Can you find something wrong with this carseat/ update on twin buckets?

[Adaline'sMama]

Please, so I can convince myself that I dont need it

http://www.maxi-cosi.com/us-en/products/car-seats/convertible/maxicosi-pria-70-convertible-car-seat.aspx

It would more than likely be going in a Honda Odyssey.

[brigala]

It's a very nice seat, and probably the only seat on the market that will fit a preemie AND an average-sized kindergartener. 

I would probably rather have infant buckets for twins, however. I'm all for baby wearing but I think there will be times with twins when you really want to just pop them out of the car and into a double stroller frame to get them in and out of the store or the house. 

[One_Girl]

The headvice cushions seem unnecessary though possibly a good feature if you have more than one child. It doesn't seem likely that it will actually fit a child height wise until they are 70 pounds unless it is much longer length wise than it looks.

[Adaline'sMama]

Originally Posted by brigala 

It's a very nice seat, and probably the only seat on the market that will fit a preemie AND an average-sized kindergartener. 

I would probably rather have infant buckets for twins, however. I'm all for baby wearing but I think there will be times with twins when you really want to just pop them out of the car and into a double stroller frame to get them in and out of the store or the house. 

Actually, I'm really, really trying to avoid buckets all together for this purpose. I want carseats to stay in the car. I am looking at a couple of strollers that will be good for the twins once they are a few months old, but I can't imagine Ill be going anywhere for the first couple of months anyway, with three kids three and under.


By the time my kids reach 70 lbs, they will likely be in 5th grade That is the only reason I can currently find why it's silly to buy the seat. It will expire before they reach the weight and probably the height limit (we are quite a short lot of people). It's such a cool seat, but it's so expensive. I'm trying to talk myself out of it, but I really want it.

[Maedze]

What you want with a convertible is one that will fit kids through booster age, ideally.  Don't worry that kids won't get to 70 lbs.  That's not the point.  Weight limits are always inflated to avoid a tragedy and to accommodate obese children.  The seat is big enough to get kids to 5 or 6 years old.  THAT'S what matters.  

The Pria fits preemies well, and will fit a 5 year old well.  You can't ask for better than that in a convertible.  The insert allows the seat to be installed nice and upright while still creating a 45 degree angle for young infants, so it doesn't take up too much space in the car.  

Whether or not you get a bucket is purely a matter of preference, not of safety, but I'll take off my tech hat and put on my mom of four hat for a moment....I had a 2 year old and a 1 year old when number 3 was born.  There is a point where buckets become less a matter of convenience and nearly a matter of necessity.  You aren't going to misuse them because you know the inherent risks, but having multiples and not having buckets if you are a car using family is going to be very, very difficult. 

Originally Posted by Adaline'sMama 


Actually, I'm really, really trying to avoid buckets all together for this purpose. I want carseats to stay in the car. I am looking at a couple of strollers that will be good for the twins once they are a few months old, but I can't imagine Ill be going anywhere for the first couple of months anyway, with three kids three and under.
By the time my kids reach 70 lbs, they will likely be in 5th grade That is the only reason I can currently find why it's silly to buy the seat. It will expire before they reach the weight and probably the height limit (we are quite a short lot of people). It's such a cool seat, but it's so expensive. I'm trying to talk myself out of it, but I really want it.

[brigala]

Originally Posted by Maedze 
 There is a point where buckets become less a matter of convenience and nearly a matter of necessity.  You aren't going to misuse them because you know the inherent risks, but having multiples and not having buckets if you are a car using family is going to be very, very difficult. 

^^ I agree with this. I am having a hard time picturing how you're going to get two infants and a toddler across a parking lot safely without bucket seats. Until the twins can sit up independently so you can put one in the shopping cart and one in the Ergo or whatever you've got and have a hand free to hold on to the toddler... I just don't see how you can make it work. And in situations where you have Dad with you or whatever, there's no law that says you HAVE to remove the bucket from the car every time you get the baby out. You can still leave the car seat in the car whenever you have enough hands available for the number of children you've got with you.

BUT... if you're determined to skip the bucket, the Pria is probably the best car seat you can choose for this purpose. And, in spite of its price tag, it's also probably the most economical. With twins you have to be prepared for early or low-birthweight babies, and the only convertibles which really work for significantly smaller-than-average babies are the Coccoro and the Pria. And the Coccoro will not last until a child is large enough to fit into a booster seat (upper weight limit is 40 lbs, but most kids won't hit 40 lbs before outgrowing it by height). The Pria is generously sized by both height and weight, so unless you end up with unusually large kids you should not need another car seat if you get the Pria, until booster age. None of the cheaper seats you can buy will really be the only harnessed car seat a small newborn will ever need - so the Pria is worth the price of at least two car seats. The Pria also has good extended rear facing limits (40 lbs and 40"). 

[alegna]

It's made by dorel.  Some people are comfortable with dorel seats, I'm not.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-carseats-special,0,7744829.story

http://dailymomtra.com/2011/03/07/dorel-the-car-seat-company-that-doesnt-care-about-safety/

[DahliaRW]

It really is a great seat for your situation if you don't want buckets.

As for brand, I never blanket recommend or not recommend a brand.  All brands have had their problems and recalls, but we know all current seats pass the safety tests.  I use a scenera as a travel seat and in the grandparents car myself.  All 3 of my kids rode in it at one point.

[Altair]

Oh wow, I love that seat!  I am keeping that one in mind when #2 outgrows the bucket. Never thought I'd think a car seat was *sexy* ...
 

[rinap]

I get your point about not going out a lot for the first few months. We had a single lie-flat pram that we put our girls into together during that time. (So we could take them places without the buckets).

But I will say that we had very healthy babies, but we still had to take them to the doctor every day the first week we had them at home, and then there was the two week visit and the one month and the two month.

And being able to take an occasional walk is phenomenal.

[Maedze]

There is absolutely nothing wrong with Dorel that isn't wrong with every other car seat company under the sun.

[SeattleRain]

Yeah I'm also going to second that going without infant seats for twins is way harder than a singleton. It's harder to babywear them without a lot of work so you're talking about carrying two infants in your hands with a toddler. I don't know... In the winter it might be a lot easier to get the babies all packed up so you can just run everyone into the ar and just strap in one toddler.

But if you're not doing the buckets, you should totally go with the Pria. It's great for compact spaces and has tons of RF legroom. The cover feels really nice. The only downside I will say is that I find Dorel seats to have slightly close together straps for my own kids and sometimes lead to neck rubbing. I'd take your older daughter to the store and try them out and see if she's comfortable in it. If so, there's a good chance your other kids will be.
 

[Adaline'sMama]

Hey, I just wanted to come back and update this thread, in case any other mom's of twins had read it. My twins arrived a little over 4 months ago, and we get out 3-4 times a week and make multiple trips in and out of the car. 

I wound up getting three Graco MyRide 70 carseats. The two little girls are RF in the captains chairs of my Odyssey. We have a really good stroller, that can be navigated with one hand (city mini). I have a "Mommys Hook" attached to the stroller that my three year old has to hold on to when we are walking in stores, parking lots, etc.

I cant even imagine how we would use two bucket seats. I never see twin mommies out in public with buckets that are being used in a safe way. I see lots of twin moms pushing one cart full of groceries and pulling a cart that has one bucket balanced on the top and one bucket down below. 

I am typically by myself when we go places, so either I would have to have a stroller that snaps buckets in, or I would have to put buckets in a cart (huge no no). If we are going into a friends house, to playgroup, or any place that isnt for shopping, I would have to hold one bucket on each arm and then keep up with my three year old. It just sounds completely impossible to me. If I dont use my stroller, I strap one kid onto the front and one onto the back with boba carriers. 

shopping: If it's a small trip, I put things on the bottom of my stroller. If it's a big trip, I put things in a cart and pull the cart with one hand (with my toddler in it) and push the stroller with the other. I'd have to have two carts anyway if I was using buckets. 

So, basically, the only advantage I can see of using buckets would be to not have to wake kids up when transferring them from the car to the house/store/etc. But, since you shouldnt let kids continue to sleep in carseats anyway..I just dont see what the advantage would actually be.