# Did anyone start with a convertible car seat for a newborn and regret not getting an infant bucket?



## Beauchamp

Just wondering because we had a Snugride for DD which I hated because I bought the cheaper model, which has the rear harness adjust (pain in the rear!) and felt plasticky, was hot, etc. This time we're looking into the Chicco Keyfit 30 and like it a lot, compared to the Snugride.

That said, I wondered today about just starting off with something like a Radian.

Thoughts?


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## KristinaMarie

My sister decided she didn't need a infant carrier. She changed her mid fast. With a newborn if you go anywhere, you would have to get the baby out of the seat, and carry the baby or use a stroller.I also think it takes the germ factor down a few notches as you can put a blanket over them if you go into a store or what not. I have a Chicco KF30 and love it. The instal is very easy. the KF30 does get warm, but it is far sturdier than any other infant carriers that I have seen.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Beauchamp*
> 
> Just wondering because we had a Snugride for DD which I hated because I bought the cheaper model, which has the rear harness adjust (pain in the rear!) and felt plasticky, was hot, etc. This time we're looking into the Chicco Keyfit 30 and like it a lot, compared to the Snugride.
> 
> That said, I wondered today about just starting off with something like a Radian.
> 
> Thoughts?


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## chattyprincess

I can say i considered not getting a bucket and thank my lucky stars we have one. However that being said the reasons I love it are these.

-we live somewhere REALLY cold (with both children) so while I have 2 july dd's they have thankfully both made it through frigid winters being able to be bundled to the nines in those things without me having to haul them into and out of a snowsuit hats etc that I would have had to have done if we had a convertible.

-with dd2 I love it because she is still napping unpredictably so this way when we go to dd1's activities and things (or grocery shopping) I can just lug her along and it doesn't interrupt her sleep. Huge advantage.

- we have a 3 door truck so its much easier for me to just stick her in her seat in the house then wrestle over dd1's carseat to get her into a convertible...kwim?

not a ton of reasons but each of these reasons are priceless to me! lol.


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## alegna

I only took the bucket out of the car a handful of times with dd and maybe 2-3 times with ds. With dd we switched to a convertible by 4 months, ds at 8 weeks. Next time I expect I'll start with a convertible.

That said- we live in Houston and the cold is not an issue.

-Angela


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## kythe

Yes. Before I had my first baby, I really had a thing against "baby bucket" seats because I saw them as a lazy way of getting around for moms who didn't feel like picking their babies up. It's amazing how your views change after having a couple of kids.









I also saw it as cheaper to just use a single convertible that would last for years. But in reality, dd looked uncomfortable as a newborn in that big convertable seat. A "bucket" seat is really made to accommodate an infant's posture. I also ended up having my kids closely spaced enough that I needed to buy a new car seat before my oldest had outgrown her seat anyway. The whole idea that I was saving money by skipping the infant seat wouldn't have worked anyway.

With my second, I just went and bought an infant seat for him from the beginning. I think it was more comfortable for him in the car, and was nice to have on the rare occasions that I carried him in it (a couple of times in restaurants).


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## leighi123

I had an infant seat, but I NEVER took it out of the car and I regret NOT getting a convertible seat from the get-go.

I wore ds everywhere, never had a stroller until we bought one for theme parks, and when ds was days old and only 7lbs I decided it was insane to carry him around in a plastic bucket!

As for keeping warm - we used/use a carseat poncho which works great. Also he slept far better in a sling vs in the carseat (rarely would he sleep in the car, he would usually scream).


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## mrskingred

Used a convertible from birth. I always wore DS and having tried lugging my extremely petite nieces around in their car seats, decided from the get go that I didn't need an infant seat for my rather more hefty (more than a kg heavier bw) DS. No regrets.

OTH, my sister swears by them.


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## tankgirl73

Convertible from birth, NO regrets whatsoever.

We live in a cold area (Canada!) It doesn't matter whether they're in a bucket or a convertible, you CANNOT put them in a snowsuit in a carseat. They cannot buckle safely. They have to wear something light, like a fleece sweater, and then you do the rest with blankets, jackets on backwards, etc. Whether bucket or convertible, no difference there.

When it came time for putting her in and taking her out, I just learned to do it quickly and stuff her into the sling, which was usually under my coat (I had a nice babywearing jacket, but any large coat can do the trick). She was warmer snuggled in with my body warmth than she would have been inside her own plastic bucket, no matter how many blankets she had. Blankets only preserve existing heat, they don't *create* heat.

I also figure -- sooner or later, you have to figure out how to get them in and out of the car in the cold weather. When they're infants, they're much more cooperative than when they're older infants or toddlers, who tend to get fussy about independence and start to fight back if they don't want to go in the seat (or in the sling!) just that instant. I don't want THAT to be the time when I'm switching to a convertible and having to figure out how to deal with it.

In other words, the bucket is a luxury in terms of being able to prep them in the house then just latch it into the car, but it's a very temporary luxury. Some babes outgrow it by 3 months. You *have* to learn to get babe in and out of the car, whatever the weather, once they outgrow it *anyway*, so why not just do it from the beginning?

As for buckets being better shaped for a small infant's posture -- not necessarily. Babies have died in them from having their airflow cut off while sleeping. The angle while IN the car should be fine that this doesn't happen, but leaving a baby to sleep in a bucket (again, one of the supposed conveniences -- "I don't want to wake her up to take her out of the car") can be *very dangerous*.

How comfortable they are in a convertible depends completely on the convertible. And here I will grant the bucket brigade one thing -- a good bucket is better than a poorly-designed-for-infants convertible. And many of the "mainstream" and cheaper convertibles aren't awesome for newborns. But many others are. We used a Radian with DD from birth, and that was before they had the deluxe model which comes with an infant insert. At that time, the company recommended a particular third-party insert, which we used, and it was fine. I know the rules say "never use third-party stuff in your seats" but this was the company's own instructions. In any case, now they have their own inserts and they look great.

We later also got a TruFit for our second car, and love that to bits. The real disadvantage of the Radian as an infant seat was that it's so BIG, rear-facing is very difficult. You need lots of room in your car. The TruFit fits much, much better in smaller cars. She had outgrown the infant insert by the time we got it, but it also looks great. The seat itself is very enclosed and snuggly (whereas the Radian is completely open). I want to make it clear -- we love the Radian!! Especially now that she's older and FF, it's super-easy for her to get in and out and we're confident that it's one of the safest seats on the market. But if we were starting today with a new baby, we'd start with a TruFit.

If you *do* decide to use a bucket, just please please please *leave it in the car*. Maybe the quick in and out of the house, you know, but not as a carrier. Not in the shopping carts. They give a false sense of security, people get distracted and walk away from their carts, I once saw a young lady bump a speed bump with her car in the parking lot and the whole thing went topsy-turvy, I just thought "wow, good thing there wasn't a baby in there". Strollers -- the kind where you just clip in the bucket -- are little better. From house to car to stroller to car again... baby never gets held! Babies are MEANT to be held. Even with the best of intentions, the 'convenience factor' can disconnect us from our babies before we even notice what is happening. Aside from reduced human contact, there's also less visibility for them (they don't get to see as much of the world) and less interaction with others. And then there's the oxygen deprivation.

A *good* convertible, and a good sling or two, and you're good to go.

Here, I wrote this a couple years ago 

http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/01/22/baby-essentials-that-arent-part-2-infant-car-seats/


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## CEG

I had one with # 1 and found it a huge pain to carry around, not to mention my baby wanted to be held so I left it in the car. With my second we used the same seat but left it in the car. With my third it expired a couple of months after she was born and she screamed anytime she was in it so we bought a convertible (screaming stopped too). Now expecting #4 and we just bought two convertibles. I was a waitress as a high schooler and had a table where they propped the car seat on the high chair. It fell on the floor. Baby was not in it but I though he was and just about had a heart attack. Guess I may be scarred for life from that but I always see people with their babies in those seats perched on the top of carts and it seems so dangerous. Plus with four kids I don't think my baby will ever get any attention unless he is in a sling


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## donutmolly

We only had a convertible for DD1, and she hated riding in the car so much as a tiny baby that I wish I had at least tried out an infant seat to see if it made her happier. Not sure it would have made a difference, but I wish I would have tried (she was a fussy baby in general, not just in the car!)

We had a passed down infant seat for DD2, which became handy because I had an older child to watch, and it was nice to be able to put the baby down some place other than the floor if we were out an about, or leave her in the bucket if she was sleeping. Same with DD3, it was definitely more handy to have the seat with a younger child, even though I babywear my kids most of the time, I was glad to have the option to bring in the carseat if it seemed easier.


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## aja-belly

with my oldest we just used a convertible from birth and i was very happy with it. with my second we bought a bucket (because it was cheap and we needed to buy a seat to use while we were out of town) and i really really liked being able to bring the baby's carseat inside during the hottest part of summer (in tx).

with the twins it was essential really. the benefit of being able to buckle up one or two of the kids before we got out to the car and just snap it into the base was invalueable.


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## MJB

I had one that I used with #1 and #2, who were born in January and December. I switched them to convertibles at 3 and 4 mos. respectively. With #3, my old infant seat was expired and I put her straight into a Radian (and switched her to a Complete Air at 5.5 mos). She was born in July and I didn't miss it at all. An infant seat is convenient for a winter baby so you don't have to put a newborn in a cold seat, but otherwise not very useful to me. I guess she could be in an infant seat even now (at 6 mos) but I can't imagine carrying a 6 mo. old around in a bucket seat! I have a bad back and it is much easier for me to pop baby into a carrier (or stroller once they are sitting up) than to carry them around in a big heavy carseat.


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## CrazyCatLady

I never had a bucket for ds1 and I never missed it. When having one isn't an option, you learn to adapt real quick. I'm also 5'2 and 100 pounds. I can't carry one of those things for more than a couple minutes at the most anyways...I really don't get how anyone does. I have no plans on buying a bucket for this next baby.


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## mbhf

I have used an infant seat for four of my kids, and I did not find it useful outside of the car. Whenever I would bring it in somewhere (with my first) I would end up carrying/wearing the baby and the seat separately. It was handy in restaurants when my first was a baby, but with my other kids I never brought it in even when I had one, just one more thing to carry and I generally ended up holding the baby while I ate anyway so it just took up space. I went straight to a convertible for my second and that was great, he was a big tall baby and it was a newborn-friendly convertible. When pregnant with my third I bought an infant seat because he was a November baby in NY and I figured it would be nice so he wouldn't be cold. For a few weeks I would buckle him in, cover him up, carry the seat to the car then carry him in the seat into wherever I was going and take him out once I got inside then repeat but it was so much harder than just popping him in the sling straight from the car especially since I had two other children to worry about. I bought (and used) another infant seat for #4 because I like the Britax convertibles and knew they wouldn't fit a newborn. She rode in it until she was big enough for her Marathon but I don't think it ever came out of the car. Same with #5. All of that said, though, I have never had car sleepers. Generally my kids wake up as soon as the car is turned off if they fell asleep to begin with, so running in to grab a coffee with a baby sleeping in a bucket wouldn't happen for me. I am of the mind, though, that even if a baby is happy not being held or worn that they should be most of the time anyway so if my kids were happy in their carseat I wouldn't leave them in it to do anything more than run in and out somewhere.

I do like my infant seat, I like the way little babies fit in it. So if money isn't a concern and you have someone to pass it on to I would get one. You certainly don't have to take it out of the car!


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## Hannah32

Yes! I regret it. I got the convertible primarily for reasons of thrift.

It was not big deal at first. S was born at the end of June. Getting him into his Mei Tai was a pain, because of the long straps, but not that big a deal. Then, winter arrived.

I understand about no coats in the car seats, but with a bucket, you can put a blanket over them without interfering with the straps. I'm not hauling him into a Mei Tai while dragging the long straps through slush puddles. Not to mention, what about my coat? I don't always want to wear my baby and a coat underneath once we are inside.

I understand that very young babies should not be left sleeping in the car seat, but breathing wouldn't be an issue with my seven month old. And sometimes, yes, that would be quite convenient.

Number 2 will be getting a bucket. S will still be in his My Ride 65 I'm sure. We're planning a 2012 baby.


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## Lauren82

I'm struggling with this decision to buy or not to buy a bucket for this baby. My oldest 2 kiddos loved their buckets seats as babies and I found it was easy to transport them in the bucket in certain situations. DD2 was a completely different story. She hated the bucket and screamed the entire time she was in it. I tried 2 convertible seats to find the one that worked good for her. We eventually settled on the Britax Marathon and I would wear her in the Mei Tai carrier when we were out and about.

The thing I don't like about convertible seats with newborn babies is that they seem to flop around in such a large seat. Decisions... ergh.


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## PatioGardener

I used a convertible from birth and have no regrets. I also wear my DS, and learned quickly to transfer to a wrap without waking him, and vice versa.

eta: I have a May baby and live in currently chilly Canada.


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## SubliminalDarkness

We had one of each. The infant seat we already had because we had purchased a jogging stroller travel system on clearance for our first son, who at that point was past the bucket stage. And in our other car we bought a convertible.

The infant seat never left the car. We babywore exclusively(until DS2 was almost 3 and DH was very sick) and it was never a problem or inconvenience or anything. It worked out just fine. I would do it again in a heartbeat.

Someone above mentioned the germ factor, and babywearing is WAY less germy than putting a child in a bucket, blanket or not.


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## NicaG

I think the general advice in these replies (and in my experience too) is: summer babies are fine in a convertible, infant seats are convenient for winter babies. Inked the bucket on cold winter days sometimes, but mostly I preferred wearing my babies. I think it's fine to skip it. Convertibles are much better made to accommodate infants than they used to be.


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## sk8boarder15

I started with a bucket (handed down from my nephew, no crashes, not expired) and HATED IT! I'm small and short and could barely carry the darn thing! I always ended up with baby in the front carrier, so we bought a True Fit and baby and mommy are both happier, the shape of the true fit is more comfy for the baby. And I never screw around with the stupid bucket! Its cold here, but we just use a thin fleece body suit on the baby and a blanket over the seat.


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## sk8boarder15

Also the true fit comes with an infant insert that works great!


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## tankgirl73

Quote:


> I understand about no coats in the car seats, but with a bucket, you can put a blanket over them without interfering with the straps. I'm not hauling him into a Mei Tai while dragging the long straps through slush puddles. Not to mention, what about my coat? I don't always want to wear my baby and a coat underneath once we are inside.


I just wanted to address this, because this problem is fixable. 

First, you can put a blanket over babies in a convertible too. No coats under the straps, use blankets, it's the SAME whether using a bucket or a convertible.

As for the mei tai -- what you do is you put it on at home. Wear it *under* your coat. Baby doesn't need a heavy coat of his own because he's in your coat and using your body heat. You need a coat that's large enough, obviously, and don't zip it all the way to the top so baby has air (keeping baby breathing is a good thing  ) or a specialized babywearing coat. Unzip your jacket and loosen the mei tai a bit to take baby out but don't completely untie it, baby goes into the car seat, blanket over baby. Leave the mei tai on under your re-zipped coat while you drive wherever you're going.

When you arrive, reverse the process. Get baby into the mei tai, then snug up the straps. Mostly zip your coat over baby, you're good to go. This same procedure works with any kind of sling carrier. The main advantage of the specialized babywearing jackets is that there's an opening for baby's head or just for airflow, so you can still have neck coverage for yourself. If you're serious about babywearing and live in a cold region, it's worth considering the investment. But a large enough jacket will do *almost* as well in *most* situations. And with baby under your coat, you get the warmth for baby without them needing a heavy jacket, and you can just take off your coat when you get inside without having to re-do the whole sling situation.

It takes a little practice to do all this, of course, but once you've got the hang of it it's a piece of cake. Personally, I found it easiest when using a stretchy wrap. The 'give' in a stretchy wrap means I don't have to loosen anything. I could pop her in and out, just leaving it tied on.

Again, it seems to me that these reasons people have for using the bucket apply equally well to older babies, they're not exclusive to bucket-sized babies. "What about the straps dragging, what about my coat?" Those problems don't magically go away when baby is older, you'll still have to figure out how to get your baby from the car into the store or wherever when they've outgrown the bucket. So since you have to deal with it ANYWAY, it just seems simpler to me to figure it out when baby is smaller and more easily portable. 

There are also thousands of babies injured every year in bucket-related accidents that were NOT in cars. Either from buckets being dropped, like shopping carts falling over, or from the bucket itself not working -- there have been recalls over handles failing, for instance. I really just wish they would stop marketing them as *carriers*.


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## chattyprincess

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tankgirl73*
> 
> We live in a cold area (Canada!) It doesn't matter whether they're in a bucket or a convertible, you CANNOT put them in a snowsuit in a carseat. They cannot buckle safely. They have to wear something light, like a fleece sweater, and then you do the rest with blankets, jackets on backwards, etc. Whether bucket or convertible, no difference there.
> 
> When it came time for putting her in and taking her out, I just learned to do it quickly and stuff her into the sling, which was usually under my coat (I had a nice babywearing jacket, but any large coat can do the trick). She was warmer snuggled in with my body warmth than she would have been inside her own plastic bucket, no matter how many blankets she had. * Blankets only preserve existing heat, they don't *create* heat.*


 This is the equvilant of saying that hats/coats/mitts don't create heat they just preserve heats. Covers/blankets etc help hold in the heat and the key is they keep the cold out.


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## Magali

No bucket and no regrets. We use a TrueFit and have sice birth. We live in Canada and it is bitter cold, but it only takes a few seconds to get my babe into a baby carrier and I'm not worried about her being exposed to the cold for a few seconds. I do preheat my vehicle before putting her in her carseat. With my first kid we used a bucket and I lugged my ds around in that thing and it was a PITA.


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## ~~Sarah~~

I never used a bucket. I don't understand how anyone can use and carry one of those things *with* the baby in it. Talk about back pain!

I borrowed one once on vacation and couldn't imagine how I was going to get through the week carrying the stupid thing the 10 steps up to the house... Finally I decided to leave the thing in the car and spare my back.


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## Hannah32

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tankgirl73*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> I understand about no coats in the car seats, but with a bucket, you can put a blanket over them without interfering with the straps. I'm not hauling him into a Mei Tai while dragging the long straps through slush puddles. Not to mention, what about my coat? I don't always want to wear my baby and a coat underneath once we are inside.
> 
> 
> 
> I just wanted to address this, because this problem is fixable.
> 
> First, you can put a blanket over babies in a convertible too. No coats under the straps, use blankets, it's the SAME whether using a bucket or a convertible.
> 
> As for the mei tai -- what you do is you put it on at home. Wear it *under* your coat. Baby doesn't need a heavy coat of his own because he's in your coat and using your body heat. You need a coat that's large enough, obviously, and don't zip it all the way to the top so baby has air (keeping baby breathing is a good thing  ) or a specialized babywearing coat. Unzip your jacket and loosen the mei tai a bit to take baby out but don't completely untie it, baby goes into the car seat, blanket over baby. Leave the mei tai on under your re-zipped coat while you drive wherever you're going.
> 
> When you arrive, reverse the process. Get baby into the mei tai, then snug up the straps. Mostly zip your coat over baby, you're good to go. This same procedure works with any kind of sling carrier. The main advantage of the specialized babywearing jackets is that there's an opening for baby's head or just for airflow, so you can still have neck coverage for yourself. If you're serious about babywearing and live in a cold region, it's worth considering the investment. But a large enough jacket will do *almost* as well in *most* situations. And with baby under your coat, you get the warmth for baby without them needing a heavy jacket, and you can just take off your coat when you get inside without having to re-do the whole sling situation.
> 
> It takes a little practice to do all this, of course, but once you've got the hang of it it's a piece of cake. Personally, I found it easiest when using a stretchy wrap. The 'give' in a stretchy wrap means I don't have to loosen anything. I could pop her in and out, just leaving it tied on.
> 
> Again, it seems to me that these reasons people have for using the bucket apply equally well to older babies, they're not exclusive to bucket-sized babies. "What about the straps dragging, what about my coat?" Those problems don't magically go away when baby is older, you'll still have to figure out how to get your baby from the car into the store or wherever when they've outgrown the bucket. So since you have to deal with it ANYWAY, it just seems simpler to me to figure it out when baby is smaller and more easily portable.
> 
> There are also thousands of babies injured every year in bucket-related accidents that were NOT in cars. Either from buckets being dropped, like shopping carts falling over, or from the bucket itself not working -- there have been recalls over handles failing, for instance. I really just wish they would stop marketing them as *carriers*.
Click to expand...

Yeah, but what do you do when you need to take them out of the convertible? I know! Drop the blanket into the snow/slush. Wheee! Been there, done that. Not doing it next time. I do admire your coordination though, because, honestly, your Mei Tai suggestion? Um not workable for me.

A bucket it is for my next one.


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## eclipse

This is one of those things that I think depends on the baby, too. DS1 hated the whole process of getting in and out of the carseat. He also was a pretty crap sleeper, but he sometimes fell asleep in the car seat. It was very nice to be able to leave him in the bucket when we made short trips into places. If he fell asleep, he could keep sleeping. He didn't have to be refastened at the end of the trip. DD slept through anything, was an easy baby, loved to snuggle up in the sling. She wouldn't wake up on the trip from the car seat and into the sling and back again. I still used the bucket, but I rarely took it out of the car. DS2 was a little of both. He was preterm and a tiny guy, though. He wouldn't have been safe in the convertible, even if we had wanted to use it. He was 8 months or so before I felt like the straps on the Britax really fit him securely. My first two only stayed in the buckets for about 4 months each, because they were very, very tall babies and outgrew them by height by about 16 weeks, maybe even sooner.


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## mckittre

Had a convertible with my first, liked it. Have a bucket now with my 3 week old, and hate it. I never use the bucket part. It's much easier to walk up an icy or snowy path (long unplowed driveway) with a baby in the wrap then to carry a bucket around.


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## violet_

My DD loves her bucket seat. When I can't get her to sleep anywhere -- not even in my arms, rocking her, or a sling -- she will often sleep in the infant car seat -- not just in the car, mind you, but in the seat on the living room floor! And if I had a convertible and had to take her out every time and wake her from peaceful slumber to hold her she would have been so upset and screamed a good long while, especially when she was little and especially particular about such things.

I joke sometimes that she's not just as crunchy as I am. For my DD, the bucket was definitely the way to go.


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## Beauchamp

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eclipse*
> 
> This is one of those things that I think depends on the baby, too.


This is so true---but how do you plan for this when the baby is not here yet? LOL We want to have the car seat on hand early, but obviously cannot know the baby's personality. So...is a bucket that never leaves the car basically the same as a convertible? (i.e. making a bucket the "safer" choice, in terms of personalty fit, not accident safety, since if the baby doesn't "require" being carried sleeping in the bucket, you can just leave it strapped in at all times?) If the bucket never leaves the car, what are the advantages a convertible can give me that will outweigh the advantage of the bucket, for example, being able to strap the LO in, say, on the table/washing machine, somewhere higher up where I can save my bad back?

This is such a hard decision! I can't say that money is "no object", but car seats are one area where I am willing to spend if I have to (i.e. a bucket plus a convertible later) and find ways to save on other things.


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## CrazyCatLady

Honestly if money isn't that big of a concern I would just buy the bucket and the convertible now. I was gifted a great convertible seat for my ds and didn't really have the money to buy a bucket for him, so I didn't. All in all I never needed one. But there were a few times (maybe 6?) it would have been handy to have. And other people (including many MDC moms) seems to swear by them for certain things (like naps out in public while tiny). So chances are you will get some use out of it. And if not, you could probably gift it or sell it or something to someone else later.


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## eclipse

If money isn't a huge concern, I'd get a bucket now and a convertible later. A bucket that never leaves the car is basically the same as a convertible, but it's more likely to fit a newborn comfortably. The main advantage that a convertible has over an infant seat is that it will last longer and therefore save you money in the long run.


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## mbhf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hannah32*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tankgirl73*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> I understand about no coats in the car seats, but with a bucket, you can put a blanket over them without interfering with the straps. I'm not hauling him into a Mei Tai while dragging the long straps through slush puddles. Not to mention, what about my coat? I don't always want to wear my baby and a coat underneath once we are inside.
> 
> 
> 
> I just wanted to address this, because this problem is fixable.
> 
> First, you can put a blanket over babies in a convertible too. No coats under the straps, use blankets, it's the SAME whether using a bucket or a convertible.
> 
> As for the mei tai -- what you do is you put it on at home. Wear it *under* your coat. Baby doesn't need a heavy coat of his own because he's in your coat and using your body heat. You need a coat that's large enough, obviously, and don't zip it all the way to the top so baby has air (keeping baby breathing is a good thing  ) or a specialized babywearing coat. Unzip your jacket and loosen the mei tai a bit to take baby out but don't completely untie it, baby goes into the car seat, blanket over baby. Leave the mei tai on under your re-zipped coat while you drive wherever you're going.
> 
> When you arrive, reverse the process. Get baby into the mei tai, then snug up the straps. Mostly zip your coat over baby, you're good to go. This same procedure works with any kind of sling carrier. The main advantage of the specialized babywearing jackets is that there's an opening for baby's head or just for airflow, so you can still have neck coverage for yourself. If you're serious about babywearing and live in a cold region, it's worth considering the investment. But a large enough jacket will do *almost* as well in *most* situations. And with baby under your coat, you get the warmth for baby without them needing a heavy jacket, and you can just take off your coat when you get inside without having to re-do the whole sling situation.
> 
> It takes a little practice to do all this, of course, but once you've got the hang of it it's a piece of cake. Personally, I found it easiest when using a stretchy wrap. The 'give' in a stretchy wrap means I don't have to loosen anything. I could pop her in and out, just leaving it tied on.
> 
> Again, it seems to me that these reasons people have for using the bucket apply equally well to older babies, they're not exclusive to bucket-sized babies. "What about the straps dragging, what about my coat?" Those problems don't magically go away when baby is older, you'll still have to figure out how to get your baby from the car into the store or wherever when they've outgrown the bucket. So since you have to deal with it ANYWAY, it just seems simpler to me to figure it out when baby is smaller and more easily portable.
> 
> There are also thousands of babies injured every year in bucket-related accidents that were NOT in cars. Either from buckets being dropped, like shopping carts falling over, or from the bucket itself not working -- there have been recalls over handles failing, for instance. I really just wish they would stop marketing them as *carriers*.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Yeah, but what do you do when you need to take them out of the convertible? I know! Drop the blanket into the snow/slush. Wheee! Been there, done that. Not doing it next time. I do admire your coordination though, because, honestly, your Mei Tai suggestion? Um not workable for me.
> 
> A bucket it is for my next one.
Click to expand...

I don't think she was telling you you couldn't get a bucket,







just giving suggestions for how to deal with the issues you presented, which don't have much to do with caseat choice. I have a down vest that I wear when I'm just going in and out of a store or something, it's my dh's so it's big enough to snap around myself and my baby, I use mostly a baby k'tan but also a ring sling and an ergo, I don't like mei tais or wraps much because they're just harder to deal with when I'm out and about for the reasons you mentioned. I just keep my carrier on under my vest and I'm plenty warm to walk a short distance. If I'm going to be outside for a while I'll wear my babywearing vest (I have a peekaru) and my coat over top. It's all over my carrier though so I don't have to take my carrier off and put my baby down once I get inside.

As for what you do when you need to take the baby out of the convertible seat, well, put the blanket over the back of the seat or hold it in the other hand or on the floor of the car or on the seat beside the baby's seat or in the seat in front or...


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## an_aurora

I started off baby #3 in his True Fit. I also had a bucket that my SIL gave me that we also used, but I just didn't see the convenience. I took it out of the car ONCE to take it in Costco, and then my son woke up 2 minutes later, so I had to pick him up and cuddle him and figure out what to do with the cart, bucket and other kids.  I ended up sending DH to the car to return the bucket and grab my wrap.

My routine was to put the wrap on at home (I generally just wore it all the time at home anyway), then get baby out of the seat and slip him into the wrap, and sometimes I would tuck a blanket around the outside of the wrap just so I had it, so it would be warm to put him back into his seat when we were ready to leave.

I'm not coordinated enough to use a tie carrier, :lol but I love my Beco, Ergo and stretchy wrap carrier. The transition isn't that difficult especially after the first couple of tries.


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## CallMeMommy

I had buckets with #1 and #2 but skipped it with #3. I just remember them being so heavy and bulky that they were hard to take anywhere anyway. DS3 is 5 months old and I've yet to have an experience where I thought "Oh, I can't do this, I don't have a bucket!". It's the middle of Minnesota winter, too, and it hasn't been an issue. Light fleece bunting and bunches of blankets work fine.


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## Owen'nZoe

I used a bucket with DS1, and a convertible with DS2. I preferred the convertable. I live in a cold climate (WI), and DS2 was a winter baby. I really didn't find it that hard to quickly pop him out of the convertable and into a Moby Wrap. He stayed warm in the Moby wearing just a fleece and a hat and mittens with a fleece blanket thrown over him even in the dead of winter, and it was so much easier on my back than carrying a bucket around. I did not regret the decision at all.


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## goldingoddess

I liked having a bucket seat for these reasons:

-my baby was small, 5.5 pounds at birth, and would have felt lost in a convertible, even though they are rated for 5 lbs up.

-we lived in Arizona, the plastic and metal parts would get so hot if left in the car they could have easily burnt the baby in a fraction of a second, I liked being able to bring the bucket into the house 30 minutes before going anywhere to let the seat cool off before putting baby in it.

-I like being able to use the same seat for 2 cars (having 2 bases)

-We have a Radian80 now, if I had to put it at a 45 degree angle for a newborn no-one would be able to sit in the passenger front seat, I suspect it is like this for many convertibles in compact or midsize cars.

-FWIW I rarely carried the bucket with DS in it, but there were maybe a dozen times he fel asleep in the carseat and it was very convenient to just bring him into the house sleeping and get a 10 or 15 minute break!


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## tabrizia

We're starting with a convertible for this one. I learned with DD I didn't need a bucket, since she hated it. She was so much happier when we switched her to a convertible at 4 weeks. I found it easier to pop her into a carrier and then deal with DS anyways vs carrying the baby bucket. I never worried about the blankets falling on the ground, since they were just as likely to do that with the bucket as well. I also just put on the carrier before I got in the car and popped baby in and then tightened it, it worked fine. Since even if DD fell asleep in the bucket she was awake by the time we got out of the car and screaming in her bucket, the whole letting her sleep thing didn't work either. She was far more likely to fall back asleep in the carrier then the bucket. She also fit the convertible much better then the bucket, it almost felt like she was swimming in the bucket, while she looked much more comfortable and like she fit better with the convertible.

With this one we have a small car and have to fit 3 car seat in our backseat. The easiest way to do this is with a convertible for the baby, in fact I don't think I can do it with a baby bucket. So baby is likely going to be in a Coccoro while DS will be in a forward facing Radian and DD will be in a rear facing Radian. I don't think there is any other way to make the car seats fit my car other then to go for 3 Radians, which would work, but I prefer the Coccoro for newbie since it is a bit smaller for a newborn and I don't have to put the seat as far forward with it.


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## sosurreal09

We had a bucket and hated it too. I did not find it convienient to carry that dang thing around. I switched to the convertible at like 2 m/o and it was much better. I would just pop her out even if sleeping and place her on my chest in the cradle position in a wrap (already wrapped around me) It was soooooo much easier and she got used to being taken out. She's 15 m/o in the same seat and I can take her out and she will continue sleeping.

Don't waste the money!


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## Yuba_River

I started with just a convertible with DS1, and found he was really too small for it. He was average size, but still really didn't fit. We have a Britax Roundabout. Maybe if I'd started with a TrueFit, it would have been a different story. We ended up buying the cheap Snugride to tide us over until he grew a bit. I agree it's a pain of a carseat, but he did fit in it better. Now with DS2 we are borrowing a Chico KeyFit 30, and I LOVE it. So comfortable for the LO and I feel like he fits in it really well. I wear him almost all the time, but still find it useful to have the carseat in the house to warm it up a bit, put him in and cover him with a blanket before I carry him out. We don't have severe winters, but little newborns just don't have much cold tolerance, so it's nice to be able to make those transitions gentler. Having the option of getting him strapped in while we are still in the house also makes the juggling act of getting both kids in the car a little easier for me.


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## WifeofAnt

I know most of these points have already been said but oh well.

1. We have a small car and a baby who HATES being buckled in. Its incredibly awkward to try to fit myself in the doorway and buckle in a baby who is screaming and arching his back. I'll have to do it eventually but I don't want to purposely torture myself if I don't have to.

2. Its freaking windy here. Its not incredibly cold (although it will be in 2 weeks when I'm back in Michigan) but even I'm cold in a thick hoodie the minute and a half I'm outside.

3. Just because you *have* the option to remove the carseat from the base doesn't mean you have to. We bring the bucket in the house but not in the store.

4. Sometimes you aren't in a store long enough to justify getting them out of the seat. The other day I had to run into the corner gas station to use the ATM. Its illegal to leave him in the car alone (not that I would) but it would easily take 4x as long to get him out of the seat and back in it than I would spend inside.

5. Yes its nice to take them in the house while they're still sleeping even if you don't leave them in it. I can bring him in and set him down (still asleep) while I put away the groceries and THEN wake him up. Its very inconvenient for me DS and I when he wakes up and needs me *immediately* while I have frozen foods that also need put away *immediately* and I'm the only one home. When he outgrows his bucket he'll also be old enough to wait a few minutes while I get the most urgent things taken care of.

And #6. Sometimes I'm in a hurry to go somewhere. I don't have time to warm up the car and I don't have time to change him into some warmer clothes.

In short, I love my bucket and I hate my bucket (for being heavy and awkward) but I think its worth the money we paid for it.


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## texmati

haven't read all the replies, but we did. We had a true fit, and regretted it, and ended up using a snugride. DS was so, so, so very tiny. He simply didn't fit in the trufit-- the ride home from the hospital was scary!


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## justKate

Hmm.

We started DD in a TrueFit, and ended up buying a bucket when she was about a month old. We used the bucket in one car, TF in the other. I didn't really have a preference. DD was 7 lbs, but I think if she were any smaller the TF would have been big. So I'd say there's no reason that you NEED a bucket, but if you can swing one of each, give yourself the option.


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## chel

i borrowed a bucket for dd1, born in summer in the south. she cried whenever in it so we never used it outside the car. for her i would have been fine starting with a convertible.

with dd2 i planned to just get a convertible. she was born in the midwest in the winter but we were soon to move back to the south. well the seat (TF) got put on back order and arrived after dd. i borrowed a seat (did ask for a specific kind, just needed a seat) it was an infant bucket. i was so glad i had it and was sad when i had to give it back. dd2 had to go to the dr daily for the first week she came home. i was also selling my home and had to leave several times a day for showings. dd2 was a great sleeper and would stay asleep as long as she stayed in the bucket. once in the convertible she would wake up every time i would take her out.


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## ILoveMyBabyBird

I weighed the options and decided to buy a new infant (bucket) seat for our upcoming arrival. While ds really didn't enjoy his infant seat, so it was not overused, i thought about situations where it would be very handy, ie, at dr.'s appts and i need to sign info etc. Or when the baby is sleeping and i don't want to wake her when i need to bring groceries in and put them away, as pp said. Plus ds will be starting school in august so that means mandatory daily trips for dd and i and it will be easier to get you all ready in the hot or cold weather and then put her in the van. I don't plan to over use it, but it does seem to be very handy the first 6 months or so.


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## Mom2M

With DS2, we didn't have a bucket and I hated it. He was not very happy in the car and I think it was partially because he was uncomfortable. It was also a pain to strap him in because he fought it so much. It's much easier to strap in to the seat while inside and able to do it from a good angle.

I loved having a bucket for DD1 and DD2 and just because you use one doesn't mean you have to overuse it or never wear your baby! lol I wore them lots of the time.

I felt that they fit better in them and seemed more comfortable, I did buy a really nice snugride so it was kind of expensive to buy that and then the convertible later, but they almost always fell asleep in them instead of crying and it was extremely nice to be able to use it if they were sleeping and we had to run in and out of somewhere. I had a stroller frame for those times when I wanted to keep her in it while she was asleep and so never hurt my back or strained anything and I really think it was worth the money. You can get the frame for $20 used. They never were in them for too long but DD2 would fall asleep in 5 minutes so it was great for school drop off and pick up to have it. When she didn't fall asleep, I put her in the wrap. There was never a time that I could keep her sleeping while transferring from car seat to wrap/mei tai, maybe I just don't have the knack of it.
I really like not leaving the seat in the car and avoiding the burning hot/freezing cold seat issue.
It was much easier to take her to dr appts with me and unfortunately, I have frequent dr. appts.

Even though my babies are pretty big, they really didn't outgrow the bucket at 3-4 months. DD2 was almost 10 pounds at birth, stayed in the 75-90% and fit just fine in the bucket for a year and stayed happy in it.
For us, it was worth it.


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## KempsMama

I had a bucket with both boys but never really used them. Neither of them seemed comfy in them, so I switched to a convertable right away. One was born in March, one in August, and I have no regrets.


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## Ceinwen

Have done both - loved the bucket.

I live in far northern Ontario (um - very cold) and really appreciated being able to bring baby right from the house out to the car.


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## nerdymom

I had a November baby and an inexpensive bucket. I hated the idea of taking him out of his warm blankets and setting him in a cold carseat in a cold car. I mostly carried him in a ring sling in public (the exception being in restaurants) and took the bucket inside when we got home. I've no regrets about it! Although my child was one of those who outgrew his bucket in about 3 months. It was ridiculous, lol! But at least for those 3 months I did like it. Now I'm having a spring baby I wonder if the bucket is worth it, since it will be warm and I have DS1 to keep track of (plus I now know how to eat just about anything while holding a baby).

I guess, my opinion is - bucket seats have their place. But just like anything, they can be abused. We have all seen those carseat babies in the store, with the misshapen heads and the worn out seat. I don't think the carseat is the problem. It is the way it is used.


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## Canadianne

The only time I regret it is when I am doing a quick trip somewhere and don't want to have to mess with the buckles.

Otherwise, I'm perfectly happy with our decision. Especially since my 4 month old already weighs 23lbs....I can't imagine carrying him and a car seat!


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## sapphire_chan

We started with a convertible and in the entire time we've used it, I've had about 3 times (maybe?) where I vaguely thought it'd be nice to have an detachable infant seat. Mind you, in all cases I would've actually been driven crazy by dealing with a bulky seat-carrier on top of everything else I was carrying, so it's a good thing I didn't actually have the choice.

Last fall, when dd just turned 2, I actually switched her seat from one car to another while she was asleep inside it. So clearly it is possible to move convertible+sleeping baby in a pinch.

DD preferred to be in arms and nursing and would wake up when the car stopped, so there really wasn't any motivation to get an infant seat.

(And it would've had to be a STRONG motivation to overcome my absolute hatred of bulky things whacking me in the leg. Purses can be too cumbersome if I'm not in just the right mood.)

ETA: DD was an August baby, and then I took the bus most places that winter because she went through a phase of disliking the car seat if she was in the car for more than 10 minutes.


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## sapphire_chan

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hannah32*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tankgirl73*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> I understand about no coats in the car seats, but with a bucket, you can put a blanket over them without interfering with the straps. I'm not hauling him into a Mei Tai while dragging the long straps through slush puddles. Not to mention, what about my coat? I don't always want to wear my baby and a coat underneath once we are inside.
> 
> 
> 
> I just wanted to address this, because this problem is fixable.
> 
> First, you can put a blanket over babies in a convertible too. No coats under the straps, use blankets, it's the SAME whether using a bucket or a convertible.
> 
> As for the mei tai -- what you do is you put it on at home. Wear it *under* your coat. Baby doesn't need a heavy coat of his own because he's in your coat and using your body heat. You need a coat that's large enough, obviously, and don't zip it all the way to the top so baby has air (keeping baby breathing is a good thing  ) or a specialized babywearing coat. Unzip your jacket and loosen the mei tai a bit to take baby out but don't completely untie it, baby goes into the car seat, blanket over baby. Leave the mei tai on under your re-zipped coat while you drive wherever you're going.
> 
> When you arrive, reverse the process. Get baby into the mei tai, then snug up the straps. Mostly zip your coat over baby, you're good to go. This same procedure works with any kind of sling carrier. The main advantage of the specialized babywearing jackets is that there's an opening for baby's head or just for airflow, so you can still have neck coverage for yourself. If you're serious about babywearing and live in a cold region, it's worth considering the investment. But a large enough jacket will do *almost* as well in *most* situations. And with baby under your coat, you get the warmth for baby without them needing a heavy jacket, and you can just take off your coat when you get inside without having to re-do the whole sling situation.
> 
> It takes a little practice to do all this, of course, but once you've got the hang of it it's a piece of cake. Personally, I found it easiest when using a stretchy wrap. The 'give' in a stretchy wrap means I don't have to loosen anything. I could pop her in and out, just leaving it tied on.
> 
> Again, it seems to me that these reasons people have for using the bucket apply equally well to older babies, they're not exclusive to bucket-sized babies. "What about the straps dragging, what about my coat?" Those problems don't magically go away when baby is older, you'll still have to figure out how to get your baby from the car into the store or wherever when they've outgrown the bucket. So since you have to deal with it ANYWAY, it just seems simpler to me to figure it out when baby is smaller and more easily portable.
> 
> There are also thousands of babies injured every year in bucket-related accidents that were NOT in cars. Either from buckets being dropped, like shopping carts falling over, or from the bucket itself not working -- there have been recalls over handles failing, for instance. I really just wish they would stop marketing them as *carriers*.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Yeah, but what do you do when you need to take them out of the convertible? I know! Drop the blanket into the snow/slush. Wheee! Been there, done that. Not doing it next time. I do admire your coordination though, because, honestly, your Mei Tai suggestion? Um not workable for me.
> 
> A bucket it is for my next one.
Click to expand...

I wore a wrap under my coat and then got into the back of the car to put dd into it. Worked until she got too tall/squirmy. The cold and snow and such weren't an issue, because I took her out of her seat inside a nice warm car and dealt with settling her into the wrap and such (e.g. going potty, changing diapers) all in comfort.


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## Anastasiya

We love our bucket for all the reasons WifeofAnt stated (post 41).

We tried to get by ONLY with a convertible seat for baby number 2 and regretted it. Now we go the bucket-route for the following babies. For one, he hated being carried in the sling. HATED it. He was the only kiddo I was never able to wear. 

I also didn't like the thought of taking my sweet, warm baby out in the chill and having to buckle him into a cold seat. There were lots of times we didn't have time to pre-heat the car, and I felt badly for the shock to his system!

The same when summer came along, having to strap the little guy in a very HOT seat with hot buckles.

I loved being able to run quick errands by popping the bucket out of the car and taking the sleeping baby with me, instead of taking up so much time finagling straps on wraps and clasps on Ergos. Just pop out the bucket - run in the bank - pop the bucket back in. Totally worth it, esp when there are other littles in the car who have to follow Mom along.

I loved being able to bring a sleeping baby into the house and let him/her continue to sleep.

Our last two kiddos stayed in the bucket, perfectly content, till around 18 and 20 months. Of course, at that point the bucket pretty much just lived in the car because it was too big to carry around with them in it, but it lasted a long time and we got our money's worth.


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## illumini

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sapphire_chan*
> 
> (And it would've had to be a STRONG motivation to overcome my absolute hatred of bulky things whacking me in the leg. Purses can be too cumbersome if I'm not in just the right mood.)


This is me to a T and why I had a bucket for my first but it never left the car. I'm also not getting a bucket for the 2nd.


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## MyFullHouse

I never regretted going straight to the convertable with spring/summer babies. This time around, I didn't *want* a bucket seat, but I felt it would be best for getting in and out of the house and quick stops elsewhere with a December baby, and it's proven to be just that.

"Warming up the car" is a misnomer for us. I could warm up that minivan for an hour and all of the heat will pour right out while piling in the other 4 kids, let alone the baby, with the wind whipping right through the two sliding doors, lol. Instead, I can throw him in with a blanket under the car seat cover, wait a few minutes for the heat to recirculate, then reach back to fully open the cover and pull the blanket off.

The big kids and I hate the few minutes of cold that come with getting settled into the car. Just because we have to suck it up doesn't mean the baby should "suffer" along with us.

All that said, I'm looking forward to switching back to a convertible in the spring even though our bucket goes to 35lb. I do feel slightly safer with them.


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## ancoda

I have only read the first page, but here is my experience. With all there of mine we only had convertible car seats, and I never regretted it. I had two November babies and one March baby in Oregon where it is not usually overly cold, but it does rain a lot. I had a ring sling for when they were younger and then my DH used the ergo sometimes when they were a bit older.

I have problems with my wrists and hands so I can not imagine trying to cart those heavy plastic buckets around everywhere.


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## chel

the bucket is perfect for those that have to drive older kids to school. my dd would take great naps at this time, but would wake if i tried to get her out of the seat. luckily the weather was mild and i would leave her in the car in the garage with the door open to the kitchen (i was able to keep a very clean kitchen at the time







).

i don't think anyone is saying they carry around the bucket for walks or errands where it would be bumping your legs, you would use a sling or stroller. it's for when you want to quickly move an infant from one spot to another and you either want to protect from the elements or let the child sleep.


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