Will I regret not getting a carseat that goes with my pram?

[ananikifo]

DH and I bought a Mamas and Papas Sola in the Boots bank holiday sale. We are now debating whether we need a compatible carseat. I was quite convinced that we didn't, which is why I was happy to buy pram by itself, but now DH isn't sure and I'm wondering whether he's right.

I don't drive, so baby will not use the car seat very much during my mat leave, maybe 2-3 car trips per week, maximum. I would like to use a wrap-style carrier/sling as much as possible and would prefer it for a short walk or an hour during Sunday church services. I'm also conscious that infants shouldn't be in car seats for more than an hour.

DH does drive, and likes the idea of a travel system so we don't have to take the pram seat in the car when we go on trips. He points out that everyone else seems to leave their babies in carseats and none of their babies have been harmed that we know of.

The carseats that fit into the sola are on the expensive side but I'm wondering whether we will regret buying a cheap one instead. Obviously the sales associate at Mamas and Papas has worked her magic on me because I'm starting to doubt my original plan not to worry about having a travel system.

I would really appreciate some advice from more experienced parents. We're first-timers dealing in hypotheticals at the moment!

[DoTheBestThingsInLifeHaveFleas]

I am afraid that yes I do think you may need a car seat that fits into the pram. This is just my personal preference, but I found it really valuable. Although you may have a super chilled baby and not have a c section and therefore be happy lifting baby in and out a lot. Also depends on where you live and how much car travel you need to do. Mine was in the car everyday, so for a quick pop to the local shop, it was ideal. Obvioulsy for longer trips you need the pram part anyway as they can't be in car seat for too long. I would recomend getting a good car seat though and an isofix base. I know they are lots of money, but if you need to budget maybe do it on other things and not a car seat. Sorry to sound preachy....

[DoTheBestThingsInLifeHaveFleas]

p.s. good luck with your new baby, enjoy!

[MrsWooster]

you will regret it, but only a bit and only for a few months so it depends HOW expensive the carseat is... You could always sell the carseat on ebay as soon as s/he moves up into the next size(which will be quicker than you think) and recoup some of the money?

[stickortwist]

I dont think you will. I never got the hoiking car seat out of car to put baby on top of buggy. Car seats are bulky heavy and a pita to carry without banging your leg. Small babies are lighter and more snuggly and easy to move in and put or car seat ans carry about
buy yourself a nice postnatal treat instead

[ThedementedPenguin]

My car seat was compatible with my pram. I think I attached it twice so far.

I preferred to lift baby out and put in carry cot instead.

[Shybairns]

It can be convenient to have a compatible seat, but really it isn't essential. And as you don't drive I really wouldn't worry about it at all.
Yes I preferred to lift baby out of car seat into the pram.

[Restorer]

I actually used the car seat attachment when I was out walking with the pram. it was particularly useful when I went to baby/toddler groups or clinics where there wasn't room to take the pram in. I could lift the seat off and take that in with me, leaving the wheels outside. Although thinking about it, that was probably for DS2 when I had a toddler too.

That said, it is astounding how quickly they grow out of the first stage seat, so as MrsW says, if it does turn out to be a mistake, you will only regret it for a matter of weeks.

[IdaClair]

I have got a birth to 4 car seat (Britax First Class) so I never take it out of the car at all. I don't really see why I would need to (and I don't have a super chilled baby either, wish I did )

I don't actually have a pram either so maybe that makes a difference. I guess it's about what you're used to. It seems a lot of faffing about and equipment to me, all the special attachments and baby seats and clipping and all that stuff. I did the whole travel system thing with my first, used it less than 10 times, sold it and bought a sling and the above first class.

I'm in a similar position in that I don't drive the car myself, DH does, so for day to day trips we just use wrap and go. If we need to go in a car we all get strapped in the car in our various seats, and if we need to get out of the car - well, we all get out!

[yummymumtobe]

I don't think I'd necessary. We had a maxi cosi as it was compatible with our bugaboo bee and we never took the car seat out. Just transferred baby straight into buggy.

[Namely]

I have the Mamas and Papas Zoom and went for the travel system. When DS was a little baby I always put him in the pram section but now he has outgrown that I often leave him in the carseat. I find it invaluable if he is sleeping. Plop sleeping baby onto wheels and off we go. Saying that if he is awake I ALWAYS put him in the pushchair and will never leave him for more than an hour generally in carseat without getting him out and carrying him for a bit/sitting him on my lap in cafe. It is most useful in retail parks when you want to pop in and out. I do have friends which use the carseat instead of a pushchair. I don't think they look that comfortable for long periods. If I am walking from home it's always the pushchair. I would go as far as to say that the ISOFIX base is the best baby paraphernalia I own.

[Knittingnovice]

I have probably used the fact that my car seat goes onto the pram body maybe 20 times since we bought the pushchair for DS in 2008.

The car seat is now being used for DD2, having also been used for DD1.

3 of those times were to bring the babies home from hospital.

1 was for DS first Christmas, where I got the train to my parents and they didn't have a car seat, so I took mine.

DH probably uses it more than me. I hate the faff (cars haven't DH isofix, so car seat needed to be unbelted each time), and love snuggling the babies into carrycots, with blankets etc.

[ananikifo]

Thanks for the advice. I have a history of buying cheap and regretting my purchases, but then again you get a lot of mixed signals about what babies really need. We also got a bit confused because DH was saying carrycot when he meant 0+ car seat, and he thought car seats were the big ones you don't remove form the car.

I've heard you shouldn't buy a used car seat so I wouldn't sell one, either. Any opinions on this?

If it's really important we can budget for it, and shop around, but I didn't want to waste money on things we don't need, or only think we need because of a pushy sales pitch. Are expensive car seats really safer than cheap ones? Don't they all meet the same standards? Our car is too old for isofix, if that makes a difference.

[lagoonhaze]

Id borrow a decent infant carrier and save the money for an extended rear facing seat when they are older.

//www.Rearfacing.co.UK

[sillymillyb]

I wasted money soooooooooo much money on car seats/ buggys by trying to be cheap. I started out with a cheap buggy with no compatible car seat, then I bought the quinny zapp as my cheap buggy was like a tank. Then I bought the maxi cosy pebble as having no compatible car seat was making my life so much harder. I used it for when baby fell asleep in car to transfer to buggy, to take him to his classes, for keeping him safe at the swimming pool. I wish I'd bitten the bullet and got compatible car seat in the beginning!

[Namely]

I think that the advice of not buying second hand car seats is that you don't know their history. I would feel comfortable selling mine on in the future if I knew that it hadn't been in an accident.

I don't think that having a travel system is imperative. Especially if you don't drive, it probably would get used much!

[Namely]

wouldn't

[ArabellaBeaumaris]

I don't think you will miss one really. It would probably be different if you drove every day but since you don't, I doubt it. I haven't had one - also don't drive myself - & I can't remember ever regretting it.

[Beatrixpotty]

Mine is compatible but how many times have I attached it to the wheels this time...zero!You will not miss it.If my baby is asleep in the car he rarely wakes up on transfer to the pram or if he does,I carry him around in a sling for a bit.Much less heavy than lifting out the car seat.This is my 3rd baby.I did use the car seat & wheels together with DS1 when we did a few long train journeys.It was good to have him in the car seat on the train and useful to have it on the wheels to get to the station but unless you plan to do lots of travel like that I wouldn't bother.

[olivertheoctopus]

My DC are 4 and 2 with DC3 due in July and I have never once used the adaptor thing we bought to fix our car seat to the pram and don't expect to. Put baby in car seat, drive to destination, unfold buggy, take baby out of car seat, put into pram. Simples. Don't really understand need for 'travel system' at all.

[olivertheoctopus]

And I used to leave the infant carrier seat in the car rather than bring it into the house. As poster above says, it is a right PITA lugging a heavy seat around.

[Smartiepants79]

I would miss mine A LOT. Use it every day and find it the most convenient for my life. But I use my car every day.
If I didn't I might do it differently!

[KB02]

I had separate car seat and pram and all second hand. I hardly got the car seat out of the car as very heavy and bulky as others have said I didn't feel like I Was missing anything not having a travel system. I did a bit of research on second hand car seats and advice seemed to be know the history of the seat ie that it has not been in crash and check for wear on straps also it should be less than 6 years old due to UV weakening plastic.

[NaturalBaby]

I had one so can't comment on what it's like to not have one but did find a carrycot/cocoon very useful as an alternative when out on foot - it's nice to have somewhere to put the baby down if a buggy won't fit or is too much hassle. There are plenty of little spaces a buggy won't go in but something like a car seat or carry cot can be squeezed in or lifted over furniture or put on a table. I didn't have full sized ones, just the soft fabric type that fitted into the buggy seat (phil & teds cocoon).