NEWBORN: Baby carrier/pram compatability OR spin seat up to 4yrs old?

[SharkoG]

Hi All,
I am due in October and thinking about car seats!
I bought second hand Silver Cross Pioneer that came with car seat and base but then I read that second hand car seats are definitely not recommended so I'm looking to buy a new one.

Initially I was looking at car seats compatible with my pram but it seems they are all quite expensive and for same or little bit more I can buy something like Joie 360 iSize which can last us until baby is 4 years old instead of 1 year only.

So question is: how often you use carrier option? I know it's great for not waking up baby once they fall asleep in the car but at the same time newborns shouldn't spend long time in those seats anyway? Is it worth it? Or can you recommend cheaper seats that fit Silver Cross Pioneer?

Thanks!

Our youngest is 6 months and we still regularly use the infant car seat attachment on the pram base for short trips if he's asleep when we get to wherever it is. If we have to move him into the pushchair bit he always wakes up. He is a big boy though and is not going to fit in it much longer. We already had the car seat for the travel system from our first child though and we bought it heavily reduced in a sale for about £60 when a shop was closing down so it has been great value for us. I think I would get one for convenience in those early months to be honest.

I would still buy a newborn car seat, they fit tiny babies much more snugly and it's great it can be popped on the pram base for short trips without waking baby up!

We had a cybex Aton 5 and bought the joie ispin 360 when DS was 9months and tbh I wouldn't have wanted him in it any younger!

We had the Joie 360 for my eldest, and tbh for the first 6 months it did not fit her well at all. However, I didn't find it a hassle getting her out and just used the pram instead. I strongly dislike seeing tiny babies being trotted around in car seats attached to prams, when they should be laying flat. With my second I bought a baby seat - yes they are insanely expensive for 9 months wear, but it fits him far better. I haven't bother getting any pram attachments for my silver cross though, I just use the bassinet.

We have an 18 week old and a joie 360. Its a great seat better than one that comes out.

I've also had a newborn with a non fixed in seat. Both have advantages depending in your baby. Both of ours hate/hated being in the car seat so we never used the clip in one with the pram base anyway as they were always screaming by the time we got anywhere.

Its a myth that all kids will sleep in the car!

Our LO is now 5 - we had a cybex baby seat that was compatible with the pram but never took it out of the car much as she would always wake up when the engine went off and the car door opened with the change in temp (winter baby) - Also, I found it quite heavy to lift the car seat with baby in, and get it to click to the pram - usually if we did lift the car seat out (and she didn't wake up), it was just to move her indoors. So, for us, a pram compatible baby seat was a waste.

The spin seat we had however... (Maxi Cosi Axiss fix) was AMAZING. The whole lift baby into car seat twisted my back a fair bit and it was a revelation when we moved to the Axiss fix - also loved that it twist both rear facing and front facing. Would definitely recommend a twist seat but we didnt use it for a newborn, not sure how snug it would be (though it did come with a newborn insert).

My advice would be newborn seat (dont worry if not compatible with pram) and then a twist seat for 6m+. Nothing wrong with 2nd hand carseats if you know the previous owner and trust it hasnt been in an accident IMHO. Congratulations and good luck!

Thanks for all answers!
I am not sure about the history of my second hand car seat so I think i will get the spin one and see if that's enough, should be sufficient for sure for 15 minutes car drive from hospital, I'll check the fit and who knows maybe my baby will be big anyway.
If not I'll get the baby carrier, i doubt i will be driving with a baby straight away somewhere so I'll have time to order.
I just rather not spend money on something that can last me only 6-9 months if I can work around it, but if I see that baby don't fit well/is not comfortable, I'll get the carrier!

The carry type seats actually last for about a year, but there's nothing wrong with using a spin seat from birth. The Joie ones tend to get quite a good fit with newborns. Besafe izi twist is also worth looking at, more expensive but it counteracts any slope in your car seats and has more leg room for the child as they grow meaning you'll keep them rear facing longer which is safer.

As a foster mum I have both as some of the newborns I have are too small to fit in my Joie 360 spin properly even with the inserts in. I much prefer the Joie spin seat though as I find it much easier to use.