When to Buy Infant Seat?

[babychi]

Hi there - I am due with my first baby in December and already know which infant car seat I will be purchasing (Chicco Keyfit 30 in Adventure). My question is...when is the ideal time to buy one? Is it okay to buy one now even though I may not have a chance to return it once my baby is born (90 day return policy)? I know I want the Adventure pattern but also don't want to risk it going out of stock (very few retailers sell this pattern). I want to give enough time to air it out, make sure it is installed correctly, etc. but I don't want to jump the gun either. Advice appreciated...thanks! :)

[AnnieW625]

I would wait a little bit till around a few weeks before your baby's due date, but I have seen that seat a lot so I don't think they will discontinue the pattern (that happened to me when DD was born with her infant seat, and I ended up with a different pattern my co workers thought would be cute and I didn't have the heart to take it back). The Chicco website lists about 6 or 7 online retailers where you can buy it including EliteCarSeats.com which offers return insurance for $5 so if you buy the seat and for some reason need to return it will only cost you $5.

http://www.chiccousa.com/gear/car-seats/keyfit-30-adventure.aspx

[babychi]

Thanks - thought I'd be jumping the gun right now. I didn't know about the EliteCarSeats.com $5 Lifetime Return policy...very good to know! I guess I'm just paranoid because this is the only Chicco pattern I love. I'm hoping to purchase it from BuyBuyBaby and use a Bed Bath & Beyond 20% coupon, so I've been checking their site religiously to make sure it's still listed! :)

[lorinick]

I wouldn't run out and purchase it not, but I would keep an eye on it. Starting in Sept. manufactures start disc. patterns. That is one real pain in the butt every year at BRU. The pattern has been out for a while so it could happen. Where did you registry at? I didn't read you were gettingit from BBB. But at BRU the price will go from ending in 99 to ending in 89. That is a RED flag for item has been disc.

[JBaxter]

I ordered Jacks at 35weeks. I wanted to install it before I was to huge LOL

[prego08]

I'd also wait in case a mother-in-law or grandma or some other well meaning relative wants to buy you a big ticket item!

[codex57]

I'd wait, but not too long. DS came out at 35 weeks. For no real reason. Thought he might have to be sent to the NICU as a premie during DW's labor, but when he popped out, after about 5 min of testing, they said he was fine. Just like a very tiny and skinny full term baby.

I'm glad we got the seat a month earlier than that and I had it already installed due to excitement. Since DS came so early, we hadn't packed our hospital bag or any of that other stuff. Trying to figure out a car seat would have been soooo much unnecessary stress on top of that.

[zukeypur]

What is BBB's return policy? If they have a policy like Elite carseats, then I would go ahead and buy. I'm waiting until right before the baby is here (Dec. also) to buy mine, but I'm going with a convertible instead of a bucket so I'm considering the expiration date as well as the return policy. You really don't have to worry about the expiration date though because you won't be using it that long.

[lorinick]

What is BBB's return policy? If they have a policy like Elite carseats, then I would go ahead and buy. I'm waiting until right before the baby is here (Dec. also) to buy mine, but I'm going with a convertible instead of a bucket so I'm considering the expiration date as well as the return policy. You really don't have to worry about the expiration date though because you won't be using it that long.

Most people use the same seat for other children they have. So the DOM does matter for that purpose.