What carseat

[mtbmomma]

DD is almost 2 and already about 37 inches tall and 33 or 34 lbs. We have been car free since she was born, but we will be buying a car in the Spring. We have a Cosco Scenara carseat that we use for the few trips we make with friends, but I want to buy a new seat when we buy our car since she will be reaching the 40lb limit on this one. I like the idea of RF, but wasn't sure how it would work with a toddler her size. I would like to keep her RF until 4 when her spine is developed, but at this size is that realistic? She already almost meets the requirements for a booster seat for height and weight. We will also be driving from NH to WA with our car, we are getting it from my parents, so I want something comfortable for the long drive. Any suggestions? Thanks.

[DahliaRW]

What vehicle are you purchasing?

The only seat that will go beyond 40lbs rfing is the RadianXTSL (and I think the Radian80SL), which will rf to 45lbs. But, they have install issues in some cars. Thats your best bet to making it to 4 rfing. If you're ok with her making it 3-4 rfing (depending on how much weight she gains), you can also look at the complete air. Any shorter shell seat I would say don't bother with since she's already 37inches (as tall as my 3 1/2 yo!) and will probably outgrow them rfing by height before 4.

[mtbmomma]

Thanks for the information. It's an older Toyota Corolla. We may just go with a booster since she is so large, and we will want something that will last. We did go to the doctors yesterday and she is actually only just under 36 inches and 32 lbs. Her weight seems to have plateaued for now. Anyways, I do have a few months to research it, and see how she grows.

[MariesMama]

Are you talking about a 5-point harnessed seat, or a belt-positioning booster?

[BathrobeGoddess]

Originally Posted by mtbmomma

Thanks for the information. It's an older Toyota Corolla. We may just go with a booster since she is so large, and we will want something that will last. We did go to the doctors yesterday and she is actually only just under 36 inches and 32 lbs. Her weight seems to have plateaued for now. Anyways, I do have a few months to research it, and see how she grows.

5 lbs on a toddler might take a year to breach and at 32 lbs at 2 I think you could keep her RF until she is almost 4 if not past. in a 40lb higher shelled seat like Graco MyRide or the New Evenflow convertible seat (that replaced the Triumph Advanced...forget its name) for 150.00 bucks and then you can use if forward facing for a while until your daughter is booster ready around age 5 or 6...it would likely be illegal to put her in a belt positioning booster at 2 years old if that is what you're thinking. 4 years only and 40lbs is the bare minimum and and most harnessed boosters, make horrid belt positioning boosters anyway (Nautilus and Frontier aside)

[an_aurora]

I would also continue to RF. The spine develops between 4-6, and RF is always safer, no matter the age. The MyRide, Complete Air or Radian would get you years more use both RF and FF.

[chickabiddy]

Agree that at her age, rear-facing is best and a belt-positioning booster is not a safe choice at all.

[DahliaRW]

If she's only 32lbs you have AT LEAST a year rfing. I definitely would look into a convertible that will rf her now and then ff until she truly is mature enough for a belt positioning booster. I'd look at the Complete Air (as I said before). The Graco MyRide is also great, but it has a shorter shell so you'll want to see how much growing room she would have (if she has a shorter torso it may be a great, affordable choice). You could also look at the radian (which I believe works fine in your vehicle) if you want to spend a bit more.

[mtbmomma]

Wow, so many great replies, thanks everyone. I wasn't thinking of a seat belt booster, but one with the option of both a 5 point harness and later a booster. She is my first and only, so I don't have much experience with this. I think I will look into those options. I would really like to continue RF, and I'm glad you all think it would work well until 4 or so. Do most people use little mirrors on the back seat if their child is extended RF?

[alegna]

My dd was rf until 3.5 and we never had a mirror. Ds is still rf and we still don't have one

-Angela

[DahliaRW]

I use a mirror when they are younger, at least. With ds2 at some point I just stopped using it, not sure why. It wasn't such a big deal when he was old enough to talk and let us know what was wrong or what he needed.

[TheGirls]

My DD is almost the exact size of yours. 37", 32lb, 2yo! Anyhow, she's RF right now in a TrueFit but she's close to the limit weight-wise and has twin siblings on the way who will need convertibles eventually, so we're looking for a good deal on a Complete Air. I think it will last her another year or so, rearfacing, and I'm pretty sure it will get her to booster age forward-facing, if for whatever reason it doesn't get passed to a younger sibling. We'll probably end up with two of them so all three kids can be RF because I'd rather not turn DD at age 3 either. I'll still need to get her a belt-positioning booster, of course, but those are pretty inexpensive. It would be a bit cheaper to get a combination seat (FF to harness seat) but not much in the long run and I feel it's worth it for maybe another year of RF.

[mtbmomma]

We are deciding among the Myride, the Truefit and the Complete Air. The Myride is $130 at our local store and the Complete Air is on sale for $150 there, and I can get the Truefit for $150 online. I am worried about the height on the Myride, but I like that it goes RF for longer. I like the higher back on the Complete Air, but I wish it went to 65lbs like the Myride. I don't know which one, but we leave for a cross country drive in a week and I want to buy before then. We have a Cosco Scenera now and she is getting pretty close to the top for height.

[chickabiddy]

Some Complete Air seats go to 65# now.

However, the MyRide will not get most kids to 65#: the seat is usually outgrown by height long before 65#.

[TiredX2]

Originally Posted by mtbmomma

We are deciding among the Myride, the Truefit and the Complete Air. The Myride is $130 at our local store and the Complete Air is on sale for $150 there, and I can get the Truefit for $150 online. I am worried about the height on the Myride, but I like that it goes RF for longer. I like the higher back on the Complete Air, but I wish it went to 65lbs like the Myride. I don't know which one, but we leave for a cross country drive in a week and I want to buy before then. We have a Cosco Scenera now and she is getting pretty close to the top for height.

I was researching seats for a friend ths weekend and the new Complete Airs do fface til 65 lbs:

http://airprotect.safety1st.com/prod...tm-carseat.php

[mama2soren]

My 2 year old is almost 37" too. The MyRide will be outgrown the soonest, as the shell is shortest. He doesn't have much growing room in a MyRide, but he has loads of room in a Complete Air and Radian. I'd skip the MyRide. For a 32 pounder, I would get a RF seat with a 40+ pound limit, not the 35-pound limit True Fit. The Complete Air, Radian, and True Fit will likely be plenty tall enough to get your child to a safe boostering age (5 ish). The Radian installs great in Corollas, but is a tough install in many other cars.

[mtbmomma]

How comfortable are the radian and complete air for sleeping toddlers?

[DahliaRW]

My ds2 sleeps perfectly fine in his CA, both rear and ffing. Ffing it's at a nice slight recline.

[mama2soren]

My son has slept for hours at a time in his Radian on long trips! It's very comfy.