How Many Car Seats/bases Do I Need?

Get a base for each car and just one infant seat that goes in it and can move from base to base. The graco snugride is a good one. Also if you can, register for the convertibles b/c they get expensive. the britax series is great! try the boulevard if you can afford it, if not the marathon. Good luck!

Most infant seats can be secured in the car using the seat belt. The bases is a nice accessory because you don't have to reposition and belt it every time you use it. It isn't that difficult to use the seat belt, just a bit more inconvenient. Each car seat has it's own set of instructions although most are very similar. You should read the instructions for the seat you want and go from there.

The infant carrier typically only accommodates up to 25-27 inches. I know everyone focuses on the weight it carries up to, but the real focus should be in the length of the baby. Average newborn is 20 inches long--so depending on the size of your baby and the type of carseat, you may only have 5-6 inches of growth. With our first child, she was born with 20 inches and by 4.5 months, was 26 inches... So really, we only used the infant carrier for 4-5 months. After the infant carrier, you get a convertible car seat which goes up to 35-40 lbs.

I wouldn't spend too much in the infant carrier. I would suggest that you only have 1 infant base (for the car that primarily transports her) and everyone else get a convertible carseat (that accommodates 5 to 35 lbs). They will also need to buy extra neck support for when the baby is too young to hold the head up in the convertible carseat.

Depending upon the age of your baby.
Infant? I say buy however many bases & carseats of the drivers will be ALWAYS needing to drive your baby.
So let's say 4 people will always be driving your baby...I say 4 bases of the same namebrand and two carseats of that namebrand.

Depending on your babies size it may not be in the carrier for long enough to worry about it. My son is three months and has completely grown out of his infant car seat. I say just get one set. keep the base in your car and have the rest use the seat belt option.

I would say have one carseat and get a base for each person who will be driving baby ! Its cheaper that way ! Baby will be in an infant carrier for awhile !

We never used the bases for any of our kids. They were too bulky to fit in as many as we needed (had 2 in infants and 1 in booster at the same time--in a Taurus). We used the seatbelt option with ours. So, that being said, just get 1 car seat for now. When the baby gets older and needs to be in a front-facing seat, either leave the seat w/ the baby, or each person get a seat.

The "seat belt option" means you skip the base and strap the carseat in using just a seatbelt. It's alright in an emergency or for a one-time trip, but I wouldn't suggest it for an everyday, regular transportation method. I would suggest buying one infant carrier-style carseat and at least 2 bases-one for your car and one for your in-law's car, possibly a third for your husband's car unless it would be just as easy to just have your husband use your car when he's transporting the baby. Even though they do outgrow these seats quickly, it's so much easier to have a base in each car instead of having to transfer bases with the baby. Good luck!

Don't waste your money. It is a convenience but the carseats have a seat belt option and are just as safe when used this way. It is very easy to instal and not a hassel at all. We made the mistake of buying three for the very same reason as you and it was so not worth it. My son was only in his infant carrier for 8 months.

1 carseat and 2 bases of the same brand.

I had 3 bases and only used 2, the third never even came out of the box. The one in my car was permanent and then we moved the one in my husband to whatever other car was needed at the time, but since my car was primary car for baby that one stayed. I say get 2 and then afterward if you feel you need another get it then but dont by more than 2 to start with.

It sounds like you are going to need a convertible car seat for most of the vehicles your baby will ride in. If you want to have an infant seat of convenience when your baby is small then I would just get one and use the seat belt to secure it in all cars except your own. Alternatively you could just get a convertible car seat for each of the cars and forgo an infant seat all together. If I had to do it over again that's what I'd do because our son had outgrown his infant seat by about 8 months. This is the convertible seat we got http://carseatblog.com/2556/graco-my-ride-65-review-follo... and it is good for 5 lbs up to 65 lbs and comes with the infant insert to use with a newborn. It's on the low end of the price scale, much cheaper than the britax car seats, but very safe and a good brand that we've been really happy with. I highly recommend it and if you are going to get convertible seats for all the cars anyway you might as well get one you can use for a long time.

I didn't read the other responses so if I'm repeating anything I apologize!

If you are getting the infant seat (the bucket type seat) you should buy two bases-one for each car that the baby will be in the most. Then the other cars can just use the seat belt-infant seats have hooks that you can slide the seat belt into over the seat to hold it in place without the base (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9pi6x90lLU)

I has two bases for each of my first two children but only one with our third who outgrew the infant seat way to fast to bother buying another base in the long run-I had big babies who moved into convertable seats very fast, over 9lbs each at birth. . .
All in all I personally won't buy another infant seat, I will just go with a convertable seat made for smaller infants and not deal with lugging around the 'bucket' everywhere I go! Of course this may not be the option for you since you would have to unlatch the car seat and leave it with the day care or family member who will be watching your LO, though with the new latch system if all your vehicles were manufactured after 2003 they should all have it which would make moving the car seat around a little easier. . .

Whatever you choose-Congratulations and good luck :)