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Original poster

Car seats from birth - swivel or carrier?

21 replies

Cara27 · 27/11/2018 09:06

Hi everyone!

Currently 20wks pregnant and looking for a bit of advice from people who have done this recently! I have to make a pram, and therefore car seat, decision soon but I'm unsure whether to get one of the car seats which swivels to allow you to strap baby in at the car door from birth, or a baby carrier type which can go on a travel system pram. Which type of car seat did you go for and do you have any regrets? My son is 9 years old and the swivel option didn't exist then, so we had a carrier car seat which clipped onto the pram.

Here's my current thoughts, if you're interested:

Swivel

Easier to strap baby in and get baby into a car seat which is already in car. Would have isofix either way so wouldn't be struggling with seatbelt, but I remember the strapping-in part being an annoyance with my son, especially as I had a c-section.
Can't clip onto pram
Heavy and difficult to move between cars (we have 2 cars, plus family will watch baby when I go back to work)
Will last longer - looking at getting one which lasts to 3/4 years old
If baby falls asleep in the car I will need to lift them out the seat and risk waking them, or wait in the car.
Some don't seem to recline enough to support a newborn's head, despite being suitable from birth.

Baby carrier car seat

Can go onto a travel system
Would only use the travel system option for popping into the supermarket or running quick errands as I know they shouldn't be in the car seat for longer than 2 hours.
Would possibly also use the car seat to carry baby into the house for quick visits to family, or visits when they will be there longer but lifted out of the seat once inside. Also for dropping my oldest at his clubs etc. We will have a carrycot for the pram though, so could use this instead, again perhaps risking waking a baby who is asleep in their car seat.
Heavy to carry as baby gets bigger. I have big babies. I think my son's seat was quite unmanageable for me by about 3 months. I may be having another c-section.l, so really shouldn't be lifting it for the first 6 weeks, but hubby isn't getting much paternity leave so might not have much option.
Doesn't last them long, would need to buy another car seat soon, probably a swivel one.
Would definitely want an isofix base for it, so that's more expense, and the base wouldn't be used with the next seat as we'd get a swivel one next.
Could bring car seat inside if baby fell asleep. Although wouldn't allow to nap for long in the car seat. Could lift them for car seat to Moses basket in the warmth of the house.

As I said, I'd love to know which option you went for, and if you feel it was the right choice! I'm totally stuck!

Thanks in advance :)

-----
This thread is a little old now so some of the suggestions may be out of date, but if you’ve landed here looking for a car seat for your newborn, we’ve recently updated our best baby car seats article with lots of great options, as tried and tested by Mumsnet users. We hope you find it useful.
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TealTurnip · 27/11/2018 09:23

We bought the carry seat and totally regretted it. As you say, it’s pointless because you can’t attach it to your travel system or bring it in the house with a sleeping baby inside, because it’s dangerous to keep the baby in it for too long. We thought we’d buckle up the baby in the house and carry him out to the car, and carry him back in, but the seat is too heavy and then it’s lying around the house getting in the way. We thought we’d use it for quickly popping into a shop or for popping into people’s houses etc but it’s far too heavy. In all cases it’s easier and better to just carry the baby out, pop him in the car seat, lift him out at your destination and put him in a proper comfy pram. My carry seat has basically stayed in the car and I wish I’d got a swivel seat instead. It would have worked out cheaper than having to buy a baby carry seat and a separate toddler seat too.

SquigglePigs · 27/11/2018 09:27

We had the same dilemma and have gone for swivel, largely for the reasons outlined by Teal above against a travel system. Baby is due next week so hoping it was the right call. We've got a sling for the popping into the shop part. Hopefully being asleep in the car then waking up won't be too big a deal!!

sar302 · 27/11/2018 09:33

Swivel seat every time! Especially if you end up with a heavy baby or a c section. We decided against a travel system because they're not supposed to be in the car seat bit for more than 2 hrs max at a time as a new born.

cakesandphotos · 27/11/2018 09:36

We had a normal infant carrier which we were given. I always lifted ds out and into the pram anyway and the times I did clip it on to the pram to dash into a shop, it was so hard to get it off again and killed my wrists. He’s 9 months now and we’ve had a swivel seat for a few months and it’s much better. I’d use it from birth next time

Bigonesmallone3 · 27/11/2018 09:39

Depends on your life style.. with school runs and club runs, nipping to the shop, two cars, made my life easier to have a carrier.. I had a dinky baby and was relatively easy to carry until she was out of it..
For u possibly the swivel sounds best but each to there own..

Narya · 27/11/2018 09:49

We got a carrier - it was a lie-flat one so less worry about sticking completely rigidly to the 2 hour limit as baby lies a lot flatter so chest is not compressed (we didn't go over the 2 hours much, but it was a lot less worrying). We used it in lie flat mode on the pram for things like doctors appointments, popping in and out of shops etc. DS hated slings when he was little which limited our options a bit.
DS was a winter baby so it was nice to get him snuggled into his seat in the house before taking him out in the cold.
The seat was bloody heavy but no regrets!

MumUndone · 27/11/2018 11:24

I preferred the carrier as easier to get them into it in the house and more portable when going shopping etc. but you're right, they're very heavy. Sounds like you'd be happier with a swivel seat - though if you have a sleep fighter it can be easier to bring them into the house in the carrier and let them stay in it for a bit (less than 2 hours) after driving them to sleep.

balalalala · 22/01/2019 14:38

Look at the recaro zero 1 elite as it's the best of both worlds! We had a maxi cosi carrier which was very helpful when just popping into a shop or something however switched to the recaro zero 1 at about 6 months as my back struggled getting her in.

Spam88 · 22/01/2019 16:56

We're TTC our second and I'm pondering the same question myself OP. We used a carrier with DD up until some time after a year and then switched to the Joie Spin.

The swivel seats are much easier for putting them in when the seat is already in the car. That said though I think I'll go for the carrier again. I did use it on the pram base a lot for popping in and out of shops, and there was no chance of getting her in and out of it without waking her. It's also nice to be able to bundle them up with blankets and what not before you go outside rather than having to take them out in just a fleece. You can also put them on the floor when you're struggling with your hands full to unlock the front door.

I'd agree with your concerns about the swivel ones not being tilted far enough back as well. My DDs head flops forward when she falls asleep. Although it would of course have the wedge cushion in for a new born which would help.

Wanttomakemincepies · 09/02/2019 19:06

Like OP, we have a nearly 9 year age gap. DS2 is 6 weeks old and we have fixed car seat-Concord Reverso plus. With the newborn insert, DS is almost fully aligned. No chance of head flopping forwards fit to position. It goes up to 4 years/23kg rear facing. It is sturdy and needs space as has support leg but quite easy to fit and only about 9 kg. Due to position, quite easy to get baby in even though it doesn't swivel.

somersetsoul · 14/02/2019 12:11

My 3.5 month old dd is way too heavy for our maxi cosi cabrio now! I looked at the cybex swivel at the weekend. I was advised against the joie 360 because dd is quite big.

But, I'm glad I had the ease of it earlier. She's an October baby so getting her warm before we left the house was good. I have used it a lot asa travel system for quick trips.

You could get the swivel and see how you get on. At least you know you've got that for later and for a few years.

Anotherdayanotherdollar · 14/02/2019 13:02

Your 3.5 month old is more than 13kg?? Wow! My 14month old 91st centile ds isn't quite 13kg...

The infant type carrier is recommended as the safer type for small babies (will look for link) but you have lots of reasons to go straight to the fixed in car type. Personal choice really. However, if your baby is big and high up the centiles you likely won't get to age 3/4 in most swivel seats. The isofix can only take a max weight so the majority are only to 18kg, although I think a pp mentioned the one with the higher weight limit.

reetgood · 14/02/2019 13:14

Carrier worked for us up to about 10/11 months. Reason mostly that if baby fell asleep in car we could bring him in, rather than sit out in the car with him as we have to do now on the occasion he does! He always wakes up if taken out of seat, and I would take whatever I got napwise. He’s never gone longer than an hour sleeping.

Plus, winter baby and the transfer was just so much easier being able to put on frame/ put on trolley/ bring into cafe etc.

I’d had a c-section but I wasn’t driving for the time when lifting would have been an issue. Yes, heavy, but if it was too long a distance that’s what a travel system is for! Obviously but more complicated with two.

somersetsoul · 14/02/2019 13:16

Ha ha, no!! Too big as in for me to carry her in the seat. My back is suffering!

Flamingo84 · 17/08/2019 22:05

We started with the travel system carrier but if I had the choice at again, I’d go straight for the swivel.

Ds was 5lb 13oz at birth and was exploding out of the carrier at 11 months.
By 7 months he rarely fell asleep in the car so we didn’t have to worry about disturbing him.
I didn’t like using the car seat attachment for the pushchair. The cover wasn’t as good for rain/sun, by the time we got to wherever and did a bit of shopping it felt like he’d been in the car seat too long and I wanted to take him out.
By 5 1/2 months I was using the nice rear/forward facing stroller part of the pushchair and preferred just putting him in there rather than leaving him in the car seat.

He’s about to turn one and we went for the Joie Spin 360 which is much easier to get him in and out of.

Dandelion1993 · 17/08/2019 22:08

We've got the Joie stages.

Had a carrier with my first and hatred it! They just bang against your legs and once they start really putting the weight on you leave it in the car anyway.

This time we bought the stages thay stays in the car and it was much easier. I've never had a problem with her being asleep in the car then being woken up by getting out.

HappyDinosaur · 17/08/2019 22:19

Ours was a Matrix Light which did both and was fantastic. It can be an upright car seat but also lie flat if needed, which is safer for newborns on longer trips in the car and means they can stay in it longer when clicked onto the pram. It's not the sleekest looking thing, but it did everything we needed it to.

HappyDinosaur · 17/08/2019 22:23

Ahhh zombie thread!

Pinkywoo · 17/08/2019 22:51

Helpful zombie though, I'm definitely going for a swivel chair now!

INeedNewShoes · 17/08/2019 23:01

I can see this is a zombie thread but as people are reading it... just a word of caution on the swivel seats, which as far as I know are all Group 0+1.

I've got the GB Vaya for DD (basically the same as the Cybex swivel) in our car and the Joie Stages (not swivel but another Group 0+1) in the grandparents' car. I would not have happily put newborn DD in either of these. She had just turned 1 when I got them and the head flop was terrible. I was having to pull over and push her head back. She's small for her age and apparently my car's seats are at the more tilted end of the spectrum (Honda Jazz) but it is definitely the case that these ERF seats have the baby lying at more of an angle. All the reports out there say that the Group 0+ seats are the best option for newborns rather than 0+1 so it's not just about whether you want to be able to carry the baby in the seat but what will provide the best support.

Like Dinosaur I had the Matrix Light 2 for DD which was great for our needs (lots of long journeys) but had we not gone for this I definitely still would have had a newborn carrier up until 13kg or whatever the weight limit is.

mrsk28 · 21/08/2019 14:55

I was glad we picked the travel system. We went with the Cybex Balios S and Aton Q car seat. If I was to do it again I would have gone for the Cybex Cloud Q lie flat car seat but still liked what we chose.

DS is 19 weeks now and we'll be lucky if we get another month out of the car seat (he's a tall baby) but I'm going to switch to the swivel one soon.

The infant car seat is so handy when they're small to keep them asleep when you get home and for just popping in and out of shops without having to disturb the baby.

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