Replacing seats for almost 3 year old

Unregistered · Feb 26, 2016

Hi everyone!

I have two daughters, 3 months and 2.5 years. I am starting to watch sales in anticipating of having to buy a couple more car seats in the next 6-12 months.

My 3 month will either go to a convertible that I buy or she will use the Britax Pavilion and Marathons that we have now. She is in an infant seat now.

My 2.5 year old (who will be 3 in August) is rear facing in the Britax convertible seats. She is 36 inches tall (kind of tall for her age) and 26 pounds (kind of light for her age).

I am wondering if it would be best to go ahead and buy a combination seat for her to front face in when she's around 3 (maybe a little later depending on when sister gets out of the infant seat).

Combination or convertible seat for light but tall 3 year old??? I will probably go with a Britax but am open to different options.

ketchupqueen · Feb 26, 2016

Is there a reason you want to forward face at 3? Of course that's a lot longer than many, but in my family we rear face to at least 4, based on the available evidence. Since your child is so skinny, she could get a lot of use out of a longer lasting rear facing seat.

That said, if you intend to forward face, I'd probably get a combination as they are often a better value for long lasting harnessing forward facing (the Evenflo SureRide being an exception.)

If you want the option to still rear face I'd get a convertible.

rin2809 · Feb 26, 2016

What are the expirations on your Britax seats?

A Graco Milestone might be a good fit for you. It would give you the option to RF you older child longer if you choose, but also gives you the versatility of having the booster seat functionality way down the road. Then you would also have the option to pass the Milestone down to your youngest if the Britax seats expire before she would be forward facing and you could buy your oldest a combination seat at that time.

Unregistered · Feb 26, 2016

rin2809 said:
What are the expirations on your Britax seats?

A Graco Milestone might be a good fit for you. It would give you the option to RF you older child longer if you choose, but also gives you the versatility of having the booster seat functionality way down the road. Then you would also have the option to pass the Milestone down to your youngest if the Britax seats expire before she would be forward facing and you could buy your oldest a combination seat at that time.

I'll look into that! I'm not sure off the top of my head when the carseats expire, but we have had each about 2 years.

Might be a silly question... but what makes a parent make the decision to forward face? My child is completely content rear facing, with the exception of hating the sun coming in the back window.

Unregistered · Feb 26, 2016

ketchupqueen said:
Is there a reason you want to forward face at 3? Of course that's a lot longer than many, but in my family we rear face to at least 4, based on the available evidence. Since your child is so skinny, she could get a lot of use out of a longer lasting rear facing seat.

That said, if you intend to forward face, I'd probably get a combination as they are often a better value for long lasting harnessing forward facing (the Evenflo SureRide being an exception.)

If you want the option to still rear face I'd get a convertible.

So, when you decide to turn them around and forward face, what makes you decide -- timing wise? I just don't know when or why to turn her around...

If I get another convertible, won't I have to buy a combination down the road???

ketchupqueen · Feb 26, 2016

There are many convertibles out there that can get a skinny kid to a safe booster age. Dedicated boosters are cheaper, usually, and often work better and last longer than combination seats in booster mode.

There is evidence that rear-facing until the seat is maxed out or at least 4 is the safest way to go. In my family, we decide that diminishing returns after 4 are well enough established (rear facing doesn't get less safe- forward just gets safer) that after 4 if a child who still fits rear facing persistently asks to face forward we are ok with that. (Some draw this line differently. That's just what we go by based on available evidence.)

Because you're lucky enough to have a lightweight child, any of the many available seats with a 40 lb rear facing weight limit that are very very tall could probably rear face your child beyond 4 if you desired, even. Some people choose to rear face to booster age if they can, feeling that's the safest route.

There are a lot of safe choices available to you, so whatever you decide will probably be a good choice.

Replacing seats for almost 3 year old

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ketchupqueen

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rin2809

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