As the confinement period is ending soon, I’ll need to prepare to drop off and pick up the preschooler to/from the kindy again. Since the baby arrived 2 weeks earlier than expected, I couldn’t buy the infant car seat and can only now surf online to compare models and prices.
I’m a short Mum with a bad back thus I look for a lightweight infant car seat.Thought the Halford Classic Elite (RM270) was perfect but it appeared to be lightly padded and too deep with no reclining features.
I’m still recovering from my C-section, which means I can’t carry heavy stuff…
Most importantly, I need a well-padded infant car seat for our 5.72 lbs (2.6 kg) little girl. I saw the Evenflo Discovery 5 Infant Car Seat
I’m planning to use the infant carrier for:
- trips to and from the kindergarten,
- when we attend church and outings
Since the preschooler is in a convertible car seat, I’m hoping that we would have moved him to a booster seat when the baby outgrows the infant carrier.
It’s pretty frustrating because:
a) I’d given away the car seat the boy used when he was a newborn and
b) The current convertible car seat was chosen for my big boy, who was huge at birth – 3.78 kg.
However, I read a mix of negative reviews for the Evenflo Discovery 5 on Amazon, which include:
- difficult to latch and unlatch from the car base (2 hands needed & noisy),
- doesn’t lean back enough in the base for a new born to be safe (head flops forward!),
- difficult to adjust straps.
The Chicco Cortina KeyFit car seat (and travel system)
Or should I just forget the infant car seat, keep her at home for 2-3 months and then go straight to a newborn-toddler convertible car seat? (The Britax Galaxy infant and toddler car seat caught my eye at RM799 but it’s such a dark colour = mosquitoes!)
Problem: The boy is very PROTECTIVE over his personal belongings e.g. I asked if the baby could sleep on his bed since it’s warmer there but he said, “But this is my bed!”.
When I tried using just the seat belt on him (not the 5-point harness) on his convertible car seat, he actually burst into tears! Mumbling through the tears, he claimed that he’s not a big boy yet and cannot use the seat belt directly 
I DON’T think he’s ready to give up his convertible car seat in 2 months’ time?
I hope that we can get a good deal during this Christmas sale – then again, do infant or toddler car seats go on sale for Christmas???
Please let me know if you used a great car seat for tiny newborns OR hear of any good deals, ya? Many thanks!
{ 9 comments… read them below or add one }
Sigh looks like it did. Here I go again, but fast fwd a bit
I use Peg Prego travelling system:
- carrier alone costs RM700+
- weighs about 6kg
- latches/unlatches easily from base
- my babies (all 3) loves to snooze in it cos it’s super padded and very comfy
- head won’t flop cos it comes with a headrest which you can detach once they are older
- snug fit
- suitable for small babies. All my boys weigh about 2.7kg at birth. No problems in using from Day 1, which we did (I don’t believe in carrying babies in a moving car).
KittyCat: Sorry the first comment went into spam
6 kg??? Wah-lau, how do you carry it and the baby? You must be one strong woman. For me, the Graco Logico (4 kg) is already too heavy and bulky!
Off topic a bit, got more baby’s photos to post?
KittyCat: Coming soon!
We used Maxi-Cosi; husband did the carrying so I’m not sure if it’s light enough.
Planete Enfants gave us a 25% coupon to use when we joined the membership at RM25. The coupon can be used for only certain brands, including Maxi-Cosi. You may check if they still provide this benefit.
i think if you can keep her in the house for the 2 months, she should be able to get into the convertible seat and save you the need to buy an infant seat.
OR you can find those padding that will fit into the convertible seat to make it cosier for her to sit on, but you have to carry her (with a baby bjorn if you have – highly recommended) when you take her out of the car.
Something like this:
Kiddopotamus Snuzzler Head and Body Support
KittyCat: I’ve seen the Snuzzler at Mothercare and wanted to buy it too. I’ve got a ring sling and think I may just do as you (and also Chanel) have suggested. I got to practice using the ring sling first
Infant carier only lasts for about 1 year the most, provided your child doesn’t grow to more than 9Kg before she turns 1yr.
I also find carrying infant carrier with the baby in it rather taxing.
The good thing is you can bring the baby anywhere, and she’ll have her own little seat in public places, friend’s house etc.
I don’t know ler. For me, if I didn’t get it during Zara’s time, I won’t buy it for Zaria. A car seat would last longer definitely. Your current one not meant for infant?
Sorry can’t help much here. We bought a travel system which comes with an infant carrier during Yiu Yiu’s time, and using it currently with baby as well. We’ve moved Yiu Yiu to the booster seat so when baby outgrows the carrier, she’ll be upgraded to the car seat that Yiu Yiu used previously.
You won’t use a carrier for long so maybe not necessary to buy an expensive one.
My friend got a Mothercare carrier (cost about RM270 I think) and she lend it to me for few months, I think it works great.
First, this is a conundrum that all parents should spend as much time as you have noodling over. That said…
#1. Never, ever use anything to “pad” a carseat. They are not approved, and are not crash-tested with seats, and they will compress in a crash, causing more slack between the baby and the seat, which will cause injuries. You want nothing between baby and seat.
#2. The Evenflo Discovery is an AWFUL seat. Don’t even think of buying it.
#3. Keep your boy in his convertible, as long as he fits. Children should be in 5-point harnesses until they’re at least 5–and even then, they don’t sit still in boosters until they’re closer to 7. And when I say “booster” I mean the high-back–the one that has a back and head support with the seatbelt guide in the head support, so you can adjust where the seatbelt hits your child (at the shoulders, not neck).
#4. So, what this means is yes, you should get an infant carrier. Not knowing the brands, etc. at home, I cannot recommend any that are light-weight and fit smaller babies. One that seems like a good fit would be the First Years Via (http://car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=79127). But go looking around, and shoot me a note if you have questions. =)
#5. Make sure your boy still fits in his convertible seat. If forward-facing, seats are outgrown when the top of the shoulders are ABOVE the highest usable harness slots. Seats are also outgrown by weight, though this is more unlikely than outgrowing by height. Also, make sure your seat is not expired. All seats should have an expiration date or manufacture date stamped on the shell. Most seats have a 6-year expiration, unless otherwise noted–check your manual.
#6. Yes, I’m a fanatic. =) HUGS to you, and congrats on the new addition to your family!!
Thanks so much, everyone, for sharing with me your own experiences & thoughts on infant carriers/car seats. I researched and researched and finally found the perfect one. Will tell all soon!