Forgoing the infant carrier

[dressagemom]

We do live in a cold climate, so I like being able to bring the bucket inside. I am hoping DD can stay in hers throughout the winter. I don't really use it to carry DD around, since I mostly just carry her (in arms or in a sling or something). I don't think it's at all *necessary*, but they are nice for little babies. Plus, I've always felt like the infant seat surrounds and cushions newborns better, but that is probably just my own opinion.

[Kaboom]

I like to have the infant carrier because I can strap in the baby, THEN go get the other 3 buckled in, then come back to get the baby and bring him to the car (we have 4 ages 5 and under). Maybe if I only had 1 or 2 I'd go with a convertible, but with 3+ I prefer the infant carrier.

Other than that, I don't use it. I never bring it in stores (I wear my babies), and I don't have a stroller for it (ds2 uses a stroller, and I just use an umbrella style stroller, not a full size or double).

[Zappa]

Originally Posted by epiclesis He actually looks like the straps were -above- his shoulders though.

The picture is deceiving. The EFTA has no thread adjustable straps and they were well below his shoulders. We actually had the bucket seat in the back of the van just in case he didn't fit in the convertible but we ended up not needing it. When DS was 8 weeks old we were in a car accident and I wanted to get a Complete Air to replace the EFTA. I put him in it in the store and the straps were a good 2 inches above his shoulders on the lowest setting so we ended up buying another EFTA.

DS being a summer baby did make all the difference in forgoing the carrier. DD was born in February and I am glad we used it with her.

[Leiiki]

We skipped the bucket for many of the reasons stated above. DD went straight into her MaxiCosi convertible from the hospital - the nurse who did our carseat check actually gave us rolled towels and said they would work better than the cheap infant headrest included with convertible seats. We've never missed the bucket - even recovering from c-section, I would rather carry DD than lug a huge piece of plastic. As far as cold weather, we put DD in a snowsuit and keep the heat in the car very low - saves gas and you don't have to deal with getting everyone's outer layers off when you get in the car. It also helps when it's snowing - the snow just blows past the cold windshield, rather than melting and slushing up.

[ktmamma]

We didn't skip the bucket, but I wish we had. Someone bought us a chicco keyfit 30 for my babyshower (and as bucket seats go, this one is a great one!) and we did use it until DD fit into our Britax Marathon. I am a hardcore babywearer with heavy sleepers so I never had a problem slipping baby out of the seat into a wrap or sling. I'd never want to lug around a huge seat anyways, especially when I could have by baby on me!

BUT, we do live in Florida so even in December when DD was born I never had to worry about bundling up.

[stephbrown13]

we've used a convertible from the beginning (both a true fit and a cocorro). there have been a few times where I have wished we had a bucket, but not enough to consider buying one for the next baby. I babywear and I like that the convertible forces me to wear/hold my DS instead of being tempted to leave him in the bucket all the time

[Angel89411]

I thought and thought and I'd go infant carrier again. So I can have a place to put baby down when we are visiting, at restraunts, etc... I couldn't baby wear with DS so I don't know if it will work for me, kwim? But I hate travel system strollers. So I am getting a snap n go stroller. About $70 and there are a few brands to cover most car seats.

[maddys_mama]

We've done both. We used a bucket seat with DD and went straight to convertible with DS....we'll never use a bucket seat again! DS went straight in to a myride 65 (that fit him fabulously!) He actually fit better in to the myride than his big sister fit in to her snugride. I love wearing DS so I have no problem getting him out of his car seat and putting him in his babyhawk or ergo. And that's all he's known, so if he falls asleep while we're driving, he goes right back to sleep once he's snuggly in his carrier!

Here he is getting his car seat inspection at the hospital. Even though we'd had it installed by a tech, the hospital still made us bring it in to the hospital instead of showing them in the car that it fits him The hospital had never seen anyone leave with a newborn NOT in a bucket seat, but the nurse loved it and asked all kinds of questions about car seat safety and the myride 65. They seriously didn't know what to do with us though....it took a meeting of nurses and a doctor to determine that I had to ride in a wheelchair while holding ds in order to leave the hospital