Okay, the Safeseat is good for up to 30 lbs, but HOLY COW....

[maylips]

I am throwing my back out with my heavy DS in the even heavier safeseat. We bought it originally for DD and it was good because it lasts longer than the others for my big babies but I.CANNOT.LIFT.IT.ANYMORE.

I weighed the &$#! thing today with DS in it and it was 27.2 ridiculously bulky pounds. I hate pulling it out to even transfer it into the stroller.

[maestramommy]

I know this is maybe not the right forum, but is there any chance you can either 1) just put your DS in the stroller without the carseat, or 2) skip the stroller/carseat altogether and use a baby carrier when you're not in the car? I don't have a Safeseat, I have a Baby Trend, and even that was just too.freaking.heavy by the time Dora was 6 months, and she weighed a mere 15 lbs. I just did not want to schlep it around anymore.

[Melaine]

You know, I picked the SSs because of the high weight limits but it turned out to be such a negative. That extra weight can drive you nuts when you are carrying TWO and when you are forced to use them as carriers since that's the only way to get them from point A to point B at the same time (mommy only has two hands). Because of that I think we actually went to the Marathons sooner because the SSs finally just wound up remaining in the car so I figured what was the point!

[HIU8]

I got to a point with my DD in her SafeSeat that I literally moved it about a foot and a half (from the car to the carseat carrier) only when I had to do quick errands. Otherwise I used a Bjorn or I put DD right in the stroller and left the darn carseat in the car. It was very convienent for the winter months though.

[scrooks]

I have been wondering about this...I have a snugride (the one with the 22 lb limit) and it was perfect for DD. We transitioned her to a RF marathon at about 10 months, she was getting to heavy and seemed squished in it. I steered my sister (who is expecting in 6 weeks!!!:cheerleader1:) the same way because the seats with the higher limits were just that much heavier. I can't imagine lugging them around. Maybe DS will grow out of the snugride sooner than DD but I'm guessing it won't be until he's 7-8 months old. I'm not sure I get what the benefit of the higher weight limit seats if they are that much heavier...

[AshleyAnn]

DD weighs under 10 lbs and I struggle to carry her SS1 in stores. I do still use it as a carrier when I need to but I'm getting to the point where I can't just wander around a store with it casually slung over my arm. I know I won't be using it out of the car once she's over 20 lbs - I won't be able to lift it into or out of the base in my SUV because its too high. I kind of wish I'd gone with the 22lb model now that I have it but the lockoff on the base really does make it fast to install (I can do it in under 30 seconds if I've installed in that car before, under a minute if its a first time installation)

[KrisM]

It really depends on your useage, I think.

DS2 just outgrew his Chicco Keyfit at 17 months. I borrowed a SafeSeat from a good friend in the hopes he'll make it through winter in it. He's about 24lbs.

I don't carry him all over in it, as it is heavy. But, for the 5 minutes it takes to get DD into preschool and then out of preschool in the cold and snow, I'll lug him around happily!

Plus, about 50% of the time, he falls asleep between home and preschool and this way I don't have to wake him up just to pick DD up.

But, with DS1, he was out of his carrier at 6 months and it was fine, even in the winter :).

[HIU8]

I NEVER carried DD in her SafeSeat (from day 1) except to and from the car. I always used the carseat carrier stroller.

[Joolsplus2]

Phew...my skinny kid was too tall for the SS1 at 23 pounds (though those last few months, even DH couldn't figure out how to carry her from the house to the car, I was the only one with the sheer will it took to haul that thing down the garage stairs)

[jjordan]

Well, for kids that outgrow the smaller seats insanely young (like younger than 6 months), it might be a really good idea to get one of the larger infant seats, especially if you live in an area with a super cold winter and you want the infant carrier carseat to get you through a winter.

We have had smaller infant seats and they last pretty long for us (so far!), so I'm actually glad there wasn't the option for a larger infant seat when we got our first one or I probably would have gotten the larger one. But as it is, the smaller ones are sufficient for us.

[AnnieW625]

We never had a stroller frame for DD so I always took her out of the carseat and into the stroller from litterally a week or two old. I didn't mind carrying the infant seat in and out of the drs. office or a quick trip to the Hallmark store, but for everything else over 10 minutes she was in the stroller (first a Peg Pliko, and later the Maclaren Triumph). Now that we have a Vista I'll most likely use the stroller frame for quick trips and such, but honestly I can't see myself dragging the infant seat everywhere. We have the bassinet for the Vista too so I'd like to get some use out of that. I also have a super comfy Beco carrier so I know I'll be using that more.

DD was out of her Snugride by 7 mos. old. . Granted I think she could've gone a bit longer, but both DH and I got fed up with the back adjust straps. We hope to get Chicco Key Fit 30 in hopes that #2 might make it to a year old in the seat. We live in Southern California so we don't have the snow to deal with but the infant seat was pretty handy for daycare.

[taralynn819]

I'm actually in midst of trying to decide between the SnugRide22 or 32. I'm leaning toward getting the 32, mostly so I can use the stroller frame longer than 6/7 months. We're having a boy so I fear taking the chance of him out-growing the 22 seat before we hardly get a chance to use it. Maybe I'll just lift weights - ha! :)

[arivecchi]

but honestly I can't see myself dragging the infant seat everywhere. I also have a super comfy Beco carrier so I know I'll be using that more. :yeahthat: I honestly cannot imagine using an infant seat to its weight limit. A) Too heavy to lift. B) I cannot imagine my babies being comfortable in it after a 6 months and I like to avoid flat heads. ;) C) I would much rather have them in a baby carrier or stroller so they are more comfy. :)

[smiles33]

We have the SS1 and DD2 is now almost 19 pounds. I can still manage to lift her from the car in the garage into the house, but I'm using 2 hands (one on the handle, one on the front edge by her feet) as it is super heavy. I always take her out and put her in my Beco to pick up DD1 from pre-school since DD1 sometimes wants to show me things and I can't lug DD2 that far. Still, as PP mentioned, it's convenient when they're sleeping.

Plus, now that we have 2 girls, I'm trying to keep DD2 in the SS as long as possible to delay moving her to DD1's BVs and having to buy new Frontiers for DD1.