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Pregnancy

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Original poster

Is 2 separate car seats overkill?

64 replies

Askinforabaskin · 29/12/2022 19:13

First DD due in March.

Have bought a joie 360 spin for DPs car (won’t be the main one, but figured the newborn to around 4 year old range would be good and was reasonably priced).

Have ordered the cybex cloud Z2 for my car. It will be the main one and fits on the pram base. It should last until she’s about 2 and then we can get another cybex car seat to fit on the same iso fix base which should last until she’s 4.

As mentioned I doubt she will get much use of the joie one as a newborn, but once she gets older and DP can take her out himself then I think it will get plenty of short trip use. Also when I go back to work I can see DP doing most of the drop offs while I’ll be doing the pickups.

It just made sense to buy two to avoid any anxiety about swapping them over between cars and potentially being stuck in the house because I’ve forgotten to take one out. Also our parents maybe end up taking them out for the day etc so it made sense.

But DPs dad is saying it’s excessive and a total waste of money. In other areas of baby purchasing I admit I’ve gone OTT (seriously who can resist baby clothes). But this made practical sense to me and originally DP (who is now backtracking).

Both are still returnable, what should I do?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Flangeosaurus · 29/12/2022 19:14

If you can afford it I would keep both! It’s such a bloody faff to swap car seats around it gives me the rage every time

35965a · 29/12/2022 19:15

It’s not a waste of money at all. Swapping car seats if you have 2 cars is massive PITA so it makes sense to have the 2 seats. Tell DPs Dad to butt out, it’s literally nothing to do with him.

modgepodge · 29/12/2022 19:15

We have 2. Initially had one baby carrier (the type that clips to the pram) but 2 isofix bases. Now have 2 toddler ones. It makes our life a lot easier and avoids having to leave a massive car seat at childminder/nursery on days when I drop and husband collects.

PeekAtYou · 29/12/2022 19:15

Do nothing. Unless it's your FIL's money, it's none of his business. Your reasoning sounds fine to me.

JohnLapsleyParlabane · 29/12/2022 19:15

A correctly fitted car seat in each car is very sensible. YANBU

Cantgetausername87 · 29/12/2022 19:15

Yep worth the money for not having to faff about swapping car seats!

declutteringmymind · 29/12/2022 19:17

We had 2 swivel ones and one non swivel for the grandparents. Saves a lot of faffing.

JenniferWooley · 29/12/2022 19:17

If you're a two car household then you need 2 car seats when they're at the stage the seat stays in the car - there's nothing worse than heading out only to realise DP/DH is away to work with the car seat!

DGS is still in his baby carrier but DD & DSIL have the next size up for each car & I'll be getting one for my car too.

Reugny · 29/12/2022 19:17

No.

Until recently my family couldn't drive my DD around because they didn't have a car seat for her, there as some of my friends could either because their children weren't in the car seat or they had just outgrown it.

IET · 29/12/2022 19:18

Could you maybe buy two bases and one car seat? I have no idea if this is possible btw.

We had one car seat when the babies were newborns but it was quite annoying swapping them over. The annoying part was moving the base though, so one seat and two bases would be a lot less annoying.

We do have a set of car seats per car now they are bigger as the seats are so big it would be a pain to move them around all the time. Also they are a bit less expensive for older kids.

MuchTooTired · 29/12/2022 19:19

Absolutely worth the money! I’ve got DTs and we’ve survived with one set of seats but we swap cars if one of us will be taking the kids out if that makes sense. We’re now looking at getting another pair now they’re older and it’s no longer cripplingly expensive to buy another set.

TerraNostra · 29/12/2022 19:20

Changing car seats around is a faff. Something like a Joie 360 is particularly heavy and bulky to move but great once it’s in. There is already plenty of faff with a baby. If you can afford the convenience, go for it.

(Though would another solution be for you just to agree that he drives your car when going out with the baby)?

Mulledwineandberries · 29/12/2022 19:20

Personally I do think 2 car seats are a waste especially as nobody wants to buy them second hand, barely used when you’ve done with them. If we had 2 car seats for each dc to save swapping, we would have to spend a fortune on car seats.

Hopeyoursproutsarealreadyon · 29/12/2022 19:20

2 car seats makes life so much easier.. So much.
Ime.

LittleDragonRoo · 29/12/2022 19:21

Very sensible. Swapping car seats is a pain in the neck; even more so when you’re on your own with baby.

We’ve got 3 (one in my car, one in DPs, and one in the grandparents’ car).

It’s none if your FIL’s business and sounds like he hasn’t a clue what he’s talking about.

Pinetreesfall · 29/12/2022 19:21

We bought 4x car seats for this very reason. Swapping late at night in the pouring rain with one car on the drive and the other parked goodness knows where got too much.
Luckily we bought in the sale!

scrivette · 29/12/2022 19:23

We had one in each car and one in the grandparents car, it's a very sensible idea and saves swapping them around when in a rush, minimises the risk of not strapping them in properly and means you don't have to pre plan journeys to ensure the car seat is in the right car at the right time.

Original poster

Askinforabaskin · 29/12/2022 19:23

Tbf it was DPs dad who bought the cybex one for us (which isn’t cheap with the iso fix base). That’s his baby present to us (my mum bought the pram).

We did consider buying a separate iso fix base and just having one car seat, but the joie one (£170) is actually cheaper than just the cybex iso fix base (£209).

Thanks everyone for the reassurance, I’ll be keeping both, we can afford it and so can DPs dad as his gift.

OP posts:

WrongLife · 29/12/2022 19:23

Ha, we had three at one point. One in each of our cars and one in the grandparents car as they did childcare for us. And two of the isofix bases, one for us (my car didn't have isofix so just used seatbelt for that one) and one for them. Few hundred pounds or my child's safety? Tough choice, really tough choice...

mattresspring · 29/12/2022 19:23

We just swapped cars. It was easier. Whoever took the kids took the bigger car which was set up for the kids.

PumpkinDart · 29/12/2022 19:23

Oh god OP if you can afford it keep it, my husband and I both have carseats for our 4 children because it's such a hassle changing them over especially the big seats like the Joie.

NoNameIdeas · 29/12/2022 19:24

Definitely keep! We now have 6! Two children, two in each of our cars as we share drop offs/pick ups for school and nursery and then my parents also have two because they also do some pick ups and trips out etc. Is just so much easier than having to swap around and means childcare can be sorted/changed quickly without worrying about who has the car seats. Children are 6 and 2.

Stressfordays · 29/12/2022 19:24

I've always had car seats for each car when me and dc dad were together. My Mum has also had her own car seats for them. Mine are older now and only one is in a car seat. I have one in my car, one in my mums and a spare for if anyone takes her out!

PuttingDownRoots · 29/12/2022 19:28

If one is dropping off and one picking up from nursery, two seats is essential really.

Tallulasdancingshoes · 29/12/2022 19:29

We’ve always had car seats in both cars. Swapping is such a hassle. Plus, some days one of us would drop off at childminders and the other would pick up so we needed two seats.

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