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Car seats

Confused about car seat regulations? Find baby car seat advice here. For Mumsnetter-approved essentials, sign up for Mumsnet Swears By emails here.

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Original poster

Is a swivel car seat necessary for baby?

37 replies

amy480 · 26/07/2022 07:33

Hello - just after some advice please as to whether a swivel car seat is necessary for 0-12/15 months? Have people found them really beneficial at this age? Any advice much appreciated! Thank you 😊

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GigantosaurusRex · 26/07/2022 07:34

Not necessary at all but if you have a bad back they can make life easier!

Beees · 26/07/2022 07:44

Not essential but they absolutely make life easier so with that in mind I'd always choose one over a seat that doesn't swivel.

We have one and it's proven exceedingly useful with a wriggly toddler or when someone has parked too close and you cannot open the door as wide.

Plus an additional benefit that we had not foreseen is that if baby throws up when in the car it's a fuck ton easier to strip off the covers and clean the seat properly without removing the whole seat.

vickylou78 · 26/07/2022 07:46

Would totally depend on if you have a bad back or not. Definitely good if you do, but if you are fit and healthy probably not needed but nice to have.

Namechangingasouting · 26/07/2022 07:47

We loved ours. Well worth it for us.

Raggeo · 26/07/2022 07:48

We got one when son was 13months. For 1st year we used car seat that was part of our pram travel system so we could easily remove it and attach it to the wheels. When my son outgrew it I chose a swivel seat for convenience and to make it easier to rear face. Compared to my parents non swivel seat it is definitely much easier to get toddlers in and out.

Fashiontatts · 26/07/2022 07:50

Not necessary but would recommend 100%. Got one for each of our two (2.5yrs and 5months) and they make life a lot easier... if you can afford it, then go for it! They last for years too, so not overly expensive when you consider the years of use 🙂

FizzyLizt · 26/07/2022 07:50

I think they're great. We have one swivel and one not and wow I find the non swivel one so hard (in DH's car).

Dinoteeth · 26/07/2022 07:58

Not necessary but better for your back, Particularly in a normal hatchback, where you are bending down and in. The difference maybe isn't so noticeable in an SUV or people carrier which is higher up.

Hugasauras · 26/07/2022 07:58

No, but they can be useful. However, ERF seats have much lower sides generally so they are quite easy to get in and out without swivel anyway.

Samanabanana · 26/07/2022 07:58

To echo PP, definitely not a necessity but make life easier! I liked the removable car seat with my travel system for the first 9 months as then it's easy to transfer baby around for shopping/into the house etc. After that they're too heavy to lift in the car seat and the swivel seats are lovely and secure and easy on your back as you get them in and out

Onebabyandamadcat · 26/07/2022 07:58

We've used a swivel one from birth (DD now 3) and I would 100% recommend. It's so much easier to get them in and out, particularly if you're a shortarse like me!

miltonj · 26/07/2022 07:58

First year or so baby is quite easy to put in the seat so swivel not that necessary. When you have a toddler who twists, wriggles and makes them self into a plank, you'll want one! Probably easier to just buy one so might as well get the swiveller.

Hugasauras · 26/07/2022 08:01

Also if you have a high centile child, you probably won't get as long out of them. DD was out of our 18kg Britax spin seat before she was 3. If you want to just buy one seat and save money on multiple seats, you could go from infant carrier straight to a 25kg seat. You'll save a few hundred quid that way.

merrymelodies · 26/07/2022 08:05

I doubt it's necessary as I've had two DC (about 20 years ago) and have never heard of a swivel seat!

Goodnewsday · 26/07/2022 08:08

Not essential but great, I think I’d rather have one when they’re tiny and not so robust to be quickly put in the car seat than they can be as a toddler. I have the cybex cloud z and it’s worth every penny to me, more so for the lie flat feature so I can get home and leave him sleeping in it lying flat in the house (obviously while keeping an eye on him)

Dinoteeth · 26/07/2022 08:11

merrymelodies · 26/07/2022 08:05

I doubt it's necessary as I've had two DC (about 20 years ago) and have never heard of a swivel seat!

I'll agree not necessary but carseats have changed a lot in the last 10 years.

20 years ago people had babies forward facing at 12 mths as soon as they outgrew the infant carrier.

Now it's a minimum of 15 mths before they forward face. Lots of people keeping them rear facing beyond that.
The improved side impact protection makes it really awkward to get them in the seats.

Lockdownmummy · 26/07/2022 08:17

We've got a swivel seat for my toddler but would always pick a regular infant carrier for a baby.

Easier to get the baby in and out when asleep, used it on the pram frame for short trips and takes up less space in the car. My nearly one year old is still in her infant carrier.

MangoM · 26/07/2022 08:19

Onebabyandamadcat · 26/07/2022 07:58

We've used a swivel one from birth (DD now 3) and I would 100% recommend. It's so much easier to get them in and out, particularly if you're a shortarse like me!

I second this, I'm a shortarse too and it's soooo much easier with a swivel (DS also 3). We didn't get ours until he was 12 months old but I wish we done it earlier!

riotlady · 26/07/2022 09:19

I didn’t have one and was always jealous of those who had, I would definitely get one next time

lickenchugget · 26/07/2022 09:20

Not essential, but SO worth it if you can!

JenniferBarkley · 26/07/2022 09:30

Worth it, trying to wrestle a reluctant toddler into a seat is not the easiest!

We just used the travel system seat for the first year as it was handy to take in and out and clip to the buggy wheels etc, and then moved to a swivel seat that does them until about 4. Eldest is out of that seat now and it's a complete pain in the arse even though she's forward facing.

LadyApplejack · 26/07/2022 09:37

Of all the baby things to buy, this one is top of the "worth it" category.

You'll use it every day over a long period, consider it an investment in your back! Resale is also good on them.

Natsku · 26/07/2022 09:50

I didn't have one for DS when he was a baby, didn't feel necessary at that age as you often take them in and out in the seat (so put them in the seat inside the house, then carry to the car, then the reverse when you come home). But once he outgrew the baby seat and went into the 9-18kg seat I got a swivel one and it was so so helpful. So much easier than when DD was that age and had the normal kind. Was also good when he developed travel sickness and we had to switch him to forward facing - was able to switch without having to uninstall and reinstall the seat-

twoandcooplease · 26/07/2022 10:17

Yes. I went from the baby carrier from the travel system to a Joie 360 when he was 9mo
I have a bad back and I don't know if I'd manage getting ds out and in without the swivel

NeopolitanDreams · 26/07/2022 10:20

Not for us, 99th centile baby. We went for a non-swivel, ERF instead. Completely happy with that choice, and will be doing similar for our smaller second baby.

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