Do we really need car seat to be compatible?

[Anonymous]

I'm an expectant FTM researching strollers and carseats. From what I have read, while many people keep baby in car seat (compatible with stroller) for errands you are not really supposed to. I tend to err on the far side of caution, so I'm inclined to follow this recommendation and baby wear. With this in mind, is it really necessary that the car seat and stroller be compatible? As it is only one of us usually does groceries or other errands, so I can't see why the baby would suddenly be going on a lot of short errands.

Part two which is sort of related but more about general sleep safety - once baby outgrows bassinet attachment for stroller, where the heck do they sleep if you visit friends for a couple hours/go somewhere for a length of time that will require a nap?

-overwhelmed mom to be

[Anonymous]

Babies usually just don’t fall asleep in strange place but when you travel, a pack n play.

It’s much much easier to keep the baby in the carrier and attach it to a stroller. Babies also don’t usually just easily go into a car seat past a few months. If one person will always stay home with baby, then probably not a big deal, but putting any child that isn’t an infant into and out of a car seat can be a massive pain in the rear.

[Anonymous]

No, get a snap and go and later get a nice stroller. Preferences can change.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm an expectant FTM researching strollers and carseats. From what I have read, while many people keep baby in car seat (compatible with stroller) for errands you are not really supposed to. I tend to err on the far side of caution, so I'm inclined to follow this recommendation and baby wear. With this in mind, is it really necessary that the car seat and stroller be compatible? As it is only one of us usually does groceries or other errands, so I can't see why the baby would suddenly be going on a lot of short errands.

Part two which is sort of related but more about general sleep safety - once baby outgrows bassinet attachment for stroller, where the heck do they sleep if you visit friends for a couple hours/go somewhere for a length of time that will require a nap?

-overwhelmed mom to be

The first part is really only applicable for when they are in the infant seat - you don't necessarily need a fancy stroller compatible with the bucket seat; you can get a basic Snap 'n Go that is compatible with most bucket seats: https://babytrend.com/collections/snap-n-go

These are also super easy to find second hand and are nice to have in the car if you want to keep the baby in the infant seat (eg if he falls asleep and you don't want to wake him to baby wear).

Part two- pack n play. Popular brands now are the Lotus Guava and the Baby Bjorn. Graco is the OG maker of the pack n play but their brand is a little heavier- fine if your friend is ok having one at their house but not as great for travel.

[Anonymous]

Both our kids slept quite happily in a car seat rocking on the floor of a restaurant or friend's house.

[Anonymous]

It's great to plan to baby wear, but some babies are chunkers and their weight will hurt your back/neck, or they'll hate being worn and will scream and cry when you try to do it.

Be prepared to be flexible and change your plans as needed.

[Anonymous]

I was super cautious about never letting my baby sleep in a carseat ( we take lots of walks and baby never went along on errands). we used the bassinet attachment first 4-5 months but mine grew out of it before being big enough to sit up unsupported in her stroller. I suppose I could've bought one of those snug seat inserts but instead bought a car seat attachment for months 4ish-6ish until she could fully sit up ( wasn't asleep). To be honest the double stroller we inherited isn't compatible with my infant seat and I'll likely just baby wear in the gap between bassinet and sitting up.

Yes to pack and play- other thing that's light / easier then pack and play when little that's safe for sleep is the fisher price dome.

[Anonymous]

If you’re staying home with the baby you will find yourself going on errands some days just to get out of the house and do something.
You don’t have to have an infant carrier for the car if you don’t want one. They make convertible seats that go from newborn and up. It really is a personal preference.
If you are at a friends baby can sleep in stroller if need be or a pack n play.

[Anonymous]

Why can't the baby stay in the car seat for an errand? It nice to take the baby out at times. No one wants to stay home all the time. You are not going to wake the baby up to move to a carrier.

[Anonymous]

My kids napped in the car seat for the times we were visiting. I promise they are totally fine teens.

[Anonymous]

It’s bad for their spines to be in the semi reclined position before 6 months. It can also be a positional asphyxiation risk in the first couple months because their head can slump down on their chest. I took those risks seriously (mostly the spine one) and did not have a stroller compatible car seat. I never let my baby sleep in her car seat and put her in the stroller with bassinet attachment for all walks.

[Anonymous]

Oh and for sleeping, I would baby wear in those situations or let baby sleep in the stroller. Most good strollers allow you to totally recline the seat for sleeping. Not exactly recline but flip the seat to a horizontal position.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s bad for their spines to be in the semi reclined position before 6 months. It can also be a positional asphyxiation risk in the first couple months because their head can slump down on their chest. I took those risks seriously (mostly the spine one) and did not have a stroller compatible car seat. I never let my baby sleep in her car seat and put her in the stroller with bassinet attachment for all walks.

I kept my 10 year old in the car
seat all the freaking time. His head got a little flat, but once he started walking it rounded out. Don’t freak out op. Do what you have to do.

[Anonymous]

No, stroller and car seat do not need to be compatible. I got different brands (Uppababy stroller and Chicco car seat) and got an adapter to use them together, but after two kids I can count on one hand the number of times I have used the adapter. I either use the full stroller or I put them in a carrier.

Get a stroller that can recline for when the kid outgrows the bassinet.

When visiting friends I just put a blanket or playmat on the floor at their house. I keep a pack n play at my parents’ house for when we visit them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s bad for their spines to be in the semi reclined position before 6 months. It can also be a positional asphyxiation risk in the first couple months because their head can slump down on their chest. I took those risks seriously (mostly the spine one) and did not have a stroller compatible car seat. I never let my baby sleep in her car seat and put her in the stroller with bassinet attachment for all walks.

I kept my 10 year old in the car
seat all the freaking time. His head got a little flat, but once he started walking it rounded out. Don’t freak out op. Do what you have to do.

My 20 year old slept in the car seat (in the crib) till about 4' months. Our pediatrician said it was common and having the head elevated helped with reflux etc. I know the advice has changed since then but if your baby needs to sleep and happens to be in the car seat ..well do what you think is best.