Wondering whether to get a car capsule or convertible car seat?

[misty]

I used a reversable car seat (the same car seat) for all three of my children.
We are now buying a capsule for baby number 4 (our last baby).

Capsules are just more convient. The reason we have decided to go the extra expense this time around is because the capsule can be used with my P&T's pram, which is going to be ALOT easier for me when I have to do anything with the kids. In particular with school runs on rainy days (we have to pick up directly from the classroom on rainy days), it means I won't have to wake bubs up to get all the kids out of the car to go in the school to pick up my DD. Considering school runs tend to be right around the traditional nap times of my kids, this will be a lifesaver. The capsule we are buying (s'n's unity) goes up to 12kgs - which is about 1yr old. Most capsules will only go up to 8-9kgs. We still have the convertible car seat for bubs to go back into once they outgrow the capsule.

[Janie71]

Possums - check with you local council and see if they have a service where you can hire a capsule for 6 months. We did this and found it perfect. I really liked being able to get DD in and out of the car without waking her, but didn't want to spend loads of money on a capsule when they are out of them in 6 months.

We then put her in a reversible seat and kept her facing backwards for as long as possible.

Janie xxx

[CeCe]

We went the car seat option over a capsule. In hindsight the capsule would have been good at times, like for those quick dash-in, dash-out trips, or those times in wet weather where I was standing in the rain strapping DS in.

[black_rose]

That's what I found Cece, with three kids putting ds into the pram would have been time consuming when we have kinder, swimming and a quick dash to the shops for milk.

[Amaunet]

My capsule formed part of a travel system with my pram. It was awesome! If your pram has that capability then I definitely go the capsule

[Diamond Girl]

I had a convertible car seat for DS1 and hated it. It was so inconvienient.

I bought a safe n sound capsule for DS2 and I never once regretted it. Never needed to unsettle him when we arrived at our destination, no need to take a porta-cot anywhere because he just slept in the capsule, etc etc. It was worth every cent!

[DANNIIM]

I was in the baby shop yesterday and had a look at the new travel system ones and i thought they looked a tad on the small side compared to the older Safe n Sound ones!! I think if you had a small petite baby it would last longer or if i had to do alot of running around with kids etc it might be worth it.

[luna moth]

We hired a capsule. I took it out of the car twice in the 6 months we had it - once to get baby off to sleep before we got in the car, and once when she was already asleep - she woke up. We have such a wakeful baby, that it was a total waste. Also, in the capsule she was screaming in the car, but when we swapped her into the rear facing convertible seat, she was in love, and is now super happy in the car. Far more likely to fall asleep too, and i have had better luck transferring her from the new seat than the old capsule.

So for us, and how often we use our car, the capsule really wasn't worth it.

[MummyOfTerrors]

i had Safe n Sound Unity for my daughter and LOVED it
i regretted not having one for my son and am upset i cant use my capsule with this bubs (rearward can only be in middle and with a maxi rider either side no point)
i found the unity fantastic as i could use it with my pram and have her ready for the car which was easier with a toddler running around she also used to sleep in it

[Miss E]

I bought a capsule for all the reasons the OP's have said and never looked back! Then when DS was 8 months we bought the S&S Meridian so we could keep him rear facing for a bit longer.

We actually sold our capsule on ebay (originally paid just under $300 and sold it for $250) because we decided next time around it would be worth buying the one that fits our pram. So, I'd keep that in mind. Even though it is an extra expense, you can sell it when you're done and recoup most of the expense.

Friends of ours decided to go for the car seat. But once bubs was 2 weeks old they saw the value in having a capsule so bought one then. If you get the car seat now, you can always see how you go and if it is a PITA you can get a capsule then and put the seat away for a few months.

[Samcougar]

i really, really wish we had brought a capsule. Poor DD everytime we had to get in and out of the car we woke her up from trying to take her out or put her in. I will be investing in one next time.

[~Stoked~]

I went to the baby shop the other day to look at my options and the attendant pointed out that because I have a dual cab (07 Navara) that a capsule would be a PITA to use as the belt adjuster (which needs to be loosened to remove the capsule, then tightened again, every time you take it out) will actually sit behind the back seat and won't be easily accessible. So that's one thing to keep in mind. No capsule for me, I'll have to stick with convertible.

[nattyfred]

Ill be getting a capsule I think. I regretted not having one with DD as she was so hard to settle and I could have taken advantage of the car putting her to sleep. Picking her out of the convertible seat just woke her up. DH and I would just keep driving for a bit of peace and quiet and head home once she woke....Something Im sure wont be happening with 2 of them

[Jellybean29]

We hired a capsule , only $75 for 6mths, professionally installed and safety checked. check out "hire for baby".

Once 6 months is up, we will invest in buying a car seat he can be in up to 4yrs

[Kazzo]

We hired a capsule. I took it out of the car twice in the 6 months we had it - once to get baby off to sleep before we got in the car, and once when she was already asleep - she woke up. We have such a wakeful baby, that it was a total waste. Also, in the capsule she was screaming in the car, but when we swapped her into the rear facing convertible seat, she was in love, and is now super happy in the car. Far more likely to fall asleep too, and i have had better luck transferring her from the new seat than the old capsule.

So for us, and how often we use our car, the capsule really wasn't worth it.

This was us exactly too. DD2 hated the capsule. I thought it would make things easier for us but nope. She hardly ever feel asleep in it and if she did and I tried taking it out she would wake up and she never liked sitting in it when it was not in the car. I hired it for 6 months and by 4 months I took it out and put a rear facing seat in and she loves it.

[kaze]

i bought a polo capsule and used for DD until she outgrew it at 7 months. I didn't find it particularly useful as its heavy and cumbersome, we primarily bought it due to its high safety rating. we moved her into a compaq and at nearly 3 she still has plenty of room and hopefully should see her to 4.

we used the capsule for DS who outgrew it at about 10 months. This time we found it useful as we could strap him into the capsule inside, then go straight to the car while trying to catch DD who would be running around the front yard. So in those situations I found it easier to walk after her and guide her back to the car if he was in the capsule instead of carrying him and herding a toddler back to the car. if that makes sense.

I have got my capsule out on loan to friends at the moment and by the time i get it back i might hold onto it for future number #3 or might just put them straight into one of the 2 compaqs we have, i am comfortable with this as the compaq rates safety high in the reverse mode

if you need a capsule to use when doing school drop offs that sort of thing, i wouldnt worry if you baby wear, if you do, no need for a capsule, if you don't babywear then i can see having a capsule that clips into a pram would be very handy