightly reclined which is nice for a baby who can't sit up or even for a child who can because its more comfortable for sleeping in the car.

Baby carrier like a Baby Bjorn or Moby Wrap?

I believe I have seen shopping cart covers with a sholder harness, so you could google that.

Also, could you keep the infant seat for shopping cart trips. Just put it in your trunk and use it to cart him around in stores and such. Also, soem supermarkets have carts with nfact seats.

Obviously, if you don't think he is safe in teh infat car seat, you need to move to a covertable even if it means carrying him in your arms.

He actually needs practice sitting up on his own to develop strength. I couldn't use my Baby Bjorn in the store or at home becuase I have a bad back. My kids always sat in the grocery cart with the grocery seat cover, seatbelt and a towel rolled up on each side, but I didn't take my eye off them for a second and always stayed very close by. Also, 5 months is around the time when they start to lift their head off the ground when tummy down on the floor and trying to roll. Both my sons were moved into the Britax convertible seat as soon as they turned 20 lbs per my pediatrician's request. I think most infant car seats have a max weight limit too. You should check. He will be fine. Keeping him from sitting and working on his neck muscle strength will delay what he is going to do anyway. Good luck!

My son couldn't sit up on his own for a couple months after i HAD to put my son in a bigger seat. The bottom line is that you baby NEEDS to go on to a different seat that will hold him safely. I did get a carrier and it saved me, but I also helped my son out with sitting in the seat (we didn't go out much so this was fun to try and get him to sit) I have a sleepy wrap now and I love it! It hold my son who is a big boy too (at three months he weighed 22 lbs and 25 inches. Now he is 10 months, 30 lbs, and 30 inches). The more you help him to sit, the faster he will learn too.

Hi,

Why don't you put him in a stroller or baby bjorn carrier? I got everything done while wearing my baby--really helps and keeps them happy as a clam!

M

get a good carrier (I prefer the ergo its one of the most comfortable ones) and wear him.

i'd switch him to the marathon, and keep the infant seat in your trunk to use in a grocery store cart until he can sit on his own.

You have a few more pounds and inches before you outgrow the Graco Snugfit. I believe it is 24 lbs 29".

We took our son out of the Graco at 7.5 months because he was just too heavy for me to carry in it anymore...and he was about 20 lbs at that point.

We have a Britax Marathon too, and he is doing great in it. He wasn't sitting totally on his own at 7.5 months but was almost there.

If it were me, I would try to suck it up for a little longer. Just because it will be hard when you go shopping. Where will you put him? Unless you have a baby carrier...that may work?

An infant car seat is outgrown when the child reaches the max weight limit or there is less than one inch of shell above his head.

Sounds like its time for a convertible car seat. If your older daughter is under age 6 leave her in the Marathon and get your son his own seat. A harness is much safer for your older child than a booster seat. A Graco Myride65 is $150 and will rear face your son to 40lbs nad forward face to 65lbs. Should fit him until he's 6yrs old or so in the harness.

Please google EXTENDED REAR FACING and JOELS JOURNEY for more information on keeping your son rear facing and your daughter in a harness car seat.

When rear facing the harness should come from just at or below the shoulders. The chest clip should be level with the armpits and the harness should be snug as a hug, not able to pinch the harness. A rear facing car seat is outgrown when the child reaches the weight limit or there is less than one inch of hard shell above the head.

When forward facing, the harness should come from just at or above the shoulders. the chest clip should be level with the armpit and the harness should be snug as a hug. A forward facing car seat is outgrown when on of three things happens; the child goes over the weight limit, the shoulders go over the top harness slot, or the tips of the ears are level with the seat back.

If your child isn't sitting up yet, and at 5mos he should be at least able to support himself if he's in a shopping cart and buckled in. get a shopping cart cover with a shoulder harness and use that, or sling your baby while shopping.

I agree with just carrying him in some sort of something until he can sit. We had to move my son at the same age and that's what I did. Besides, that carrier was too heavy for me to carry on my own with him in it, plus make sure the older one was coming along too! I had both a Maya Wrap and a Baby Bjorn and I liked the Bjorn for this stage b/c he could see out easier and it was a snap to do in the parking lot. Any of them are pretty easy once you get the hang of it, but if he's that big, you aren't going to be using it for long, so see if you can borrow one. My son is 11 months and probably about 28lbs, so I feel you! The Maya wrap I could still use with him now, which I have, but he is so squirmy he doesn't like being confined to my hip! ;)

Do you have a regular stroller? It's just as easy to put him in there and put him back in the car seat. Once you start doing it you'll realize it's not as big of an incovneience as it seems now that you rely on the carrier so much. In a regular stroller he'll be able to sit up and look out and it will be much better! You can use the over the shoulder straps to help keep him secure and it will also help strengthen his core!

I would get a front pack for grocery shopping, and move the baby up to a Britax, we have the boulevard and love it, we had to move our daughter up really early too because she was maxing out in height and weight and just wasn't comfortable anymore.

Please don't put continue to use a car seat that he exceeds the height or weight limits for - its unsafe. Convenience won't matter if you get into a car accident. Look in your manual for the limits, and follow them. Ditto googling EXTENDED REAR FACING and JOELS JOURNEY.

I'd also get a carrier. Since he is bigger, I'd look into an Ergo or Beco - super easy to use, and baby loves being carried and getting to look around. (Moby wrap is stretch is starts outliving its usefulness at around 15 lbs.) My son sits up well - has for a while now - but still loves being carried. This makes it easy to do - he is heavy in my arms!

My baby is big too, and he is much comfier in his new convertible seat (I got the Sunshine Kids Radian XTSL, which is rear facing to 45 lbs and forward facing to 80!) Happier kid on car trips.