Infant seat recs?

[Altair]

When I had my son, I was gifted a Graco Snugride but passed that on to someone else when we got our TFP. 

Now I am pregnant again and need to buy a new infant seat... I'd ideally get a Graco since we have the adapter for our stroller (though we rarely use the carseat on the stroller, pretty much only in airports to make wheeling the car seat easier). 

Any suggestions?  I'm not really worried about price, more about ease of use.  Is it worth getting the Snugrides that last longer than 22 lbs?  Does it actually come in handy past that stage (which my son had hit by 7 months), or only in terms of travel/cabs (since it's so quick/easy to carry and install)?  By 7 months my son didn't seem to love that seat so much anyway, and was much happier when we put him into the TFP.  We will be traveling internationally a few times before the baby is 1, so an easy infant seat with a higher weight might not be a bad thing. 

Any other recs?

Thanks!

ETA:  The only other issue is how it will fit with the TFP, whether we will be able to put the infant in the middle and TFP on the side and have there be (a teenty tiny bit of) adult room next to the infant if needed, or leave the middle open and not have the option of an adult in the back.  Would these 2 bases fit next to each other?  Our back seat is very roomy. 

[Maedze]

The Snugride 22 is probably my least favorite of the Graco line up, because it just doesn't fit newborns as well as a lot of the modern design seats do.   If you're looking for a shorter term seat, the Graco Snugride 30 would be it, although both the Snugride 30 and the Snugride 35 fit newborns well.

How old/big is your firstborn?  Rear facing or forward facing?   What vehicle do you have?

[Mom2M]

We had the Graco Snugride 35 and it was great. DD still liked it when she was about 15 months old and seemed to be very comfortable in it. I liked how I could move it to a different vehicle easily without needing a base. I can see it being very useful if you travel because of how it fits into the stroller. As far as fitting it next to a car seat, we had it next to a Nautilus which is big and could only do that with the base off

[Altair]

My son is almost 3 and just turned FF in his TFP (he's 35 lbs).  He was still very cozy RFing before he hit the 35lb mark.  He was always very big, and like I said, outgrew the snugride 22 quickly. 

We have a BMW X3.  There's a lot of room to RF, which is why we bought the car!  We had a VW Golf and bought out TFP and there was NO WAY anyone could sit in the front seat with the TFP behind them. 

Has anyone been able to get a snugride right next to a big convertible seat?  The TFP seems pretty wide. 

[Maedze]

Unfortunately, a question like that is extremely relative to the vehicle that the restraint is in.   A TFP might install next to a Snugride 30 or 35 (Again, I DO NOT recommend the Snugride 22, it does not provide a safe fit for most newborns)  in some vehicles, and not in others.  

If you have any kind of a chance of making it happen, of the Snugrides the Graco Snugride 30 is the narrowest.   Other narrower infant seats include the Chicco Keyfit 30 and the Safety First Onboard Air 35.   
 

Originally Posted by Altair 

My son is almost 3 and just turned FF in his TFP (he's 35 lbs).  He was still very cozy RFing before he hit the 35lb mark.  He was always very big, and like I said, outgrew the snugride 22 quickly. 

We have a BMW X3.  There's a lot of room to RF, which is why we bought the car!  We had a VW Golf and bought out TFP and there was NO WAY anyone could sit in the front seat with the TFP behind them. 

Has anyone been able to get a snugride right next to a big convertible seat?  The TFP seems pretty wide. 

[Altair]

Thanks!

[Altair]

I haven't seen the 30 and 35 in person-- does the 35 look like it would hold the child for that much longer comfortably?  I just can't imagine a toddler being comfortable in an infant seat, at an infant recline.  But it would be nice to go a little longer with the infant seat in the back because once we have 2 convertibles I'm pretty sure I won't be fitting back there! 

[Maedze]

The SafeSeat One (the original version of the SnugRide 35) would have fit my 80th percentiles daughter until about a month before her second birthday.     And you don't have to keep it at an infant recline.  Just as with a convertible, as the babies get bigger and develop neck control you can install it more upright :-)    

If the idea of a long-lasting infant carrier is starting to appeal to you, the Safety First On Board Air 35 I mentioned will last the longest.   (Longer than the Snugride 35).   The Snugride 30 will probably get you 9-12 months. 

Originally Posted by Altair 

I haven't seen the 30 and 35 in person-- does the 35 look like it would hold the child for that much longer comfortably?  I just can't imagine a toddler being comfortable in an infant seat, at an infant recline.  But it would be nice to go a little longer with the infant seat in the back because once we have 2 convertibles I'm pretty sure I won't be fitting back there! 

[Altair]

Thanks again!  I'm going to try to get my tired butt into some local stores to see what they look like.  The 35 seems to be not much more $$ then the 30, so maybe that's the better bet.

I wonder if the 22 not fitting newborns well wasn't an issue for us because our son was tall and 9lbs4oz at birth?  He fit well with the straps *right* below his shoulders.  Is there another way it doesn't fit?  I didn't love the seat altogether because he just seemed to outgrow it comfortably so quickly. 

[Maedze]

Originally Posted by Altair 

Thanks again!  I'm going to try to get my tired butt into some local stores to see what they look like.  The 35 seems to be not much more $$ then the 30, so maybe that's the better bet.

I wonder if the 22 not fitting newborns well wasn't an issue for us because our son was tall and 9lbs4oz at birth?  He fit well with the straps *right* below his shoulders.  Is there another way it doesn't fit?  I didn't love the seat altogether because he just seemed to outgrow it comfortably so quickly. 

No, the primary problem with it is that the straps are about 8" from the base of the seat, meaning smaller and average sized newborns don't fit correctly in it.   If your baby was more than 9 lbs though, and had corresponding height, I'm not surprised it fit ok :-)

[chickabiddy]

Originally Posted by Altair 

Thanks again!  I'm going to try to get my tired butt into some local stores to see what they look like.  The 35 seems to be not much more $$ then the 30, so maybe that's the better bet.

Most kids will outgrow the SnugRide35 by height long before 35# (and older babies tend to prefer convertibles anyhow).  They're both fine seats, but I would not count on using them for the full 35# or probably even 30#.

[Altair]

Yes, I did figure that, as my almost 3 year old is 35#s and tall, and there is no way he would fit.  I'm just hoping it will last us longer and more comfortably than the 22 if we have another big baby. If I can get to 12 months I'll be happy.  

[TiredX2]

Originally Posted by Altair 

Yes, I did figure that, as my almost 3 year old is 35#s and tall, and there is no way he would fit.  I'm just hoping it will last us longer and more comfortably than the 22 if we have another big baby. If I can get to 12 months I'll be happy.  

While not all children are the same, some tendancies do tend to run in families.  With my kids, DD was out of the infant seat (height) by 5 months.  DS was out around 2 months because he just HATED the recline.  So, with another child I would plan on not using the infant seat for more than a few months.

Their cousin, though, happily sat in his Graco 35 until about 18 months.  PLACID child!  If your first was laid back, I would think the extra $ spent on a Graco 35 would be well worth it.

[Altair]

Ok a follow up question!  I went to go see the Snugride 35 in person, and the red knob on the base that reclines it further confuses me... I thought babies couldn't be reclined further than 30 degrees?  It looks like you can recline it much further than that.  Unless I'm missing something, you wouldn't be doing that unless in the car, since the base stays there.  What am I missing?  

[Maedze]

Originally Posted by Altair 

Ok a follow up question!  I went to go see the Snugride 35 in person, and the red knob on the base that reclines it further confuses me... I thought babies couldn't be reclined further than 30 degrees?  It looks like you can recline it much further than that.  Unless I'm missing something, you wouldn't be doing that unless in the car, since the base stays there.  What am I missing?  

The seat can be roughly 45 to 30 degrees.   The adjustable base is due to the fact that every vehicle seat has a slightly different slope.   You still need to keep the bubble on the seat in the green :-) 

[Altair]

Ahh.  Thanks!  

[DahliaRW]

And a newborn NEEDS a 45 degree angle.  They can be more upright when they are older and have good head control.

[Altair]

I'm sorry, I was doing my math wrong and thinking it was 30 from below.  Yes, I know the newborn needs the deeper recline.  :-)  What I was saying was that the snugride 35 can recline much *more* than that, not less. 

[Maedze]

Originally Posted by Altair 

I'm sorry, I was doing my math wrong and thinking it was 30 from below.  Yes, I know the newborn needs the deeper recline.  :-)  What I was saying was that the snugride 35 can recline much *more* than that, not less. 

Again, the adjuster angle is to counter vehicle seats that are extremely sloped.   In those vehicles, the seat cannot recline more than that, you might even need a noodle on top of having the base fully extended to get to 45 degrees!

[Altair]

Got it!  Thanks.