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carcar
i want to save money by not having to buy a new car seat for my newborn (she'll be coming in october)
i've been looking at travel systems but it looks like they usually only work for babies up to 20 pounds, while if i were to buy a stroller and car seat separate, it looks like they can accomodate babies up to 40 pounds...
i'm so confused and i really need advice on this
what should i buy before the baby comes!!
http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/ref=sc_pfc_r_4_0_1041968/602-1231252-8529404?ie=UTF8&frombrowse=1&asin=B000E0IKT4
this is kind of what i was looking at, and buying the car seat that fits.
but really-- i'm so clueless and i don't have close friends or sisters or anything to offer advice and the last kid my mom had was in 89 so... her advice is a littttttle outdated!
Answer
If you're going to go with an infant seat (you could just skip that step and use a convertible designed for use with infants through preschoolers) then I would definitely check out the Graco Safeseat1. It will last your baby longer than any other infant carrier on the market, as it allows for taller and heavier babies, or, for smaller babies, will last a long time. It will last most babies for at least their first year. Most infant carriers are outgrown between 4-6 months of age, and then you have to move to a rear facing convertible car seat. With a Safeseat, some babies fit until they are 18 months old!
The best thing for you to do would be to visit a baby boutique (here we have Babyland and USA Baby) or Babies R Us and try out the seat in your car. The BEST car seat is the one that 1)fits your baby, you won't be able to tell this yet, but any infant seat should be fine on this count
2)fits your car - this is what you want to make absolutely sure of. Car seats are NOT universal.
3)will be used correctly each and every time. Make sure that you are able to easily install it correctly, or plan on leaving it alone. Make sure the carrier is easy for you to put on and off the base so that you'll be assured to do it correctly every time. Make sure the harness adjuster (the strap you pull to tighten the harness) is easy for you to use.
Those are things to look at, and then, once you've picked a particular brand and model, choose a pattern. Infant seats come in lots of patterns. Here's some things to steer clear of:
1)Used seats: gigantic no-no see links below.
2)3 point harnesses. Babies have managed to slip out of them, especially if it is a very small baby or a preemie. There becomes a huge gap between the crotch strap and the baby's pelvic area, with no belts over the hips to help make it fit better. Check the pics out in this thread on car-seat.org: http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=14982&highlight=three+point+harness and here: http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=21450&highlight=three+point+harness
ON the other hand, it really could be a savings to you to skip the infant seat altogether, and pick out a great stroller that will last you as long as you need it, since lots of the travel system strollers are kind of crappy in my opinion. You could go straight to a convertible car seat that can be used for a newborn through toddler. If you get one with high harness slots (where the harness is at the shoulders) and a high weight limit, you may even be able to get by with one seat for 4-6 years! Remembering of course, that car seats expire 6 years after the date of manufacture. Some GREAT choices:
Evenflo Triumph Advance (NOT the original Triumph, the Advance is different: rear faces to 35lbs, forward faces to 50lbs, will last the average child until 5 years of age. For a newborn, I'd go with the $150 version at Babies R Us, it has more supportive padding. This car seat is awesome. The harness has endless height adjustment, meaning, you put it exactly where it supposed to be, AND you get to move it without taking the seat out of the car, without re-threading the harness straps. No other car seat does this. And there is no pain in the butt strap to pull to tighten the harness - you tighten and loosen it using the knobs on the sides. There is a less padded version at Walmart/Target for $130. Wide open belt path makes it easy to install. And even once it is forward facing, it can still be reclined, great for when toddlers sleep. 17" top slots.
Fisher Price Safe Voyage Deluxe. This seat is made by Britax for Fisher Price, it is a watered down Britax Marathon. Britax quality at less than half the cost! About $150, cheaper on sale online. Rear faces to 33lbs, forward faces to 55lbs. Easy to install. Lasts most kids 5-6 years. 17" top slots.
Britax Marathon - this one may not fit the tiniest newborns - though it is supposed to go from 5lbs like the others. You will need rolled up blankets on the babies sides as it doesn't come with any newborn padding. Pay extra for a Britax Boulevard or Decathalon and it comes with the newborn padding. Rear faces to 33lbs, forward faces to 65lbs, top slots are 17" tall. Will last most kids 5-6 years. Many 6 year olds still fit in it. Also, it can be tethered rear facing (read instructions!) giving added security. Has built-in lockoffs so you never have to use a locking clip (trus me, they'er a pain!) which is needed in vehicles pre-1997 or w/seatbelts that don't lock. Easiest car seat I've ever installed in my life, no matter what car I put it in it goes in in under 2 minutes. Yes, its expensive, but worth every penny b/c of how long it lasts, and the added features that make it easy to use.
That's about it. I really wouldn't bother with any model that only goes to 40lbs. Kids should be kept in a 5 point harness as long as possible, and a seat that only goes to 40lbs will only keep the average child in it till 4 years old! No 4 year old should be using a booster seat! Save yourself buying another harnessed seat later.
Remember these things:
1) the best car seat fits your car, your child, and will be used correctly 100% of the time
2) kids should stay rear facing AS LONG AS POSSIBLE! Not just to 20lbs/1 year. See links for why.
3) after being turned forward, kids should stay in a 5 point harness as long as possible. Being graduated from each car seat stage is not something to be looked at with anticipation - each stage marks lesser safety.
Do a search on any of the seats listed above and you'll find sites that have them. The Evenflo TRiumph Advanced you can find locally, though. The other two are going to be cheapest online.
www.elitecarseats.com
www.albeebaby.com
www.babiesrus.com
P.S. If it were me - you can tell my preference is to skip the carrier - it is a total pet peeve of mine. People use those carriers too much! I see babies sitting in them everywhere BUT the car! Grocery stores, garage sales, church, nurseries, doctor's offices, its rediculous. They are car seats, or to be used on strollers. Even the instructions are specific saying not to keep babies in them for several hours. It's not good for a baby. Babies are meant to be held. Get a convertible seat, then take the money you saved by not having to buy a carrier and then a convertible, too, and use it to buy a sling. Babies LOVE them, you can breastfeed discretely in them, and it keeps your hands free. MeiTei carriers are great, as are ring slings.
If you're going to go with an infant seat (you could just skip that step and use a convertible designed for use with infants through preschoolers) then I would definitely check out the Graco Safeseat1. It will last your baby longer than any other infant carrier on the market, as it allows for taller and heavier babies, or, for smaller babies, will last a long time. It will last most babies for at least their first year. Most infant carriers are outgrown between 4-6 months of age, and then you have to move to a rear facing convertible car seat. With a Safeseat, some babies fit until they are 18 months old!
The best thing for you to do would be to visit a baby boutique (here we have Babyland and USA Baby) or Babies R Us and try out the seat in your car. The BEST car seat is the one that 1)fits your baby, you won't be able to tell this yet, but any infant seat should be fine on this count
2)fits your car - this is what you want to make absolutely sure of. Car seats are NOT universal.
3)will be used correctly each and every time. Make sure that you are able to easily install it correctly, or plan on leaving it alone. Make sure the carrier is easy for you to put on and off the base so that you'll be assured to do it correctly every time. Make sure the harness adjuster (the strap you pull to tighten the harness) is easy for you to use.
Those are things to look at, and then, once you've picked a particular brand and model, choose a pattern. Infant seats come in lots of patterns. Here's some things to steer clear of:
1)Used seats: gigantic no-no see links below.
2)3 point harnesses. Babies have managed to slip out of them, especially if it is a very small baby or a preemie. There becomes a huge gap between the crotch strap and the baby's pelvic area, with no belts over the hips to help make it fit better. Check the pics out in this thread on car-seat.org: http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=14982&highlight=three+point+harness and here: http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=21450&highlight=three+point+harness
ON the other hand, it really could be a savings to you to skip the infant seat altogether, and pick out a great stroller that will last you as long as you need it, since lots of the travel system strollers are kind of crappy in my opinion. You could go straight to a convertible car seat that can be used for a newborn through toddler. If you get one with high harness slots (where the harness is at the shoulders) and a high weight limit, you may even be able to get by with one seat for 4-6 years! Remembering of course, that car seats expire 6 years after the date of manufacture. Some GREAT choices:
Evenflo Triumph Advance (NOT the original Triumph, the Advance is different: rear faces to 35lbs, forward faces to 50lbs, will last the average child until 5 years of age. For a newborn, I'd go with the $150 version at Babies R Us, it has more supportive padding. This car seat is awesome. The harness has endless height adjustment, meaning, you put it exactly where it supposed to be, AND you get to move it without taking the seat out of the car, without re-threading the harness straps. No other car seat does this. And there is no pain in the butt strap to pull to tighten the harness - you tighten and loosen it using the knobs on the sides. There is a less padded version at Walmart/Target for $130. Wide open belt path makes it easy to install. And even once it is forward facing, it can still be reclined, great for when toddlers sleep. 17" top slots.
Fisher Price Safe Voyage Deluxe. This seat is made by Britax for Fisher Price, it is a watered down Britax Marathon. Britax quality at less than half the cost! About $150, cheaper on sale online. Rear faces to 33lbs, forward faces to 55lbs. Easy to install. Lasts most kids 5-6 years. 17" top slots.
Britax Marathon - this one may not fit the tiniest newborns - though it is supposed to go from 5lbs like the others. You will need rolled up blankets on the babies sides as it doesn't come with any newborn padding. Pay extra for a Britax Boulevard or Decathalon and it comes with the newborn padding. Rear faces to 33lbs, forward faces to 65lbs, top slots are 17" tall. Will last most kids 5-6 years. Many 6 year olds still fit in it. Also, it can be tethered rear facing (read instructions!) giving added security. Has built-in lockoffs so you never have to use a locking clip (trus me, they'er a pain!) which is needed in vehicles pre-1997 or w/seatbelts that don't lock. Easiest car seat I've ever installed in my life, no matter what car I put it in it goes in in under 2 minutes. Yes, its expensive, but worth every penny b/c of how long it lasts, and the added features that make it easy to use.
That's about it. I really wouldn't bother with any model that only goes to 40lbs. Kids should be kept in a 5 point harness as long as possible, and a seat that only goes to 40lbs will only keep the average child in it till 4 years old! No 4 year old should be using a booster seat! Save yourself buying another harnessed seat later.
Remember these things:
1) the best car seat fits your car, your child, and will be used correctly 100% of the time
2) kids should stay rear facing AS LONG AS POSSIBLE! Not just to 20lbs/1 year. See links for why.
3) after being turned forward, kids should stay in a 5 point harness as long as possible. Being graduated from each car seat stage is not something to be looked at with anticipation - each stage marks lesser safety.
Do a search on any of the seats listed above and you'll find sites that have them. The Evenflo TRiumph Advanced you can find locally, though. The other two are going to be cheapest online.
www.elitecarseats.com
www.albeebaby.com
www.babiesrus.com
P.S. If it were me - you can tell my preference is to skip the carrier - it is a total pet peeve of mine. People use those carriers too much! I see babies sitting in them everywhere BUT the car! Grocery stores, garage sales, church, nurseries, doctor's offices, its rediculous. They are car seats, or to be used on strollers. Even the instructions are specific saying not to keep babies in them for several hours. It's not good for a baby. Babies are meant to be held. Get a convertible seat, then take the money you saved by not having to buy a carrier and then a convertible, too, and use it to buy a sling. Babies LOVE them, you can breastfeed discretely in them, and it keeps your hands free. MeiTei carriers are great, as are ring slings.
travel system vs. separate car seat & stroller?
Kalyy
whats your preference?
Answer
Separate car seat and stroller.
A travel system is a car seat that comes with a particular stroller. The stroller typically is larger than a normal stroller because it has to hold the car seat without tipping. The car seat sits on the stroller, increasing the time that the baby spends in a car seat... and while a car seat is the safest place to ride in a car it decreases oxygen levels for a baby to ride in there long and it's not a recommended sleeping surface. I have never seen a stroller that was easy to maneuver and was lightweight with a travel system... and that's because they HAVE to be sturdy and hard to tip to hold that car seat on them.
I don't have a problem with a baby-bucket/infant car seat, there are situations where they are very useful (extreme weather, mosquitoes and other bugs, very small babies, etc.) Where I live, it gets very cold and we used an infant seat but kept it in the car. You are not allowed to put a baby in a car seat with a coat on, but you can put them in layered thermal outfits. The coat will compress in an accident and the baby could slide right out. With layered clothes though they're warm and it won't compress. I didn't have a problem with putting him in his car seat while it had been sitting out in the cold, but if it was very cold then I warmed the car up before taking him out there. We used a baby carrier (Ergo) and he preferred that over being in a car seat once we got to a place, it was much warmer against mommy than being left in his seat.
But I don't see why you have to have a stroller come with the car seat. Ever.
My favorite combination is for someone to get a moby wrap, ergo, or some other baby carrier that snuggles the baby to them, get the car seat they want and that will fit their car, budget and baby, and then put off the stroller for a few months. At 4-6 months old, the baby can fit in any stroller and sit up so it's not an issue... and mom can get the stroller that suits them for the next few years instead of the stroller that suits the car seat.
Separate car seat and stroller.
A travel system is a car seat that comes with a particular stroller. The stroller typically is larger than a normal stroller because it has to hold the car seat without tipping. The car seat sits on the stroller, increasing the time that the baby spends in a car seat... and while a car seat is the safest place to ride in a car it decreases oxygen levels for a baby to ride in there long and it's not a recommended sleeping surface. I have never seen a stroller that was easy to maneuver and was lightweight with a travel system... and that's because they HAVE to be sturdy and hard to tip to hold that car seat on them.
I don't have a problem with a baby-bucket/infant car seat, there are situations where they are very useful (extreme weather, mosquitoes and other bugs, very small babies, etc.) Where I live, it gets very cold and we used an infant seat but kept it in the car. You are not allowed to put a baby in a car seat with a coat on, but you can put them in layered thermal outfits. The coat will compress in an accident and the baby could slide right out. With layered clothes though they're warm and it won't compress. I didn't have a problem with putting him in his car seat while it had been sitting out in the cold, but if it was very cold then I warmed the car up before taking him out there. We used a baby carrier (Ergo) and he preferred that over being in a car seat once we got to a place, it was much warmer against mommy than being left in his seat.
But I don't see why you have to have a stroller come with the car seat. Ever.
My favorite combination is for someone to get a moby wrap, ergo, or some other baby carrier that snuggles the baby to them, get the car seat they want and that will fit their car, budget and baby, and then put off the stroller for a few months. At 4-6 months old, the baby can fit in any stroller and sit up so it's not an issue... and mom can get the stroller that suits them for the next few years instead of the stroller that suits the car seat.
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