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My Newborn List: Car Seats

Must Haves # 3: Car seats
An item you definitely want and need to have is a car seat. 

  • It's The Law
If you give birth in the hospital in the United States you can not leave the hospital with your baby without one. Similar if you are going to travel with a young child by car,  you have to have a car seat in your car.
  • Infant or Convertible?
Convertible
Pros: I feel like the convertible will save new parents more money because you do not have to change car seats after the first year as you do with the infant car seat.

Cons: That being said in my past experience, I have always felt the more upright convertible feels too upright for a new baby and I have preferred the infant for the first year. Convertibles can not come out of the car as an infant car seat can. I've also heard from a mom who used convertibles from the beginning, said it made nap time harder, especially if you have a child that does not transfer well from the car into the home while you can bring the infant car seat from the car into the house.
Infant
Pros: A benefit for the parent on the go is an infant car seat can come out of the car whether you choose to hold it, put it safely and correctly in a shopping cart, or use it on a stroller frame - a stroller designed specifically for infant car seats or with a regular stroller. 

 Cons: I do not recommend holding your infant car seat for long periods because they are heavy and hurt your arm. I would go with the stroller frame or regular stroller over investing in the car seat handle cover that supposedly make it more comfortable to hold the infant car seat. 
Extra Things To Consider
Also, it depends on how many cars you have, for some parents it's more practical to use an infant and have two bases, one in each parent's car than it is to buy two convertible car seats.
Final Thoughts
I have 3 kids and have used 3 infant car seats for each of them. I got into baby wearing with my 2nd and mostly wore my 2nd and now my 3rd vs lugging around the car seat. That being said, I used the infant car seat with my 3rd, because I was able to reuse the car seat from my second since it was not expired. Those are the choices I made with my first three. If I am blessed with more children, I would probably consider investing in the grow with your child convertibles that are hitting the market now, one investment from the start. It is definitely more money to do the newborn, convertible and then a booster and adds up to what you would probably spend for one 3 in 1-4 in 1 convertibles. We have 2 vehicles, 2 infant bases, 2 convertibles, 2 boosters - 1 for each car. And we spend more time trading the kid car, then we switch the car seats.

  • Buying Infant Car Seats
If you are considering an infant car seat.This is my 3rd baby and I have used an infant car seats with each of them. Since car seats are good for 6 years, I was able to use my infant car seat that I bought brand new when I had my second for the first year and now reusing it with my third for the first year. I have used the Graco brand with all three. As for why I choose the Graco brand, with my first it was about finding an affordable car seat in my price range. Graco tends to be a more affordable brand, compared to some of the other well-known brands out there. As a curtsey, I've also linked the brands to websites, so you can see what some of these costs and don't have to take my word for it. For example, if you click the word Graco below it will take you to an Amazon search for Graco infant car seats. I also have listed some example Amazon prices from April 2016. Remember prices may vary - depending on when you are reading this post, website, and location.

Cheaper Brands
Brands I feel that have some car seats selections for sale that are more affordable that you can find for $120 or less although they may have some for higher prices (this according to my perspective, which may be different from yours): Graco, Evenflo, Urbini 
As of April 2016: 

Evenflo Nurture - $64.99
Evenflo Embrace LX - $87.99

 Urbini Petall - $99.99
Pricier Brands
Brands I would consider to usually be higher in price, so over $120, usually ranging upper $100s to around $200s: Britax, Chicco
As of April 2016: 
  Britax B-Safe 35 - $168 (list price: $209.99)
Britax B-Safe 35 Elite - $199 (list price:$249.99)
Britax B-Safe XE - $191.48 (list price: 219.99)

Chicco Key Fit 30 - $189.99 (list price: $199.99)
Chicco Key Fit Zip  - $229.99
Chicco Key Fit 30 Magic - $209.99

 Expensive Brands
These brands I feel you are definitely paying for the name because they are high Upper $200s-$400 dollars + : Peg Perego, Stokke, Cybex, Orbit Baby

As of April 2016: 
  Cybex Aton - $269.95 
Cybex Aton 2 $319.95

Peg Perego Primo Viaggio SIP 30/30 - $226.61 (list price: $269.99)
Peg Perego Primo Viaggio 4/35 - $299.97 (list price:$299.99)

 Stokke Pippa - $349.99 + 4.99 shipping
Orbit Baby G3 - $439 (list price: $440)
  • Buying Convertible Car Seats
If you are considering a convertible for newborn and up, I would consider looking  at some of the brands I have listed below that are 3 in 1 or 4 in 1 type car seat that grow with your child. These  are not the same as the regular convertible that you will have to change into a booster eventually.
As of April 2016:
Safety 1st Grow and Go 3 in 1 - $152.99 (list price: $169.99)
Graco Smart Seat All in One - $277.56 (list price: $299.99)
Graco 4 Ever All In One - $299.99

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