Do I Need An Infant Car Seat? Are Convertible Car Seats Better?

I go over the benefits of both infant car seats and all in one convertible car seats.
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[@signediaz2469]

my main concern is leaving the baby in the inclined position longer as opposed to taking them out and putting them in a bassinet. i know theres a 2 hour time frame but i still feel like its better for them to be laying flat

[@lia1094]

If you have a large SUV with a curb weight over 5000 pounds go ahead and get the convertible. It has higher survivability and if you flip your car, unfortunately it is too large to be lifted on its axles by a normal rescue vehicle. Your child will likely require cutting out of the car seat because many rescues in a car of that size are done with the car on its side due to lack of equipment. What many people don’t know is the baby on board stickers were developed because in a great number of infant seats are ejected in vehicles with high curb weight at 60mph + or smaller (under 4,000lbs) at 80mph+. The baby on board alerts us to check the scene for an ejected child. Babies are often found in their carriers outside of the vehicle. Even if used correctly car seats can only reduce fatality by 71% in infants (lower for large vehicles due to impact force with extra curb weight). That’s with perfect use which is never done. The best car seat is the one you can install and use properly forget a canopy.

[@headerahelix]

Well that was absolutely terrifying to read. I don't have an SUV but I'm wondering how a convertible is safer than an infant car seat? Are you talking about car seats installed with a seatbelt or on a base?

[@TheMisspattyb]

Thank you for this very concise rundown of the uses and benefits of each car seat type. This has helped me make sense of it all.

[@kevin-lu]

Glad the video helped!

[@stacymclaurin7786]

I don’t usually comment on videos but I really appreciated this answer to the question! I’ve been wondering this for so long! Really helped me make a decision!

[@kevin-lu]

I’m glad the video helped!

[@theonewhochillsout]

Great video. Thanks for this much needed information and congrats to all the soon to be parents or again parents watching this.

[@billie5956]

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!! So helpful! Car seats/strollers are the worst things I've researched so far as a first time mom- thanks for helping answer my nightmare of a question.

[@kevin-lu]

I'm glad the video helped! I remember reading through all those car set/strollers information, and figured some parents might like having everything in a short video.

[@paulhesseinberg]

Hey Bud! Thanks for your video. This is absolutely helpful and informative to any Soon to be father like me

[@kevin-lu]

Glad to know the video helped! I know becoming a father can be pretty overwhelming with all the new things to research and learn about!

[@texasseoul9779]

This was the most heeeeeeelpful video. Thank you!

[@jaylisworld9577]

Ive been debating on the infant car seat vs a convertible due to finances but I think ill stick with an infant car seat. Reason for convenience , napping and weather. To constantly take them out the car seat to then the stroller seems like a hassle and if its cold outside it’llbe worse. The infant car seat just like you said its made with infants in mind. Thanks for the video!

[@kevin-lu]

You're welcome! I found that with a newborn it was just easier using an infant carseat as you have one less thing to worry about when taking your child around, especially in cold or rainy weather. I miss the days of the infant car seat when it was raining I'd just be able to snap the car seat right in and run back to the driver side. Now my back gets fairly wet making sure my son is buckled in properly.

[@wawawho18_adventures]

great comparison and so detailed!

[@kevin-lu]

Thanks for watching!

[@herkythecavalier]

Very useful video. Thank you!

[@marianaumova9020]

Great overview! Made to make decision easier!

[@kevin-lu]

Glad it helped!

[@seankirk3905]

there is no debate, only the best for my baby. infant car seat all the way!

[@AshleyHolms]

thank you

[@diz354]

Awesome and very informative review 😎

[@kevin-lu]

Glad the video helped!

[@jongt69]

I’m in love!

[@NellyCottoy]

Love how detailed you are! New subbie here! Excited 2 see you grow.

[@kevin-lu]

Glad you’re enjoying the videos! And thanks for the support!

[@hasraniena3081]

If I were to start all over again, I actually would skip the infant carseat only because my baby reached the maximum length in 6-7 months. They are so expensive, i thought it would last me 2 years. I use Rava now and I feel like $400 (pipa) is a lot to spend for less than a year

[@kevin-lu]

I agree $400 is quite a bit for less than one year of usage. It’s hard to know how fast your baby grows as my son is on the smaller side and would probably still fit in an infant car seat at 16 months.

[@emmashuherk6052]

We are going with a convertible car seat simply because we rarely travel by car. If we didn’t live in a city and had to be a two car family we would probably opt for the infant car seat.

[@izzycarterr8864]

Thank you !

[@kevin-lu]

You're welcome!

[@christ_tel_]

Thank you for your tips. New mum to be here 😊

[@hahaminesbigger]

You’re awesome.

[@kevin-lu]

Thanks!

[@sherlock8799]

2 hours is the maximum recommended time for an infant to be in a car seat. Therefore, having them in a stroller for an extended period of time is unsafe

[@TheMrsBeej]

I love your channel, and thank you for all of the practical advice you've been sharing. My issue is that I'm also debating which stroller to get, and can't decide if the travel system is the way to go or not, but as I'm sure you know travel systems work with infant seats. I know you bought the Doona for yourself, but if you had forgone the system and bought just a convertable and a stroller, which ones would you opted for do you think? I'm trying to be practical and safe, but minimize the number of things I have to buy for other reasons. Thanks!

[@kevin-lu]

Before I ultimately decided on the Doona, I was actually set on getting the Mockingbird Stroller and the car seat adapter. From the specs and what I’ve read it’s a great a stroller versus something like more expensive like the Uppababy ones. The main reason we ended up with the Doona was that we actually found one at TJ Maxx on sale. Edit: Forgot to mention about convertible car seats. Personally I really like the Nuna Exec in my wife’s car, but the Cybex Sirona S I have isn’t bad and I also did consider the Britax All4One as well.

[@TheMrsBeej]

@@kevin-lu Thank you, this is super helpful!

[@davidboeger6766]

I was tempted to go all-in-one from the start to "save money", but the more I thought about it, the more I realized the value isn't really there. The biggest reason is resale value. All-in-ones essentially have none (unless you're getting rid of one early for some reason) because by the time you're done with them, they are close to expiration and can't really be reused for another child. The other big reason is that separate products can be used for multiple children with staggered ages, eliminating the need for multiple all-in-ones for siblings. When you consider all the design benefits of separate products, the resale value, the support for multiple children, and the option to replace cheaper individual seats in case of damage or a crash, there's almost no remaining value proposition to the all-in-ones. Now I know buying used car seats with unknown histories is not officially recommended, but there is serious demand out there from people who can't afford brand new seats either, and I would argue the risk of buying a higher-quality used seat which doesn't appear damaged is offset by the risks of buying cheaper seats with less safety features and more difficult installations, given the known stats on incorrect installations. The only way I see all-in-ones coming out ahead in total cost is if someone insists on buying only new, refuses to resell, and only plans to space pregnancies far enough apart that they would get no multiple-child benefit from separate products. For anyone willing to resell used seats or stagger pregnancies by a couple of years, there's significant value in having separate products with potentially lower sticker price as well. In my case, I was tempted to skip the infant car seat, but ended up getting a great deal on a used one that has almost 5 years left before expiration, was barely used during the pandemic, and appears to be in perfect condition. We both work from home and will probably only take baby to appointments in the first year, so our risk is relatively low already based on driving requirements. And we can probably resell it for what we paid or reuse it for additional children. My intention is to splurge on a high-quality new convertible when the baby grows, since that will see much more use, so I didn't see any point in overpaying for a new infant seat. All considered, I think this is a much more economical and practical option than all-in-ones for many families without taking on huge amounts of additional risk. For those that absolutely don't want to buy used but can't afford the infant seat, going with a convertible from the start and then to a booster is probably still better than an all-in-one. Edit: Forgot to mention, since boosters are essentially just position adjusters and do not provide crash force mitigation the way the other seats do, there is no real incentive to pay full price for a new one unless you just want a clean new product. Any old used booster should be fine for anybody, and could likely be resold again for a similar price, so regardless of one's position on used infant seats, used boosters are definitely an option for significant cost reduction over an all-in-one.

[@kevin-lu]

To make it even harder to pick each company has a different expiration date. The Nuna Exec and Cybex Eternis S both have a 10 year expiration date so that car seat will easily grow with you child.

[@herpaperheartphoto]

THANK YOUUUU

[@kevin-lu]

You’re welcome!

[@SenorFredrick]

Hi Kevin. I like your presentation. Which app did you use to have you speaking on one window and projecting images/wording on the other? Thanks in advance.

[@kevin-lu]

When I show images or videos over my talking it’s just layering in the video edit. I use Final Cut Pro for editing. Not sure if there’s a program like you describe.

[@jessicamcallister5085]

Thanks for the great video! We are having our first and really had a tough time deciding. We went for the convertible carseat because my husband and I are quite tall and expect she will be also. So that could mean the infant carrier won’t last even close to a year.. But only time will tell. In my research, I read that babies should not spend more than 2 hours in the infant seat at any one time as it’s not safe for them to sleep in it, which really surprised me. But anyway thanks for the content! Super helpful!

[@kevin-lu]

Glad the video was able to help! Maybe my children aren't typical sleepers, but when my son was younger he never napped that long usually 1-hour max. Most the time only got in a few extra minutes while transporting him into the house and gave us a few extra minutes to let the dogs out and put whatever we were holding down. So far my 3 month old daughter on most rides never fall asleep. 😅

[@doyouhearthepeoplesing2]

Infant carriers don’t last more than about four months or so with any baby

[@kevin-lu]

It varies depending on how fast your baby is growing. My son fit our Doona infant carrier for 9 months and probably still would've fit for a couple more but it was just getting too heavy to take in and out of the car. My daughter is 5 months and still fits the Doona right now. She doesn't look to be outgrowing it for another 4-5 months.

[@doyouhearthepeoplesing2]

@@kevin-lu rubbish no baby can rear face much past 3/4 months as there simply isn’t the room for their legs

[@kevin-lu]

​@@doyouhearthepeoplesing2 Regardless of infant or convertible car seat rear facing is recommended until the child reaches the car seat's max height or weight for rear facing. The Doona is rated at max height 32 inches or 35 lbs. My daughter at 5 months old is no where near the max weight or weight. The baby can rest their legs however they want as long as they're under the car seats max height limit. Just because they're hitting the back of the seat doesn't mean they've out grown it. My son rides comfortably at 2.5 years old rear facing in our convertible car seats.

[@gariyas]

Curious if you've looked at crash test results for the various types.

[@ohsobo]

I also have the doona and got a convertible car seat for when she grows out of that one. Now I’m also looking for a stroller lol. I’m going to see if you have any videos on that, if not, I would love to see one. Any thoughts on Mockingbird?

[@kevin-lu]

I’ve heard good things about the Mockingbird and for the price I think it’s a good option. We actually ended up buying the Doona Liki Trike as our stroller. I like how it’s decently compact and will basically be a trike when my son gets older. Only thing is the handling/steering isn’t that great compared to traditional strollers. I’m planning to make a video on it soon.

[@tanyabishop6]

If you need a double stroller I would recommend the citi mini. It has a lifetime guarantee and you can push it with one hand. It fits through all doorways nicely and I could fit all 4 of my kids in it at Disney world until my oldest grew too big (he’s as big as me now). I’ve had the same stroller for almost 10 years now and it’s still great! I got the one with the all terrain wheels so it was a bit more, but I could even push it on the sand at the beach.

[@amandafarhang1030]

I’m thinking of getting the Doona for my car, and the Cibex Serona S for my husband’s car (purchased and installed at the same time). I will likely be doing the majority of driving baby around initially, but my husband will have the convertible car seat if he really needs it. I also want to make sure we really like the Serona S before we buy two of them!

[@kevin-lu]

I think you’ll love the Doona. It was very convenient and was a sad day when we had to stop using it. Only compliant from my wife was when my son got heavier the added weight of the Doona made it harder to take in and out for her. I actually have the Cybex Sirona S in my car. Overall not bad but maybe due to the hot weather in Texas the battery on the sensor safe dies fast. I do like the Nuna Exec in my wife’s car more but that’s also double the price.

[@isisd.c.7227]

I feel like it is possible to use an infant car seat for the year and just save up for the exec and skip the other 2 *shrug* pray it goes on sale during Black Friday lol

[@kevin-lu]

I agree i think that’s the way to go for most people. We started with an infant car seat and then upgraded to the exec, but could only afford one so the wife got it.

[@laurabaracuhy4842]

What are your thoughts on carrycot? especially the carri next from nuna that allows baby to travel by car attached to the in the isofix base and the allows the parent to transfer to carrycot to the stroller chassi. It seems like a great idea but Im not sure for how long I can use it and its not cheap

[@kevin-lu]

I personally passed on it since the child outgrows it usually in a year or so. However it’s quite handy if you don’t mind dealing with selling it afterwards to get back some of the investment.

[@shortyshorty1216]

But one can also ask: Do I want to have the same carsear for "12 years" 😐?! I can only imagine what it will look like by then 😑??

[@kaitlynkruse405]

My issue is when to transfer my baby to convertible car seat from the infant seat.. my son is only 3 months and we are usually only at home since we live in a small town and nothing to do. So when we do go out I usually put him in a wrap or baby carrier anyways. So I’m wondering if it would just be easier to switch him over now since it are using the infant car seat like a convertible. I thinking maybe waiting til winter is over or when he is 6 months/can sit up or just do it now since we usually don’t go anywhere

[@kevin-lu]

Since you’re not really going too many places I’d say there’s no rush to switch out. Maybe after winter when you find more activities to attend.

[@jennifermiller567]

infant car seats structure where legs are up high disturbs me i feel like the might hurt their spine in the long run....

[@camilleandcarter]

I have a 2 y.o and I’m still using his urbini infant car seat and now watching yt vids to look for a convertible one. The only problem I have is that I don’t have a car so I normall take ubers but now that he is getting bigger I think i really need a convertible one but how am I going to ride ubers with it? Can you please recommend me some or tell me what’s the easiest for me? Thank you.

[@kevin-lu]

I’m assuming that since you mostly use uber that you’re not in a car too often, so you’d want something light weight. I don’t think there’s any all in one convertible car seats that can change to booster as well that’s light. I’d suggest getting a decently priced light weight car seat like Cosco Scenera which is only 7 lbs and can last until your child is 40 lbs. at that time you can buy a booster seat. There are quite a bit more travel friendly booster seats. The WAYB Pico is another option as it’s specifically designed for travel but it’s a bit pricey.

[@justokcod8603]

Great video! did you say which all in one you went with after that first year? Would you pick the one you went with again? Thanks! Alex

[@kevin-lu]

If budget allows my favorite of the three we have is the Nuna Exec, but it’s quite expensive. I also have the Maxi Cosi Pria and overall a great option at decent price. I would advise against the Cybex Eternis S as there seems to be a defect when trying to tighten the car seat making it annoying to use.

[@vitaloka8396]

Thank you for share this. It's my first pregnancy. I've been debating about this with my husband. I am sorry but i've question, so infant car seat is can used until the baby how old? And is infant car seat just in opposite way we seat in car?

[@kevin-lu]

It depends on the size of your baby. All car seats have weight and height limit. If either one is reached then your child should upgrade. For example the Doona I have is max 35lbs and 32inches. So my child can’t be heavier than 35 lbs or taller than 32 in. Infant car seats are usually designed for rear facing. Rear facing is the safest until a child outgrows the car seat manufacturer top weight and height recommendations.

[@FullMoon588]

Note: it’s not safe to let your infant sleep in car seat when no longer in the car.

[@destinybellamy5721]

So happy someone else knows this, and said it the convenience is not worth it!

[@travisjones7001]

Whats the difference

[@FullMoon588]

​@@travisjones7001 I believe it has something to do with the fact they aren't leaning back as much when they are no longer in the car, so their head comes forward and they can block their airway that way. It's the same with things like swings and other stuff where baby would be in a more vertical position, they're not supposed to sleep on those.

[@robfrancis2195]

Yeah, I was surprised he didn’t mention this.

[@madonnastephens1321]

Love your page. My twins are 8 months old and a little over 30 inches tall. They have outgrown their Graco snugride 30 car seats (which have a height limit of 30 inches) and it is time to move into something else. I have bought 2 Graco convertible car seats but I am not ready for them to use them yet because I still like the portability of infant car seats. Are there some recommendations for this phase ( being 8 months and over 30 inches tall) until they are ready for the convertible car seats? Portable car seats that suit kids over 30 inches. Am I able to carry them around in a convertible car seat and can they watch their cartoons in that? From what I have read so far, it seems convertible car seats are supposed to stay in the car. Thanks in advance.

[@madonnastephens1321]

I like that they can use the car seats to sit in the living room and watch their cartoons. Is that bad? Would love the new car seat to be this portable for when we are out and stand alone for use inside the house.

[@kevin-lu]

Once they’ve out grown the infant car seats, all the upgrade versions are meant to stay in the car. I haven’t seen any convertible that’s easily removable. As for having them watch TV in the car seat is up to each parent. You can also look into baby bouncers to keep let them watch tv.

[@heathermathys4422]

I can't imagine the state of a car seat used for 10 years.

[@kevin-lu]

🤣 I guess it will depend on the child and willingness to not let them eat/drink in it

[@baileyrose7812]

I understand not wanting to wake the baby up from it’s nap, but it is not safe for baby to sleep longer than an hour in the car seat...

[@henrygarcia7198]

So if getting a convertible car seat for new born when going out, where would you have them lay in a stroller or any ideas?

[@kevin-lu]

For laying down they have bassinet strollers which allows the baby to lay flat for sleeping. They also have some that are like 2-in-1 where they lay completely flat and then converted to a regular stroller as well. Personally I haven't used one before so not sure what are good brands.

[@serenasellers549]

Wondering if you would do a review on the nuna exec specifically? I'm debating between the rava and the exec.

[@kevin-lu]

I’ll see if I can give it a review. It’s in my wife’s car so I’ll need to figure out when a good time to review it. I haven’t used the rava but whenever the exec goes on sale i find myself itching to buy it for my car as well. Usability on it versus other brands is worth it. Unless size is an issue of fitting in your car I’d suggest the exec just so they it last longer.

[@serenasellers549]

@@kevin-lu I'm hoping to buy one during the Nordstrom anniversary sale (I was told both will be on sale) so in case you don't make a video by then about the exec, it sounds like you like it??

[@kevin-lu]

I like the Exec. I haven’t used a lot or car seats but so far no complaints about it. Well besides for the price 😅

[@Ore2474]

Infant car seat is required in all hospitals in other to leave hospital to home so it’s a must.

[@kevin-lu]

Hospitals require rear-facing car seat or rear-facing convertible car seat. It doesn’t have to be specifically an infant car seat. Most important factor is the newborn fits snugly.

[@alanavalentinee4060]

I’m struggling right now . Not sure what I want to do .

[@kevin-lu]

There’s no wrong choice. I went with infant seat first and don’t regret it. The early months were much easier with it for me.

[@krystaldesormeaux5905]

I’m struggling too!! 🤦🏽‍♀️ I’ve been stuck on the convertible so long and completely did not think of carrying baby out when sleeping! Can surely wake up! I’m due in a month so I’m hoping it arrives on time but still can’t decide! I love the idea of convertible and it starts at 4-5 lbs but taking baby in and out ughh...at same time I don’t think I’ll be going out every single day either🤷🏽‍♀️. You should be rear facing for like 2 years right? So u have more than enough time to save if you need to for a convertible but still you are spending more over time🤷🏽‍♀️...one minute I’m going with convertible next minute is ok I’ll do travel system 🤦🏽‍♀️...

[@kevin-lu]

Usually you’re rear facing for at least two years unless your baby’s weight reaches the car seats suggestion to make it forward facing.

[@josemarquez86]

Five feet (60" inches) off booster seat wow. They going be off booster when they hit four feet and five inches at 11 or 12 year olds.

[@tonywoy]

8-12 years would outlast my car lol

[@kevin-lu]

lol that’s more bang for the buck!

[@karenkfc]

We went with an all in one to reduce our environmental impact :)

[@kevin-lu]

That's also a very good reason to go all in one!

[@ilovesammicheng]

hmm but the car seat expires in like 5 or 7 years

[@kevin-lu]

Very good point I forgot to mention! It depends on the brand as there are some brands like the Nuna that actually have 10 year expiration dates.

[@ilovesammicheng]

@@kevin-lu that's good to know, I love nuna!

[@nancyc5236]

Regretting the convertible car seat now. My baby doesn’t like it 😢

[@juliemartinez5289]

i have both but someone told me that i won be able to take my baby home on a convertible car seat

[@kevin-lu]

If your convertible car seat that fit newborn infant (Usually the have an inserts) then you shouldn't have any problems. I think some people say that as there are some convertible car seats that aren't made for newborns and only have the upper weight ranges.

[@deannaspencer8988]

All Stores 900,000 Please Lower the price of all Brands of Military Equipment and Local for All Brands of Car Seats Now 900,000 That's Too Much $$ 900,000 Now The Whole World 900,000 Now 🙏 🤲 🕍 🕌