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Barbara C.
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| Posted: Nov 27 2007 at 9:55pm | IP Logged
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So, I'm starting to investigate what kind of seat I want to get for the new baby. Thankfully, my parents offered to help pay for it. I'm just really torn about what to do.
I'm debating whether to buy a Graco Safe Seat Infant Seat (which goes up to 30 lbs since my babies usually pass the 22-lb limit of other infants seat), a Britax Roundabout Convertible, a Graco ComfortSport, or a Britax Marathon.
Here's my problem. If I get the infant seat, I will have to buy another new seat for the baby at one year because the convertible (a Roundabout) that my 2-year-old is using will expire. However, I am thinking that it might be convenient to be able to pop the carrier in and out and onto a double stroller. But then I wonder if the carrier would be that much more convenient past the three-month mark once the baby gets heavier.
If I get another Roundabout this would probably hold the new baby until shortly before age 4, but then we'd have to buy another 5-point harness booster/car seat like the one my 5-year old currently uses. We aren't comfortable switching them out of harness until 40 lbs, and I don't want to switch to a lap booster until at least age six. The one we currently own will expire before the new baby turns five.
If I get the Marathon, then the new baby could stay in it through age 6 and then switch to a lap booster that we should already own by then. My only concern is that a newborn might be swallowed up in a Marathon. My babies tend to be between 6 and 6 1/2 pounds at birth (and quickly fatten up later). When using the Roundabout in the past, a professional car seat inspector recommended using rolled up towels/blankets on either side of the baby for head and neck support rather than those inserts. I just wonder how many extra towels I would need to use for the first few months.
Does anyone have any ideas, suggestions, experiences? I am leaning towards the Marathon, because we just don't have the money to keep buying new car seats every few years. I just want to get the most safe bang for my buck.
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Barbara
Mom to "spirited" dd(9), "spunky" dd (6), "sincere" dd (3), "sweet" dd (2), and baby girl #5 born 8/1/12!!
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mathmama
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| Posted: Nov 28 2007 at 6:47am | IP Logged
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I have found that I can't stand the bucket seats anymore (the ones that have the base in the car and that you can carry around). I always use a sling with DD#2. There is no way that I can haul around the carseat, diaper bag, and keep tabs on a 3yo. So, we just took our bucket out and got a bigger seat for DD#1 and put DD#2 in her old convertible. If God blesses us with another child we will not be using the bucket, we will go straight to the convertible. I feel that you can install them more securely and that the child seems safer. That is just my experience.
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mom2mpr
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| Posted: Nov 28 2007 at 6:51am | IP Logged
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We bought the Alpha Omega for dd and it has been wonderful. She used it from 3 weeks old til now, as a booster. It holds from 5 lbs to 100. It has booster pillows for them when they are little. It was less than $200 if I remember correctly. I also considered the Britax seats but they were a little too much $$ for dh at that time.
Also, I know car seats "expire" after a certain time period(6 years?) but we have re-used ours. They are well cared for and have never been in an accident(thank you, Lord) and I just cannot see tossing them just because the "time" period has expired. Especially for a booster use.
Good luck!
Anne
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vmalott
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| Posted: Nov 28 2007 at 8:40am | IP Logged
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mom2mpr wrote:
| Also, I know car seats "expire" after a certain time period(6 years?) but we have re-used ours. |
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Curious here...is there a website where one can go to find out about carseats "expiring", safety, etc.? You would think I'd be up on this information w/6 kids and expecting #7, but I am hopelessly clueless.
TIA,
Valerie
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Valerie
Mom to Julia ('94), John ('96), Lizzy ('98), Connor ('01), Drew ('02), Cate ('04), Aidan ('08) and three saints in heaven
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mellyrose
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| Posted: Nov 28 2007 at 9:21am | IP Logged
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vmalott wrote:
Curious here...is there a website where one can go to find out about carseats "expiring", safety, etc.? |
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A site with lots of information is carseat.org
They have a FAQ about car seat expirations -- basically it's 5 - 8 years after manufacture. They don't recommend a seat being used for more than 10 years because of improvements, etc.
I have also read that an issue is the plastic degradation over time makes them less safe. Since we live in AZ, where the sun bakes our cars and lack of storage means we don't park in the garage -- I have replaced our car seats even though they weren't in accidents bc I was worried about the plastic becoming unsafe.
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SusanJ
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| Posted: Nov 28 2007 at 10:27am | IP Logged
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We have a Sunshine Kids seat which is very expensive. We didn't have to buy it, fortunately, and we needed its particular features for my special needs ds. I think we might spring for one of these when baby #3 comes someday, though. They are built like a tank. They go rear and front facing from 5-85lbs using a five-point harness the whole time. AND--you can fit three across the backseat of sedan or a minivan. They have a much smaller footprint than Britax seats and are much lower so it's easier for kids to get in and out of them independently. My ds can still see out the window in his.
I hate shopping for baby equipment--too many choices!
ETA: as I just read your original post again--the Sunshine Kids seat and the Britax Decathalon come with extra padding for infants. You might still need towels, but the seat will help you out a little.
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Barbara C.
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| Posted: Nov 28 2007 at 12:08pm | IP Logged
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Most certified car seat installers that I've talked to (and I have dealt with five different ones through AAA and different police stations) say that you shouldn't use a car seat seven years after manufacture. The reason they cite is because of the plastic degradation. You never really know when the plastic is going to hit that tipping point of busting in an accident.
There are organizations that recycle used car seats for the poor with the idea that an outdated car seat is better than no car seat at all (especially for protecting the child from minor injuries due to wondering around a car without any seat belt).
We actually have an infant seat that I bought specifically for the carrier, not as a car seat. When my nephew a baby was little you could just buy a carrier, which is very handy in restaurants. I didn't want to use it as a car seat because I figured it was less safe and more cumbersome like mathmama. The only reason I am considering one this time is that I figure it might be easier if I am out with all three kids to strap my 2-year-old and plop the carrier into a double stroller.
I got an idea last night after I wrote, though, of maybe buying the Marathon (or something similar) and putting my two-year-old in it and putting the new baby in the smaller Roundabout for the first year. Then I can switch the new baby into the new seat. (and the 2-year-old will switch to her big sister's seat). I'll look into the Alpha Omega. Britax's are very pricey, but compared to the other two I've dealt with, I really liked the tangle-free straps and the strap locking/unlocking mechanism the best. I also like the rear-facing tether. I've also read that there is a Fisher Price car seat that is actually a Britax Marathon in disguise.
Thankfully, this is the only big purchase I have to make for the new baby (now that we've bought the mini-van). I just have to get a few smaller items to make things more convenient since this is our first baby in a multi-level home and some more clothes if it turns out to be a boy. 
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Barbara
Mom to "spirited" dd(9), "spunky" dd (6), "sincere" dd (3), "sweet" dd (2), and baby girl #5 born 8/1/12!!
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vmalott
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| Posted: Nov 29 2007 at 5:40am | IP Logged
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OK, I just want to send a big thank you to you all for sharing all this information!
I have roughly 6 weeks left in this pregnancy, so I thought I'd get on the ball with the carseat situation. I couldn't remember when we got the last infant carseat, so I hauled my preggo belly to the basement to retrieve it. The manufacture date on it was 2001...so it falls within that 5-8 year span. OK, so I'm thinking I'll clean it up a bit. But, ewwww....it seems one of our cats has taken to this seat and has urinated on it a few times.  Also, as I was taking the cover off, I realized that the plastic that was holding the buckle part in place was broken. So, without a doubt, we are getting a new seat for baby!
I also decided to switch seats for my 3yo. Good thing, huh? The seat she was in was over 10 years old! Sheesh!  So, she's now in a newer, much safer seat. And to my pleasant surprise, I discovered that our 12-passenger van is equipped with those LATCH things. So, the 3yo's "new" seat is now nicely, and very snugly installed with the LATCH system.
Now to find a safe, afordable seat before little man makes his arrival. 
Thanks again...had it not been for this post, I probably would've waited at least another 3-4 weeks, assuming the infant seat was perfectly fine (though dusty).
Valerie
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Valerie
Mom to Julia ('94), John ('96), Lizzy ('98), Connor ('01), Drew ('02), Cate ('04), Aidan ('08) and three saints in heaven
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Barbara C.
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| Posted: Nov 30 2007 at 7:06pm | IP Logged
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I just thought I would let you all know that all of my worry turned out to be pointless for now. It turns that in our "brand new" 2002 Odyssey you can have a tether anchor installed for the third row seat but there's no way to have LATCH anchors installed in the blight (a new word I just learned for the crease between the seat cushion and back).
We currently have the booster my dd(5) uses attached to the middle row seat using LATCH, and she uses the seat belt. It won't be possible to do this in the back row. We're just going to go ahead and move her up to a lap booster before the baby comes. The seat she currently uses will be passed to her younger sister; it will be attached to the car using the seat belt and the five-point harness will be re-threaded. That way the girls can be together in the back row. The new baby will just use our Roundabout for the first year in the middle row. I've told my parents they can buy a new seat for the baby as a first birthday present instead. So I can put off choosing a super-sized car seat until next year. At least that's one less thing to worry about.
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Barbara
Mom to "spirited" dd(9), "spunky" dd (6), "sincere" dd (3), "sweet" dd (2), and baby girl #5 born 8/1/12!!
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4Real Forums : Mothering and Family Life
Topic: Car seat shopping
