Car Seats

[FarmerCathy]

What do you think is the best brand and model? And is there a website that has a good rating on car seats? This might be early to ask, but maybe it will give me time to look around for awhile before I do any shopping.

[happiestmomma]

For a small infant, I was very happy with my Graco Snug Ride. My son was quite small, too, and used this seat in the car for 10 months before we moved him into an Evenflo convertible seat. Not the Triumph, I don't think...a different model that we liked quite fine. My peds always told us to choose the best-rated model that was the cheapest rather than always going for the most expensive, like the Britax. That's how we ended up with our Evenflo, it was quite highly rated, though I don't remember the website we went to for that information.
Hope that helps.

[duckat]

there's a good website
www.carseatdata.org
It has a lot of great info.

I know a lot of people who love their Graco SnugRide infant seats. It's really easy to adjust and is super safe.

I have a Britax Marathon for ds because it's the only seat that provides a 5 point harness to 65 pounds, not just 40. I just feel more comfortable with ds harnessed that long. It was pricey, but I had my dad and FIL get it as a "6 month birthday" present for ds.

Do your research and go with what works best for you. It's more important to have a good quality seat installed correctly than to spend a lot of money. Even the best seat in the world won't do it's job if you don't take the time to do a good, tight installation.

Good luck!

[KKmama]

Britax. We have very large babies here, and both of them would have outgrown an infant seat by 3 months (they have a length limit, too, y'know), so we just start them out in the Britax Roundabout. I have strong opinions about "baby buckets", although I guess if I had teeny babies, I would use an infant carseat and then just take the babe out and pop him into a sling the way I did with the Britax...

FWIW, T is 4 y.o., 43 or 44 inches, and 42#, and he's in a Britax Wizard. They go to 65#, I think, and something like 51-52" in height. Z is in a Britax Roundabout (rear-facing still), and he's not quite 15 months, ~24#, and uh... 33" tall. When the new baby comes, I suppose we'll bump T to a booster (I'd love another Wizard, but not enough width in the car, and we're *not* getting a new car), Z to the Wizard, and the baby to the Roundabout.

[Mommy To Baby Roni]

Try Consumer Reports.

[Beanjeepin]

We used a graco snugride bucket because DS was born in October and I have HORRIBLE balance in the snow and ice. I fell three times carrying him so was glad I had it. He outgrew it in length by 4 months. If it were only weight he'd have been in it till 15 months!

That said - we will NOT use it for an April baby. I want a Decathlon for this one.

[KKmama]

I actually don't think Consumer Reports is the best source of info on carseats (or a lot of other baby/kid stuff, either). At the time that we bought the Roundabout, they gave it only a "fair" rating (IIRC), in part because they were testing it without the tether, in order to make it "equal" to the other carseats (which is stupid... a big reason you get a Britax is because other brands of carseats can't be tethered rear-facing). In other words, they tested the seat using it incorrectly. I believe there's a forum around MDC somewhere that has more info about carseats, no? Maybe someone (not me, not right now ) can post a link...

[2+twins]

Only Britax for us. I had a Graco Snugride and tried it but returned it promptly. I opted for the very much more expensive, but worth it IMO, Britax Companion for my dd last time around, moved her into her sister's old Britax Advantage when she outgrew that (around 4-5 months), and will eventually move her to her sister's Britax Marathon after that. I personally can't imagine using the Marathon for a newborn. We actually used the Advantage for our dd as a newborn at first and she was just floating in it so I got the Companion instead. It was fine by 4-5 months, but the Marathon is a MUCH roomier seat. Waaaaaay too roomie for a newborn IMHO.

[FarmerCathy]

Thanks for the info everyone. That will start me on my search. Anyone else feel free to pipe in if you have any comments on seats mentioned or totally different seats.

[kyle98sean02]

My ds has a britax marathon. I dont think a brand new baby would fit great in it, but I love it for him. I am not sure, but will most likely get a Britax seat for this one too. I love the perks and ease of use and installation of Britax along with the rear facing tether ability.

[celesterra]

I've also appreciated this forum, though I have to say I am suffering from a little sticker shock! Yipes! I guess I'd better get used to sticker shock, eh?

[norasmom]

I used the Graco Snug Ride with DD untill she out grew it. It was the length that got us too & I don't think many peope look at that, so keep it in mind. This time around I probably won't use a bucket. DD was an infant in the winter and is wa nice to get her in & out all bundeled. This time hopefully the weather will be better!

And now we have a Britax Marathon. After looking at the price and the length of time I'll be able to use it I thought it was definately worth the money. Plus it has features that lots of the less expensive seats don't. My mom also has one that she uses for DD. I'm *hoping* she just give it to us for the new babe!

So there's my $0.02 but in the end, check it out for yourself & make your own informed decision.