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highgoals2
Where can I find car seat/stroller travel systems for girls that are NOT pink and under $200?
I live in northern Indiana. I can order online (for stores that offer online purchases)
Answer
Things to consider. Why? I mean, except for transporting your baby in the car, a car seat should not be used for things like riding in the stroller, or on shopping carts, or things like that. It comes from the studies done in the last year or so that shows that a baby left to sleep or sit in an inclined position for too long can get into an oxygen lowered state. Ie, it's not good for them to be in an inclined position like a car seat for longer than 2 hours full in a day, until they're older than about 6 months old.
Now, since recalls done on strollers are far less than recalls done on car seats, you can get the stroller from someone selling second-hand (just doublecheck recall lists) and get a better car seat. The Chicco brand stroller, for instance, lays flat, making it usable from newborn on up. :) On Ebay, I can see a few for under $100 (make sure they say fully reclining.) I'm sure you could find some at Craigslist as well. :) Otherwise, you could consider using a baby chest carrier for the first few months until your baby is old enough (3-6 months) to sit at a slight incline, then you can get a stroller that nearly reclines all the way.
If you do that, my favorite travel system is the Baby Trend, at least to recommend to people. It's under $200, the car seat is one of the top safety rated (though the buckles are a pain in the neck I'll warn you now), and the stroller is a jogger that you can use as a stroller. I LOVE ours. They recline far enough back for about 2+months, so I wouldn't put a newborn in it, but if you can last the 2 months then it lasts to 40lbs. Only negative is that the basket is only rated to carry 5lbs, so you can't bring a huge diaper bag with you (or if you do you have to carry it.)
Shoot though. If you're dead set on a travel system, you can always find someone selling the stroller that goes with a travel system, buy that for a cheaper price, and then use the rest of the money to get the car seat, and get it cheaper that way. But I'm not a fan of travel systems. To me it seems like it ropes folks into thinking a baby should sleep in the car seat and it's just not safe.
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Things to consider. Why? I mean, except for transporting your baby in the car, a car seat should not be used for things like riding in the stroller, or on shopping carts, or things like that. It comes from the studies done in the last year or so that shows that a baby left to sleep or sit in an inclined position for too long can get into an oxygen lowered state. Ie, it's not good for them to be in an inclined position like a car seat for longer than 2 hours full in a day, until they're older than about 6 months old.
Now, since recalls done on strollers are far less than recalls done on car seats, you can get the stroller from someone selling second-hand (just doublecheck recall lists) and get a better car seat. The Chicco brand stroller, for instance, lays flat, making it usable from newborn on up. :) On Ebay, I can see a few for under $100 (make sure they say fully reclining.) I'm sure you could find some at Craigslist as well. :) Otherwise, you could consider using a baby chest carrier for the first few months until your baby is old enough (3-6 months) to sit at a slight incline, then you can get a stroller that nearly reclines all the way.
If you do that, my favorite travel system is the Baby Trend, at least to recommend to people. It's under $200, the car seat is one of the top safety rated (though the buckles are a pain in the neck I'll warn you now), and the stroller is a jogger that you can use as a stroller. I LOVE ours. They recline far enough back for about 2+months, so I wouldn't put a newborn in it, but if you can last the 2 months then it lasts to 40lbs. Only negative is that the basket is only rated to carry 5lbs, so you can't bring a huge diaper bag with you (or if you do you have to carry it.)
Shoot though. If you're dead set on a travel system, you can always find someone selling the stroller that goes with a travel system, buy that for a cheaper price, and then use the rest of the money to get the car seat, and get it cheaper that way. But I'm not a fan of travel systems. To me it seems like it ropes folks into thinking a baby should sleep in the car seat and it's just not safe.
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best infant car seat under $100?
siren
Looking for everyones opinion. I want something that doesn't weight 100 lbs! I'd also like for the straps to be adjustable in the front. I'm having a girl so if its got a cute girly design that a great plus!
I thought those Gracos didn't have the adjustable straps in the front....
ok nevermind, I found the different snugrides that do have the front adjustments. the pattern I had seen did not have it
Answer
The car seat tech faves are Chicco Keyfit22 and Keyfit30 (exact same seats, just one is tested to 22lbs, one to 30lbS), Graco Safeseat1, and Graco Snugride. So in your price range are the Safeseat and Snugride. Both come in girly patterns. The Snugride does come in a front adjust - and you're right to want to make sure you get it that way, the rear adjust is a pain in the rear! Safeseat goes to 30lbs and boatsts it will last 99% of kids to at least their 1st bday and many kids longer than that. But b/c of that it is bigger than the average infant seat. Its incredibly easy to install with the built-in lockoff, though.
Whatever you do - even though Evenflo has a cute girly pattern steer clear of Evenflo Infant seats. They're cheaply made, and have lots of frequent recalls and bad recall fixes. :( They definitely have not perfected the infant seat out there at Evenflo.
Personally - I'm not an infant carrier fan at all, but those are the tips if you're set on getting one. Good luck!
P.S. In case you're interested, here's why I don't advocate infant carrier seats:
It is really completely up to your preference, but, here's my 2cents. Personally, I'd pick out an awesome stroller (since the ones that come in a travel system often aren't all that great!) b/c the stroller is the part that you will be using for the next 3-4 years. You really need to like it, and have it be quality so you don't find yourself with a busted stroller in a year. Also, you can save money by purchasing a high quality used stroller, whereas if you buy a travel system, you can't get it used b/c it is not safe to get a used car seat. You could however, get a used stroller and check its compatibility, and get a car seat new that would work with it. That's what I did.
All that said - as a single parent on a seriously limited income, I now realize I should've completely skipped the infant carrier stage. Its not a 'needed' stage in car seats, its just a convenience thing, and a recent - as in the last 15 years or so - invention to have a stay in car base and separate carrier. Here's why I think its a waste: doesn't last babies very long at all. You spend $60 and up on this carrier that is only going to last 5-8 months! And then you have to purchase a convertible car seat, and somewhere down the line a booster seat. If you skip the carrier phase, you just eliminated one seat. There is now one carrier on the market that promises to fit 99% of babies up to at least their first birthday - Graco SafeSeat1, goes to 30lbs. However, there are limitations to this awesome seat. It really will fit most kids that long, but that's a catch-22. You really going to carry your 25lbs baby in a carrier?! My son was a BIG baby (still is a BIG kid!) and outgrew his carrier at 4 months. And, after baby gets above 10lbs or so, they are a pain in the butt to carry - quite awkward. So its not as convenient as it may at first seem. And some of the 'convenient' ways people use them aren't good.
Carriers should NEVER be placed on grocery carts. It makes the carts unstable and they can tip over, seriously injuring the baby. Also, not all car seats fit all carts, and they don't lock on, they're just sitting there, posing an obvious threat. And some of the carts are shaped or sized in a way that it puts the carrier at an unsafe/uncomfortable angle for the baby. I've seen babies laying in carriers on carts with their head lower than their feet - not a good idea for digestion or spit up.
The American Academy of Pediatrics says Parents and caregivers should never Place an infant carrier on top of the shopping cart. "Many infant-only car safety seats lock into shopping carts, and many stores have shopping carts with built-in infant seats. This may seem safe, but thousands of children are hurt every year from falling out of shopping carts or from the carts tipping over. Instead of placing your baby's car safety seat on the cart, consider using a stroller or front pack while shopping with your baby. "
Also, we are seeing rampant developmental delays becuase babies are in these carriers (and swings, and bouncy seats...) so much. Look around everywhere you go and instead of holding their babies, people have them in these carriers. When on their back and harnessed (and any time a child is in a carrier, he needs to be harnessed, even though its not in a car!) they can not work the muscles they need to develop to crawl, sit up, and walk. In the manuals for these carriers, it even says specifically 'for use in cars and strollers only'! But we all seem to miss that part.
So I highly recommend skipping the carrier phase. I think they are more a pain than a blessing, and a wasted of money if you don't have a lot to throw around. Instead, get a convertible car seat that will fit a newborn (more on that later) and a sling, pouch, or wrap. Not one of those silly snugli or infantino carriers, but something like a ringsling, moby, or maya wrap. Wearing your baby gives everybody what they need. Babies get much needed closeness to mom (or dad, or anyone else for that matter!) and you get your hands free to do what you need to do, as well as you can even breastfeed in one! They offer many different positions to use them in, too, and go higher than carrier car seat weights (20-22lbs). Most go to at least 35lbs, so you will get much more use out of it for your money.
OK - so if you choose to skip the carrier phase, be careful about the convertible car seat you choose, b/c not all will fit newborns well. You want it to have low bottom slots.
Perfect options:
The Evenflo Triumph Advance (not the original Triumph, make sure it says Advance) is a great seat. $150 version at Babies R Us has padding similar to Britax seats, top slots of 17", harnesses to 35lbs rear facing, and 50lbs forward facing. $120 Walmart version just has little less plush padding. Wide open belt path, easy to install, though it doesn't have built in lockoffs. The harness adjusts at the front of the car seat, you don't have to take the car seat out of the car just to raise/lower the straps. It's one of only 2 seats that does this (The Britax Boulevard is the other, I believE), and it has infinite harness adjustment so the harness always fits perfectly until its outgrown. No more tugging straps to tighten them either. You tighten and loosen the harness using knobs on the side of the seat. As a major bonus, it can be used in a recline position even in forward facing mode. Awesome for kids who still sleep in the car. I LOVE THIS SEAT! LOL My son, who is too big for every other car seat at Walmart has the same amount of room in this as the Britax Marathon.
Cosco Scenera - $50 at Walmart/Kmart/Target. Great seat for the price. Goes up to 35lbs rear facing, 40lbs forward facing. Great rear facing seat, but is outgrown very quickly forward facing b/c of short top slots and short shell. You'll still get you're $50 worth out of it, though, as it will last most kids to at least 2 years, quadruple the amount of time of an infant seat!
As you're shopping, remember these rules about seats:
1)the BEST seat is the one that fits your child, fits your car, and will be used correctly 100% of the time. (This is why convenience features DO make a difference and ARE worth the money! If its easy to use, you're more likely to use it correctly.
2)Children should stay rear facing AS LNOG AS POSSIBLE!!!! The 20lbs/1 year rule is outdated and provides a bare minimum for turning kids forward facing. The American Academy of Pediatrics and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration both recommend keeping kids rear facing as long as possible, up to the limits of their seat, preferably until at least 2 years of age. For good reason: A forward-facing child under 2 years old is 4 times more likely to be killed or seriously injured in a crash than a rear-facing child of the same age. A child's vertabrae do not fully fuse until 3-6 years old, before then, she is at great risk for internal decapitation. The spinal column can stretch up to 2 inches in a crash BUT the spinal cord can only stretch up to 1/4 inch before it snaps and baby is gone. In other countries, rear facing 2 - 3 - 4 year olds is standard, they understand that its safer. Here, we turn them as soon as we get to, seeing it as a right of passage thing or something. Ridiculous. Most convertible seats have a 30lbs rear facing limit, Cosco/Dorel/Safety1st/Eddie Bauer seats rear face to 35lbs, Britax rear faces to 33lbs.
3)Once you do turn them forward facing, they need to stay in a 5 point harness as long as possible. 4 years/40lbs is the minimum for riding in a booster, and most 4 year olds have no business using one yet. If they can't sit upright for an entire trip, they need the harness of a car seat still. And, even if they do sit properly, a 5 point harness is safer, so you want to keep them in one as long as possible. This is important to consider b/c most car seats only forward face to 40lbs. My son just turned 3, and is in the 95th% for height and weight - 40" tall and weighs 41lbs. He outgrew the 40lbs seats shortly after his 2nd birthday. It was a total waste of money. He now has a Britax Marathon, which goes to 65lbs, and will be able to fit it for some time yet. If I'd have bought it when he was born, I could have had one car seat this whole time instead of the 3 I wasted money on. They are more expensive for many reasons, this is one.
The car seat tech faves are Chicco Keyfit22 and Keyfit30 (exact same seats, just one is tested to 22lbs, one to 30lbS), Graco Safeseat1, and Graco Snugride. So in your price range are the Safeseat and Snugride. Both come in girly patterns. The Snugride does come in a front adjust - and you're right to want to make sure you get it that way, the rear adjust is a pain in the rear! Safeseat goes to 30lbs and boatsts it will last 99% of kids to at least their 1st bday and many kids longer than that. But b/c of that it is bigger than the average infant seat. Its incredibly easy to install with the built-in lockoff, though.
Whatever you do - even though Evenflo has a cute girly pattern steer clear of Evenflo Infant seats. They're cheaply made, and have lots of frequent recalls and bad recall fixes. :( They definitely have not perfected the infant seat out there at Evenflo.
Personally - I'm not an infant carrier fan at all, but those are the tips if you're set on getting one. Good luck!
P.S. In case you're interested, here's why I don't advocate infant carrier seats:
It is really completely up to your preference, but, here's my 2cents. Personally, I'd pick out an awesome stroller (since the ones that come in a travel system often aren't all that great!) b/c the stroller is the part that you will be using for the next 3-4 years. You really need to like it, and have it be quality so you don't find yourself with a busted stroller in a year. Also, you can save money by purchasing a high quality used stroller, whereas if you buy a travel system, you can't get it used b/c it is not safe to get a used car seat. You could however, get a used stroller and check its compatibility, and get a car seat new that would work with it. That's what I did.
All that said - as a single parent on a seriously limited income, I now realize I should've completely skipped the infant carrier stage. Its not a 'needed' stage in car seats, its just a convenience thing, and a recent - as in the last 15 years or so - invention to have a stay in car base and separate carrier. Here's why I think its a waste: doesn't last babies very long at all. You spend $60 and up on this carrier that is only going to last 5-8 months! And then you have to purchase a convertible car seat, and somewhere down the line a booster seat. If you skip the carrier phase, you just eliminated one seat. There is now one carrier on the market that promises to fit 99% of babies up to at least their first birthday - Graco SafeSeat1, goes to 30lbs. However, there are limitations to this awesome seat. It really will fit most kids that long, but that's a catch-22. You really going to carry your 25lbs baby in a carrier?! My son was a BIG baby (still is a BIG kid!) and outgrew his carrier at 4 months. And, after baby gets above 10lbs or so, they are a pain in the butt to carry - quite awkward. So its not as convenient as it may at first seem. And some of the 'convenient' ways people use them aren't good.
Carriers should NEVER be placed on grocery carts. It makes the carts unstable and they can tip over, seriously injuring the baby. Also, not all car seats fit all carts, and they don't lock on, they're just sitting there, posing an obvious threat. And some of the carts are shaped or sized in a way that it puts the carrier at an unsafe/uncomfortable angle for the baby. I've seen babies laying in carriers on carts with their head lower than their feet - not a good idea for digestion or spit up.
The American Academy of Pediatrics says Parents and caregivers should never Place an infant carrier on top of the shopping cart. "Many infant-only car safety seats lock into shopping carts, and many stores have shopping carts with built-in infant seats. This may seem safe, but thousands of children are hurt every year from falling out of shopping carts or from the carts tipping over. Instead of placing your baby's car safety seat on the cart, consider using a stroller or front pack while shopping with your baby. "
Also, we are seeing rampant developmental delays becuase babies are in these carriers (and swings, and bouncy seats...) so much. Look around everywhere you go and instead of holding their babies, people have them in these carriers. When on their back and harnessed (and any time a child is in a carrier, he needs to be harnessed, even though its not in a car!) they can not work the muscles they need to develop to crawl, sit up, and walk. In the manuals for these carriers, it even says specifically 'for use in cars and strollers only'! But we all seem to miss that part.
So I highly recommend skipping the carrier phase. I think they are more a pain than a blessing, and a wasted of money if you don't have a lot to throw around. Instead, get a convertible car seat that will fit a newborn (more on that later) and a sling, pouch, or wrap. Not one of those silly snugli or infantino carriers, but something like a ringsling, moby, or maya wrap. Wearing your baby gives everybody what they need. Babies get much needed closeness to mom (or dad, or anyone else for that matter!) and you get your hands free to do what you need to do, as well as you can even breastfeed in one! They offer many different positions to use them in, too, and go higher than carrier car seat weights (20-22lbs). Most go to at least 35lbs, so you will get much more use out of it for your money.
OK - so if you choose to skip the carrier phase, be careful about the convertible car seat you choose, b/c not all will fit newborns well. You want it to have low bottom slots.
Perfect options:
The Evenflo Triumph Advance (not the original Triumph, make sure it says Advance) is a great seat. $150 version at Babies R Us has padding similar to Britax seats, top slots of 17", harnesses to 35lbs rear facing, and 50lbs forward facing. $120 Walmart version just has little less plush padding. Wide open belt path, easy to install, though it doesn't have built in lockoffs. The harness adjusts at the front of the car seat, you don't have to take the car seat out of the car just to raise/lower the straps. It's one of only 2 seats that does this (The Britax Boulevard is the other, I believE), and it has infinite harness adjustment so the harness always fits perfectly until its outgrown. No more tugging straps to tighten them either. You tighten and loosen the harness using knobs on the side of the seat. As a major bonus, it can be used in a recline position even in forward facing mode. Awesome for kids who still sleep in the car. I LOVE THIS SEAT! LOL My son, who is too big for every other car seat at Walmart has the same amount of room in this as the Britax Marathon.
Cosco Scenera - $50 at Walmart/Kmart/Target. Great seat for the price. Goes up to 35lbs rear facing, 40lbs forward facing. Great rear facing seat, but is outgrown very quickly forward facing b/c of short top slots and short shell. You'll still get you're $50 worth out of it, though, as it will last most kids to at least 2 years, quadruple the amount of time of an infant seat!
As you're shopping, remember these rules about seats:
1)the BEST seat is the one that fits your child, fits your car, and will be used correctly 100% of the time. (This is why convenience features DO make a difference and ARE worth the money! If its easy to use, you're more likely to use it correctly.
2)Children should stay rear facing AS LNOG AS POSSIBLE!!!! The 20lbs/1 year rule is outdated and provides a bare minimum for turning kids forward facing. The American Academy of Pediatrics and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration both recommend keeping kids rear facing as long as possible, up to the limits of their seat, preferably until at least 2 years of age. For good reason: A forward-facing child under 2 years old is 4 times more likely to be killed or seriously injured in a crash than a rear-facing child of the same age. A child's vertabrae do not fully fuse until 3-6 years old, before then, she is at great risk for internal decapitation. The spinal column can stretch up to 2 inches in a crash BUT the spinal cord can only stretch up to 1/4 inch before it snaps and baby is gone. In other countries, rear facing 2 - 3 - 4 year olds is standard, they understand that its safer. Here, we turn them as soon as we get to, seeing it as a right of passage thing or something. Ridiculous. Most convertible seats have a 30lbs rear facing limit, Cosco/Dorel/Safety1st/Eddie Bauer seats rear face to 35lbs, Britax rear faces to 33lbs.
3)Once you do turn them forward facing, they need to stay in a 5 point harness as long as possible. 4 years/40lbs is the minimum for riding in a booster, and most 4 year olds have no business using one yet. If they can't sit upright for an entire trip, they need the harness of a car seat still. And, even if they do sit properly, a 5 point harness is safer, so you want to keep them in one as long as possible. This is important to consider b/c most car seats only forward face to 40lbs. My son just turned 3, and is in the 95th% for height and weight - 40" tall and weighs 41lbs. He outgrew the 40lbs seats shortly after his 2nd birthday. It was a total waste of money. He now has a Britax Marathon, which goes to 65lbs, and will be able to fit it for some time yet. If I'd have bought it when he was born, I could have had one car seat this whole time instead of the 3 I wasted money on. They are more expensive for many reasons, this is one.
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