when she's too big for the infant carrier

[Tori Lynne]

I was thinking last night that Abby is going to outgrow the infant carrier very soon. I have heard that they are too big when thier head is 2 inches from the top... and Abby's is.

I was thinking about this while she was sitting in her carrier at a restaraunt when we were eating dinner.
So then I thought.. if she isn't in her carrier where will I put her when we go to restaraunts?? I don't know if she is big enough for a restaraunt high chair yet. Those wooden things don't have backs so the child can lean back like a regular high chair. She can sit unassisted now but she still isn't that stable, and she has been eating in her high chair at home for a month now.

So if I get rid of the infant carrier what will I do when I go out to eat?? How old are most babies when they can start to use those restaraunt high chairs? Any thoughts??

[harmonielyn]

I didnt even think about that. Madison's head is 2 inches from the top of her seat but when we looked at regular car seats alot of them said 20lbs and up. I dont want one with a big thing you pull over their head.

[eelyak]

They have portable booster seats that recline for children who don't actually sit up yet. And, they'll grow with your child as their needs change! Babies R Us has some in their store.

[jstauffer]

For that in-between age, when my kids were at a restaurant we would just kind of prop them up with a receiving blanket. Or we used our shopping cart cover thing in the high chair. That worked really well.

[Eleanor]

We never had that problem, since we didn't go out that much, and Isabelle was small, and fit her infant carrier for a long time...but, if worse came to worse...maybe you could just take the infant carrier in your trunk and use it in the restaurant only? The reason you have to stop using it at a certain height is more a safety while in a moving vehicel reason...there's no reason she couldn't sit in it in a restaurant.

[Tara]

Originally Posted by jstauffer

For that in-between age, when my kids were at a restaurant we would just kind of prop them up with a receiving blanket. Or we used our shopping cart cover thing in the high chair. That worked really well.

We had the exact same problem as you and this is exactly what we did! Also, a couple of times we took my DS inside the restaurant in the stroller and he stayed there while we ate.
I was really worried about this. However, you'll be surprised how fast this time period flys by and it will be a non-issue!
Good Luck!

[Melissa]

You can always use the infant carrier JUST for restaurants and the grocery store, etc... and use a convertable car seat in the car. I've also used Katie's stroller and that works out well too.

[Sam's Mom]

I'd heard that it's when there's an inch or less of plastic shell above their head. DD outgrew hers at 5 months. But we still used it for grocery shopping, restaurants, etc. because she could sit in it...it just wasn't safe as a carseat any more.

[LoriS]

I have my own high chair I bring with us. It is very similar to this

[Karri]

I used to bring the infant carrier along in the trunk of the car and use it. Either that, or we'd use the stroller.
Oh- I also think its 1 inch from the top, not 2.

[Jillian]

I'm pretty sure it's 1 inch, not 2 inches.

We never had this problem (dd was in her infant seat for 16 months...and actually still hasn't reached the weight limit...) but we did buy a portable booster, it was just easier than high chairs...especially since quite a few restaraunts around here don't even have high chairs.

[Nocona]

We just kept the infant carrier in the trunk for restaurants and shopping carts. He outgrew his infant carrier at 3 months, so we had a while before he would be able to sit in regular high chairs.

If she can sit unassisted, she would probably do well in a restaurant high chair with some receiving blankets around her.

[Brooke]

We also had one similar to this and we took it everywhere. Rebekah did very well in it from 5 months to 14 months old.

Originally Posted by LoriS

I have my own high chair I bring with us. It is very similar to this

[Isaiah's Momma]

We have the fisher price heathy care booster seat that we take to restrants. I like that it has its own tray so he isn't eatting off the table. Also it folds up for travel and one of the straps that secures it to a chair can also be used as a sholder strap for carrying it. I use a cart cover at the grocery store. For a while, before he could sit well I used the thoeodore bean carrier.

[catlover515]

We are in the same boat. DS is at the lenght limit already (26" for the snugride) and getting close to the weight limit (20lbs, he is 16lbs). He is 2 months, or will be on wednesday, so he has great head control but not near sitting unassisted yet. I think we will be using the carrier as a carrier until he hits that 20lbs mark but using his convertible carseat in the car. Once he hits that 20lb mark our stroller will be getting alot more use until he can sit up in shopping carts and in high chairs.

We also have that clip on high chair so I have to pull it out and give it a try with him.

[Tori Lynne]

Wow... thanks for all the advice! I am thinking of getting one of those booster seats or the one that attaches to the table like you girls talked about. I just have to see how much they cost compared to how long I think I will use it.
I already have one of the cart covers and Abby uses it all the time now since she now rides in the cart at the grocery store and target (she loves it!).
I think that the next time I go out to eat I will carry in her infant carrier but try her out in the high chair with the cart cover.

I didn't know that the height limit is 26" for the snugride!!! Abby is 27.25 inches! I better go look up the specs! I might have to go get her new carseat right away!

[SarahK]

26 inches is the stated length limit for the Snugride, but that doesn't take into account torso length versus leg length. Your child really has outgrown the seat when there is an inch or less between the top of her head and the top edge of the hard plastic shell.

Katie is over 27 inches long and still has at least a couple of inches between the top of her head and the top edge of her Snugride.

[Karri]

ITA with what Sarah posted. Aidan was 29" I think, before we moved him out of the snugride.

Tori - if you get one of those booster seats [url="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00007L11O/qid=1083156012/br=1-3/ref=br_lf_ba_3//103-5849002-6750213?v=glance&s=baby&n=547946"]] All In One, you can use it from 3 mos to 4 years old. So it would definately get its use!!!! Some people even use these instead of a high chair, since they dont require extra room!

[Shanna]

Karri - the one you posted is the one I have.. It's GREAT so far!!!

[Tori Lynne]

Hey thanks!!

Karri and Shanna I was thinking of getting this one http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...A1F83G8C2ARO7P

It's the fold and go. A friend of mine has it at her house and Abby always sit in it when we eat over there. I was thinking that besides in restaraunts it would be good when we travel and go over to other peoples homes that don't have high chairs since it will fold up. It seems to have pretty good reviews also.

Sarah... Your right, I read the manual and it is 26", her head is way at the top though it's not just long legs like Katie.

So we got rid of the infant carrier and put in her big girl carseat... yes I think there was a tear or two!! And this past weekend she sat in a high chair at a restaraunt. We put her shopping cart cover in it and she did great. She has gotten the hang of this sitting thing incredibly quickly!!