Ride in stroller vs. infant seat

[DisneyParkLover]

I need advice. We are taking our 9 week old at the end of September. I will be bringing a carrier to wear him on rides, but I was trying to decide what he should ride in at other times. We have a travel system with an infant carseat that hooks onto a stroller. I don't know if he should ride in the stroller part and leave the carseat in the car or if he should ride in the carseat (this is how we use it at home). Here is my pros list:

Pros for carseat:
-he is used to it and likes it
-we will have the seat with us to carry into restaurants
-can use carseat canopy and stroller canopy together for total shade
-afraid the stroller portion may be "too big" for such a little baby (he may feel more secure in carseat)

Pros for stroller:
-may be cooler than heavy seat
-better positioning (baby can lie flat)
-have two stroller fans which I think would be easier to connect to stroller part (but would still try to use with carseat)

So what do you think? TIA!

 

[ABCastillo]

I think both options are good, but the car seat might be cumbersome on the bus. If you have no plans to use the bus then I vote take the car seat!

 

[mom2CaitlinRyan&Erin]

I would really just wear a moby and plan on wearing 100% of the time. It's so much more convenient than lugging a stroller around.

 

[bumbershoot]

I would really just wear a moby and plan on wearing 100% of the time. It's so much more convenient than lugging a stroller around.

Except not a Moby in September in Orlando, but a lighter cooler fabric wrap/sling/mei tai.

We couldn't stand the carrying-the-carseat thing; each of us took DS+carseat out of the car ONCE and that was it. So cumbersome, heavy, and unergonomic for the adult. We never even owned a stroller until DS was 2 and that was a jogging stroller, then one strictly for Disneyland.

When he was 17 months we took him to Anaheim and although we did rent a stroller in the park, he didn't use it at all. He used it for one nap the following year. Rest of the time for both trips he was worn or carried or walked (the last is obviously not an option for the OP at this time).

 

[StitchesGr8Fan]

Will he have enough neck strength to be in the stroller all day? If yes, then don't use the car seat. It is going to be a pain on busses and in the restaurants.

 

[DisneyParkLover]

We are not planning to use the buses. The stroller fully reclines, so neck control isn't an issue.

 

[WDWAurora]

Ventilation is so bad in carseats. They are not made for extended use, so I would go with stroller and carrier without carseat.

 

[Sheepdog23]

Try to find something like this to lie in your stroller instead. It will make it feel more cosy and you will be able to carry baby around without waking if you are not going to baby wear. http://philandteds.com/se/Products/Adapt/Rest-Relax/cocoon#.UiBn1zdhic0

 

[Woodmnky]

I would opt for wearing and using a reclining stroller rather than the carseat. Carseats for infants are not optimal for long term use as the position that they place the infant in can cause mild respiratory obstruction.

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/car-seat-safety/MY00824

 

[angelmom27]

I say a good carrier to wear baby and a nice flat recline stroller. The car seat isn't good and will be way too hot.

 

[ssommerville]

Definitely let him ride in the stroller. I took my baby when he was 5 weeks old and just used his carseat on the stroller frame and it was not fun. Way too hot for him and cumbersome to transport. I also had a baby Bjorne carrier for rides, but it was too hot to keep him in there all day- he's very hot natured though.

 

[Lilliputian]

I'm not a fan of babies riding in car seats anyway, but in September it's entirely too hot. I'd wear him most of the time and put him in the stroller when either of you get hot. As long as the stroller reclines almost completely flat, it's perfectly fine for a newborn.

A fan and something to sprinkle water on him is probably a good idea. The end of September is really hot. You probably shouldn't plan on spending the afternoons in the parks, either.

 

[StitchesGr8Fan]

My 5 week old spent an hour in her carseat in a house with the temperature set to 76 degrees yesterday. When I took her out of the carseat to change her, her back was drenched with sweat. Those carseats are HOT, and it is going to be hotter than 76 degrees in Florida in late September. It easily gets to 85-90 degrees during the day all the way in to October.

 

[Miumiu4me]

My one month old Orlando native sweats horribly in her carseat. I'd vote for a baby carrier; I'm going to try that is weekend at Universal.

 

[BadgerGirl84]

I would do a carrier and stroller. I have an 8 week old and I like taking her out inherent b-agile stroller with the Britax support pillow under her. It has a warm side and a cool side to the fabric.

I could not imagine wearing a baby all day...especially a Moby. Ouch.

Car seat would be way too hot for my LO.