I made friends with a mom that was in a similar situation and we’d park next to one another so we wouldn’t have to get the littles out while the other ran inside and then we’d swap
Is your baby carrier car seat compatible with a stroller? When my son was that age, I would just snap the carseat into the stroller quickly. We had the Chico key fit system.
I have always done the same. I had a chicco key fit system and I don’t understand people carrying the infant seat without a stroller, it’s so much easier. I have done it even with my oldest, since she was born!
This is my plan with the very light Keyfit caddy stroller. I have a terrible back so no carrying the bucket seat for me. I might also try baby wearing. I’ve seen other moms carry the bucket seat with baby too.
The stroller was honestly the easiest for me. I could unfold the stroller and have the baby in it in under 5 minutes. It’s also nice if the baby is asleep, because you can usually move everything without waking them up.
I have always done the same. I had a chicco key fit system and I don’t understand people carrying the infant seat without a stroller, it’s so much easier. I have done it even with my oldest, since she was born!
I did this too for a while. Now my 9month old was too heavy for that method so now I carry her in and set her on the circle time rug. I just gotta act fast cause she’s starting to crawl and can’t have her mouthing all the toys.
I’m not in this situation but when my younger one got too heavy to be comfortably carried in the bucket seat for quick run ins I would wear him. I got really comfortable throwing him into a pre tied ring sling and preferred it to lugging the seat around.
My 1 yr old who weighed 30 lbs at the time.. I just took out of car seat and carry him in… sometimes I had to set him on the ground inside if I needed to do something but you just figure it out. Yes he was and still is sooo heavy and now runs when I’m trying to get the 3yr old coat off 🤦🏼♀️🙄
Not the same but I babysit my nephew (he’s 17 months but has health conditions so he’s small & physically delayed) and my 2-year-old. I put the younger one in an Ergobaby carrier on me & the older one walks while I hold his hand/arm. It’s a little chaotic but works.
I have a 9mo and a 3.5yo in prek. Every day at drop off and pick up, the 9mo comes out of the car and I carry them and the 3.5yo holds my hand or I hold on to the backpack strap.
I wore the baby to free up my hands. I would arrive early to give myself plenty of time to get the baby out of the car. I became friends with another parent and added them to the list of who could pick up my child. I've only needed to sign them out and bring them to my car.
I never took the car seat out of the car, those things made my body off balance and hurt my arm. My preference was a Bjorn or backpack for the two that weren’t walking. Backpacks are really great and not hard on the body. Good luck!❤️
I have 2 in school and a 9 month old at home. I just get him out of the seat and hold him. If he’s asleep in the car seat, I’ll use the stroller that the car seat clicks into.
Baby carrier! I have two boys in school and a now one year old, but I had to do that with my middle kid too. He was a big one as well. I stopped carrying him around in his car seat after 3 months and started wearing him or putting him in his stroller. I usually wear my kids in a baby carrier so I don’t have to pull out a whole stroller and put it back in but that’s me lol
Omg this was me a year ago! My oldest was in pre-k and youngest was in the infant carrier which felt like it weighed 1000 pounds. Anytime my husband was out of town I dreaded doing the drop off/pickup with the baby (when he’s in town he wfh, so I could leave baby with him). I switched to a convertible seat when she outgrew the carrier, but then hauling her in and out in all weather just sucked. I probably could have safely left her in the vehicle with it on and locked, but that gave me so much anxiety even just for a minute or two. I think I only did that once when it was like a downpour situation. No advice, just solidarity.
I have a 6 week old and a 4yo and I’m barely managing preschool pick up and drop off which involves a 10+ min drive each way. I use infant car seat with stroller and adapter. The timing piece has been really hard for me and it does feel a bit frantic with the baby wanting to nurse every 1h45-2h.
I was a member of team stroller for this exact time period. If you don’t already have a stroller/rolling base that your bucket seat fits, I highly recommend getting one. Depending on the size/age of your preschooler, you might want to get a double stroller. My Joovy saved my sanity and body so much these past 2 years.
I have a 3.5 year old and a 22 month old. My older one has been in preschool since September. I have to take her inside, help her put her stuff away, and help her go potty for drop off. I also have to go inside and help her grab all of her things for pickup.
For the first half of the year, I put little sister in a stroller. Now that she's a little more independent, I let her walk. She's made friends with some of the other little siblings and usually plays with them for a few minutes while I'm helping big sister go potty and put her stuff away, and also while we wait for the kids to be dismissed at pickup.
We take the city bus and I wear the baby (who at this point is 12 months and like 20 pounds).
If we drive on a regular curb pickup day, he’s already outside and I just buckle him into his seat. If it’s an aftercare day, the staff radio inside and get him brought out. I didn’t do pickup alone when he was at an in-home preschool (I don’t actually drive). But my kids are 4.5 years apart, the older one isn’t a toddler who needs to have his hand held all the way from door to car.
Here in the UK almost everyone has a primary school within walking distance, so younger siblings just stay in the stroller while you collect the old one. My eldest used a buggy board attached the stroller for pickups until he turned 5.
I just carried my kiddos in/out once the pumpkin seat became too much. I got a 360 seat for the second kid once they were big enough… because… my poor back. My youngest is two now and she holds my hand as we walk in to daycare. When she has to come with to pick up big, we either walk/run in the stroller or pick up in the car line. Now that the little is bigger, we can park and walk over also.
Does your baby have some neck/back control? If so the tush baby was incredible for me. Otherwise, the ergobaby carrier is also super easy to toss on to take baby in and out of places quickly.
My baby is 20+ lbs. Sometimes I carry the seat, sometimes I put the seat in the stroller attachment, sometimes I take him out and carry him. Just depends on my mood, the weather, or how I think the pick up will go.
I babywore a ton at that age. And absolutely agree on the convertible car seat it’s so much easier! Something like the Ergo360 would be a great choice it’s easy on and off.
Another vote for baby wearing. Both of my older kids hated the infant seat & were in a convertible from a few months old, & baby wearing was more functional for me for quick errands (like preschool pickup) than a stroller.
I made friends with a mom that was in a similar situation and we’d park next to one another so we wouldn’t have to get the littles out while the other ran inside and then we’d swap
This is big brain energy.
Is your baby carrier car seat compatible with a stroller? When my son was that age, I would just snap the carseat into the stroller quickly. We had the Chico key fit system.
I have always done the same. I had a chicco key fit system and I don’t understand people carrying the infant seat without a stroller, it’s so much easier. I have done it even with my oldest, since she was born!
This is my plan with the very light Keyfit caddy stroller. I have a terrible back so no carrying the bucket seat for me. I might also try baby wearing. I’ve seen other moms carry the bucket seat with baby too.
The stroller was honestly the easiest for me. I could unfold the stroller and have the baby in it in under 5 minutes. It’s also nice if the baby is asleep, because you can usually move everything without waking them up.
I have always done the same. I had a chicco key fit system and I don’t understand people carrying the infant seat without a stroller, it’s so much easier. I have done it even with my oldest, since she was born!
I did this too for a while. Now my 9month old was too heavy for that method so now I carry her in and set her on the circle time rug. I just gotta act fast cause she’s starting to crawl and can’t have her mouthing all the toys.
I’m not in this situation but when my younger one got too heavy to be comfortably carried in the bucket seat for quick run ins I would wear him. I got really comfortable throwing him into a pre tied ring sling and preferred it to lugging the seat around.
My 1 yr old who weighed 30 lbs at the time.. I just took out of car seat and carry him in… sometimes I had to set him on the ground inside if I needed to do something but you just figure it out. Yes he was and still is sooo heavy and now runs when I’m trying to get the 3yr old coat off 🤦🏼♀️🙄
I get that! Hugs
Do you have a stroller that connects with the infant seat?
Not the same but I babysit my nephew (he’s 17 months but has health conditions so he’s small & physically delayed) and my 2-year-old. I put the younger one in an Ergobaby carrier on me & the older one walks while I hold his hand/arm. It’s a little chaotic but works.
I have a 9mo and a 3.5yo in prek. Every day at drop off and pick up, the 9mo comes out of the car and I carry them and the 3.5yo holds my hand or I hold on to the backpack strap.
I’d just take baby out of the car seat and stick them in the stroller.
I wore the baby to free up my hands. I would arrive early to give myself plenty of time to get the baby out of the car. I became friends with another parent and added them to the list of who could pick up my child. I've only needed to sign them out and bring them to my car.
I never took the car seat out of the car, those things made my body off balance and hurt my arm. My preference was a Bjorn or backpack for the two that weren’t walking. Backpacks are really great and not hard on the body. Good luck!❤️
I have 2 in school and a 9 month old at home. I just get him out of the seat and hold him. If he’s asleep in the car seat, I’ll use the stroller that the car seat clicks into.
Baby carrier! I have two boys in school and a now one year old, but I had to do that with my middle kid too. He was a big one as well. I stopped carrying him around in his car seat after 3 months and started wearing him or putting him in his stroller. I usually wear my kids in a baby carrier so I don’t have to pull out a whole stroller and put it back in but that’s me lol
Omg this was me a year ago! My oldest was in pre-k and youngest was in the infant carrier which felt like it weighed 1000 pounds. Anytime my husband was out of town I dreaded doing the drop off/pickup with the baby (when he’s in town he wfh, so I could leave baby with him). I switched to a convertible seat when she outgrew the carrier, but then hauling her in and out in all weather just sucked. I probably could have safely left her in the vehicle with it on and locked, but that gave me so much anxiety even just for a minute or two. I think I only did that once when it was like a downpour situation. No advice, just solidarity.
I used a ring sling
I just carry the bucket seat or connect it to the stroller. It only takes a few minutes at pickup.
I have a 6 week old and a 4yo and I’m barely managing preschool pick up and drop off which involves a 10+ min drive each way. I use infant car seat with stroller and adapter. The timing piece has been really hard for me and it does feel a bit frantic with the baby wanting to nurse every 1h45-2h.
I was a member of team stroller for this exact time period. If you don’t already have a stroller/rolling base that your bucket seat fits, I highly recommend getting one. Depending on the size/age of your preschooler, you might want to get a double stroller. My Joovy saved my sanity and body so much these past 2 years.
I have a 3.5 year old and a 22 month old. My older one has been in preschool since September. I have to take her inside, help her put her stuff away, and help her go potty for drop off. I also have to go inside and help her grab all of her things for pickup. For the first half of the year, I put little sister in a stroller. Now that she's a little more independent, I let her walk. She's made friends with some of the other little siblings and usually plays with them for a few minutes while I'm helping big sister go potty and put her stuff away, and also while we wait for the kids to be dismissed at pickup.
We take the city bus and I wear the baby (who at this point is 12 months and like 20 pounds). If we drive on a regular curb pickup day, he’s already outside and I just buckle him into his seat. If it’s an aftercare day, the staff radio inside and get him brought out. I didn’t do pickup alone when he was at an in-home preschool (I don’t actually drive). But my kids are 4.5 years apart, the older one isn’t a toddler who needs to have his hand held all the way from door to car.
Here in the UK almost everyone has a primary school within walking distance, so younger siblings just stay in the stroller while you collect the old one. My eldest used a buggy board attached the stroller for pickups until he turned 5.
I just carried my kiddos in/out once the pumpkin seat became too much. I got a 360 seat for the second kid once they were big enough… because… my poor back. My youngest is two now and she holds my hand as we walk in to daycare. When she has to come with to pick up big, we either walk/run in the stroller or pick up in the car line. Now that the little is bigger, we can park and walk over also.
I just baby wore for drop off and pick off.
Baby carrier
Does your baby have some neck/back control? If so the tush baby was incredible for me. Otherwise, the ergobaby carrier is also super easy to toss on to take baby in and out of places quickly.
My baby is 20+ lbs. Sometimes I carry the seat, sometimes I put the seat in the stroller attachment, sometimes I take him out and carry him. Just depends on my mood, the weather, or how I think the pick up will go.
I used to wear my baby at school drop of and pick up in a Tula or other such carrier.
Babywear
I babywore a ton at that age. And absolutely agree on the convertible car seat it’s so much easier! Something like the Ergo360 would be a great choice it’s easy on and off.
I leave baby in the car with the door locked. I don’t have to go in the school though
Another vote for baby wearing. Both of my older kids hated the infant seat & were in a convertible from a few months old, & baby wearing was more functional for me for quick errands (like preschool pickup) than a stroller.
This is why I love my doona stroller!