zeo2ski
Well-known member
Details below. I need a convertible for small newborn/late term preemie, and a HBB that doesn't require vehicle head support and is very tall. 7 kids, have 6 seats currently that may all work and just buy one more.
The carseat shuffle is coming up, but this time it's in a new vehicle, with a new baby coming. Baby may be early, hopefully not more than a month. I've had 3 babies at 36-37 weeks and all were a little short for the plain snug ride, but the smallest was 6 lbs. My 3 at 39-40 weeks were 8-9 lbs, so I need to plan for small but not tiny. If baby is earlier than that we'll have time before coming home anyway and can get a seat then. My last baby (winter baby, this new one will be summer) I went straight to the Coccoro and loved not having a bucket to carry around--of course I could just leave it in the car, but might as well save some $$ if it works. CCO expired. I have on hand a BLVD click tight and Extend2Fit. On the blog reviews it wasn't all that clear if a late term preemie would be likely to fit or not for either of those, I'm thinking the BLVD might? The BLVD, EX2F, and a RXT would be for the newbie, 2 yo, and 4 yo (38 lbs) all rear facing in whatever combination needed.
Or what other convertibles should I be looking at? I do love the CCO, but of course it is short lived--my last 4 outgrew RF height at 15 months. I don't love how wide the chest clip was, but is that changed with the new ones? And what is really the lower weight limit now? Though I don' t expect to need less than 5 lbs for this child. I do highly prefer some rebound control, and only have the EX2F for the 50 lb capacity with the height my guys need, and use it RF only up at that upper end of RFing when they no longer fit Radians.
Second issue. HBB that don't need vehicle head support and go very tall. It's a van without headrests. DH will retrofit some, but the fact is he hasn't yet, will do it at work, but just switched jobs so I don't know when he can swing it. 5yo DD is FFing in the EX2F and has very little room to grow, she is essentially AT the harness height so it could happen any day. I plan to move her to the Frontier click tight, but right now 7yoDD is in it as a booster. 7yo is tall, has outgrown the harness and is on top click for booster of the FRCT with less than 1/2" left. 9.5yo DS is in a Kiddy Cruiser 3, his eyes are at the "eye level here" arrow but his shoulders have some room, outgrown FR CT. 11.5yo DS is in FR85 as booster with an inch, 2 inches in brother's Kiddy.
Another Kiddy could work, it's just soooo wide on top I want to be sure it's the best option before going for it. The Spectrum I thought would work, but there is a 57" standing height limit, which my 9 yo is past, 7yo is 54" so I'd rather something that lasts longer (and foam in the head would be nice) but it might work long enough to get the headrests installed...I can't control that variable though.
TO SUM UP, I have/will have:
newborn
2 yo (28 lbs 35")
4yo (38 lbs 40")
5 yo (51lbs 47")
7.5yo (65+ lbs, 54")
9.5yo (???80ish??? lbs, 58")--Kiddy Cruiser 3
11.5yo (~100 lbs, 61")--FR 85 booster
Seats available for youngest 5: BLVD CT, RNXT, EX2F, FR CT
The carseat shuffle is coming up, but this time it's in a new vehicle, with a new baby coming. Baby may be early, hopefully not more than a month. I've had 3 babies at 36-37 weeks and all were a little short for the plain snug ride, but the smallest was 6 lbs. My 3 at 39-40 weeks were 8-9 lbs, so I need to plan for small but not tiny. If baby is earlier than that we'll have time before coming home anyway and can get a seat then. My last baby (winter baby, this new one will be summer) I went straight to the Coccoro and loved not having a bucket to carry around--of course I could just leave it in the car, but might as well save some $$ if it works. CCO expired. I have on hand a BLVD click tight and Extend2Fit. On the blog reviews it wasn't all that clear if a late term preemie would be likely to fit or not for either of those, I'm thinking the BLVD might? The BLVD, EX2F, and a RXT would be for the newbie, 2 yo, and 4 yo (38 lbs) all rear facing in whatever combination needed.
Or what other convertibles should I be looking at? I do love the CCO, but of course it is short lived--my last 4 outgrew RF height at 15 months. I don't love how wide the chest clip was, but is that changed with the new ones? And what is really the lower weight limit now? Though I don' t expect to need less than 5 lbs for this child. I do highly prefer some rebound control, and only have the EX2F for the 50 lb capacity with the height my guys need, and use it RF only up at that upper end of RFing when they no longer fit Radians.
Second issue. HBB that don't need vehicle head support and go very tall. It's a van without headrests. DH will retrofit some, but the fact is he hasn't yet, will do it at work, but just switched jobs so I don't know when he can swing it. 5yo DD is FFing in the EX2F and has very little room to grow, she is essentially AT the harness height so it could happen any day. I plan to move her to the Frontier click tight, but right now 7yoDD is in it as a booster. 7yo is tall, has outgrown the harness and is on top click for booster of the FRCT with less than 1/2" left. 9.5yo DS is in a Kiddy Cruiser 3, his eyes are at the "eye level here" arrow but his shoulders have some room, outgrown FR CT. 11.5yo DS is in FR85 as booster with an inch, 2 inches in brother's Kiddy.
Another Kiddy could work, it's just soooo wide on top I want to be sure it's the best option before going for it. The Spectrum I thought would work, but there is a 57" standing height limit, which my 9 yo is past, 7yo is 54" so I'd rather something that lasts longer (and foam in the head would be nice) but it might work long enough to get the headrests installed...I can't control that variable though.
TO SUM UP, I have/will have:
newborn
2 yo (28 lbs 35")
4yo (38 lbs 40")
5 yo (51lbs 47")
7.5yo (65+ lbs, 54")
9.5yo (???80ish??? lbs, 58")--Kiddy Cruiser 3
11.5yo (~100 lbs, 61")--FR 85 booster
Seats available for youngest 5: BLVD CT, RNXT, EX2F, FR CT
Last edited:
.
