Why do so many people believe having an infant seat is a requirement?

Question

I answered a question on here yesterday, about a woman choosing a car seat for her two month old baby.
I suggested she buy a birth-toddler convertible as her baby is likely to outgrow the infant seat very soon.
Out of that question, three of the five answers said that she needed to buy an infant seat as her baby was too young for a convertible, and her baby could not use a convertible seat until he/she had outgrown the infant seat at one year. How many babies actually use their infant seat for a whole year or more?

I just find it crazy that so many people (not just on that question, on other questions I've seen too) believe its a requirement that baby have an infant seat.

One person on that same question actually said that when using an infant seat, if you're driving alone, the baby can sit up front with you!

I used an infant seat that was given to me by a friend, but I would never spend $100 or more on an infant seat that'll last 4-8 months, when you can buy a convertible birth-toddler seat for $39 new!

How many of you mums or dads have actually used an infant seat for your baby because you believe/d it's a requirement?

Answer 1

I don't know. But I think some of it has to do with the hospitals. And bad fits.



We bought an infant to toddler convertible for my last baby. The hospital didn't like that, they liked infant buckets because it was easier to test a baby in one as compared to the convertible. Also they warned us that if the baby didn't fit in the convertible (and they pointed out a lot of parents had this problem...) we'd have to go and buy an infant seat. She said this in a "you should know better" tone. I had an infant insert and an infant positioning pillow approved by the manufacturer and having been tested with the seat (and had the paperwork to show that) and she lectured me about after-market products, how it would make it so my insurance wouldn't cover my baby in an accident, and then "whatever you do when you leave I can't make you do what's safest". o_O Since then I've actually contacted the car seat manufacturer and other high up experts to make sure that these things were okay, and they are, but from the way the hospital talked I was a HORRIBLE mother for having my baby in a convertible with products made to make sure it fit right.



But then there IS a problem with some convertibles fitting small babies. Even if it says 5lbs up, some convertibles just have a harder time fitting the babies right. So there were old recommendations just like 5-10 years that it's best to use infant seats because they would always fit the baby. Now more convertibles have fixed that. :)



And there's also the problem with some of the convertibles not getting reclined enough to be safe, though more and more have fixed that too. But that made hospitals not recommend convertibles as much in the last 10 years too. And man alive you better believe our nurse checked that recline, she didn't trust our seat.



I used an infant seat with my first, then a different one with my second because the first was recalled, then passed that second one down to my sister who gave it to my niece when my sister's son was too big, so it definitely was worth the $100+ I paid for it (Graco 35.) It's been used for almost 3 years now, different babies though. :) So sometimes it's not even a bad investment. With our first the only benefit was being able to move the seat from car to care easily, it actually hurt us with the weight and trying to carry it. With the second we left it in the car permanently.



Tania: There is no car seat or shopping cart made for each other. Even if a car seat says you can put it on top (as far as I know there is no car seat that says you can, it's parents misunderstanding the latching mechanism and thinking that because it latched on it was made for the shopping cart, but in actuality that latch is to hold the seat in the base and by using it on shopping carts you can accidentally break it or compromise it so it doesn't hold.) The fact is that shopping carts aren't made for the seat on top, and the seat sliding off and falling like you describe, or the cart being top heavy and tipping with baby inside, are very common accidents. I'm glad your baby is alright, but car seats should not be put on shopping carts. Ever. See link below. And until a shopping center says "designed for use with these seats" then even if the seat says it's okay, it's still dangerous.

Answer 2

Some people are stupid. I used the britax advocate from birth. He weighted 5lb 2oz and fit the seat perfectly. The seat is rearward facing until baby is to big and then it forward facing.

@Jess a toddler seat is for babies over 12 months. I believe we are talking about a convertible seat which rearward faces specifically for newborn baby and little baby and the forward faces for toddler and preschooler.



I don't like the infant seats as are too curved for a babies back it can hurt them and is bad to be in that position for very long because oxygen levels can lower make risk of sids more. They are heavy to carry to so not a very good advantage. Car seat should stay in the car



There is no need for a infant seat I think it is the misinformed people like Jess who think it is needed.

Answer 3

I used a convertable from birth with my firstborn for the reason you said - why spend all that extra money on a carseat they will soon outgrow? But she never looked comfortable in the convertable as an infant. Convertables sit the baby up too far, so before she was able to hold her own head up, her head was often tilted to one side at an uncomfortable-looking angle.



So for my second baby, we went ahead and shelled it out for an infant seat for those first few months. He seemed so comfortable snuggled in the "cradle" position of the infant seat, rather than being forced into an unnatural "sitting" position.



Its not a "requirement" to use an infant bucket seat, I just think its a better option. I've never used any car seat anywhere but in the car - I've never used them as "baby carriers", for whatever that's worth.

Answer 4

The first had the Cosco Scenera from newborn on up with rolled receiving blankets propping her up. . #3 showed up in this world barely at 5 pounds. The hospital was horrified we were using the big bulky First Years True Fit for him. They pushed an 'infant seat'. Well, not all convertible seats would have fit him being so tiny. but guess what? That Grace infant seat did not fit him at all, the lowest slot was too high. So in the convertible he went. All snug and cozy, as this seat has a special newborn insert.

.

--- some infant seats DO NOT fit tiny 5 pound babies even though they say they do

--- some convertible seats say 5+ pounds, but actually poorly fit a baby this tiny

.

but in the end, I do agree. Car seats are for cars. And no trouble with the lil one falling back to sleep getting them in and out of the car.

Answer 5

A week ago I'd have agreed with you. But here's what happened to us:

We have a newborn carseat that can be used as a carry cot too. Very handy for when you need to go to the supermarket.

We drove there, took out the seat that held my 6 week old son and went into the store. When my fiance was trying to set the seatie into the trolly ( it fits in like a latch) he somehow lost his grip and the entire seat flipped over and onto the ground with my boy strapped inside it.

We rushed him to the ER, luckilly my son was fine. But the doctor told us, that had it not been a newborn seat that wedged him in tightly enough to keep his neck braced against the fall, he would definately have been seriously injured. (whiplash, he could have severed the spinal cord from the brain etc)

The same holds for carseats, the child needs to be wedged in tightly enough to keep him from being shaken like a rag doll.

And when a car breaks, the force throws you forward, toward the front of the car. A backwards facing seat would ensure that the child is not propelled against the straps that bind him I'd imagine that the force could be enough to break a newborn's neck if his head was thrown forward with that amount of force. Facing backwards will propell the entire seat, as opposed to just his neck being jerked.

When we bought the seat, I thought it was a waste of money because he'd grow out of it so fast. But that buy is the reason that my son did not die because of some damn accident that could have happened to anybody. I really believe that it saved his life. And a car accident has much more force than a meter's fall.

Bobbi: I did not explain myself very well, sorry. The seat is desighned to work as both a car seat and a carry cot. And it can attach to a shopping cart, not a stroller. The accident was not as a result of trying to juggle too much at once, or using it for the wrong purpose, as it was designed to do exactly what we wanted to achieve. The fault was simply loosing grip on the handle. oh, and pardon my spelling:-)

Answer 6

In the US no its not a requirement to use and infant carseat... You can go straight to a convertible seat..



But purchasing an infant seat for the first 8-9 months is definitely had its perks!!! Such as:

The ease of getting baby in and out of the car using the base that stays put and with strollers accepting the carseat so you don't have to disturb a napping baby!!!

The infant seats are more catered to a smaller baby and give them a snugglier feeling and it soothes them...

Infant seats have a canopy to block the sun from delicate eyes



I love having an infant seat over going straight to a convertible because for those first months they come in very handy!!!

Answer 7

I wish I had went with something other than the stupid car seat I have. I never really knew of anything other than just a normal baby rear facing car seat. And I hate the stupid thing my baby looks so uncomfortable sleeping in it from the position it sits her head falls down and it just looks like her poor neck is going to be sore.

Answer 8

As long as the weight/height requirements fit, then they should go ahead and get what they want. I think it's also a kind of a bias as to what the parents used they think other people should do similar to what they did.

Answer 9

Most states have strict car seat requirements and this is based on age and weight and you can be ticketed for having the wrong seat or an outdated seat. This is not something you can pick and choose.

Answer 10

I specifically did NOT use an infant seat. It's terrible for their neck back and head and its a lot harder for you as a mom to carry a bucket with a baby around than a baby. Also my baby is a person and not a thing.

Answer 11

I used the infant seat for 6 months because my daughter was too small for the toddler+ car seat, there is a certain weight your baby has to be before he/ she can go in the toddler+ car seat.



Also, depending on where you live it IS a requirement, Australia is VERY strict about car seat requirements, I don't know about the UK (where I live) but I should imagine there are requirements here to. I don't know about the US.. You need to understand people are from different countries with different requirements.



It's all about safety. I'm not gonna jump straight to a toddler seat to save money, I'd rather use the infant seat until my baby outgrows it (yes even for a few months) if that means my baby will be safe.



EDIT: Shows what you know...



http://www.babycenter.com.au/a1033422/car-seat-laws-in-australia

http://www.birth.com.au/Baby/Baby-Products/Baby-products/Australian-Child-Car-Seat-Laws



I put my daughter in the infant car seat as a baby, it IS a requirement, I moved up to the toddler+ car seat when my daughter was too big for the infant car seat.



https://www.gov.uk/child-car-seats-the-rules/overview



Sorry if we (parents) want our children to be safe.



Also way to thumbs down people who don't agree..

Answer 12

I think it's maybe just for safety reasons, per weight. Whatever works, works. It's maybe no big deal if it's bigger or smaller than whatever, if it works, if it's safe, that studies show it, then it works.