Is a Convertible Car Seat Safe for an Infant?

I'll vote for the 'bucket' or infant carrier as well. Although it seems like a pain and you'll only use if for 4-6 mos (more if you have small babies) it makes that 4-6 months a total breeze. Babies sleep pretty much non-stop and don't like to be awakened for any reason. Make their life easier by taking letting them sleep in the bucket and get toted everywhere they go...life with babies the first 4-6 mo's, until they get into a regular nap schedule, can be easy enough because infants can bring their bed with them wherever they go.

We also bought a Britax at 7 mos as the baby grew out of the bucket and have used the Britax ever since the kids were old enough.

Congrats on the little one!

I would still go with an infant seat even though you say you don't need one. That way you can carry the baby in and out of the car/store/doctor office, etc. How else would you do this without one? I would use the convertible one around 6-8 months old depending on how big your baby is and still rear facing.

Just my thoughts.

A convertible car seat is safe. Although many moms wrote that the infant one is easier when baby is little, you can keep baby sleeping when you leave the car by carrying baby in a sling, Ergo, or Maya wrap carrier. I have several friends who never take their car seat out of the car when baby is tiny - they take their baby out of the car seat and keep baby close to their body. Baby continues sleeping because baby is so comfortable next to mom. If you want more information on babywearing or the types of sling carriers available, check out www.mothering.com or www.llli.org. Look under resources and find a local meeting for a La Leche League meeting near you. If you attend a La Leche meeting, there will be many mothers there excited to share their carrier favorites and show you how they work. You are encouraged to attend a meeting when you are pregnant, and finding information about carriers early on is very helpful. Good luck!

The convertible seats are safe for infants although I agree that the infant ones are easier for the first few months of life because you can take them with you unless you plan on carrying him/her in a sling or something everywhere you go. The infant seats are easy to bring into restraunts, grocery stores etc once my baby was awake more and able to sit up on her own is when we went with the convertable seat (britax is the best!) Definatly something to think about. Do you have a friend or someone who has a infant seat laying around that you could borrow? I wouldnt buy a new one for sure just because they aren't in them for that long (well some are but mine never were)

They are safe. Babies 'R Us has some great head rests for about $20 that would work then until the baby outgrows a five point harness, so the head wouldn't wobble. I would have done that if we hadn't been given a carrier. Congratulations!

Newborn babies look tiny in ANY carseat! Neither of my kids slept in the car, so I did not use the detachable carrier for that reason. They do come in handy if you go out to eat, or grocery shopping as you can place the seats in a highchair or grocery cart. I have friends who used slings for these times, so did not use a carrier seat.

My mom is a volunteer with Drive Smart, who provides car seats for $25 and installs them correctly. There is a director with her who does not like the detachable carrier seats, claiming they could fly out in a crash.

We moved our kids into convertible seats around 4 months. We went with the Britax Decathalon seats. We chose them b/c they were rated the safest and both kids STOPPED CRYING when placed in them. They were very expensive, but we felt it was worth it - they will use them for several years!

One other thought - will the baby go in more than 1 car? Carrier seats are easier to use b/t cars, since you buy 2 bases and just click the seats in, and don't have to buy 2 carseats yet. They don't last forever, though, so you will have a dilema in the future. Our kids primarily go in my car, so we have the Britax seats in there, and some less expensive seats in our truck that they are in once a month or so.

This was a long post - sorry, but I hope it was helpful. Follow your heart - only you know what's right for your baby!! Good luck!

I chose convertible car seats for both my boys because I use carriers that keep them up against me during infancy. They worked great and they are totally safe, you just have to check the pounds allowed because some look like convertible seats, but are actually boosters. And like with other car seats, you get what you pay for. My favorite were the Evenflo Triumph, but there are even nicer ones out there. I didn't have to switch them to different car seats later either, which was a plus.

I agree. Get an infant car seat. Even if you do not think you need it, they sleep sooooo much and really you do not want to interrupt them by taking them in and out of a convertable car seat. I do have a convertable car seat and I put my daughter in it around 6-8 months. It is wonderful and she did great in it.

Also, just my thoughts.