Car Seat questions

[Lillitu]

My son is almost a year old and 25 lbs. His car seat is RF and goes to 30 lbs. (Chicco Surefit 30)

1. Do you think he'll gain that 5 pounds in the next 6 months and need a new seat? It seems like they don't gain as much weight in that second year (compared to the first) and most is inches and brain development. Trying to get all the staples we will need this year while I have student loan money...

2. Any recommendations for a good safe car seat that we should use next? Only interested in a seat, not a travel system or anything. What would be awesome is a solid seat that could switch from RF to FF and possibly a boster when the time came. Are there are on the market like that- that anyone could recommend?

3. Do car rental companies have seats that are decent? We are taking a long trip in March and renting a car for it. I was think we would just use the car rental's seat. Is this safe and fine?

Thanks, mamas.

[MamaWillow]

I would guess that he will outgrow his infant seat in height before he reaches the weight limit. Just a guess, but they tend to slow down with the weight gain around this time but shoot up.My DS hasn't gained any weight for about 8 months, he just turned 2. Make sure your LO hasn't outgrown the seat in height. His head needs to be one inch below the top of the shell.

If you are wanting to keep him RFing longer (much safer) you can get a convertible seat that RFs to 35-5 pounds and then FF to 65-80. Then your LO can stay harnessed until he's ready for a booster or even longer. My DD stayed harnessed until she was almost 6, when she outgrew the seat in height.

Some popular convertibles with taller shells (so they will last longer) are the Complete Air 65 (my personal fave, I have my 2yo RFing in it at 35 pounds, RFs to 40), TrueFit (RFs to 35), the Radian seats (some to 40 and the XTSL goes to 45) um, Britax seats all RF to at least 40 I think but if I remember correctly they have shorter shells, and the MyRide 65 is very popular.

I have no idea about car rental companies...sorry can't help there!

[whynot]

You could post your question in the Family Safety section of this forum. There's plenty of car-seat obsessed mamas there who will provide you with very valuable info.

[chel]

outgrow by weight maybe, height, probably.

as far as i know, no good rf-ff-booster seat.  i like my truefit for the main seat and scenera for a travel seat, but if you can tell us about your specific car and usage many here have lot of experience with lots of different seat.

rental car.  while most people here don't have much trust in their safety, if you are taking a long trip, what you'll end up paying to rent the seat could easily buy a decent seat.

[RiverandJulie]

Just a note on the rental seat.  We rented a car and got a seat with it (due to a mistake on my husbands part....but that is a different story).  ANyways, it cost around $15 a day for the seat (which after 5 days, we could have just bought a new carseat).  ALso, it was a crappy seat, difficult to get our son in and out of, and really a PITA.  I will never rent a carseat again.

[almadianna]

Hello mama. I am moving this to Family Safety.

[leighi123]

Originally Posted by Lillitu 

My son is almost a year old and 25 lbs. His car seat is RF and goes to 30 lbs. (Chicco Surefit 30)

1. Do you think he'll gain that 5 pounds in the next 6 months and need a new seat? It seems like they don't gain as much weight in that second year (compared to the first) and most is inches and brain development. Trying to get all the staples we will need this year while I have student loan money...

2. Any recommendations for a good safe car seat that we should use next? Only interested in a seat, not a travel system or anything. What would be awesome is a solid seat that could switch from RF to FF and possibly a boster when the time came. Are there are on the market like that- that anyone could recommend?

3. Do car rental companies have seats that are decent? We are taking a long trip in March and renting a car for it. I was think we would just use the car rental's seat. Is this safe and fine?

Thanks, mamas.

1. he might not gain 5lbs, but he might.  Most kids outgrow seats rearfacing in height before weight, how much plastic 'shell' does he have above his head?  

2. Do you plan on extended rearfacing? What car do you have? Whats your budget?    My personal favorites are Radians and the TrueFit, but there are other good ones as well.  The "3 in 1" seats that rearface, forward face and booster are quickly outgrown in height before weight, and make horrible boosters. Your best bet would be to get a convertible, and then a dedicated booster later.  Boosters are pretty cheap.  

3.  NEVER use a carseat from a rental company, they are often expired, missing bits, dirty, and who knows what the last person who used it did to it (dropped it, crashed it etc).  They also often clean the seats with bleach, which is very bad.   Bring your own carseat, you can use it on the plane if you are flying (which is safer and more comfortable, its not safe to check in a carseat as baggage).  

[chickabiddy]

I'd buy a Scenera for travel -- they're cheap, light, and come in a plastic carry bag (make sure you tuck a couple of lengths of pool noodle in the bag to help with installation in the rental car).  It will be cheaper than renting a carseat, and you're not trusting your baby's life to the rental agency.  Besides, it's safest to have baby in the carseat in a ticketed seat on the plane.

Agree that the RF/FF/booster seats aren't a great investment.  Is your baby long and lean, short and solid, or somewhere in the middle?

[Lillitu]

Thanks everyone! This is all great info.
 

Originally Posted by chel 

rental car.  while most people here don't have much trust in their safety, if you are taking a long trip, what you'll end up paying to rent the seat could easily buy a decent seat.

Good to know.

Originally Posted by RiverandJulie 

Just a note on the rental seat.  We rented a car and got a seat with it (due to a mistake on my husbands part....but that is a different story).  ANyways, it cost around $15 a day for the seat (which after 5 days, we could have just bought a new carseat).  ALso, it was a crappy seat, difficult to get our son in and out of, and really a PITA.  I will never rent a carseat again.

Also good to know. I will look into a Scenera.

Originally Posted by leighi123 

1. he might not gain 5lbs, but he might.  Most kids outgrow seats rearfacing in height before weight, how much plastic 'shell' does he have above his head?  

2. Do you plan on extended rearfacing? What car do you have? Whats your budget?    My personal favorites are Radians and the TrueFit, but there are other good ones as well.  The "3 in 1" seats that rearface, forward face and booster are quickly outgrown in height before weight, and make horrible boosters. Your best bet would be to get a convertible, and then a dedicated booster later.  Boosters are pretty cheap.  

3.  NEVER use a carseat from a rental company, they are often expired, missing bits, dirty, and who knows what the last person who used it did to it (dropped it, crashed it etc).  They also often clean the seats with bleach, which is very bad.   Bring your own carseat, you can use it on the plane if you are flying (which is safer and more comfortable, its not safe to check in a carseat as baggage).  

1. He has room at the top, maybe three inches?

2. Yes, I think extended rearfacing, even though I know he'd be happier if he could see us. We compromise by having one of us in the back with him when we can.

3. Blerg- you would think that this would be a huge liability issue for them, and that they would be meticulous! This is litigation waiting to happen!

Originally Posted by chickabiddy 

I'd buy a Scenera for travel -- they're cheap, light, and come in a plastic carry bag (make sure you tuck a couple of lengths of pool noodle in the bag to help with installation in the rental car).  It will be cheaper than renting a carseat, and you're not trusting your baby's life to the rental agency.  Besides, it's safest to have baby in the carseat in a ticketed seat on the plane.

Agree that the RF/FF/booster seats aren't a great investment.  Is your baby long and lean, short and solid, or somewhere in the middle?

So, can I bring the baby on the plane in a carseat without having it count as luggage? The rules are ever-changing and so confusing these days. If I have him in a carseat, then I assume that we have to pay for a third seat...

Rowan is average height but is quite developed. At 11 months, he walks and looks more like a little boy than a baby. He is 27" and 25 pounds.

[TheGirls]

For the airplane, if you don't buy him a ticket, bring the seat anyway.  If there's extra room, they will usually try to arrange things so you get an extra seat and you can put his carseat there (free of charge).   If the flight is full, they'll gate-check the carseat (also free, carseats and strollers don't count toward the baggage allowance).    This is what we've always done with DD and we flew quite a few times with her when she was a baby.