3 Wheel V 4 Wheel V Travel systems

Davesmum_2

Sorry that you think this is scaremongering, but i would not compromise my babies safety to save a few pounds, this has nothing to do with scaremongering or emotional blackmail by salespeople.
But everyone to their own, BTW, I Don't mean to be rude or anything.

jellyhead

i've been reading about this today in 'emma's diary' and the miriam stoppard pregnancy book. both say you can buy a second hand car seat as long as you get it checked by an expert. i'd imagine that it's okay to use one given to you by someone you know and trust, if they say it hasn't been involved in an accident they're likely to be telling the truth.

both books also say to never use a second hand cot mattress., personally it wouldn't feel hygeinic to me to use a second hand mattress but with the car seat most have washable covers.

Davesmum_2

Congrats on your pregnancy Bargain,

Sorry folks if i came across as rude regarding car seats,???? just my personal opinon.

jellyhead

i think it's important to respect your own opinions regarding motherhood, there are so many areas where people argue and criticise each other ;D

anyway, i got it wrong. the miriam stoppard book doesn't say what i thought it did. it says don't buy car seats second hand but it's okay to buy a second hand cot with mattress. ho hum ... it must have been one of the leaflets in the emma's diary pack or the baby welcome pack i was reading, i ploughed through loads of it yesterday!

i've been offered a travel system by my sister, she used it with her last child. i know it hasn't been in an accident but i'll have to check how much of it is washable and if any of the non-washable bits are absorbent. her child was really sweaty, sicky and snotty - much more than most children and i'm a bit squeamish, i'd only want to use it if i could boil wash every part that could have absorbed any sick lol!

Davesmum_2

Finally got a baby counter to work!!!!

Jay-Jay_4

Hi,

I had a Graco Travel system for my first and ran it for 4 years before she finally got too big for it. It was fine and nothing ever fell off it or broke. It was WELL USED by the time I'd finished with it.

This time I looked at M&P and loved the look of them but bought a Britax travel system in the end. Although the Britax is nicer to look at than the Graco, I much preferred my old Graco for the way it felt.

I love the car-seat part of travel systems for ease of use but have found this time around that, now she's 11 months, I just can't be bothered with the 'big pram' for little trips and instead keep a £30 fold up buggy in the boot aswell as the Britax.

When you look at the fact they're only in the car seat part for 9 months it's a lot of money to spend :-/ then again.. they are easier ::)

By the way... Boots do M&P prams, although they may be more expensive you can get advantage points which you can always use for nappies

jellyhead

9 months? is that just in the pushchair or does it only last 9 months as a car seat too?

Jay-Jay_4

9 months? is that just in the pushchair or does it only last 9 months as a car seat too?

The car seat only lasts 9 months. When baby begins to sit up unaided and reaches a certain weight you should switch to a forward facing carseat. In my case, both times, that was around the 9 month mark. My travel system car seat is like brand new, hardly looks used at all.

She's now in a Britax Rennaisance (sp?) car seat which is brill.

jellyhead

ah yes i remember now ... my last pregnancy was 9 years ago so i've forgotten a lot lol! young spud's 8 but quite tiny so he still sits on a booster seat even now. i think the booster was his 4th car seat. we didn't use a car much, didn't have one back then we got lifts off my mum. i bought a pram for spud that was suitable from birth, like a buggy but sturdier, it lasted more than 4 years (boys are lazy lol!) then got passed on to someone for their grandchildren.

so you use the car seat part of the travel system until they're around 9 months and then buy a new car seat and use the pushchair bit without the car seat? the obvious benefit of a travel system is the easy transfers between car, pram and house if the baby's asleep then. the car seat part also rocks so you can use it as a baby chair/rock them to sleep. does that mean you don't need a chair in the house?

Jay-Jay_4

it lasted more than 4 years (boys are lazy lol!)

mine used hers for 4 yrs too.. girls lazy as well

so you use the car seat part of the travel system until they're around 9 months and then buy a new car seat and use the pushchair bit without the car seat?

yeah..that's it.I think that you can but a car seat from birth to 4 but most folks buy a rear facing car seat with carry handle then move on to a bigger, more permanent, forward facing one.

the obvious benefit of a travel system is the easy transfers between car, pram and house if the baby's asleep then. the car seat part also rocks so you can use it as a baby chair/rock them to sleep. does that mean you don't need a chair in the house?

Yes it's a godsend when baby's asleep, also you don't have to keep strapping and unstrapping baby. Most health-visitors don't recommend using it as a seat for a long time in the house as it's not good for baby's back but if mine fell asleep in the car, I would bring her in in the seat and let her sleep. When she was teeny tiny I would rock her to sleep in it but she soon got fed up of that ::) I had a bouncy chair too though.