Let's Talk Baby Car Seats and Off Gassing

Personally, I'd rather get a seat that is really fantastically safe and just wash the cover and then let it all air out for a while. I have a Britax Marathon in my car, my mom has a Graco in hers. DD LOVES riding in her Britax--she is just so happy and comfortable. Plus, that thing is rock solid in my car--you would think it was part of the actual car--it doesn't move or shift even a millimeter. My mom's Graco make DD miserable--she complains about how uncomfortable she is and the seat shifts all over the car. Its just not safe. I love the Marathon too because DD can stay in it until 65 pounds, and I personally believe in keeping them in a 5-point harness for as long as possible.

I never had the Companion--Britax developed their infant seat after DD was born. I will reuse her Peg Perego infant seat for this baby entirely for financial reasons, but if I was starting all over I would buy the Companion just based on Britax's reputation for safety alone. Plus, the height and weight limit is higher on the Companion, so the baby can stay in it a lot longer. DD outgrew her Peg when she was 5 months old, which was rough!

Hello, I'm new to the board, but I do have some opinions on this as I am a Child Passenger Safety Tech and do a lot of research on car seats. As far as the study on toxic carseats, I read another article that I can't find now or I'd post it. But it basically said 1. Your actual car is probably more toxic than the carseat 2. There isn't enough information about how they did the study 3. If your child isn't eating the seat then you should be fine 4. car seats save lifes-period. The infant seat I'm using rated the worse for toxins and although I don't like it, I'm not going to return it. The most important thing with picking a car seat is that you use it properly and have it installed properly. As far as buying a seat early to off gas it, you also have to consider that all car seats expire, so you will be limiting your useful life by buying it too early (or you can buy one that's already a year old-like I did-but I got a reduced price so it was worth it to me). My infant seat will expire in 2013, so I'm sure I will be done having children before then. But for a convertible seat, getting a current DOM is more important, IMO, so you don't need to replace it as soon.

I don't have personal experience with the Companion, but I do like the anti-rebound feature (with is why I bought the Combi Centre-it is the only infant seat with that feature that I know of and it was much cheaper). Britax seats aren't necessarily safer, but they are easier to use for most people thus the great safety reputation. I own Britax seats for both of my children, mainly because I think they are great value for the money because they last longer with higher weight limits/taller top slots, and I have big kids.

If a Marathon will fit a newborn has more to do with the babies height in their torso. The bottom slots on the Marathon can be up to an inch over the babies shoulders, but that means about a 10 inch torso. Since I have two other children to get into the car, I decided on an infant seat for this one. But I would get a less expensive infant seat and put more money to a great convertible seat. As long as an infant seat has a 5 point harness, it should be fine. If it also adjusts in the front all the easier to use!

Quote:
Thanks!! Although one thing is wrong on the list -- the baby doesn't have to eat something toxic to be harmed. Chemicals harm us as we breathe them in. But otherwise, it all makes sense! I am also aware that I won't be doing long drives for quite a while, and that helps me make peace with my choice.

I am on my last baby, so shelf life of the seat means nothing to me. I would rather off-gas for several months so baby won't breath in toxic fumes from the seat. I am so sensitive to chemicals, as are several people in my family, so it makes sense for us.

Thanks for all the input! Perfect!

We are going to get a Marathon for this baby. I helped my sister install hers and was very impressed with it. My friends who have used the Marathon from birth haven't had any problems with it fitting an average 7-8 pound baby and I know lots of kids that have used it up to the full 65 pounds.

Besides, my infant seat that DS and DD used is now over 6 years old so it's not safe to use in the car anymore, and I'm too cheap to buy another one. I'm not too worried about not having a "bucket" type infant seat because with DD we generally just went from the carseat to the sling and back, and never took the seat out anyway. I found it was easier to take her out and sling her then to haul the heavy bucket around while trying to hold DS's hand. But I was still fretting a little because there are a times (like at restaurants) where it really helps to have the infant seat to set the new baby in for a few minutes while you help the other kids or whatever, and wouldn't I miss it in those moments? My friend's very practical solution for me? Get the Marathon, and just put my old infant seat in the trunk to carry in to restaurants/stores on those rare occasions. Duh, I had to laugh at the simplicity of it...

I also like to keep my kids in a 5 point harness as long as possible, and my kids are not particularly heavy or tall, so I figure we will get a full 6 years of use out of the Marathon... definitely makes it cost effective in the long run! I will wait and buy it close to the birth though. I'm less concerned about off-gassing than about getting my full 6 years of use out of it. :