I'm looking to upgrade from my current infant car seat to a bigger one, but am not sure what to get. I have a 9 month old son who is about 27 inches long and weighs about 21 pounds. He has a doctor's appointment next week, so I'll get a definite weight and height then. Any suggestions?
We bought two (we had two cars) Graco Convertible carseats from wal-mart when my first was 9 months old and weighed 22 lbs. We bought the cheapest ones they had because we had to buy two, but we're really happy with them! My son is almost three and weighs 35 lbs and STILL is using the same carseat. My second is now using the other carseat at 9 months and 22 lbs also. They are great because you can face them to the rear (you just stick a rolled-up towel under the front to recline it) and then in a few SHORT months, you can face it to the front.
I just had to buy two new seats because the ones i had were in a car accident. But the ones we got my husband did days of research on to make sure they were the best they are by RECARO. they are a little pricy but well worth it they will stretch and grow with the kids as they get bigger. I purchased mine at the Right Start Store in Bellevue. You can also check them out online to i believe at RECARO.com. Good luck i know carseat shopping can be worse then buying bras or jeans!!
I have 2 graco comfort sports that you can get at babies r us for about $99 I was looking at the $79 graco ones but they had little to no padding for the seat. They have adustable bars in the back so you can recline the seat when it is rear facing. My 6 month old is in one and my 2 yr old has been in the other since he was about 8 months old they are quite comfortable for longer rides and both boys seem to enjoy them.
Both of our kids are in the Alpha Omega Elite convertible car seat and we love it! Our son is currently in the rear facing position and our daughter is forward facing. The Safety review for this car seat are great the price is around $150. The only thing with this seat is the Booster rating isn't the best but we figure; at least for our family having small kids, we wont have to worry about that because the car seat will be expired by the time we need the booster seat position. Best of luck finding one that works for you and your family. JIC here is the site for the one we bought!
http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2401317
Oh and here is a great link to look at for car seat ratings
I use only Britax car seats! My mother researched online for the safest seats, fewest recalls, etc and found Britax to be one of the very best. They are expensive but, mine (the Roundabout model) goes up to 40 pounds and my almost 3 year old is still using it. It is soft and cushy and has a great safety rating! Good luck finding one you like!!!
I don't remember what we use and don't want to run out to check, (it's nap time and I am finally sitting down), but I do suggest that before you purchase, make sure the seat fits in your vehicle correctly. We had this problem when we got our twins' convertible carseats. We bought them, got them home, and then they didn't fit right!! So we had to bring them back and go through the whole process over again. FRUSTRATING!! Turns out my sister in law had the same issue. Most stores will accomidate (sp?)this request and just send an employee out to the car with you.
Good luck on your hunt!
It's a tough decision, but I have both the Britax Roundabout and Marathon for my kids and love them both. I think the best part of them, besides safety (and there ARE other carseats that are just as safe) is the ease of getting the kids in and out, and that the straps are simple to adjust and don't tangle. That was a big deal for me.
I found a lot of great advice and info on the Babycenter bulletin board devoted to car safety. It is a VERY active board and there are many safety fanatics there who can give you all kinds of great info on carseats, what works best in what car, what not to get, what's the best deal (if price is an issue) etc.
If you can afford it, I highly recommend the Britax Roundabout. We had to move our now 11 month old to a convertible car seat at about 9 months. I chose the Roundabout for it's safety reputation. However, I have fallen in love with it's features. Our daughter is snug and safe, yet has room so she isn't screaming to get out anymore. The straps don't tangle. I love the headrest that adjusts with the twist of a knob. While it is a tight fit in the back seat of our car with the car seat still facing rear, in a few weeks when we can face it forward it will be a better fit.
I highly recommend car-seat.org. There are amazing techs on there who can help you.
We have 2 Britax Marathons and love them!!!! Our daughter is still rearfacing at age 3 and will be able to forward face later until 65lbs. It should last us until she is truly ready for a booster with seatbelt.
I'll second (and third) the britax marathon recommendations! It goes up to 65 lbs. and is super comfy and easy to install. I bought it after a car accident when we replaced an infant seat, and was in two more accidents shortly after, one really bad, and my daughter wasn't hurt. They're expensive, sometimes you can find them used but be careful of that. In my opinion after three accidents, there is no price that's not worth it for your kids' safety!
I have to say if money is not a major issue the Britax carseats that run just under $300 are the BEST!!! I love the one I have. I have had both kidsn, the cheaper and now this very expensive one and I would never go any other way! Cleaning it is so easy and I love the sides that support my sons head so it does not bob when he is trying to sleep! It is SO worth the money and very highly rated in the area of safety. Isn't that our main concern safety and comfort of our child! The Britax is the best in my opinion!
You have go and look and if you have more than one child take a tape measure with you to find the skinniest width so it will fit in your car easier. I had a hard time finding a car seat for one of my boys because he is big for his age and his legs were so beefy that I had to find a seat that had the buckle farthest from the back of the seat so that I wouldn't end up pinching his diaper area. Every child is different! you need to take your little one with you and try them out.
julia
Hi Corina,
We ended up with the Safe Seat from Graco. It has higher weight and height limits than most other infanct seats, which was great, since Alyssa was in the 90-95th percentile for height and weight until her 1st bday. It's a little heavier than others, but at 9 months, you're probably not taking the car seat in and out so much anymore.
~Jessi
Corina,
I have the britax marathon for both my children (almost 3 and 11 months) and they are really comfy in there. My older child loves it. It is really great when it comes to safety, They are easy to clean, adjust and strap child in. They are more expensive than others, but have had the less amount of recalls on and are such a great product, They are a little on the big side, so I would see how fits in your car first.
We love our Eddie Bauer 3 in 1 Elite convertible carseat! My son is 4 and a very tall boy and is working wonderful for a booster seat! We had the Evenflo Triumph, but we went on looks and comfort and it only went to 40lbs. So when he outgrew the weight on that one, we had to make the next purchase! So, we have spent alot on carseats! This Eddie Bauer one is the last one we should need to get as it goes to 100lbs! it was $179.99 at Babies R Us. A steal for a multi functional seat! Goodluck!
Corina, it looks like you're getting some great advice. I'd add one more thing to this list, though it's not a brand/model endorsement.
Every vehicle's seats and belts are a little bit different. A good car safety seat will only function as it's meant to if it's installed correctly in your car.
The State of Oregon has an organization called the Safety Seat Resource Center which provides training and assistance to assure the best installation of safety seats in YOUR vehicle. It takes only a little time (20-30 minutes), and it's free, but well worth the while.
The Safety Seat Resource Center's calendar of events can be found at this site: http://www.childsafetyseat.org/ As you'll see, they hold them at various locations around the state, so just look for one that is convenient for you.
I've heard great things about Britax but they were too expensive.
A great car seat, still not the cheapest, is the radian 65 or the newer radian 80. They have weight limits of 65 or 80 lbs respectively. I plan to keep my daughter in the safer 5 point harness as long as possible rather than switch to a booster seat.
It is easily adjustable, acceptabed by FAA for flying. Narrower based than many seats so if you might have multiple car seats in a car it is a plus. The one down side is it is heavy to move between cars regularly.
I have the Radian 80 by Sunshine Kids. I love that it is the only carseat I will have to buy for my daughter. It goes rear facing til 30lbs and forward 5 point harness til 80. There is also a 65lb version. It is also much narrower across the outside base than a Britax so you can fit multiples across the seat of your car.
I got it at www.mypreciskid.com
Hope that helps,
Here is a link to the seat I have. I love it. It reclines while in the rear facing position and is very comfortable in the forward facing position. My son slept through a 10 hour flight to south america in it.