Car Seat suggestions

[ThreeBeans]

What are the differences?

Well, they raised the weight limits. Sounds good, right? Nope, while raising the weight limits they SHORTENED THE OVER ALL SEAT. Meaning that the new seats don't last anywhere near as long as the old ones do. I totally *facepalmed* when I first got to play with one with a measuring tape.

They're a reasonably option for people with subcompact cars, or very, very tiny children, but there are seats that last longer, fit better in a larger variety of vehicles, fit KIDS better, all for half the price. (And I'm saying this as someone who bought multiple Britax seats for my kids when they were little ones.)

(In Britax's defense, they make a great combination seat and booster! They just sort of apparently had a collective brainfart with the new convertibles.)

 

[DPK400]

Threebeans- Can we please not make this a debate about forward facing? I understand it is important to you but at the same time I have to do what is right for MY family and I have to accept what that means. There are many choices out there that parents make that other would not this happens to be mine. Thanks.


Marathon and Boulevard users. How easy was the seat transferable to another car. For the most part DD spends traveling time in my car but for our long car rides we use DH's. I'll initial get it installed by the fire department. Will i need to buy a separate base again?

There is no base for a Britax. You need to remove the entire seat.

I will keep my opinions to myself about car seat safety. There are many places where parents use convenience over common sense when it comes to car seats unfortunately.

 

[DPK400]

Well, they raised the weight limits. Sounds good, right? Nope, while raising the weight limits they SHORTENED THE OVER ALL SEAT. Meaning that the new seats don't last anywhere near as long as the old ones do. I totally *facepalmed* when I first got to play with one with a measuring tape.

They're a reasonably option for people with subcompact cars, or very, very tiny children, but there are seats that last longer, fit better in a larger variety of vehicles, fit KIDS better, all for half the price. (And I'm saying this as someone who bought multiple Britax seats for my kids when they were little ones.)

(In Britax's defense, they make a great combination seat and booster! They just sort of apparently had a collective brainfart with the new convertibles.)

That's really weird. I wonder what the Europeans do for car seats? Their cars on the whole are much smaller than ours and some of these seats are gigantic.

 

[ThreeBeans]

Threebeans- Can we please not make this a debate about forward facing? I understand it is important to you but at the same time I have to do what is right for MY family and I have to accept what that means. There are many choices out there that parents make that other would not this happens to be mine. Thanks.


Marathon and Boulevard users. How easy was the seat transferable to another car. For the most part DD spends traveling time in my car but for our long car rides we use DH's. I'll initial get it installed by the fire department. Will i need to buy a separate base again?

I'm not having a debate. I'm sticking to facts. The facts are that what you are proposing is unsafe and not recommended by ANYONE. "Debate" implies that there is research supporting either side. There isn't.

This isn't about 'what is important to me'. (Although, obviously, it is, as it's my job.) This also isn't about 'choice'. Choice is...cloth or disposable, public school or private school, co-sleeping or cribs, etc. This is simply an issue of what is the correct way to transport a child and what is not. Framing it as a 'debate' makes it easier for you to stomach, I realize, but it is simply inaccurate.



As far as 'having it installed by the fire department' goes, keep in mind that firefighters are not by definition CPSTs. In fact, the vast majority aren't. You need to make sure you're seeing an actual CPSTs, not a Firefighter Friendly who just wants to help out.

Also, you should not be having your seat 'installed'. You should be taught how to install it. You should be the last person to touch the seat at an inspection station, and you should be able to take it out and put it back in correctly.

Also, convertibles do not have bases. Only (with a few exceptions) infant seats have bases. Convertibles get installed in the car and left there.

I cannot, nor can any professional, 'recommend' a forward facing seat for a one year old. It is inappropriate, and not the recommended way of transporting a child. I would be using equally strong language if you proposed putting your one year old in a booster, or a seatbelt alone, because those are incorrect and not safe.

 

[ThreeBeans]

That's really weird. I wonder what the Europeans do for car seats? Their cars on the whole are much smaller than ours and some of these seats are gigantic.

Ah yes, but they're also smarter than us, when it comes to car seats anyway

In Sweden, where they have been routinely rear facing children to around 4 years old since the 60s (and no, having a fussy one year old has never been justification to not do this), they're really designed their big rear facing seats quite well.

It's a completely different design from American seats. They sit much more upright, more like a vehicle seatback (which is what, 10-15 degrees from vertical.)

They also leave a large well for big kids' legs, and the end of the seat extends off the vehicle seat and is supported upright by a rear facing foot that extends the vehicle seat floor.

Thus these enormous seats (Britax Multi-Tech, anyone?) can easily fit in a subcompact car in a way that many of our American seats can't.

The US is desperately in need of updating its crash test bench and regs so we can get some of these better designs over here.

 

[Ar1el]

No....definitely stay away from Recaros. (I have a feeling someone was smoking something when they designed those!)

The seat pan (Back to front butt area) is so incredibly shallow that for any kid much bigger than 18 months to 2 years, you have to practically fold their knees over their ears to shove them in there. And the inside is narrow...so narrow that only a very petite and narrow-shouldered older child could be comfortable in it. (It makes a great forward facing special needs seat though.)

As a technician I know remarked when we were first looking at Recaro's advertisement pictures when they the first released the info about their Comos and Signos four years ago or so, "Junior looks like he's going to need a spatula and a can of Crisco to get out of there!" (The picture featured what I would call a healthy looking four or five year old boy stuffed in the seat like the proverbial 10 pounds of crap in a five pound bag. LOL.)

OK then!!

 

[jp'smommy]

We have the Marathon for my almost 18 month old ds. He seems to really like it. He is rear facing and will be until he is at least 2. He is also tall (33inches.) We just went on a 10 hour trip and he never seemed to get uncomfortable. We love the safty for sure.

 

[LISmama810]

Something to keep in mind is that many (if not all) newer Jeep models have jutting headrests in the back that are NOT removable or adjustable. That makes them incompatible with many forward-facing seats. So even if you want to forward-face, you might not be able to.

If you are going to forward-face, I'd skip the convertible and get a FF-only harnessed seat. If you want Britax, you'd be looking at the Frontier, but that has a 2-year-old age minimum on it because Britax realizes the importance of RF until at least 2.

My daughter is 27 months and still rear-facing, and will be for at least another year. Sometimes she throws a fit, but she'd likely do that regardless of which way she rides.

I agree that a larger, more upright rear-facing seat would probably make your daughter much happier.

 

[Bren's Mom]

I'm going to give it one last shot at convincing you op. As 3B said, this is not a debate, we only wish to educate you on what is safest as many parents don't truly understand the gravity of forward-facing too soon. Remember, car crashes are the #1 cause of death in children.

The photo below shows a still of a child (in a Britax seat actually!) forward- facing on the left and rear-facing on the right. It should be crystal clear from this which way is safer for a child under 3 whose spinal column has not completed fusing.

 

[Ar1el]

How about the Safety 1st Complete Air 65 Convertible Car Seat?

 

[RooRach0906]

I have a SunShine Kids Radian XTSL for DD and we love it as does she! Its a skinny seat with a tall back. If you would like a picture I can post one. She is rear facing so that is what the pic would be.

 

[Bren's Mom]

How about the Safety 1st Complete Air 65 Convertible Car Seat?

The Complete Air has an issue with their recline. They require that at ALL times, regardless of the child's age, that the CA be reclined so the level line on the side of the seat is level with the ground. This makes it VERY reclined, much too much so for any older child to be comfortable.

If you'd like to see pictures of what I'm talking about 'like' Safety 1st on their Facebook page. They've recently posted some pictures of installs they did where the recline is as it should be (according to them).

Many CPSTs do not believe that being so reclined is as safe for an older child due to the potential to ramp up and out of the seat. So many of us aren't recommending Complete Airs until this gets sorted out and we get satisfactory answers.

 

[jp'smommy]

Also, yes it is easy to move the Marathon from car to car.

 

[RooRach0906]

The Complete Air has an issue with their recline. They require that at ALL times, regardless of the child's age, that the CA be reclined so the level line on the side of the seat is level with the ground. This makes it VERY reclined, much too much so for any older child to be comfortable.

If you'd like to see pictures of what I'm talking about 'like' Safety 1st on their Facebook page. They've recently posted some pictures of installs they did where the recline is as it should be (according to them).

Many CPSTs do not believe that being so reclined is as safe for an older child due to the potential to ramp up and out of the seat. So many of us aren't recommending Complete Airs until this gets sorted out and we get satisfactory answers.

I also want to add that because of that recline when we tried it in our car the front seat was literally in the dash. I had no room to sit.

 

[DPK400]

I also want to add that because of that recline when we tried it in our car the front seat was literally in the dash. I had no room to sit.

Ha, that happened to my wife yesterday. I've got a smaller car and with the infant seat behind the passenger seat, her knees were on the dash. We decided to use the van from now on with him.

 

[Natalie's Mommy]

I was horribly disappointed in my Radian 80 by Sunshine Kids. I loved that it was made of steel but the seat strap is so short that she has now outgrown the seat (I think they may have fixed this on newer models) even though she was supposed to be able to stay in it for a lot longer.

really i'm suprised by this because i have Radian 80's for my kids and my 6 year old still fits fine in her harness wise, is it possible you got a shorter than average set of straps?

I will be facing her forward. I know it's flame worthy but honestly shes going nuts back there between not seeing us and not being able to sit up. And if not hearing her yell will ease and help me stay focused on driving, then we are all a little safer.

a rear facing convertable seat will sit upright more than a baby bucket does, and there are things you can do to make her more comfortable, a fav toy, a mirror so she can see herself, give her a bottle in the car, a snack, get a headrest DVD player, tape some pictures of stuff she likes to the backseat....but turning her around isn't really an option. it's just NOT SAFE. seriously it's just not!

you havnt even tried her in one to see if she will be more comfortable but you've already decided she won't like it. give it a chance and work with her to make her more comfortable in the car rear facing before you throw in the rear facing towel

 

[Ar1el]

The Complete Air has an issue with their recline. They require that at ALL times, regardless of the child's age, that the CA be reclined so the level line on the side of the seat is level with the ground. This makes it VERY reclined, much too much so for any older child to be comfortable.

If you'd like to see pictures of what I'm talking about 'like' Safety 1st on their Facebook page. They've recently posted some pictures of installs they did where the recline is as it should be (according to them).

Many CPSTs do not believe that being so reclined is as safe for an older child due to the potential to ramp up and out of the seat. So many of us aren't recommending Complete Airs until this gets sorted out and we get satisfactory answers.

Thanks!!

 

[Queen2PrincessG]

I'm not having a debate. I'm sticking to facts. The facts are that what you are proposing is unsafe and not recommended by ANYONE. "Debate" implies that there is research supporting either side. There isn't.

This isn't about 'what is important to me'. (Although, obviously, it is, as it's my job.) This also isn't about 'choice'. Choice is...cloth or disposable, public school or private school, co-sleeping or cribs, etc. This is simply an issue of what is the correct way to transport a child and what is not. Framing it as a 'debate' makes it easier for you to stomach, I realize, but it is simply inaccurate.



As far as 'having it installed by the fire department' goes, keep in mind that firefighters are not by definition CPSTs. In fact, the vast majority aren't. You need to make sure you're seeing an actual CPSTs, not a Firefighter Friendly who just wants to help out.

Also, you should not be having your seat 'installed'. You should be taught how to install it. You should be the last person to touch the seat at an inspection station, and you should be able to take it out and put it back in correctly.

Also, convertibles do not have bases. Only (with a few exceptions) infant seats have bases. Convertibles get installed in the car and left there.

I cannot, nor can any professional, 'recommend' a forward facing seat for a one year old. It is inappropriate, and not the recommended way of transporting a child. I would be using equally strong language if you proposed putting your one year old in a booster, or a seatbelt alone, because those are incorrect and not safe.

Professional at what? Do you make car seats? I'm confused, if you can't recommend anything then why are you here? To insert what you believe I should do? Please, for your own sanity and mine abandon your hopes of changing my mind. Like I said previously, I will try rear facing but i know in the end it will be forward facing. It is my choice , my family. You are making it a debate. Thanks but no thanks!
As for the suggestion of turning the back seat of my car into her playroom I've been there, doing that. She has tons of toys and books to entertain her. She doesn't care. She just. hates. it.

 

[Queen2PrincessG]

I have a SunShine Kids Radian XTSL for DD and we love it as does she! Its a skinny seat with a tall back. If you would like a picture I can post one. She is rear facing so that is what the pic would be.

yes please!

 

[Bren's Mom]

Professional at what? Do yo make car seats? I'm confused, if you can't recommend anything then why are you here? To insert what you believe I should do? Please, for your own sanity and mine abandon your hopes of changing my mind. Like I said previously, I will try rear facing but i know in the end it will be forward facing. It is my choice , my family. You are making it a debate. Thanks but no thanks!

3B is a nationally certified CPST, who is trained in Child Passenger Safety Education and whose job it is (as it is mine) to educate parents about CPS.

No good CPST will ever abandon hope of changing your mind because this is such an important and critical decision for your child's safety.