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Hi ladies,
I'm tossing up between buying a capsule vs carseat and would appreciate your opinions :) Some people have told me they really wished they'd had it while others said they didn't really mind. Having the baby in May would probably mean I wouldn't be that keen to go out all the time given it is winter, but who knows? Do you have one and did you find it useful? Many thanks :wink:
Is there anyone you can borrow one from?
All of my friends who have used a capsule have loved it, saying it's so much easier with a newborn than dragging them in and out of the car all the time. It's not something you use for very long though, so it's great if you can borrow one (which I'm doing). I know that our local council hires them out too. Maybe that's an option for you? Good luck :D
I had a capsule with my 3 girls and bought them a car seat at around 5- 6 months. With Sammy I had a convertible car seat which I ended up changing when he was 14 months to a maxi rider anyway. I definately preferred having the capsule. It makes it so much to not have to wake bubs up every time you have to get out of the car. I was forever making short trips and having to wake Sammy up and re wrapping him etc each time I got him out of the car. It drove me bananas!
Jo
Aww i was really interested too read this thread, because everyone's been telling me to get the convertable carseat, so i havn't thought to use a capsule, but what u'll saying about waking bubs up each time u wanna doo short trips makes sence... hmmm, might have to look into this one further~
I would borrow a capsule from a friend or hire one, then when bubs has grown out of that i would get the carseat. You will need one eventually. I suggested to my DF about the capsule and he said no just use DS's carseat as he is going into a toddler seat.
I love capsules for the convenience of not having to wake the baby, and always having somewhere for it to sleep when visiting friends etc.
We're using a capsule for the first few months, then moving onto a convertible car seat.
I'm a capsule fan, particularly good in winter as you can bunny rug them once they're strapped in (inside where it's warm) whereas with a seat you have to unwrap them in the cold to strap them in. Also good not having to wake them up to get them out of the car. Also good if you just need to pop into a shop for five minutes, you can just carry the whole thing in!
In fact, I wish they made the capsules a bit bigger so you could use them for a few more months!!
:-)
I have a confortable carseat and find it great. My sister had a capsule and she said it was a pain in the butt once her bubs were to big and old for it. Plus a bonus of having the car seat is i now dont have to go out and get a new seat when Chelsea grows though each stage.
My sister gave me her capsule and we bought a car seat for the other car as we knew we'd need it at a later stage anyways. But..i think they both have their plus's. Capsule, if bubs is sleeping you can get them out of the car without disturbing them and just leave them in the capsule. Also if you go somewhere, like a friends place.. they can use it as somewhere to sleep. (re the curved spine.. we did that for Jesse and my sister did with her kids and their backs are all fine.. when you hold bubs or they sit in a bouncer, their back isnt completely straight either.. plus theyre curved in the whomb?).. Downer, is that theyre bloody heavy! DH has a commodore and the car seat goes in the middle of the car. Lugging the capsule in and out when bubs starts to put on some weight is a biatch. We ended up just using the car seat in the commodore and the capsule is now under Jesse's cot. So, if it were me and i was to purchase from scratch, id just go with the car seat. Like a cradle, it only gets used for a few months, if that, youre going to need the car seat later anyways when they grow out of the capsule.. id spend the extra couple of hundred the capsule costs on something else for bubs or use it on a better car seat :wink:
I've used a both a reversible car seat and a capsule and I found bubby didn't really wake up much.
The capsule can be really heavy which I found to be surprising.
I prefer the reversible car seat personally.
I beg to differ on the spine issue. A capsule holds a baby in the supine position, which has little impact on a 0-6 month old babies spine. (I have researched this extensively, as all my babies have sleot in a hammock from birth to at least 10 months, which holds a baby in a very similar position to a capsule).
In terms of leaving a baby to sleep in a capsule, again, I have no issue with this. Olivia was born in the Territory and as such did a huge amount of sleeping in the car capsule as we travelled very long distances. Hours on end. As such, IMHO, leaving a baby in the capsule to nap over a coffee at a friends place is a lot shorter in duration, so I have no problem with it at all. Each to theri own, of course.
My preference is to hire a capsule till they hit 9kg & have good head control, then move to a front facing car seat.
HTH
I used a capsule for Kimberley and loved using it. She has no problem with her spine from sleeping in it when going out to see friends and also they are also used on some prams if you buy the pram that goes with capsule so you just take them from the car to the pram without getting them out.
I wish i didn't sell mine before i had Alex as i missed not being able to get him out of the car without waking him up all the time.
I've been thinking about getting one for this bubs but DH isn't sure but it's not him having to deal with 3 small kids and a kindy run twice a week.
Though you wouldnt be leaving the baby in the capsule for hours on end as youd need to feed and change their nappy? I can see them saying its not good for a long period as they need to be able to stretch out and be a little free as anyone would, but i couldnt see the fact that because its arched that it would effect their back? Like i said their back is curved in the womb, while you hold them and if theyre on a bouncer. I dont think theyd be able to make such a thing if it was going to damage the baby's back? Ah well, theres nothing wrong with Jesse and he slept in his capsule. His was padded so it wasnt too hard.
Dont sids refer to sleeping flat on their back as appose to on their tummy or side?
Although I haven't researched this extensively, I thought that awhile ago they decided that capsules weren't as safe, but new evidence has shown that they are perfectly safe for newborns? Perhaps even preferable in terms of car safety? Surely they wouldn't be so prolific if they were a hazard?
I know plenty of kids who have been put in capsules and they are all fine! Each to their own I suppose! We all have to do what we feel is best :D
Jan, you can actually hire capsules from Ambulance for I think $69 for 6 months, so you don't have the outlay of buying something that you only use for a fairly short period of time. I was going to go with the car seat as I did with Joshua but we've decided to hire a capsule first with this one. This is partly due to cash flow right now though lol. I'm not sure about RACQ, RACV, NRMA etc. but they may also hire??
I am not sure where you are, but like Cass suggests, hiring a capsule to see how you go with it may be an option. In SA it is the Red Cross Safety Stores that hire out baby capsules, & in the NT it is done through the TIO. (It is around $65 for a 6 month hire.)
HI, Obviously I have no prior experience, but I have read what you all have written, and I have been shopping around, I am going the car seat, originally it was purley for cost. I know I can always hire a capsule if need be. I personally would be wary of borrowing any car seat or capsule even from a friend, Just because it's easier than fiding out later that that restraint had been in a car accident.
The car seat I want is one that has a turn around function that makes it easier to get bubs out. Plus when your looking at quality car seats they are about the smae price.
Rebecca... we're looking at the Turn a tot carseat too!!! They are a great idea.
Caro, I heard similar things about leaving babies in capsules for long periods of time, but as with all things it's a case of exercising common sense. For me, an extra 30 mins napping in a capsule after arriving at our destination is far better than a cranky and overtired child!
I still maintain they are much better in winter because of the bunny rug factor!
We've been offered the purchase of a capsule for $90, haven't looked at it yet, but am considering it.
Any suggestions on things to look for with second-hand capsules?
:
Lisa, we got a turn-a-tot carseat too! I have a crook back so I figured that anything I can do to make getting Bob in and out of the car easier will be a big help.
I used a capsule with DD and she HATED it. She always looked hunched over and uncomfortable. She was also born just before summer hit, and I found she got really hot because of the higher sides.
This time we're going to use a reversible car seat. I figured we'd eventually have to buy one anyway, so why not buy one we can use from newborn, then there's no additional expense for a capsule as well.
I suppose it's a case of what works best for you as everyone is different.
This is true, but they tell you not to leave them in the capsule for any longer than 3 hours. Usually the baby will wake in 2 or so for a feed anyway.:
I think its a great idea and I am going to hire one from our council. However before our trip to Sydney Oct/Nov I will buy a safe n sound one.