Car seat struggle - its doing my back in. Britax Rock a tot. Solutions?

[peaches27]

I was supposed to be staying away from mumsnet for a few days, but Im having such a struggle with the car seat that I thought I would quickly post this.

I have a 5 month old that uses a Britax Rock a Tot. Happy with it, it fits both cars, BUT when I go to nursery to take or fetch 3 year old twuce a day, the baby is asleep so I like to leave her in the seat. I also have this dilemma with a quick trip to the shops. Carrying the seat and the baby into nursery is really causing me lots of back pain. I have an old disc injury plus fibromyalgia.

The answer is probably take the baby out of the seat etc etc but I wanted to avoid that so she can continue her sleep and also going into nursery with the seat is handy as I can put it down when I greet her big bro and help him with his coat etc. I thought about getting a cheap buggy to accommodate this seat. Any ideas which? Would have to be second hand because of limited budget. I suppose another way round would be to find a car seat that fits our Mamas and Papas Pliko buggy (again second hand) What is the name of the car seat that fits this?

I have even thought of putting the britax into the Pliko buggy (it fits) and securing it with some sort of straps. But there are obviously safety considerations ... weighed up against the fact that it is only a fairly short walk.

Anybody got any other workable suggestions?

Maybe you could pick up a Britax chassis which holds the Rockatot secondhand, such as the Trio or Practicale, or get the Maclaren buggy (Global iirc) which takes it. If you are only going to use it for this though I'd have thought you could just stick it on the M and P, use a strap across where the lap belt goes and be careful. She'll soon be sitting up and strong enough to be set down while you sort your ds out sop guess this is really a protem measure.

How do these buggies (Trip/practicale/global) accommodate the seat? Is there a special hook, clip etc??

how are you carrying the seat? it's v bad to carry it at the side like a shopping bag, but bearable (IMO) if you hold by either side of the handle and wedge the foot part to your belly (so weight is distributed evenly)

Just had another go with the pliko and the rock a tot. A bit wobbly. Wont risk it!

Think there may be a special bar for the Britax ones ,to fit the holes underneath the seat, not sure about the Global. According to their website Maclaren are doing a chassis specifically for an infant car seat , Easy Traveller, but you'd need to check it fits a RockaTot and is available in UK. There are also several Britax travel system pushcahirs.

i wouldnt get the M&P 1st stage car seat.... does really badly in car crash tests, your britax is much safer...

you CAN get a britax buggy to accomodate that car seat... dont know what its called tho... could you try ebay?

Thanks NannyL I have been on there and the only one suitable was collect from London!! (Live in North). But I am continuing to browse and I have put an appeal out on my local forum.

I am starting to think I should bite the bullet and lift her out ... hate to wake her though as it is her nap time.

cgi.ebay.co.uk/Britax-Pushchair-and-Carrycot_W0QQitemZ7761022490QQcategoryZ66703QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Has anyone got one of these that they are prepared to part with at reasonable cost? Thank you!

\link{http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Britax-Pushchair-and-Carrycot_W0QQitemZ7761022490QQcategoryZ66703QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem\this}

There is a Teutonia pushchair for sale on \link{http://www.mumsnet.com/Talk?topicid=1910&threadid=165680\the For Sale Board} which would probably take it, if a bit pricey though unless you are looking for a new one anyway. Also think it may attach to a Bugaboo or Mountain Buggy, with an adaptor, but again £££.

Whereabouts are you peaches? I have a Britax Solo Travel System that's about 5 years old which the Rock a Tot carseat fitted on to. I'm in West Sussex.

The only thing I would say is that you had to put a metal attachment onto the frame, which was a bit of a fiddle and if you have back problems the whole thing is quite heavy to lift in and out of a car.

i would search eaby for a maclren golbal, its a lovely buggy, and just has a small attachement to fit the car seat into, shame as i sold mine recently, but have seen them on ebay quite frequently, you should be able to pick one up for less than £100 and you could always sell you pliko as the global is a very nice buggy.

heres a link to one on ebay for only £30 but again collection form london, but at that price maybe you could negotiate to arrange your own courier.
\link{http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Maclaren-global-pram-buggy-from-birth-to-toddler_W0QQitemZ7760505973QQcategoryZ66703QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem\global}

Sadly, No pearls, I am nowhere near West Sussex, we live in Yorkshire! If its heavy you might have answered another one of my questions.

I have spotted on ebay a Graco travel system and I understand the buggy that goes with that is fairly light (once again enabling me to sell the Pliko which I dont really like!).

Anyone got a Graco that would like to add their comments?