why would I buy a capsule and not just a
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Topic: why would I buy a capsule and not just a
Posted By: peanut butter
Subject: why would I buy a capsule and not just a
Date Posted: 24 June 2007 at 9:22am
convertible seat.
i am really hoping for some fast advice here as we are going looking today and I think some are on sale.
CRS, your opinions would be invaluable!!!
Ok, so bubs is due in August and we are thinking of getting a convertible seat as we will need to get one sooner or later anyway. We are thinking the safe and sound royale or guardian.
But should we look at a capsule? What is the advantage? We only have one car so most of the time I wont be driving around and will have to rely on public transport and the buggy....unless kind friends pick me up in which case I guess we would need the capsule.
We also plan to come up to AKL to visit grandparents and may hire a car or may not. We dont know if their cars will take capsules? But then again is it a huge hassle taking up the convertible seat?
If we do get a capsule, should we get one with a base ans is the base easy enough to throw (place) on a plane for travel?
Also, do taxis have car seats available? If I need to go somewhere in an emergency are they likely to have them or do we need our own?
Thanks
Nikki
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Replies:
Posted By: Brenna
Date Posted: 24 June 2007 at 9:45am
We used a capsule and it was great for when bubs was really little. We could go out and about and she would sleep the whole time as we never had to disturb her by lifting her in and out of a car seat.
We put her in a convertable seat (royale) at about 3 months. I'd def use a capsule again next time!
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My beautiful 2 girls...nearly 4 and 13 months
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Posted By: BaAsKa
Date Posted: 24 June 2007 at 10:06am
We bought a capsule for Bay and it was awsome! and im using it again for Astin! we changed Bay to a S&S Royale at 5 months and then a 5 point harness booster at 2.5yrs which we will be doing the same for Astin.
With a convertable seat it is harder to go from car to car and public transport cos of the teether clips etc so in that case its easier to go for a capsule and if you arnt planning on anymore bubs then the capsules resell for good prices. We kept ours even though it took us another 3.5 yrs to have another bubs but the capsules are valid and safe for 10 yrs! so thats good!
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Posted By: Guests
Date Posted: 24 June 2007 at 10:30am
We used a capsule for Erin up until about 5 or 6 months I think, and as it has been mentioned - great for if she was sleeping - we could just lift her out (inside the capsule) without disturbing her. I think some taxi companies have car seats, but I wouldn't want to rely on it. Also with the capsule and our first buggy, you could just clip the capsule into the buggy itself - again good for if she was sleeping or just for getting around etc. At the moment we are using a combo of umbrella stroller and mountain buggy. As for the car seat we have a Safe N Sound Guardian and it is lovely, I think Paws has the Royale?? Personally I think carting around a big car seat could become a pain in the butt, but is definitely worth it once they are a bit older.
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Posted By: peanut butter
Date Posted: 24 June 2007 at 10:35am
Its funny how you post a question and as you are asking it you start to answer your own question.... I am beginning to think a capsule might be very practical for us too. Not so much from the point of view of using it in our car (as I will hardly do that) but if a friend was to say "lets do lunch, I'll pick you up" etc I dont want to have to say " no, I'll meet you there after I have walked, caught the bus "
In that case am I right in thinking it would be better to get the capsule and base as the base would fit in more cars than a capsule might on its own? and can you use the capsule without the base? or do you always need both?
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Posted By: Guests
Date Posted: 24 June 2007 at 10:41am
I have never used a capsule with a base, so I can't commend on that, but mine without a base went in all sorts of diferent cars, ours, my mums, different rellies, loan car from the panelbeater etc.
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Posted By: Bizzy
Date Posted: 24 June 2007 at 10:54am
capsules are great for convenience... and you can hire them instead of buying them.
------------- http://www.myfitnesspal.com/weight-loss-ticker">
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Posted By: AlyAyde
Date Posted: 24 June 2007 at 10:57am
For both of our girls i only ever used the convertable car seat. Cheaper than buying or hiring a capsule and also the safety standards are better.
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Jayde 25/12/04
Alyssa 08/04/03
http://Alyayde.bebo.com
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Posted By: toniellis
Date Posted: 24 June 2007 at 12:11pm
Honestly, I would invest in a capsule. Either with a base or without.
I didn't have 1 for my first, Alex & everytime I went out it was absolutely guaranteed that he would fall asleep and then I would have to wake him up to get him out of the car, which would cause him to be a "little" grumpy! LOL.
With Blaire I had a capsule which was fantastic. I could pull the capsule & him out of the car & pop him onto a trolley & lock it in place, do all my shopping, pop him & capsule back into the car and go home...while he slept!
I bought mine from Trademe for $30 so it wasn't a huge expense & it it was in wonderful condition when I got it. On the plus side it was only 5 years old according to the manufacture date so I will be able to use it for baby #3 as well
------------- Mum to Alex (11), Blaire (10) & Erika (8) and Damien (6)
Successful HWB VBA2Cs! Soon to be surrogate
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Posted By: kebakat
Date Posted: 24 June 2007 at 12:24pm
The in laws have got us a safe and sound convertible car seat but the thing is when it's in the newborn position it doesn't fit in the back seats of either of our cars (I have a toyota hatch, DH has a honda sedan). We knew this in the beginning so we got a brand new capsule from trade me and we were told they were soo convenient for a newborn - totally true
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Posted By: peanut butter
Date Posted: 24 June 2007 at 2:12pm
Well, we dithered for ages in the shops and ended up buying the safe n sound convertible. We figured while it was on sale we would get it as we will need it eventually. If we decide to get a capsule once bubs is born then so be it. I dont think the convertible will be wasted.....and it does fit in our vehicle....man what a brain teaser to do it though.
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Posted By: Paws
Date Posted: 24 June 2007 at 2:51pm
I refused to use a capsule as there have been issues with babies stopping breathing in them becuase of the position they are in (and yes I have spoken to someone who's friend had first hand experience of this happening) and also because of the fact that can cause issues with babies spines again becuase of the position they are held in.
A capsule is only meant to be used for around 30-40 mins at a time I believe it is and yet I know no one who sticks to it because of the "convenience" of leaving baby to sleep in it. With us driving to Whakatane reguarly a capsule would not have even been an option taking the time limit into account.
We had no issues with Maddie transferring, we'd take her out and she'd just go back to sleep immediately. The vast majority of babies do get used to it.
Oh and we got a Safe and Sound AHR. Fabulous!
JMTCW.
------------- http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: BaAsKa
Date Posted: 24 June 2007 at 3:40pm
Iv never heard that your only meant to use the capsule for 30-40mins at a time???? its not in the intructions of the capsule and we wernt told that by the plunket people when getting it fitted either????
We used it for Bay traveling to Whakatane and back every weekend and i found it easier on his neck compared to when we swapped into the convertable cos the capsule reclined back way further but i know that some capsules are sooooo deep and i can see how it would affect the neck and back sitting in such a deep seat!
We have the base for our capsule and its awsome but not an essential i dont think unless you use the car a heck of a lot! and yes you can use the seat without the capsule no problem
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Posted By: busymum
Date Posted: 24 June 2007 at 4:04pm
I love the SNS convertible so much that we now have two! Capsules are great to carry around a lot but you can only use them for about 6 mos. If you have tall genes, forget it. Krystiana is really tall and she would have outgrown one at 4-5mos.
When you visit out of town, just hire one from Plunket there. We did that in Dunedin one time and it worked out really well. They charge a bond, the hireage is actually really cheap.
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Posted By: yummymummy
Date Posted: 24 June 2007 at 5:36pm
We have a capsule and I hate it - for the reasons Paws mentions. Gina just seems to sit in such an unnatural position and after about the 2nd month started crying every time we put her in. We now use a Safe n Sound convertable and love it!
------------- http://lilypie.com"> http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: Red
Date Posted: 24 June 2007 at 5:44pm
I can't speak from experience, but I agree with Paws, I never liked the idea of capsules, as babies seem to get stuck in them for long periods of time as they are "convenient", but the position they are in is very unnatural with the spine curved, and there is also the stopping breathing issue as well. Just personally when I see people carting their bubs around in capsules, it kind of makes me cringe a bit. Just my opinion.
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Posted By: CRS
Date Posted: 24 June 2007 at 6:15pm
nzpiper wrote:
Ok, so bubs is due in August and we are thinking of getting a convertible seat as we will need to get one sooner or later anyway. We are thinking the safe and sound royale or guardian. |
First off, I'm going to apologise for having not read all the replies in this thread! Now here's my thoughts..
The Safe-n-Sound Royale and Guardian, both very good choices. Personally I'd go for the Royale as it does have added side impact protection and a front push button harness adjuster which is an ease of use feature (the easier a car seat is to use, the more likely you are to use it properly!). Aswell as some other fluff like a sun canopy and messy mat. The Guardian is a good seat too, just doesn't have the added side impact protection or the push button adjuster and the "fluff"
nzpiper wrote:
But should we look at a capsule? What is the advantage? We only have one car so most of the time I wont be driving around and will have to rely on public transport and the buggy....unless kind friends pick me up in which case I guess we would need the capsule. |
Now really, this is entirely a personal decision. Some people prefer capsules, some think it's a waste of money and opt for a convertible from word go. Really, that's a hard one. If you get a convertible from word go - will every car you are going in have an anchor point? Because you can never ever use those seats without the tether being attached to an approved anchor point. In this case, maybe a capsule is the best option for you. What's important is that you get a seat that you're going to install and use correctly EVERY time you ride. Do those safe-n-sound car seats even fit your car? You'll need to make sure they do! :) The thing with capsules, is that many people are very tempted to leave their kidlets in them for ages, use them as beds, rockers etc (Hey, I'm guilty of this too before I "knew" anything with my eldest!). First time around I used a capsule with my eldest son, second time around I used a convertible from word go.
If you get a capsule, what kind are you going to get? I'd probably recommend one with a base if you choose to follow that path. Alot of people get european infant seats, most of which can only be used with the seatbelt threaded across the foot of the seat and the shoulder part of the belt right around the back. A lot of cars simply do not have seat belts long enough for that.
nzpiper wrote:
We also plan to come up to AKL to visit grandparents and may hire a car or may not. We dont know if their cars will take capsules? But then again is it a huge hassle taking up the convertible seat? |
If it were me, I'd probably rather use a capsule then run the risk of hiring or using a family members car that does not have a bolt. It's a toughy really.
As for plane travel, definitely a good idea to use a seat on the plane if you can but check your airline, some don't let you take them on.
As for taxis, sometimes they will have them available (if you request in advance) sometimes they don't. Personally I'd be very wary using one of their seats, you never know what you'll get, how it's been treated and even if it's suitable for your baby.
Like I said though.. capsule or convertible? It's really up to YOU. There is no such thing as the "best" car seat. Some offer more safety features then others which is always great but.. the best car seat is the one that you can install correctly, fits your child, fits your car and the one that you're most likely to use correctly EVERY time. It's really up to you :)
------------- Bonnie, Mum to a 1 1/2 year old & a 3 year old - still RF in their Brio Zento's
CPST & Safe2Go Technician
www.childrestraintsafety.com
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Posted By: CRS
Date Posted: 24 June 2007 at 6:27pm
Baysmum wrote:
but the capsules are valid and safe for 10 yrs! so thats good! |
Just thought I'd jump in here, some capsules only have "life spans" of between 5-10 years, not all are 10 :) A lot of them are 6, depends on the brand
Oh nzpiper I thought I'd add, if you got a seat without a base, most often you still have to use a rolled up towel or some pool noodles to get a proper recline for baby.
I definitely would not recommend buying second hand though, no matter how much of a "bargain" it seems
LOL I've just read that you've bought your car seat nzpiper hehe
FYI it's not just capsules that you're really only meant to use for short periods, it applies to all car seats. There are a few "concerns" one of them being the "airways' cut off, which can happen with most any type of car seat, that's why it's important that you get a good recline angle for a small infant. Another of the concerns is the deformational plagiocephaly (flat head syndrome) which seriously, can happen with ANYTHING not just car seats, anything with a hard shell that they're sitting in the one position for lengths of time (bouncers, electric swings, prams).
------------- Bonnie, Mum to a 1 1/2 year old & a 3 year old - still RF in their Brio Zento's
CPST & Safe2Go Technician
www.childrestraintsafety.com
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Posted By: Red
Date Posted: 24 June 2007 at 7:11pm
Thanks for that info, that is really interesting and good to hear advice from somebody that knows what they are talking about!
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Posted By: peanut butter
Date Posted: 24 June 2007 at 7:43pm
Great CRS, just the info I needed and I am sure that others will find it really good too. We opted for the SNS Premier (from baby city) and as I said, once bubs arrives we may change our mind and get a capsule as well. I figured we still need this at some stage so we will see how we go.
Now we just need to find someone who will check that it is all installed properly and then we need to get really good at doing that. I had to laugh when I read in a book about Dads having to learn how toinstall the carseat by READING THE MANUAL!!! It was a "requirement" for them to read the manual, not just nut it out.
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Posted By: lizzle
Date Posted: 24 June 2007 at 7:50pm
I think Janine possibly saw a baby stop breathing in a capsule at pak n save. Am possibky also wrong with it being janine - but was definitely someone on this board...or someone's friend. scary stuff!
and just to add my two cents - we used a capsule with both our boys. My dad bought it for us, after me asking for a convertible. We rarely used it with Jake ( in japan, on trains) but used a lot with Taine. He was a particulary nosy child and didn't often sleep in it to tell the truth.
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Posted By: Maya
Date Posted: 24 June 2007 at 8:41pm
I never had a capsule for Maya, was a huge PITA having to wake her every time to take her in and out.
Hired capsules + bases from Plunket for the gremlins and they were brilliant, they snapped in and out of the bases so easily, and I carted them everywhere in the capsules in the first few months, was the only thing that enabled me to get out and about.
I agree with CRS about the recline being the important thing with infant seats, it's that which causes airway obstruction. If you use a proper head support you can avoid this most of the time. Even with Mercedes tendency to "forget" to breathe we never had any issues with either the capsule or the S n S they're in now.
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Maya Grace (28/02/03)
(02/01/06)
 The Gremlins:Sienna Marie & Mercedes Kailah (14/10/06)
Lil miss:Chiara Louise Chloe (09/07/08)
Her ladyship:Rosalia Sophie Anais (18/06/12)
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Posted By: CRS
Date Posted: 24 June 2007 at 9:50pm
Maya wrote:
If you use a proper head support you can avoid this most of the time. | Either that or two rolled up hand towels/flat cloth nappies either side of baby to stop the head "flopping". Just remember with those head supports, some of them make it difficult to fit the harness properly, some push the harness "outwards" (if that makes sense!). It's generally not recommended to use a head support unless it came with the car seat, straight from the manufacture (that way you can ensure it was crash tested with your seat too)
------------- Bonnie, Mum to a 1 1/2 year old & a 3 year old - still RF in their Brio Zento's
CPST & Safe2Go Technician
www.childrestraintsafety.com
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Posted By: SuziE
Date Posted: 14 July 2007 at 9:12pm
a quick question .... where would I call/go to find out what car seat fits/doesnt fit which type of cars?
------------- http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: busymum
Date Posted: 14 July 2007 at 9:13pm
Suzi I don't know the answer to your question, but it would be best in a new thread so everyone can see it 
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Posted By: mum2paris
Date Posted: 14 July 2007 at 9:46pm
he he lizzle, haven't actually seen a baby stop breathing because of it but have had many into the unit for overnight observation because of "dusky" episodes.. ie turning blue, whilst in car seats.. am glad CRS brought up the subject of making sure that when and where you can you don't use them for long periods of time, taking bubs out and lying them flat so they can have good back and leg development to.. imagine trying to sleep in that position yourself..
Saying that, i am a big fan of yes using capsules cos they are more portable for bubs when they are little, but making sure when you get to somewhere, taking bubba out and lying them down. I don't really like the idea of the travel systems etc simply because instead of lying nice and flat in a buggy, the baby is still in that sitting position int he carseat attached to the buggy, and mostly if you're going up town with a newbie you usually make a day of it cos well, you dunno when you'll get out again!! lol.. so bubs can be that way the whole time you're in town which might be for a few hours and that's definately NOT healthy. Convenient, yes, but not good for them.
My older sister used hers constantly for her daughter to sleep in cos she'd always go to sleep in the car, and not wanting to wake her, she'd leave her it untill she woke up (just take it inside when she got home), my niece took forever to walk etc because she'd never really had the chance to kick around terribly much she actually had pretty bad leg and back probs from it.
Like CRS said, when you're using a capsule, i know the evenflo ones i think, have an arrow on the handle.. showing where the handle is supposed to be at the back of the capsule, and the arrow pointing directly towards the ceiling to ensure a good tilt, a rolled up towel in the gap between the back of the back-seat and the carseat can help keep it there.
------------- Janine and her 2 cool chicks, Paris & Ayja
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Posted By: SuziE
Date Posted: 14 July 2007 at 9:47pm
sweet ... wasnt sure if it warrented a whole new thread .. will start one ...
(yay )
------------- http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: Rachael21
Date Posted: 15 July 2007 at 12:30pm
Our safe and sound capsule base has this wee thing and its green if the seat is tilted properly and red if its not.
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