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Strange carseat question for Britax users...

1K views 26 replies 25 participants last post by  TheAJs 
#1 ·
I really REALLY want to get the Britax Marathon for our new DD when she is born. A few days ago DH and I were inthe store looking at them and he asked a very ponderous question: "So, if this seat stays in the car, when we get out to go eat at a restaurant or something and she's really really small, what do we do with her in the restaurant? Do we have to wake her up to take her out? Do we just hold her the whole time?" I have to say I was stumped - I said we could put her in the sling or meitai, and DH said "How do you sit at the table with the sling on?" I never really ate with DS in the sling when he was little - he would be in the baby bucket seat when we were out.
So my question is for all you Britax users - how does that all work?? DH really wants to know!
 
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#2 ·
We didn't so the infant carrier with our youngest - she went straight to Marathon. I wore her in the sling (ring sling or pouch). If she was asleep she didn't wake up.

And it's not too different eating with a babe in a sling than eating while pregnant. At least for me anyway. And if we ate out with grandparents then they loved snuggling her the whole time while she slept.
 
#4 ·
We thought that the mei tai or Moby worked best for eating out w/ dd when she was teeny--weight evenly distributed, still easy for you to sit down. We had a much harder time sitting with her in the sling. Of course, she never fell asleep in the car, so it wasn't as much of an issue.
 
#6 ·
I'm with the others about not recommending the Marathon for newborns. I got a Marathon when my son was about 17 months old, and if he was any shorter, the would have been too short for the lowest slots rearfacing. He's a little guy, but i doubt it would have worked for my older two (who were big kids) prior to about 6 months.

In any case, when they were newborns, I just slung them most of the time. Some restaurants have infant seat highchairs you can use for little ones to young to sit up in a regular high chair.
 
#7 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by alegna View Post
The britax seats are not ideal for a newborn. I would get an infant seat first.

But yeah, we usually even left the infant seat in the car after the first month or so and we'd just pass dd back and forth or put her in a sling.

-Angela
:

I really thought the Marathon was not supportive enough for her neck and head and was too upright for an infant, even if installed correctly.

The mei tai is best for dining out, I think, baby can kinda perch on your lap facing you.
 
#11 ·
We never took an infant seat into a restaurant with either kid - I just slung or held them, and it wasn't a huge deal. I'll admit they got a little food dropped on them from time to time, though


That said, I think an infant seat is a good idea. We had a Roundabout with our first, and, as others said, it wasn't really ideal for a newborn. With our second, we got an infant seat and transitioned to a convertible at around 8 months.
 
#13 ·
We had a bucket seat for both our older kids and rarely had ds sitting in it when we were out. That seat has since expired and we have a Scenera that ds will outgrow in the next few months, well before I'm due. The Scenera has nice low slots for a newborn and with my monster kids the $40 for it was a much better way to spend money then a bucket seat. Since ds is more of a solid block of kid then dd was it is also nice that the Scenera rf to 35 lbs. I think there is another Cosco seat with better padding that also has low slots and rf to 35 lbs. Even if you plan to get a Britax seat if you are going to need a back up seat I think getting a Scenera until they fit in the Marathon makes sense.
 
#14 ·
The Marathon is rated 5-65 lbs, but it really is not appropriately sized for a newborn. The crotch strap is way too far out, the shoulder straps are way too high, and the straps are too wide. Your baby won't be able to fit appropriately in the MA until at least 3 months, and probably more like 4-6 months.

As much of an AP supporter as I am, I encourage the baby bucket just because they are designed specifically for infants. They surround the baby with high sides, offering great crash protection, and offer vital head-stabilizing support. Remember that it is a CAR seat, and while it is convenient to take it out of the car when they are sleeping, that feature should never be over-used.

Car seats are designed to protect a child in a crash. Babies are designed to be held.

Good luck with your new little package! PM me if you have any more CPS-specific questions. I'm happy to help!
 
#15 ·
I was just going to say what chipmamma said: car seats are for cars no matter what type of car seat it is.

When we go out to eat when dd was really young and if she was asleep I would lay a blanket on the table or booth and she would take a snooze there if we were trying to eat.

I have an ergo which I can easily eat and nurse in for all the other times. Now at 4 months she is old enough just to sit on our laps and beg for food.
 
#16 ·
Both my boys were in the Marathon since their first car ride, with no problems. They were both just over 8 lbs at birth, probably about 9 lbs by the time they had their first car ride, and it seemed to fit them fine.

Both my boys have always been in my lap while I ate, frequently nursing. I do put a napkin over them so the don't wind up wearing my food. The awkward time is when they have good grabbing skills but can't sit up well enough to sit in a high chair, which is exactly where we are right now. I've taken to bringing the Bumbo with us and putting it beside me so he can be up and at the table, but out of reach of my food.
 
#17 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by Meredith&Alexander View Post
Both my boys were in the Marathon since their first car ride, with no problems. They were both just over 8 lbs at birth, probably about 9 lbs by the time they had their first car ride, and it seemed to fit them fine.

Both my boys have always been in my lap while I ate, frequently nursing. I do put a napkin over them so the don't wind up wearing my food. The awkward time is when they have good grabbing skills but can't sit up well enough to sit in a high chair, which is exactly where we are right now. I've taken to bringing the Bumbo with us and putting it beside me so he can be up and at the table, but out of reach of my food.
They often seem fine but the straps are in reality too high.

Please note that the bumbo is not to be used on raised surfaces.

-Angela
 
#18 ·
we had an infant seat for about 6-8 weeks, until DS was long enough to fit in the boulvard. However, being a 2 door car, we didn't take the seat in and out of the car, too much hassel. We just took the baby out. If he was tired he stayed asleep and snuggled into whomever was carrying him (via sling/wrap etc...) if he was awake he LOVED looking around at everyone. For meals, we played 'pass the baby'.
The only difficulty we had with eating was accidently dropping food on his head.
 
#19 ·
The Boulevard actually did fit my infant, but he was big (10lb 6oz and 23 inches at birth), and we didn't take him out more than, oh, three times in the first month, and that was only because we had to for medical reasons. He probably would have fit better in an infant for that first month, but for three rides? The Boulevard was fine. He also really disliked being reclined as in an infant seat - the slightly more upright reclining of the convertable keeps him happier in the car. But most babies will fit better in an infant seat, so if you have the money, and don't have family members who will abuse it as a bucket, it's probably worth it.

For life without a baby bucket (whether or not you get an infant carseat), DP and I find the ring sling to be best for sitting down at meals - no strap around the waist to pinch you (may not be a problem in skinnier parents), and once they're looking around and grabbing more, you can have them on your hip and eat on your other side. Works fabulous. Mei tai or wrap are also good, you just have to eat over the baby - fine, when they're asleep, or quiet enough to just be looking around. Also, pass the baby - really fun game, especially if you're out with relatives or baby-friendly friends, because people tend to beg to hold the baby anyway.

Carseats are for cars. Arms are for babies.
 
#20 ·
We used the Britax marathon from day one with DD. Or should I say day 45 or when ever it was that I started actually going out and about on a regular basis
.

I really disagree with all of the "it's not good enough" opinions. DD was 10 lbs at birth and was plenty big enough for the car seat. The straps were all in the correct position. I did add a rolled up flannel blanket on each side of her at first but quickly realized it was not needed (in fact it was to restricting). I should add that I rarely was driving those first few weeks so I was in the back seat looking at her so I know she was fine!

I get that there are other car seat options out there that will fit the child perfectly for what ever weight/height they happen to be for all the stages of growth from newborn to 8 yo. I do not think that means the same thing as the the Marathon is not safe for a newborn.

I never had a problem lifting a sleeping DD from the car seat and putting her into my sling.

I also never had a problem sitting with her in a sling. If you need to eat you may find your self sitting at a slight angle to the table if you baby is up high but it's no big deal. You can also lower the sling so your baby is actually resting on your lap in the sling while you eat.
 
#21 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by AbbieB View Post
I get that there are other car seat options out there that will fit the child perfectly for what ever weight/height they happen to be for all the stages of growth from newborn to 8 yo. I do not think that means the same thing as the the Marathon is not safe for a newborn.
Well, a baby born at 10 lbs and a carseat mostly not used until 6 weeks is hardly your typical newborn


Fact of the matter is that they DO NOT properly fit most newborns. And a seat that doesn't fit properly is not safe.

-Angela
 
#22 ·
We bought the Britax Companion- which IS the right size for a new babe. I still sling her to eat, every time. She's only been carried around in it outside of the car twice. Once when we had to hitch a ride, and once when we were accidentally last-minute slingless.
 
#23 ·
I switched DD over to the marathon at 4 months and didn't have any problem with her fitting well. It wasn't as easy to go shopping- having to transfer her from carseat to sling- but I felt so much more secure with her in the marathon. Our infant seat just didn't seem very secure to me.
 
#25 ·
I have a blvd and my DD fit great in it from birth on. she got very sick and went down to 5lbs 7oz and it still fit her.

as for eating the moby worked great untill about 3 months and we prolly could use it now but I have a MT. anyways I did often drop food on her. no biggie!

BObbi
 
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