Newborn seat - is something like a snugride safer than a convertible that goes down to 5 lbs?

diaperjoys · Aug 25, 2007

We're adopting a newborn, and did our car seat research before I found this forum. Very helpful place, this!

We bought a Snugride for the baby, with the EPS foam, largely because it was one of the only seats that performed well in the flawed CR testing. Now I'm rethinking...

Is it best to use a newborn seat until they outgrow it (because the slot heights go so low and it is easy to get a good fit?). Or could a COMO or some other convertible w/infant padding potentially be okay for a newborn? We leave our seats in the car even when our babies are newborns - just use slings and such, so portability is a non-issue. But it seems like the bottom slots on convertible seats are still pretty high...

I can still re-sell/return our newborn seat as all tags are still attached and it is in the original box. We also have a Roundabout that we could use, but don't know how a newborn would really fit into that, even though it is rated down to 5 lbs.

And advice would be appreciated.

katiesmommy · Aug 25, 2007

Technically speaking, Britax says it's okay to use a convertable with the slots an inch over baby's shoulders. However, I doubt that even with that in mind a newborn would fit into one of these seats. Possibly the decathlon, but I only say that because it fit my itty itty bitty 5 month old pretty well. Keeping in mind that at that point in time she was about the size of your average 1 month old. I'd probably use the Snugride, because, like you said, you will get a better fit in that. Keep in mind that you don't have to use it until the baby outgrows it. You can just use it until the baby fits into the other seat. The bottom slots on the Como are 10 inches. Last time I checked, my 2 year old's torso is only 12, just for reference.

joolsplus3 · Aug 25, 2007

I'm not concerned with harness slot height for newborns (if Britax thought tall bottom slots were an actual safety concern, they'd lower them), i'm concerned with proper recline. It's a lot harder to get a full 45 degree recline of a full sized convertible than it is an infant seat, unless you are relatively short parents in a relatively large car. Also, installation issues...are you using LATCH? then the snugride is fine. If you are using a lap/shoulderbelt, it's rather a pain in the butt, and the Safeseat 1 is much easier to install.

diaperjoys · Aug 25, 2007

Driving a suburban, no latch, this would be (preferably) a lap belt installation, as we'd like the baby to be center rf, and older brother rf outboard. If I can't get a good install I could switch the two around.

CrabbyBunchX3 · Aug 25, 2007

The cosco scenera fits little ones really well. When my 3rd was born I put her in it to see where the slots were and amazingly they were already under her shoulders. If you do get one, you will want to get some pool noodles to use to achieve the 45* recline-you can use up to 3 taped together in a pyramid to do so.
Then get a couple of rolled up receiving blankets or cloth diapers to support the body and head.

If you want a seat with more padding and epp foam, the safety
1st uptown has low bottom slots-about an inch higher than the scenera.

Some pics

Scenera - slot height and dd2 at 2wks 7.5lbs

Uptown--the slot in the cover is just a tad higher than the slot in the shell--

hope that helps!

Misty-Bug · Aug 25, 2007

Although I am not a tech I am gonna give my personal opinion....hehehe
I would go with the snugride, or the SS1. I hear the SS1 is a good seat. I used a snugride with my son. He fit well in it and I was more comfortable using something like a bucket then the convertable. Like the pp said it would be hard to get the incline. My snugride was SUPER easy to install. We used the lap only option. With that being said though I have also had to use it with the shoulder/lap option. And I didn't have any problems. :shrug-shoulders:

here is a picture of Cooper in his seat. This was when we came home from the hospital and he was 7lbs 1oz when we brought him home.

Also I think that some parents believe that the convertables will last longer. While in essence they are right, but doesn't mean you will never have to buy another seat again. Also I might put the older FF child in the center cause he is less protected then a RFing child. But that is my two cents. People will correct me if I am wrong.

Ali · Aug 25, 2007

I'm not a tech, but I can't see how a convertible would fit most babies from the start. DD was 8 lbs 1 oz at birth and looked so tiny in her Snugride (the original smaller one - 20lb limit). I can't even imagine trying to put her in a convertible.

You could definitely try it though.

mylittlet · Aug 25, 2007

The Scerena will be great for a new born. I am a tech and we don't carry infant seats at all. We have lots of lower income that come in for a free seat. The Scerena will last them a lot longer then an infant seat. We moved our older DS to a RA at 6 weeks and it worked great. My only problem was when we ate out and not having the bucket then. So we just used the stroller at restaurants.

Stefanie

diaperjoys · Aug 25, 2007

Well, I already have a Roundabout that my 3yo is outgrowing ff, and I have the brand new Snugride that I'm trying to decide if I should keep or send back. So I don't want to purchase a Scenera, though I'm really glad to know about it so I can recommend it to friends who don't already have other seats.

I'm trying to figure out if there is a safety issue - it seems logical that a seat really fits - i.e., slots below shoulders, harness snug, would perform better in a crash. But I keep seeing respectable companies - Britax, Recaro, etc., making these huge seats, and saying that little 5 pounders can use them.

So what's the deal???

bensmom · Aug 25, 2007

Not a safety issue, just a convenience issue (assuming, as Julie mentioned, that you can get the 45 degree angle on the convertible seat).

henrietta · Aug 25, 2007

I think jools has a point about the recline. It's harder to be able to get that full 45 degree recline on a big tall seat, and a newborn must have that to breathe properly. They are at risk of stop breathing episodes if their heads are tipped too far forward (until those muscles strengthen up). Also, it's harder to visually see your baby in a bigger taller seat. With the smaller infant seat, you can just glance around. And my other thought is that seeing a tiny baby in that Scenara shows how much room there is around the baby--I think most would be more comfortable and feel more secure in a snugger seat. And since you aren't supposed to add after market accessories (like head supports), I'd only use a convertible that came with it's own for a newborn or an infant seat. Since you have already bought the Snugride and it's a great seat, I'd keep it or exchange it for the SS1 (personally I'd exchange for the lockoffs and longer use).

hths

henrietta

elle7715 · Aug 25, 2007

If money is an issue you could return it and get a Scenera. That seat would fit a newborn very well. However, I really prefer the fit of an infant seat and we love our Snugride. If ours expires before we have another baby we'll buy another Snugride or infant seat. In the winter it's a great help.

safeinthecar · Aug 25, 2007

Personally, I don't like infant seats for my own use, and moved my babies to a convertable as soon as possible and just used the infant seat as a spare. To be fair though it was carrying the infant seat I don't like. I'm averaged size in general, but my hands are small, so maintaining my grip on the infant seat handle is difficult for me. ( and I could never seem to get it through my ex's head to just leave the darn thing in the car) That being said, my babies didn't fit the RA until 6+ months.

An idea for you, buy the baby a Radian to use until baby fits the RA, then give the RA to baby, and the Radian to DS that is outgrowing the RA. The Radian fits newborns really well, and would be a good solution for 3 yo DS if you haven't picked out a new seat for him yet.

Kimberly

joolsplus3 · Aug 26, 2007

The Radian fit my newborn like a dream

.

Yeah, there is just no injury data saying that tall bottom harness slots are hurting tiny babies, and changing seat molds is expensive, and the dummies perform great in those seats, so the companies have zero incentive to lower the bottom slots. At the Lifesavers conference they just stand there confused that so many advocates are beating them up over high bottom slots, and they are like, 'well,it does great in crash testing with the little dummies, why do you people care?'. One valid opinion on SafeRideNews is that we shouldn't bother with the 'at or below' rule for newborns, but should say, 'use the bottom slots till the shoulders reach the second slots up'... it's a little simpler, but we are so stuck in 'at or below' that it's not making any inroads to our collective consciousness

diaperjoys · Aug 26, 2007

Just bought a Radian...and I have to send it back. Our vehicle doesn't have latch, and I can't get a good install with the seatbelt.

So, we have:
Triumph - 42"4yo, ff, an inch or two to top slots
Roundabout - 3yo, ff, maybe an inch before top slots
Marathon - 18mo, rf, loads of growing room, this seat should easily keep him rf another year.
Snugride - new with tags waiting in the attic
ComfortSport - broken eps foam, to be reglued/retaped & used as an emergency seat.

Here's the thoughts so far...

Get a Como for the 4yo, and put the Triumph in Grandmothers car - it will still fit either of the big boys for awhile. The 18mo. stays in the MA. When 3yo outgrows his RA, get another Como for him. Once we've done these purchases these three kiddos should be set for several years.

For our adopted newborn, keep Snugride as an option, use it as primary seat if baby is tiny. If the baby is a real chunker - 9-10lbs or so, go straight to the Roundabout and return Snugride to store or try to sell locally (ordered from Albee baby, so it would be difficult to return)

Sound workable? I was going to put the newborn rf in the center of the seat, and 18mo drivers side outboard. Is that the safest configuration for these two?

Thanks, I've loved all the input!

crunchierthanthou · Aug 26, 2007

Will the 18 mo not fit rf in the RA? If the 3yo is about to outgrow the RA I'd do a short-term solutiuon until the new baby arrives and switch the 3yo and 18 mo. Then buy another MA for the 18mo or Como for the 3yo when you need the 4th seat. :twocents: Then it would be a RA for the newborn, MA for the 18mo and MA or Como for the 3yo. I don't think you'd have much trouble getting the 45 degree recline with the RA in a suburban. It's not exactly a tight fit in the second row.

diaperjoys · Aug 26, 2007

Actually, the 18mo has already outgrown the RA rf. His head is even with, or even over the top of the shell. Everyone seems surprised by this. I guess he just has a long torso, cause his height is pretty average.

crunchierthanthou · Aug 26, 2007

I don't doubt it. I was just trying to find a configuration where you could buy the fewest seats possible spread over the longest period of time. I'd still probably use the RA for the newborn. If you're going to buy a new seat, it might as well be one that you can use more than 6-12 months.

safeinthecar · Aug 27, 2007

diaperjoys said:
Just bought a Radian...and I have to send it back. Our vehicle doesn't have latch, and I can't get a good install with the seatbelt.

What year is your Surburban and what problems are you having? I have a 90 (88-95 model years have same seats and belts) and I can get the Radian rock solid but it isn't easy.

Kimberly

diaperjoys · Aug 28, 2007

We have a '99, so the seats/belts would be different than yours. Here's a thread and a couple pictures. I tried everything, and it just wasn't working, and I'm generally pretty good with seatbelt installations. At this point, even if I could get it in, I don't think I'd keep it. Any seat that is that much of a struggle isn't a winner in my book. And I'd have to struggle with it every time we reconfigured child seating, switched cars, traveled...

http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=23371

Newborn seat - is something like a snugride safer than a convertible that goes down to 5 lbs?

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