My little guy is only three months but we bought a convertible car seat. Since we took the newborn insert out of the one we’re using now, I feel like it’s not very comfortable for him. I also feel like the infant seat is better for when we’re running errands. I may just keep both in my car and use as appropriate. Seems like overkill but I’m a FTM (as if it’s not obvious).
I switched at 5 months because my son is heavy and I couldn’t carry it far anymore. I probably won’t use an infant seat for the next one unless they’re born in winter.
Once we switched, I would just wear him in a carrier for running errands.
@Hale
I switched around 5 months because of baby’s weight as well! She seemed uncomfy in the infant seat even though she hadn’t hit the limits, and her 20lbs plus the weight of the seat was just INSANE. I’m a single parent and my pregnancy was beyond rough, so I NEVER want to be pregnant again, but if I were to ever change my mind, I’d go straight to another of the convertible car seat I have now.
@Hale
That’s what I said but hospital rules required an infant car seat in order to be discharged! We ended up having to buy an infant one anyway. Still have 2 convertibles but still was a pain having to get an infant one too.
@Sutton
Pretty sure they can’t legally require this. If you have a car seat that meets regulations, they can’t hold you hostage till you buy one they like better.
Alby said:
@Sutton
Pretty sure they can’t legally require this. If you have a car seat that meets regulations, they can’t hold you hostage till you buy one they like better.
I can’t speak for everyone, but our hospital didn’t allow you to carry the baby around. To walk the halls, the baby had to stay in the plastic bassinet… and to leave, they required a car seat, so an infant seat would just make sense from an installation and ease of movement perspective.
@Corey
An infant seat would make it easier, but they can’t legally force you to use one. If they’re that big of a stickler about not carrying the baby, then they could wheel the baby down in the bassinet to the car if need be.
@Corey
They don’t require this. I don’t have a portable car seat, and they just gave me a wheelchair as I held my baby boy and they took me to the car. We obviously had a car seat in the car but it’s a 3 in 1 and doesn’t have a base. FTM so I didn’t know lol.
@Wynn
Yes this was the same for us. They said it was fine to have a convertible car seat in the car and I’d just have to take a wheelchair down while holding the baby to reduce the chances of the baby being dropped/me falling. I’ve had two babies and no infants car seats!
@Corey
Our hospital had similar policies and we used a convertible from birth. They just kept him in that bassinet cart thingy all the way to the exit doors and made sure he was buckled into the convertible seat in the car. Good to go!
Alby said:
@Sutton
Pretty sure they can’t legally require this. If you have a car seat that meets regulations, they can’t hold you hostage till you buy one they like better.
In the UK (where I’m from) and in Portugal (where I now live), it is hospital policy to only release a baby in a baby carrier car seat, and they’re very strict about it due to the insurance implications, so unfortunately it’s quite common.
I waited until about 10.5-11m, he was about to hit the height limit. Unpopular opinion I loved the infant seat, it was so much more convenient and he gets so mad if I only unbuckle him to do something that takes 2-3 mins and then put him back in his seat 
.
@Kingsley
I agree, so much easier! Plus the way the convertible sits in my car it makes her carsick . We have a tiny tiny toddler (like 0.01% for height weight) and she’s 19 months and still within range for the infant seat so we use it for my husband’s car and I take it if I need to drive her far places because I don’t want to risk her vomiting all over herself.
But also it’s easier! Just harder to carry when they’re heavy.
@Mikel
Lol I was so confused when my equally as small son was 13mo and I was curiously searching when to switch him from his infant seat and it said either by 12 months or the two inch rule and I was like ??? He fit fine though 
but he’s been in a convertible since then.
@Mikel
Easier is relative, I live on the 3rd floor with no elevator. That’s 3 flights of stairs between house and car and everything was easier for us when I stopped using it.
@Kingsley
100%! Having a base made putting baby in and out of the car seat so much easier since having his convertible one in the middle seat. Plus we had to buy all new car seats for my husband and his MIL who watched him.
I think right before 3 months. I hated lugging the infant car seat around and she didn’t seem very comfortable in it anymore. Got a rotating convertible and it’s been awesome.
Remy said:
I think right before 3 months. I hated lugging the infant car seat around and she didn’t seem very comfortable in it anymore. Got a rotating convertible and it’s been awesome.
Which rotating convertible did you go with? I was looking into them for my wife’s car.
@Dallas
We have the Evenflo Revolve 360 and it’s amazing. No complaints.
@Dallas
We got the Chicco Fit360 and have been very happy with it. It is pretty big though so it may not do well in a smaller car.