Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU unreasonable for wanting a different car seat

28 replies

gimmeadoughnut123 · 14/01/2019 09:12

We went in to Mothercare recently to buy one of the car seats that is suitable from birth to 4 years, that turns 360 so it's easier to get baby in and out.

The shop assistant was baffled that I wanted one because we already have a maxi cosy car seat and isofix base, I got it from a friend. I explained that I wasn't against using it as a carry cot/on my pram, but I wasn't a fan of putting baby in it before we go out, having her in the car in it, putting it on the pram when we go out...yes it would be easier for me, but that's quite a long time for a baby to be in the exact same position and can't be good for them in the long run. A few friends don't use them for this reason.
WIBU? She couldn't get her head around why I wanted something else and was quite resistant to chatting to use about the two others we were looking at. In the end I spoke with a different store colleague (as car seats, to me, are a minefield) who understood why we might want something different to be permanently in the car.

We will use the maxi cosy anyway in my husband's car on the odd occasion, but baby will primarily be in the family car (his car is the to and from work run around).

Is our decision really that odd? I know it doesn't matter, truth be told, if we are willing to carry baby to and from the car or put her in and out of the carry cot. I think it's one of those situations where you over analyse every eye brow raise you get (our first baby!)

OP posts:
welshweasel · 14/01/2019 09:19

Just leave the seat permanently in the car - there’s no need to carry baby around in it. The safest way for a newborn to travel is in an infant seat, not a birth to 4 seat. If you’re particularly interested in car safety then you’ll be wanting to keep them rear facing as long as possible in which case the joie isn’t a great choice as it only rear faces to 18kg, whereas other seats rear face to 25kg. So yes I think you’re making an odd decision!

2isabella2 · 14/01/2019 09:21

I would just keep the seat in the car and would buy a new one at this stage - but it's not up to the staff at mothercare to judge your decision!

BertieBotts · 14/01/2019 09:24

The Joie 360 is perfectly fine. There's nothing wrong with what you've decided. However if you're concerned about the positioning of the maxi cosi, I wouldn't use it on a pram at all. Use a proper carry cot or a lie flat pram seat.

BertieBotts · 14/01/2019 09:28

You might wish to use the maxi cosi at first anyway because it's smaller and more cocooned for a newborn. I'm not sure which exact seat you have but sind if the birth to 4 seats can be a bit too upright for a newborn.

We don't use our infant car seat on the pram for long periods but it is pretty useful to be able to bundle the baby up with blankets etc over the straps (because you shouldn't put them in bulky clothing under the straps) and resettle them in the seat by rocking it or pushing it back and forth on the pram wheels, before taking it to the car when it's cold and when they are little and it's hard to get the straps adjusted around them.

categed · 14/01/2019 09:28

Keep the seat in car, don't use it on pram, the problem is with positioning in a car seat so carrycot on pram is better.
Depends how long you want to rear face, my dd is 6 and still rear faces in a two way elite and an axkid minikid.
However if you aren't sure of the history of current car seat or it's a good few years old then you get rid and getva new one xx

peachgreen · 14/01/2019 09:30

Group 0 car seats are the safest - I didn't switch DD until I had to. The only time I took her car seat out was if she was asleep in it - usually I took her out and put her in the proper pram.

Original poster
gimmeadoughnut123 · 14/01/2019 09:34

Bertiebotts Yeah we have a proper newborn carry cot for the pram. We bought it 2nd hand off a friend but the travel system consists of the car seat, newborn carry cot, stroller bit and the pram itself and rain cover. My plan was just to use the newborn carry cot bit to take baby to the car, put them in the car seat, take them out and put them back in so that they can lie flat (as a newborn obviously).

Think I get a bit worried as obviously being a new parent, there's so many different ways of doing things, and I had read they shouldn't remain in their car seat for more than 2 hours. So I thought doing it the way we have chosen to would be best for baby. But panicked when the shop assistant couldn't understand why.

If you’re particularly interested in car safety then you’ll be wanting to keep them rear facing as long as possible in which case the joie isn’t a great choice as it only rear faces to 18kg, whereas other seats rear face to 25kg. So yes I think you’re making an odd decision!

Even car seats like the Britax Romer are rear facing up to 18kg. We have been advised with dad seats like that, you are paying over £400 for extensive safety testing.
And although it is legal for a child to be forward facing after 18kg, it doesn't mean you have to do this, and you can keep the rear facing for as long as is sensibly possible.

I wanted a 360 car seat as I find it awkward getting babies in to position in some of the fixed car seats. My Mil has one and you have to do this really weird manouvere with yourself and the baby to get them in. I just wanted to turn it towards me, put baby in and check everything is adjusted properly, then face them back rearwards without having to do my back in leaning sideways.

OP posts:
peachgreen · 14/01/2019 09:36

If the car seat only does rear facing to 18kg you have to forward face after 18kg...

Jackshouse · 14/01/2019 09:37

The 0+ group is safest. I did not use it out of the house but I found it easiest to put fasten her in the seat in the house and the take seat to the car but there is no reason you can’t leave the seat in the car.

Then when they are ready get the next car seat size up.

I have read some concerns about the swivel chairs and we have managed fine without them.

On Facebook car seat advice UK is really helpful. When looking at the car safety the Swedish test is the best.

Original poster
gimmeadoughnut123 · 14/01/2019 09:38

You might wish to use the maxi cosi at first anyway because it's smaller and more cocooned for a newborn.

I dismantled the shop slightly and rearranged to check the car seat we have against the ones we were considering. It declines as much as the maxi cosi would and has the inserts so it looks like they will be able to position themselves in the same way :) I was in there for 2 hours doing this!

OP posts:
PeaQiwiComHequo · 14/01/2019 09:40

if you aren't using the maxi-cosi in the car I wouldn't advise using the seat in pram mode as default. you are quite right that it's not good for a little one to be curled upon a car seat all the time. those kinds of travel systems are ideal if you are doing a school-run type thing where you will be bundling baby plus older kids into a car, driving 15 mins, everyone out of the car to walk older kids into playground then back to car and drive another 15mins (possibly stopping off at a shop) then home. with the msxicosi a baby can sleep all through undisturbed.

if you aren't going to be hoiking the baby in and out of the car every 10minutes then use a proper flat pram which is much better for the baby's back and hips.

Original poster
gimmeadoughnut123 · 14/01/2019 09:44

PeaQiwiComHequo thank-you. I don't do quick trips at the moment - I might drive somewhere and walk with the dog for 40 mins, or drive to my mum's then go out with her for a bit, or whatever. Which is one of the reasons I didn't think I would bother with the maxi cosi and would prefer to pop them in the lay flat carry cot. Although we will keep it anyway as it will certainly be useful to have.

OP posts:
Original poster
gimmeadoughnut123 · 14/01/2019 09:47

Thank you all for your replies, it has made me feel less odd about my decision. When looking at everything I've found there are so many different options, ways, and opinions on how to do things - so I worry myself!

The maxi cosi will be handy for going in my mum's car as she does do very quick trips in and out of Sainsbury's etc, but for us I think a permanently fixed car seat and lay flat carry cot would be better.

OP posts:
Whatamuddleduck · 14/01/2019 09:54

Maybe think about a lay flat car seat? We have the evoluna which has been fab. Safer for longer journeys and safer to use in travel system so can take sleeping baby out of car and onto wheels without worrying. Found it so helpful. Especially in last years heatwave, could drive sleeping baby to park, put in wheels and position under tree in a cool breeze!

StowawayJo · 14/01/2019 10:00

If you wanted to continue to rear face post 18kg the Britax 2 way elite is what you want and it's only £185. We have 3 of them for us and grandparents as they're quite cheap in car seat terms but so decent and the rear facing til 25kg is important to us as our child is big! (Tall and born heavy)not suitable for a newborn but is a good next seat after newborn stage subject to height and weight if your baby.

ExFury · 14/01/2019 10:02

I found the easiest car seat was the maxi cosi and base. But I always left it in the car, never attached it to the pram.

Just unclipped it, turned it toward me, undone straps and lifted out baby. Then the reverse on the way back.

So you could easily use it he maxi cosi but still use the lay flat carrycot

Imalittleelf · 14/01/2019 10:06

I had the cosatto set. I found it very useful if popping to the shop to be able to take the car seat out of the car and put it in the tray of the trolley or in the trolley to whizz round rather than dealing with straps and waking baby. Also the babt seats in trolleys don't look very comfortable.

If doing a longer stint would put baby in the carry cot bit instead.

Did that for the first couple of months until baby was big enough to go into the pram element so would transfer every tine.

The car seat also useful if going to doctors etc as I could carry them in. Without having to get out of the seat etc.

Also as I didn't have a car all the time my mum also had a isofix base so she could give me lifts without having to need a whole other car seat.

I used the cosatto until baby was about 8 months then went for the cybex which goes up to age 4. This did have a New born wedge but took it out. My dd stayed rear facing until 16 months. However will put her rear facing if doing a long journey as it's meant to be safer.

The cybex doesn't swivel but I don't have at trouble getting her in and out and doing the straps. Taken her out asleep a number of times and she stays asleep.

It is down to personal preference though and what you might find easier in the long run for yourself. But don't under estimate being able to take baby out of the car in situ within the seat. Especially if it's cold, wet, busy or you are on your own.

Mummyoflittledragon · 14/01/2019 10:06

I also would look at a lie flat car seat. If you take your dc in and out of the car seat they will most likely wake up and may scream. Perhaps not right now. But it’s much more difficult to transpose a baby as they get older.

Yorkshirepudding1987 · 14/01/2019 10:07

Group 0 is the safest though, so I can see where the shop assistant is coming from.

I have a joie 360 now but didn't put ds in it until he was 10 months and no longer fit in his maxi cosi group 0.

It's your choice but personally I'd use the safest.

The handle on the maxi cosi also helps protect the baby if your car rolls.

SoyDora · 14/01/2019 10:11

Get whatever car seat best fits your circumstances.
We have a maxi cosi group 0 with isofix that comes in and out, but I don’t take it out of the car and use it with the travel system, I just take the baby out and put him in his carrycot.

SoyDora · 14/01/2019 10:12

I’ve never really spoke to the shop assistants in enough detail for them to form judgements on my purchases Grin

coconutpie · 14/01/2019 12:27

A group 0 seat is the safest for an infant. Not a 0-4 year old seat. You can use the seat that swivels when your DC is older but you should be using a group 0 seat for as long as possible. And you can rear face up to 25kg with quite a few carseats, not the one you bought though.

coconutpie · 14/01/2019 12:28

And if you want to give your DC a break from car seat / pram, why don't you buy yourself a decent sling as that will be much more suitable when you're out walking your dog?

BertieBotts · 14/01/2019 14:00

Shop assistants have piss poor training in car seats.

I wouldn't worry, what you've got is fine. Either of them.

Stringofpearls · 14/01/2019 14:04

Our car seat could be put flat when on the pram to make it safer for newborn to stay in. Now that she's older she stays upright in it, but it was great to have the flexibility without moving her in and out of different seats.

Swipe left for the next trending thread