Straight into a convertible?

[RojoBoho]

I'm sure this has been asked, but I went back several pages and can't find it. I have a DD who will be 2 in a couple weeks and she's RF in a Britax Marathon. I had a Snugride 32 for her until she was 9 months old but switched to the Britax mostly because I got a great deal on it. :) I wish I'd saved the Snugride because I could just use it for this new baby, but I passed it on to a friend who couldn't afford a car seat.

I am due with my second baby in Dec. and was wondering if I can just go ahead and purchase a convertible seat and skip the infant bucket all together. I know they all say they start at 5lbs, but I've heard convertibles don't fit newborns very well.

What are your thoughts on this? Any recommendations? My goal is to keep all my kids RF until 3 years old, so obviously I need a seat that can RF that long. Thank you!

[TheGirls]

Some fit newborns well, and some don't.  I'd look at the SunshineKids Radian, The First Years TrueFit and the Graco MyRide.  All will fit an average size newborn well and keep most kids RF until 3yo.  The TrueFit only RF to 35lbs so if your kids are heavy that could be a problem.  The MyRide has a somewhat shorter shell so if your kids are very tall, that could be a problem.  The Radian has install issues in some vehicles and is pricey, but it is tall and has a high weight limit.

[chickabiddy]

I'd add the Evenflo Triumph65 and Momentum to that list. :)

[RojoBoho]

Thank you so much for these suggestions! They help quite a bit!

[SynEpona]

Baby girl is arriving in August, and going straight into a Radian in my vehicle, but will have a 'baby bucket' for DH's truck. So most of the time, she'll be in the Radian, and less frequently, she'll use the infant seat in the truck ... this way DH can have more flexibility in his truck, w/ only the base to work around during the week when baby girl isn't in the truck at all. It'll be mostly weekends, when the work stuff comes out of the truck & the whole family goes places together that we'll put her seat in. We likely won't use it as a 'carrier' though, it'll likely go in on our first trip out of the house Sat AM, and get brought back in Monday AM when DH is putting the work stuff back in his truck.

We just got our Radian, it arrived today, and since I didnt' have DS's when he was a newborn, I got the model that included the infant cushion etc, and it's very strange adjusting everything down to the smallest settings! DS is over 4yo now, and on the 2nd highest settings, so this just looks funny with the straps so low!