Car seat too heavy for my back...

[BelleBoyd]

My DS is 6 months and at least 20lbs-need to weigh him again as I'm sure he gets bigger daily...
My car seat is so heavy as is he and getting it out of the car and onto the buggy legs is killing my back and wrists. I've had a strained wrist that I can't twist now for a couple of months and for the last 2days I can't bend down or sit down without a lot of pain.
I'm dreading the school run as I have to get the seat in and out of the car 6 times a day!!!
I can't baby wear-he freaks out and I can't carry him for long as he's madly active and won't have it-literally have to wrestle him. He's very physical-is crawling and was rolling about at 3 months.
When can I put him in a normal car seat and use a normal buggy?
I know rear facing seats are safer but a mum who can't bend down or lift anything is pretty unsafe too.

[PseudoBadger]

Can't you just leave the car seat in the car and lift him into a pram?

[mrscog]

Can't you just use a normal buggy now and leave the car seat in the car all the time?!

[ilovepowerhoop]

Dont take the seat out then. Just lift him out of the seat and put him in the buggy each time.

[Buttercup27]

Why can't you just take him out of the car seat and put him into a buggy? They are not supposed to be in the car seats for long periods of time anyway.
When my 9 month old became too heavy to carry him + car seat at around 5 months I would take him out of it, leave it in the car and plonk him in the buggy. If he was asleep he either went back to sleep in the buggy (or never woke up) or would be happy to watch the world go by.

[NorwaySpruce]

Leave the seat in the car, and put the baby into a stroller?

[purplemurple1]

You could leave him the car seat but still move up to a normal buggy (they can sit up in the buggy from 6 months). Then you are 'just' taking him in and out of the car. I get mine to crawl onto the back car seat and scope him out by his armpits.

The advice with the car seat is to leave them in it until they out grow it ( 13kg or to tall on most baby seats).

[foolonthehill]

I would leave him in the rear facing car seat but stop moving it in and out of the car. Just take him out of the seat and have a small lightweight buggy in the foot well of the car for the schoolrun and other short trips.

I am a childminder and look after very young and sometimes disabled babies some of whom were very large/heavy. There is never an absolute need to move the car seat out of the car...it's just for convenience...and for you it is not very convenient!

All the best

[Lonecatwithkitten]

I stopped taking the car seat out of the car when 3 months old and just lifted DD into a buggy from that stage onwards. From 5 months we were having regular multiple hospital trips so I bought really light weight small buggy that she went into as my back wouldn't stood up to anything else.

[BertieBotts]

Yes just leave the seat in the car and use a normal buggy, that's what I did from birth because my car seat didn't go on the pram.

Why do you need a forward facing seat to do this?

[BelleBoyd]

Yes that's a good idea to use a different lighter pram. The one I have goes with the car seat...
Just was thinking it might be tricky to get him in and out of a rear facing seat-I have a 3 door car.

[KatyN]

Have you tried getting him out via the boot rather than the side door? I had a three door too and this was sometimes the only way!

I couldn't find a car seat to lift out of my three door so I always lifted my son in and out of his car seat into the buddy. People looked at me like I was mad but I really don't like those car seats you lift in and out.

K

[BertieBotts]

Oh I see. Well if you have the money, look at the (I think it's maxi cosi) one which goes 4 ways - you could keep him rear facing then. He's really too little to be forward facing, although you legally could do it.

You could unclick the seatbelt, or use one of those belted bases if you want a base but don't have isofix, turn the seat around on the back seat to get him out and then to strap him back in again before you put the car seat back in place.

[BelleBoyd]

Yes that's a good idea-to turn it around and back. I'll look at the swivel ones too. Thanks.

[BendyMum15]

I was looking at the Britax Dualfix the other day it is either forward or backward facing and swivels so you don't need to lean sideways into the car. Really wanted as I have a joint condition and would make life a million times easier. Sadly it was out of my price range

[BelleBoyd]

Yes that looks great but pricey. I'm looking at the isofix ones but I'm not clear while they can be rear and forward facing which ones swivel easily for getting baby in and out all the time IYSWIM?
Wondering whether the price is worth having a working back? Hmm.

[FlipFlopWaddle]

As far as I know there are only 2 swivelling seats - the Britax Dualfix (which I have now) and the Maxi Cosi Axiss (which I had for dd1). They certainly made/make my life a lot easier . The maxi cosi only forward faces though and rear facing is safer. The Dualfix is isofix only and the Axiss is belted.

[AnythingNotEverything]

The Dualfix is brilliant. I was just about to suggest it. Extending rear facing, swivels to save your back and arms from that awkward twisting with heavy but unable to assist babies. I love it.

I got a deal through a 10% off car seats at Boots code from their website, and then got 10% more back in advantage card points as I'm in their Parenting Club. Might be worth looking into.

Otherwise, definitely leave the seat in the car.

[FlipFlopWaddle]

I feel I should add that I didn't know erf seats existed when I had dd1, I didn't decide I liked dd2 better so she's worth the extra £100

[AnythingNotEverything]

Cybex do one too Flip. Is it the Sirona? Similar price to the Fualfix.

[FlipFlopWaddle]

Oh yes! I forgot the Sirona!

We tried it but dd2 hated the impact cushion and I'm not convinced of their safety so went for the (cheaper) Dualfix. I believe the Dualfix also has a longer shell?