More and more parents are choosing to buy convertible car seats over infant car seats and baby capsules these days, for two main reasons: lifespan and money savings.
The choice shouldn’t be based purely on price alone — but given you’ll need to purchase a number of car seats over the years, it’s an option with genuine pros and cons worth considering before making a final decision.
🍼 Infant car seats
Infant car seats (sometimes called baby capsules or carriers) tend to be more convenient when transporting a newborn around. The capsule clicks easily into a base, making it quicker to get the baby in and out of the car. They can also be carried — one of the main reasons parents choose a capsule over a convertible restraint is that many capsules snap straight into a pram with a suitable adaptor.
✅ Advantages of a baby capsule
Most mums only use a baby capsule for a maximum of 6 months, though low birth weight babies may use one for up to 9 months. More mums are choosing to use a capsule for the initial period after bub gets home — for good reason:
When combined with rear-facing car seat hire, it’s an easy transition to forward-facing.
👶 Easier start to parenthood
A huge advantage of a baby capsule is that you only need a second base, and grandparents can easily and safely take the grandchildren for a drive or pick them up from day care. Check out our reviews of child restraints and baby capsules.
🔤 Rear-facing categories
Some parents may consider it a downside, but baby capsules can only face rearwards.
A1 type
Rear-facing to approximately 6 months
A2 type
Rear-facing to approximately 12 months
A4 type
Rear-facing to approximately 30 months
Many parents also find that as their baby gets bigger, it becomes much harder to carry them around — leaving many only using their infant car seat for the first six or seven months.
💲 Save money — hire your baby capsule
Helping you on the way to parenthood, TravelSafe offers baby capsule hire — Maxi Cosi and Britax capsules for 3, 4, or 6 month hires. A 3-month non-Isofix capsule hire starts at $110. We stock the Britax B-Pod Lite and Maxi Cosi Mico Plus, plus adaptors for the more popular prams.
🔧 Baby car seat installation
If you’re in doubt about your ability to install your convertible car seat, please contact the experienced fitters at TravelSafe, who’ve been installing baby car seats and booster seats along the Bayside and South East suburbs. Call 0420 516 587.
🪑 Advantages of a convertible car seat
Convertible car seats, on the other hand, are designed to both rear-face and forward-face. They can be used from birth to approximately 4 years of age (50th percentile), making them more practical and cost-effective overall. A convertible seat can rear-face until your child is 12 months old, though the Infa Kompressor’s height markers suit a 24-month-old.
The downside: a convertible restraint must stay secured in the car at all times — you can’t remove it and carry your child around in it, unlike a capsule.
All things considered, the long-term benefits of convertible child restraints far exceed the convenience of infant car seats.
❓ Frequently asked questions
Should I buy an infant car seat or go straight to a convertible? ＋
How long can I use a baby capsule for? ＋
What’s the difference between A1, A2 and A4 rear-facing seats? ＋
Can I hire a baby capsule instead of buying? ＋
What’s the downside of a convertible car seat? ＋
Should I get help installing a convertible car seat? ＋
Mobile Car Seat Installation
Weighing up capsule vs. convertible? Book a fitting for expert, independent advice.