Newborn car seat - no hood. Thoughts from others please!

[allthingssparkly]

Baby due March 2023, the car seat I have that came with our pram does not have a hood and it's something that's bugging me! There is an alternative car seat which I could purchase that also fits on the frame of our pram and it comes with a hood too!

Before I consider splashing out on the alternative car seat, does anyone else have a car seat that didn't come/compatible with a hood? We're you able to purchase something universal to use, that gave similar coverage to a hooded car seat? Did it bother you that there wasn't a hood on your baby's car seat if you just used it without?

Please let me know 😊

I didn’t have a hood and didn’t miss it. I wouldn’t buy another one.

Having only used the car seat on the pram frame a handful of times, it wouldn't bother me. For the first few months of their lives, they can't spend more than 20 mins in the car seat so clipping the seat to the frame was only useful for a quick whizz around the shop.

Ours
Did have stretch fabric hoods, don't remember ever using them, used a rain cover when needed a few times. In reality though we didn't use the car seats much in the frame at all, had a side by side double and once you out the connectors on the thing was too bloody wide. I don't think I'd have felt differently with a single, they aways seemed so much more comfortable in the bassinet.

Have you read the instructions for the car seat? There is often a sunshade folded up in a pouch or tucked under a rim. Sometimes its not in an obvious spot and very easily missed!

Mine never had hoods either
They arent supposed to spend a long time in the carseat anyway as they don't lie flat in them

I've had three winter babies and wouldn't be without a hood, depends when your baby is due I suppose, relative with spring and summer babies never took the car seat out of the car

Is it a maxi cosy? There is a 'secret' little door opening at the back of car seat. Usually the fabric hood is in there !

It's not a maxi cosi one @Username6194 it's a silver cross. There's nothing hiding in the compartment at the back of the car seat.

SC have confirmed there isn't a hood compatible, so I'll either use it as it is or order the alternative one. Baby won't be in the car seat for long periods of time, I'm aware of that. Personally I think hoods should be on all car seats they're a handy feature, I should have triple checked before purchasing 🙈 I suppose a spare car seat is always handy so maybe that's my excuse for getting the other 🤭

Thanks all for your comments!

Baby is due beginning of March @FourOclock😊

You could always see how you get on without the hood before deciding if you need a replacement. The shops won’t close after your baby is born, so you don’t need to be prepared for every eventuality.

If you are really bothered you can rig one up! I used to have hood envy being too impoverished for a car seat with one when my oldest was born (they must have just been coming in as a new feature). It became just one of many things you need to just adjust to where you are and that you are doing the best you can. Not having a hood will do no harm whatsoever to them. It will maybe make you less willing to have them spend more time in car seat as they might wake up more easily, but as said up thread, they shouldn’t be in it for any length of time anyway!
do get a sunshade for the window that will help even more than the hood.

It would feel like a massive waste to buy a whole new seat just for a hood. Just rig up a Muslin if you need one.

@toastofthetown yes I may just do that, and I'm aware shops aren't going to close once my baby is here 🤣 however I'm a girl who likes to get a bargain and to be organised regardless.

So seen as it was on offer it was something I was contemplating 😆

I had a March baby too and used the hood on the car seat a lot - it is handy as a sunshade in the car, not just when you're out and about in the buggy. I used the seat on the buggy a lot (obviously not for long periods of time, but probably once a day at least) so personally I wouldn't have wanted to not have one.

Yeah I know @MolesOnPoles it's frustrating!

I will either keep the one I have and use it as a spare for when we go out as a family at weekends in my partners car then technically we have one each so no faffing around or I'll sell it as its still got all the tags ect on it.

We shall see!!

@Bigbugfish Thanks so much! I don't know any different to have one without as all my children's infant carriers when they were babies had a hood, so I suppose it's what I'm used to seeing/having on an item that's going to be well used 😊😊

A hood makes for good weather protection and privacy.
Can u get a add on accessory online?
I used mine alot and with winds and naps a much better tidy set up.
I think it's important to change and find what you like.
Gosh I loved baby shopping.

Thanks @Whatisthegoss 😊

Unfortunately I can't buy the hood as an extra, my options would be to keep it and use as it is or buy the alternative car seat that has a hppd attached and is also compatible with my pram frame.

Its currently on offer at the moment so I am tempted!

I love baby shopping too! 🤍

hood*

I would buy one, they’re really effective at keeping the weather out and I used mine to stop random people touching my child! Also, don’t forget the hood should be put up when in the car to shield them from glass if you’re in a crash.

That's a really good point @CentrepieceOfDoom Thank you 😊