Fixed seat or travel system - experiences please!

[hebs72]

Hi everyone

I'm currently torn between getting a fixed seat, like a Cybex Sirona or Britax Dualfix, or a travel system such as a Pebble. I'm swayed from one to the other, because:

We live out in the sticks, so it's a 25 minute journey to get even to the supermarket. The current guidance is that babies shouldn't be in a travel system for more than 1.5 - 2 hours, and getting down to do the weekly shop takes at least that, so I'd have to use a pram anyway. The same applies if we go for a day out - leaving the baby in a travel system doesn't seem to be an option.

My parents and parents-in-law are at least three hours away - in opposite directions - so again we're going to have to stop on route to take the baby out of the car.

I'm not very tall, so I'm not sure how long I'd be able / want to lift a baby in a travel system.

The swivelling action of the fixed seats looks brilliant, but how grumpy might a new baby be at being lifted out of a seat (especially if asleep) to be put in a pram?

This last is my main concern, and I guess we won't know if it's going to be a good sleeper or not, but I'd love to hear your experiences.

Thanks in advance

My friend had a cybex and loved the seat, but ended up buying a travel system anyway and used the other seat while her DD was small. For me, lifting DS out of the car in his car seat and pushing him around sainsburys was a much easier option than having to assemble the whole pram, drag him out of the car and put him in it. We were travelling down to Cornwall when DS was 2 months which was a 7 hour drive, I was explaining how I was planning to stop every few hours to get DS out following the 'rules' and she laughed and told me I was mad! She advised that unless baby is on there constantly having them in for a good few hours every so often won't cause any problems (as long as they're in safely, of course).

We moved him to the next car seat up at 10months which obviously rendered the travel system obsolete but he also sleeps far less in the car.

Sorry, should have said explaining to the midwife!*

I never had a travel system, and my babies never minded being lifted in and out of the car. If they were asleep and I had disturbed them they soon went back to sleep once I started pushing the pram/driving the car.

I think lifting them in and out helped as they got older and moved into the Group 1 seat that stays in the car - even as toddlers I could lift them from the car into the house and up to bed without them waking up, I think this was because they'd got used to being moved whilst asleep!

For me a travel system was worth it because popping to the supermarket can take less than 30mins in total as it's about 2 mins drive away. In your position I would get the fixed seat with the swivel. At 6 months we moved to a fixed seat because I didn't get on with the infant carrier.

Thanks everyone - that's really helpful. We spent a stressful informative hour at Mothercare this afternoon, trying various options in the car. It seems that a travel system may be out, as it means the passenger seat has to go so far forward that any front-seat passenger will have their knees round their ears.

We were really impressed with the Nuna Rebl, which is a fixed, swivel seat, so I think that's the front runner at the moment.

And so reassuring to hear about babies who have got used to falling asleep and then being lifted out .

I have a Nuna Rebl, I got it when DS was 10 months and we both love it. I had a travel system for DS but I always took him out of it when out and about (i have a very expensive pram and needed to justify the expense...!). Someone rightly pointed out at our nct class that if you drive for 30 mins, do a spot of shopping, bump into a friend and then drive home, time can quickly pass by and baby will have been in the seat for yonks.

The one thing I did like using the 1st stage car seat for was going from house to car and also into others houses. It was a useful place to put the baby!

We've got the Nuna Rebl as well. We love it. I had the same dilemma as you when shopping.

As it happened I had an emergency c section and a 8lb 10oz baby. I don't think I could comfortably lift dd and the car seat for the first few weeks anyway.

Dd is 3 weeks old and so far lifting her in and out of the car seat and into either the pram or trolley when shopping hasn't been a problem. If she's asleep she soon falls asleep again in the trolley.

One thing I would say is try and find a mothercare that will let you try the Rebl in your car. The back of our car is massive, the Rebl is a beast, I can imagine it being a tight squeeze if you had a very small car.

The Cybex sirona is great. Ours used until 4 years rear facing so really worth the money.

The actual guildlines are 2 hrs maximum, but studies show a huge drop in Babies oxygen levels after 30 mins due to position there neck is in, so I wouldn't want to leave them in any longer than in car.

Get a good sling like the boba 4g, and you can lift baby straight in from car seat and be hands free shopping

We have the Joie iAnchor which at the time was the only from birth erf which would fit in my car. Have had no issues taking DS out when gettin anywhere. Mainly used a stretchy wrap early on then a carrier or umbrella fold stroller.

Like the look of the Nuna Rebl and think I would pick that one now.

I used the travel system a lot more with dd1 because I would think nothing of popping over to a retail park, wandering around, stop for coffee and feed her. With dd2, the logistics of getting two in the car and then out again means we walk a lot more!

Nuna Rebl is great, it's the same as the Cybex but with the annoying bits improved. The recline mechanism is better and the swivel is enclosed. If you get sand in the Cybex you're fucked.

Thanks everyone. We've bitten the bullet and gone for the Nuna in the end, as it seems the best compromise. Fingers crossed for a placid baby who doesn't mind being lifted in and out - that's what I've ordered, anyway