We like our Graco Safeseat. Babe can use it to 30 pounds. We'll have to move on to a bigger seat eventually, of course, but the big convertible seats just seemed so big for a little baby.

Babies r Us more or less alwas has a 20% off coupon, so it was a good price, too.

 

We used the Graco SnugRider, which is a pretty common infant car seat you'll see around. I'm not crazy about the trend to have babies in these all the time (a lot of mothers move babe from car to stroller to house without ever taking them out of the seat), but I will say it was convenient for the car, and it's been especially convenient for traveling. In fact, I'm facing my first flight on Friday when DD will be too big to fit in it, and I'm already stressing about traveling with a big convertible seat.
That said, I'm just as glad I borrowed mine from a friend, because other than for travel, we switched to a convertible seat (a Britax Roundabout) in our car pretty quickly. DD hates the car seat, but she's moderately better when she's sitting more upright instead of lying back, so she likes the convertible (ours goes up to 45 pounds) better.

I do know some people who skip the infant car seat completely and go straight to the convertible, but if you think you'll be taking it in/out of the car much, the bucket infant seats like the Graco SnugRider are definitely useful.

 

I used a Graco Snugride - Emmerson for my dd. That model had good safety ratings and low toxicity ratings. The only thing I didn't like about it was the lack of head/neck support. When dd was brand new her head would just flop over. We got a head/neck support pillow things from target that made a huge difference. Once we had those instead of the one that came with the car seat dd did fine.

Before I was a mom, I swore up and down that I would NEVER leave my baby in a car seat if she wasn't in a car! Just like the OP said, some babies get moved from place to place all day long without ever being touched. Well, once I was a mom I totally had to eat my words. Granted, I don't leave dd in her car seat often, but I only have two hands, and if I am just running into the store to pick up a couple of things it is easier to carry dd in her car seat.

 

We used the Graco Safeseat for ds2 and we just recently moved him to a Britax Marathon at 16 mths. Eventhough he still fit in the safeseat, he's no where near 30lbs ,he's also not at the height limit yet either. I'm guessing we could of used the safeseat for another 6mths maybe hard to say really though (he would have outgrown it in height first).

 

Forgot to say, dd is 6.5 months old and we just bought a new car seat. She is still under the height and weight limit, but I think she will be happier sitting more upright rather than reclined. She wants to look out the window.

 

We used a Graco Snugride as well - Samuel pattern for us. My only complaint is that he outgrew the Snugride at 6 months old, before he could reliably sit up in a shopping cart or high chair, and he hates being worn (yes, I've tried a pouch, a wrap, and a mei tai). So I really can't go shopping right now without the help of another adult (one to hold baby, one to push cart). He's over 20 lbs. at 6 months old though, and tall, so he's not the norm. He's in an Evenflo Triumph now, and while it's big and bulky and horrendously heavy, it's supposed to be a great, safe seat, and it seems comfy for him.

 

http://www.target.com/Baby-Trend-Fle...20TREND&page=1
This is our bucket. I like the handle better than the Snugride's. The shade spreads out a good bit too. Its not too cushiony though. I'd never heard of this brand before but this seat had the same high safety rating as the Snugride.

 

stupid internets

 

Another Graco Snugride user here. (Here's what we have: http://www.toysrus.com/product/index...ductId=2400875 We've been very happy with it so far. He doesn't spend alot of time in the seat or stroller (since we babywear a lot) but its been great for car trips and I've used the stroller a couple times when he was fast asleep and I didn't want to disturb him by getting him out of his "bucket". Very convenient how the seat just pops into place.

 

Another Snugride user here... I liked the Safeseat, too. But the Snugride was by far the lightest of the seats we were considering, which was importatnt to me.

DD seems really happy in it, although we never liked the head supports that came with it. They made her poor head roll forward - we've used aftermarket ones since then with great success. (The Boppy one is the best of the two we've had.) Also not thrilled with how the handle moves - it squeaks and is hard to move so it wakes her up. For the price I'd buy it again, though!

She will actually sleep in her seat at night sometimes when we can't get her to sleep any way other than to put her in her stroller and walk with her! She's more comfy in that than she is being held at times.

 

I didn't like DS' bucket seat. He grew out of it in 3 months! Yes, he's huge. I didn't like how he was almost laying down, which seemed to make him motion sick.

We sized up at 2.5 months to the Evenflo Trimuph which is convertiable seat, which I like A LOT more.

We passed our BabyTrend FlexLoc on the the folks who bought it for our baby shower and their newborn. So they got to give us a gift and then also get a barely used carseat. Win Win.

 

We used the Graco Safeseat. It was a really nice seat, a little on the heavy side though, but that was fine as we only kept baby in it while carrying it for quick trips. I went with the Safeseat because My husband and I are both tall and I was figuring on having a nice long baby. I am glad I went with this one because otherwise our daughter would have outgrown the ones with smaller weight and height limits in about three months. It does take up quite a bit of room in the car though, so make sure you have enough space. We plan on using the same seat with #2.

 

We also used the Graco Snugride and went to a Britax Boulevard fairly soon after, as DS outgrew the Graco. We did like it for 1-3 months and will use it again with #2.

 

Personally I like and use the Britax Companion. It has a rebound bar that I feel is an important safety feature. There is one other seat on the market now with the rebound bar- a combi.

-Angela

 

We used the snugride with dd and decided to go with the snugride again this time around with ds. We have been very pleased with the snugride and would recommend it.

Head support has not been a problem, but our babies have been fairly big (9+lbs) with good head control from birth.

I also like how light this seat is, as we bring the seat into the house and keep it in the house. It is much easier for me to get ds into the carseat inside the house, especially in lowsy weather...so the weight of the carseat does matter a little. However, it is still too heavy/awkward to carry for more than a few minutes...not that ds or dd would ever let me! As soon as we are not moving in the car, both kids tend to wake up and want out.

 

Moving to family safety.

 

I used a Companion w/ ds3 and liked it better than the ones I'd used w/ the older 2. If the Graco Safeseat had been out, I would have gotten it instead, b/c it fits to such a bigger weight (and height?) I don't like having to put babies into a cold seat in the car in the winter, since you aren't supposed to put a baby in a coat into a car seat. I used a hot water bottle to warm up ds's convertible when he outgrew the Companion, but it would have been so much easier to have a bucket seat already warm in the house to carry out to the car.

 

Quote:

Originally Posted by alegna Personally I like and use the Britax Companion. It has a rebound bar that I feel is an important safety feature. There is one other seat on the market now with the rebound bar- a combi. -Angela

:

I loved the superior head support and the overall quality of the seat.

 

I had a Graco Snugride (2001) for my first three. When I needed a new seat for this baby I did lots of research. I was torn between the Graco Safeseat and the KeyFit 30. I finally decided on the KeyFit 30 because of the reviews of ease of installation. I've obviously not yet used it (as my baby was 'due' last week and still not here) but I'm pleased with what I see so far. It seems to have more padding all over than the Graco.

I know some go straight to the convertible carseat, but I feel much safer with my baby in the infant seat for at least a few months before doing that. I feel they're SO tiny at that point (and I don't have little babies!) and much more supported in the infant seat.

 

I have one from target, an eddie bauer one. Sometimes the seat doesnt want to lock into the car base. i called the company and they sent me a new base and said if it isnt better we will try something else. I thought that was cool of them. It only took 2 days to get here. I hate the buckle on it, it sucks.
sorry,

 

We have the KeyFit 30. It fit him really well at 6lbs. 3oz. when he came home from the hospital and it looks like he still has a good long time in it. That said, it's really, really heavy and doesn't fit into most strollers, which is fine because we mostly just leave it in the car and wear him but if you're looking for something that does that, be warned.

 

I originally wanted a Keyfit, but then I felt it. That baby is HARD. I certainly woudn't want to sit in it for a car ride. So many seats are lacking comfort, it's no wonder babies don't like the car. So, I was stuck deciding between the Companion and Safeseat1...they were the only ones I found with any kind of cushioning. We will be moving from NY to FL shortly after baby is born, so I was especially concerned with comfort for a long car ride. In the end I went with the Safeseat1 because we originally going to be driving to FL to my parents' for a couple months and then flying to Puerto Rico (where we were originally being transferred) and I wanted to be sure the baby would fit in the seat until then. My kids are notoriously long early on, and even with the newer height limits on infant seats, there was a good chance it would be outgrown. I got the Safeseat with memory foam in it and it is soooo nice and cushy feeling. I really think people overlook the baby's comfort in a seat when shopping around. Safety comes first, obviously, but after you decide what you feel is safest check for comfort, too.

Also...those of you whose babies outgrew the seat too early to use the bucket in a restaurant, etc...when DS outgrew his snugride at 3mos, I got him a RA and kept his snugride in the trunk for those random times we needed it, like shopping if he didn't want to be held, or sitting in a restaurant where I wanted a clean place to put him down.

 

From everything I have read and seen I will probably get a SafeSeat with this next baby. I have big babies and really want to keep them in a bucket seat for a while. The safe seat is 30lbs 32in. I looked at the ChiccoKeyfit30 but is only 30lb30in. My last baby was born 9lb8oz & 22 in

 

I have only used a bucket seat with DD#2 and personally I really like using a convertible seat from the beginning. I have had a Graco brand (for DD#1) and now I have a Britax Marathon for DD#3. When we had to go places where we needed to put her down like a resturant we brought our bouncy seat and it worked out fine.

 

Quote:

Originally Posted by SaraC I have only used a bucket seat with DD#2 and personally I really like using a convertible seat from the beginning. I have had a Graco brand (for DD#1) and now I have a Britax Marathon for DD#3.

FWIW in general, britax convertibles aren't good for newborns. The lowest strap setting is too high for most newborns to fit safely.

-Angela