SnugRide SnugLock 35 LX featuring TrueShield Technology Infant Car Seat (2053220)

We got the Graco SnugRide SnugLock 35 LX infant car seat (in the $200 range) and a Graco click connect stroller. My husband is a composite technician and I’m a SAHM so we don’t have luxurious spending money but want to prioritize safety ratings especially when it comes to a car seat. How do those car seats rate safety wise should be your #1 priority and not aesthetics. We love our car seat especially with blow outs, the inserts come right out for easy cleaning and I don’t have to practically take apart the entire car seat to wash. Also… IMHO, a jogging stroller is the way to go if you’re planning on being active and outside. The regular stroller is nice for grocery stores and stuff but being outdoors, I feel like a jogging stroller holds up way better. You don’t need to break the bank for something baby will only use for a short time frame but also don’t want to cheap out for something meant to potentially save their life.

I bought myself the coach baby bag to have more room to pack things for my 3 year old and newborn. It’s a great bag but also works great for going into work where I want to bring my laptop. It’s something I plan on using even past the diaper era. A pure diaper bag is kind of pointless because you eventually learn to/can leave the house without a ton of things! Any bigger bag would work and you can use ziplocks or smaller bags to organize different things in the bag. Don’t get hung up on getting something labeled “diaper bag”. I personally think the swivel seats are a gimmick… you end up detaching the car seat from the base and bringing it inside so the swivel is pointless in the beginning. Then you have a short period of time where you have to pick up your kid to put them in the car seat. Soon enough your kid is climbing into the car seat themselves. I have the graco snug ride snug lock car seat. I didn’t worry about having a whole stroller system because the baby is only in the newborn carrier for a short period of time. You’re also not supposed to leave baby sleeping in car seat for long periods so I didn’t want to use that as a container for her during walks. When I would run errands/ go to a store I would just put the baby carrier in the shopping cart. I have the uppababy Cruz v2 for our stroller. We purchased the bassinet attachment for while baby is super young. It’s nice cause you can also detach the bassinet if baby falls asleep and bring it inside with you. Now with a newborn and a 3 year old, we bought the piggyback attachment for our 3 year old to hop on and get a ride, she loves it. The piggyback attachment made it so we didn’t need a double stroller. Though if you have kids closer together you may want to consider something that can convert into a double stroller like the vista.

I agree that it’s been hit and miss for us. Specifically: Snap&Go Double Car Seat Stroller Frame - life saver EZ-Lift Pro Infant Car seats…. My mom had a set for the twins and they were fine as a back up pair but I much preferred the buckle on my Graco SnugRide 35 XL. Cool thing is the Graco car seats fitted into the Snap&Go double without issue.

Currently 23 weeks pregnant with baby #3. We’ve used the Graco SnugRide 35 LX infant car seat for both of our previous babies, and plan on using it for #3 as well. We have 2 bases (one in my car, on in my husbands) and just one actual car seat. My oldest was in the infant car seat until they were like 9 months. They seemed to enjoy it, and didn’t exceed the height/weight limits until then. My second was in it for about 3 months. They absolutely despised being in the car seat, so we went ahead and switched them over to a convertible car seat. In my car, both of their car seats are the Graco 4Ever DLX 4-in-1 convertible car seats. In my husbands vehicle, he has one of the 4Ever DLX and on Graco Extend2Fit convertible car seat. We like both options, but I definitely prefer the 4Ever. When I just had one kiddo, we used the Graco Modes stroller. And now that we have two kiddos, we use the Graco Ready2Grow LX 2.0 double stroller. I’ve liked both so far. Both were compatible with our infant car seat. And the double stroller even has a small seat on the bottom by the storage space where you can buckle in an older toddler if needed. Both fold easily, but the double stroller does take up a good amount of trunk space. I have a 3rd row SUV with the 3rd row laid down, and it takes up like half of the space if it is laying flat.

I’ve had a few now. Graco click connect 35 infant seat. Agree I miss the convenience when it’s gone. For this one we has 2 bases I had the Graco trio grow. Actually I had 2. The first was great. Then I had to replace it after I got rear ended. The second one had a defect and the straps came loose while driving and I had to have a huge fight with Graco to get a refund and they havent recalled it. I won’t every but graco again. Replaced it out of pocket with a Britax grow with you (forward to booster) love this seat!!!!! Second baby is just moving into a Britax Poplar. Love it too. Honestly I love Britax seats. They have no chemical flame retardant, metal frame, easy click tight install, comfortable, no thread height asjustment. Love em. As for how many vehicles. This will depend on your family. Im a sahm so I do most of the driving. We had a second base in my husband’s car and we have a cheap booster, but I’m not shelling out for a second convertible. It’s too much. We take my car for family outings or we swap cars if he needs to take the kids somewhere. If I go out without him and the kids I take his car and leave him the carseat vehicle. Basically we just designate one car the carseat car. If you’re a family where one parent does daycare drop and the other does pickup then you’ll need 2. I will say if you’re planning to swap the seat get something with a click to install and do a seatbelt install. You do not want to be fussing with LATCH pull tight installation regularly. Especially with a rear facing seat. It’s soooo hard to get then in tight enough. Why not start with one high quality seat in the vehicle you use most. (My rec is the britax polar or the britax one for life) move it around as needed/ swap cars with your spouse as needed. If you’re finding it cumbersome but a second less expensive seat for the vehicle you use less.

I want that Doona infant car seat with the wheels attached so bad but its $600 and you might use it for like a year? I keep seeing them everywhere and everyone says its a game-changer. I just don't want to get a used carseat just to afford it. I decided on a Graco infant seat to snap into my BOB jogger (used but mint condition and love it) and then will get one of those transitional ones that rotate for after a year old. My friend just got the rotating one for her 2 year old and she loves it.

Keep in mind you really might not use the infant seat for very long. My baby boy was 16 lbs at 4 months and it just got too heavy to carry inside. I ended up switching him to a convertible because he’s much more comfy in it and it’s easier to put him in/take him out. I personally hold not splurge on an infant car seat, my graco was absolutely perfect