Switching from carrycot to seat

kitten_k

What age is it ok to switch from using the carrycot on the travel system to the seat?

We have a Baby Elegance Ego but can't find anything online.

lazygal

Its not as much age as the ability of baby to hold their head up and how good their muscle control is. We switched at about four months - baby wasn't sitting up yet (she has never really been a sitter) but she has great head control from birth and was able to hold herself well in a seated position. Other babies are 'floppier' and need a few more weeks to be ready. I think the guidelines are six months, but most people go on readiness of baby.

kitten_k

Thanks Lazygal, she is just over 3 months but is getting fed up in the carrycot, she has good head control.

Might leave her for a couple of weeks and then try her in the seat part.

josip

We were told to keep them in the (rearfacing) carrycot as long as we could since they're much better protected in the case of a (frontal) crash. I assume that for a rear-ender they are somewhat less protected in a carrycot, but these would typically be of a lower impact speed than a frontal impact. Instead of thinking how soon can we change them to a car seat, we were told to think "how long can we keep them in the carry cot", There will come a time where you'll absolutely have to change but until then, maybe some new hanging arch toys over the cot will help to stimulate her and get another few weeks/months out of it. If you haven't already, then get a mirror for the back seat head rest and set it up so that when she looks in it she can see you and vice versa. Size contsraints rather than boredom should be the reason to change. I hope I don't sound preaching; I just get very scared when I consider what would happen our front facing guy in his seat if we had a 30kph impact. They are so small.

When you do get a car seat, try to get one with a head insert that will keep their heads snug and in the event of a side impact will minimise the possible travel distance, and corresponding potential injury, of the head/neck.

lazygal

josip wrote: »

We were told to keep them in the (rearfacing) carrycot as long as we could since they're much better protected in the case of a (frontal) crash. I assume that for a rear-ender they are somewhat less protected in a carrycot, but these would typically be of a lower impact speed than a frontal impact. Instead of thinking how soon can we change them to a car seat, we were told to think "how long can we keep them in the carry cot", There will come a time where you'll absolutely have to change but until then, maybe some new hanging arch toys over the cot will help to stimulate her and get another few weeks/months out of it. If you haven't already, then get a mirror for the back seat head rest and set it up so that when she looks in it she can see you and vice versa. Size contsraints rather than boredom should be the reason to change. I hope I don't sound preaching; I just get very scared when I consider what would happen our front facing guy in his seat if we had a 30kph impact. They are so small.

When you do get a car seat, try to get one with a head insert that will keep their heads snug and in the event of a side impact will minimise the possible travel distance, and corresponding potential injury, of the head/neck.

Are you talking about a rear facing car seat you put on the chassis of a buggy too? I assumed the OP was only referring to the pram/buggy seat, nothing to do with car seats and front/rear facing.

josip

lazygal wrote: »

Are you talking about a rear facing car seat you put on the chassis of a buggy too? I assumed the OP was only referring to the pram/buggy seat, nothing to do with car seats and front/rear facing.

Thanks lazygal.

<Mental note to self. Read posts more carefully in future :rolleyes:>

Mink

lazygal wrote: »

Its not as much age as the ability of baby to hold their head up and how good their muscle control is. We switched at about four months - baby wasn't sitting up yet (she has never really been a sitter) but she has great head control from birth and was able to hold herself well in a seated position. Other babies are 'floppier' and need a few more weeks to be ready. I think the guidelines are six months, but most people go on readiness of baby.

I was exact same as this, had a baby elegance system too.

kitten_k wrote: »

Thanks Lazygal, she is just over 3 months but is getting fed up in the carrycot, she has good head control.

Might leave her for a couple of weeks and then try her in the seat part.

When he hit maybe 2 mths I used the car seat for walks (no longer than say 45 mins). He was facing me but could look around more/see more. I felt fine with it as he was getting plenty of lying down time at home. Then switched to buggy seat when I felt he was sitting straight enough (approx. 4 mths)

Xdancer

She was about 3 and a half/ 4 months. She was getting too hot and bothered in the carrycot part so we started using the buggy part but kept it well reclined. She loved it as she could see a lot more.

Byzantium4

The general guideline is 6 months as this is the average age that a child can sit up. It's not so much about whether they can hold their own head up, it's about whether their lower spine has developed enough to be able to sit in an upright seat. They say if you're child can sit up on their own and stay sitting then they are ready (agewise this could be 4 months could be 8months) then they can switch to a more upright seat. If they can't it can be uncomfortable for a child (making them bend in a way they can't bend yet) and you might find they get cranky quickly.

kitten_k

Thanks everyone.

And to clear up the confusion yes I was only talking about the pram and not the car seat.

Moonbeam

If the seat goes flat then you can do it at any age.
I can not find much about the ego online.

kitten_k

Yea can't find much myself Moombeam. I rang the 2 Baby Elegance stores and they both gave different advice!!

We have decided to use her car seat on the chasis a bit more, especially with the good weather and try hold off putting her in the seat for another month or so.

Moonbeam

if the seat goes flat it is better to use then the car seat.
my baby who is 5 months old today and too long for most 6-9 month clothes still fits in the pram and basket but gets very grumpy if he can not see his sisters so I tend to put the seat in the double buggy up slightly so that he can see out when we are in the play ground or playing in the park and keep him flat the rest of the time.