Travel systems are they worth it?

Rambosmum

I'm wondering if travel systems are worth it. We have a pram which you can buy adapters for to turn it in to a travel system if you buy the right car seat. BUT I'm wondering whether we should bother?

It's a lot of money for the 'right' car seat when we can get a perfectly safe, usable one for less than half the price. What do people think? Is it useful having the car seat clip to the pram frame?

LilElvis

I had a full travel system and it was fantastic - press one button to release car seat from isofix base and click into the wheeled frame. No unstrapping or waking baby. Definitely money well spent. I had the mamas and papas ultimo, but I don't think they make it anymore and it was pricey at around £1k for everything - car seat, wheels, isofix, pram/Moses basket, pushchair seat, covers. I passed mine on and I'm glad it's going to see its 3rd baby in the new year.

Nicki

i had the car seat and adapters which went with my pushchair and I think I used it once! Babies shouldn't be left in a car seat for more than an hour at a time because this greatly increases the risk of cot death so unless you would be driving somewhere 10 minutes away and then only walking around shopping for 40 mins, they are pretty useless IMO.

http://www.dbh.nhs.uk/Car_seat_awareness.aspx

LilElvis

Nicki wrote: »

i had the car seat and adapters which went with my pushchair and I think I used it once! Babies shouldn't be left in a car seat for more than an hour at a time because this greatly increases the risk of cot death so unless you would be driving somewhere 10 minutes away and then only walking around shopping for 40 mins, they are pretty useless IMO.

http://www.dbh.nhs.uk/Car_seat_awareness.aspx

Exactly what I used mine for, several times a week.

Waffle_On

It depends how you're going to be using it. If you mostly walk from home, then there's no need. If, like I did, you mostly drive somewhere then get out and walk around a bit, then go back in the car, they are really useful as babies tend to fall asleep in the car and it saves waking them up.

Rambosmum

I'm going with no then. I can't imagine where I'll drive to where we won't walk for long or where I'd need to take the car seat in with me where I can't carry it in.

GwylimT

I wouldn't bother, young babies can only spend an hour in a car seat, driving to and from town and a walk around can easily take longer. You can however get the britax car cot which is suitable and can be used on a pram, we had one but never used as a pram as we didn't have one, so can't comment on clipping it on etc.

sooty&sweep

Hi
I did find a car seat I could take out of the car useful for transporting a small baby around a supermarket or if you're going in somewhere where you want to put the baby down.
However I didn't use it much on the pram wheels as as others have said they shouldn't be in them too long and personally I don't think they can be comfortable as there isn't much wriggle room ! I had a big pram which I used when I was walking from home and a pushchair in the boot of the car.
Jen

C_Mababejive

They are terribly expensive,,why back in my day, a pram was of no use unless you could use it to do a moonlight flit or get a sack of coal on it from the sidings. Now you wouldnt get a double wardrobe on a stokke,,no chance,,it would fall over..

olgadapolga

I had a travel system with my first and used it for her but didn't with her siblings. Found a sling more useful (and they never woke up when lifted from the car seat and put into the sling). We had an umbrella pushchair from six months, much easier than the huge travel system frame.

If I had to choose again, I'd save the money and not buy a travel system.

squashy

With my youngest I invested in a good convertible fixed car seat instead, as it is good to keep your baby rear facing in the car for as long as possible into toddlerhood, however the travel system seats generally only go up to 9 months.

I did previously have a "baby-bucket" which looking back was cumbersome! I still see parents now who visit relatives or cafes and are trying desperately to negotiate doorways whilst trying not to bash it against the wall whilst also juggling a giant nappy bag! Much easier to simply lift baby out of the seat into a sling or ordinary pushchair, or even- shock, horror- hold it!