My DD is going to be 25 months when her little brother or sister is born. Of course that means I need a second car seat.
For DD1 I bought an inexpensive convertible Zuzu from BigW which has served us well so far. The only thing I don't really like about it is that it is pretty upright and when she falls asleep, her head keeps falling forward. Doesn't look too comfy. I bought one of those head cushion thingies, but it doesn't seem to work very well.
Now I am thinking of 2 different options:
1) buy a reclining car seat for DD1 and use the existing seat in the rearward position for the baby. I'm not into carrying baies around in capsules anyway (I find it too awkward and heavy and I much rather wear my babies. This is the cheaper option.
2) keep DD1 in her existing seat and buy a baby capsule for the baby. The reason for this being that now I will have to manage 2 different sleep patterns and it might be good if I can take the baby in and out of the car without waking. I have a Steellcraft Strider 4-wheeled pram and they even make a capsule that fits the strider frame now (didn't have that when I bought the pram for DD, but I do have the matching bassinet). I won't be using the pram much for the baby as I have a Hug-A-Bub which I am planning to use mostly in the first 6 months, then an Ergo (this is what I did wih DD1). But it would be nice to have the option of using the capsule on the pram as well. Once baby grows out of the capsule, I will still have to buy a new carseat, but I could sell the capsule (only planning on 2 kids). I could also hire a capsule instead of buying one...
What are your thoughts on what I should be doing. I'd be especially interested in those of you who have 2 kids (or more) that are close-ish together, cause you know about having 2 different day sleep patterns to deal with.
If I were in your position I'd leave DD1 in the carseat she has been used to for ages and get a capsule, I wouldn't bother buying one I'd just get one from the Ambo's ($68 odd for 6 months, I pick mine up today lol) as selling one you bought again you'd lose too much money to be worth it.
I found the capsule handy for when we'd been out and coming home bub was sound asleep, I'd just take her in and let her sleep till she woke up. Then I could get DD1 in the house and settled before worrying about DD2.
Once D?2 is ready for a carseat (still in rear facing possie after 6 months when the capsule has to go back) I'd get a booster (depending on how big your DD1 is, either a 5 point harness one or just a normal booster with a detachable harness) and put D?2 rear facing in DD1's carseat...........Then depending on when you want to change your D?2 into forward facing you can decide then to buy a new carseat or just turn the original car seat forward facing.
Hmmmm I so hope this makes sense lol. I'm thinking of the most cost effective way of going about it all, I'm in the process of trying to fit 3 in the car, and the carseats are too blooming big for my car!!!!!
Mmmm, I think I saw some really narrow ones on the RACQ website especially designed for small cars and multiple car seats.
Thanks for your opinion. I think it makes a lot of sense. The situation you described about letting bub2 sleep after getting home is exactly what I was thinking about.
ETA: All the best for your upcoming VBaC. How exciting. I've got my fingers crossed for you!
I'm not going to bother with a capsule. I managed with DD in a reversible car seat and I'll just do the same again this time round.
Having said that, I know heaps of people who swear by their capsules, so I suppose it really is down to individual choice.
For me, I think those first couple of months are tricky with sleeps anyway, as they seem to always be asleep! I think if bubs falls asleep in the car, we'll just go inside, have another feed and hope she pops back off again, LOL. Perhaps I'm being fanciful
Snacks, that's exactly what I used to do with DD. I just thought it might be easier, especially if you might have to get out and fix your first child something to eat or drink. But then again, you could just leave the baby in the car for a couple of minutes, look after the toddler, get her settled, then get the baby out of the car and feed to sleep...
By the way, Snacklet's due date is my DD1's birth date!
Saša
I have bought a capsule for DD3, I got one that goes up to 12 kg, and considering Em at 17 months is still only 10 kg, I think it will get a fair bit of use. I got a travel system because when my older 2 DDs wake up they can be hard to resettle, and DD1 will be starting preschool before DD3 is 1 so she will be doing the preschool pickup with me.
I have the unity with dd#3......I went with a capusle as have kids at school etc, and was and is so much easier....dd#3 is 7 months next week and still has heaps of room in it and no where near the weight or height to come out of it.
We used the Safe n Sound with DD until she was 12 months and will do the same again with this one. They have heaps of room, easy to get out of the car if they fall asleep and it's much safer to keep them rear facing for as long as possible.
Wow, I had no idea there were capsules that went up to that weight! How much do these ones cost?
Cool, Sasa! I imagine its a good time of year to have a baby if you're doing it again
My issue is with cost, because I always assumed they are out of a capsule too quickly and therefore it's hard to justify that cost, KWIM? But perhaps I'll look into it after all...
ETA: Just found the unity at baby zone. It looks like a great capsule, but it says birth to 9kg? I can't find a website for safe n sound, which is very frustrating - I'd really like to look at their specs.
Hi Snack, the web site for safe n sound is www dot britax dot com dot au.
And I Just checked it definetly still says birth to 12 kilos, for the unity capsule. I think i paid about 280 for ours, though I think it is worth it, I also brought the profile stoller so it clips straight onto that which was great in the early days.
Last edited by sweetpea678; January 30th, 2009 at 06:55 AM.
: price
just a thought but have you considered hiring a capsule, most capsules can cost up to $300+ to buy & really you only use them for the first 6 months or till bubs reaches 9kgs which can be even quicker if you have big babys, so hireing can really cost you less.
we have a 4.1/2 yr old that is still in a car seat & we just had our 2nd bub 4 weeks ago & I was able to get a unity capsule for a hire company which has been fantastic, it has made it so much easier for me to take DS#1 to daycare and he start kinder next week & because I have to pick him up at 2.30 on the dot or I get charged extra $$ & I know that the capsule is going to make easier.
anyway just a thought as hireing can be much cheaper & easier option sometimes
Last edited by mjsmummy; February 1st, 2009 at 03:51 PM.
i would buy a new cars eat for you eldest that also is a convertible as its normally the same price and that will cover you for any just incases but making it one that slightly reclines i just got on its a safe n sound premier I can t ee the point in buying car seats that can only be used after 8 kilo, IYKWIM Or buy a maxi rider if they recline slightly i dont know if they do tho.
Use the current car seat for baby as its great for rearward facing an use it in this position for as long as possible. there my thoughts
yep - maxi riders have 2 setings, one for recline position & one more upright position, we have one for our DS#1 who is 5 this year and will probably be in a car seat till he's ten as he just doesn't put weight easy...lol. but yes the maxi riders are a great seat
Thanks everybody.
And yes, mjsmummy, I did mention in a side remark in my original post that I could hire one. I think this is also what I'm gonna do. Hire a capsule for a little while, then buy a reclining car seat. Or 2. I would feel a little bad for having 1 bub in a comfy reclining sat and the other in one where the head constantly rolls forward when they're asleep...
The convertible I bought for DD before she was born was only a cheapy for like $120.00 so it would not be the biggest loss if I upgraded her...
Baby Capsule????
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I can t ee the point in buying car seats that can only be used after 8 kilo, IYKWIM Or buy a maxi rider if they recline slightly i dont know if they do tho.
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