Debating between getting a new seat or getting ready to ff and not sure what to do

Amaris

New member
I've stressed to dh that we will always rear face to the limit of the seat with dd, thinking that would get me to at least 3. Well, she just turned 2 and is gaining weight rapidly. I realize it may slow down, but she's now 29 pounds (she was 26 earlier this month) and our marathon is a 33lb one, and with the way she's gained weight her entire life it could take 2 weeks to gain the 4 pounds, or 6 months, or even longer. Dh is glad we made it to 2 and is fine with her ff'ing when she hits 33lbs, I'm not. I've always known I wouldn't want to turn her before 3, and right now I know in my gut we aren't making it to 3 in the marathon, but he doesn't see buying another seat to rf when she's already over 2. I am completely stressed out about it. I need to know what I am going to do if she hits 33 pounds next month. So, if it were your child what would you do. keeping in mind that she is definitely our last and I already have another marathon (33lb and ready to expire), a regent, and a nauti sitting in the basement?
 
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ketchupqueen

CPST and ketchup snob
Staff member
I guess it depends on how strongly you feel about it. Think of this: in a year, if you turn her, will you regret it, or be okay with that? Also, how's your budget?
 

Amaris

New member
I think I will be ok with it at 3, but then again I'm not there yet so I can't say for sure. I don't really have a budget limit for a seat, I just hope I can sell the marathon if I get another one. I have 3 seats in the basement and I'm not looking to add to the collection!
 

bree

Car-Seat.Org Ambassador
For me, my personal comfort zone with forward-facing is 4. So, provided I had the money, I would buy a seat for a 2 or even 3 year old to continue to rear-face.

My son is 28 pounds right now at 22 months, and I do plan on buying a 40+ pound rear-facing seat once he hits the 33 pound mark in his Boulevard. I do have 2 35 pound seats to eek a few more pounds, but I'll definitely go for a new seat, because he will most likely be only 3 years old.

Could you sell the Regent to help fund a new RFing seat? I'd rather have a higher weighted RFing seat in my car seat collection than a Regent, just because there are proven benefits of rear-facing, but not proven benefits of extended harnessing into the age range a Regent last a kid.
 

NannyMom

Well-known member
I've stressed to dh that we will always rear face to the limit of the seat with dd, thinking that would get me to at least 3. Well, she just turned 2 and is gaining weight rapidly. I realize it may slow down, but she's now 29 pounds (she was 26 earlier this month) and our marathon is a 33lb one, and with the way she's gained weight her entire life it could take 2 weeks to gain the 4 pounds, or 6 months, or even longer. Dh is glad we made it to 2 and is fine with her ff'ing when she hits 33lbs, I'm not. I've always known I wouldn't want to turn her before 3, and right now I know in my gut we aren't making it to 3 in the marathon, but he doesn't see buying another seat to rf when she's already over 2. I am completely stressed out about it. I need to know what I am going to do if she hits 33 pounds next month. So, if it were your child what would you do. keeping in mind that she is definitely our last and I already have another marathon (33lb and ready to expire), a regent, and a nauti sitting in the basement?

For my daughter, I would buy another seat. My DD is almost 3, and I'm nowhere near comfortable with her FF. My goal is 4. But with the Radians going to 40 pounds RF, she may make it to 7 ;)
 

twinsmom

New member
Since it's stressing you out so much, maybe you should just bite the bullet and get a new seat. It will make you feel better, and it will be safer (assuming your budget and your marriage can handle it;))
 

bobandjess99

Senior Community Member
how tall is she? I'd get a new seat. she's barely 2. I wouldn't turn any kid before 3 with he seats we now have on the market, and would shoot for 4. If she is on the short-to-average torso end, a myride would probably buy the time you need, and it's relatively cheap. you could sell the marathon, or even just the cover from the soon-to-expire one, or the oldest nauti, (keep the newest one for her to grow into) or whatever makes the most sense for you to sell, in order to partially fuind one. (with 15% off coupons right now, it would be $120ish for one? )
If she is also tall in addition to being hefty, lol, you'll need a radian or complete air. Radian 65's can be had for under $200...and I've seen trades asking for nautis for radians..you might be able to make something work.
Of course..you could always just go with a 35 lb seat..for 80 you could have an avenue, 65 for the uptown...45 for a scnenera if it will be tall enough. those are cheap options and might buy 6 months over a 33 lb limit, which might at least get you over the hump to closer to 3 than 2, you know?

but ya..I'd consider it.
 

Amaris

New member
I've tried selling both the regent and the nauti on cl several times. She's pretty long in the torso and overall, so if I'm going to get a new seat then it's probably not going to be the MR. She's above the next to top slot in the marathon. I'm not sure exactly how much room she has since she really does not like me to hold her head against the seat so I can get a good idea, but if her torso doesn't slow down she will likely outgrow it by height around age 3 anyway. Measuring at the angle from the thread on how to measure rear facing I would say she has about 1.5 inches, maybe 2 left before she has to be out of it. She's actually pretty lean for 29 pounds, but she's nearly 37 inches. She's wearing a 3t-4t shirt with 24 month bottoms that just fit without falling off over a cloth diaper. I guess after looking around the threads here I'm down to the radian or the complete air, unless the new true fit happens to rf to 40lbs.
 

4boysmom

New member
I think I'd play it by ear a little more. If your dd just gained 3 pounds in a month my guess is it is a growth spurt that is coming to an end soon if not already. My to be 3 yo in Sept weighs 35 pounds now but he has taken a loooooooooooooooong time to gain those last few pounds. Like I said that rapid weight gain screams huge growth spurt not norm. And after a huge spurt there is usually a long time before another of that magnitude.
 

Amaris

New member
That's what I'm hoping, but there's that part of me that says what if I weigh her in a few weeks and she closer to 33lbs. Then I know I'm going to want a new seat. I guess I'll just keep an eye out for the complete air at our bru to see if I like it. I think I would rather get that than a radian just because I've had issues getting a good install with the nauti in my expedition. The buckles are just forward of the bight, and I'm reading a few posts that say that can be trouble with the radian.
 

tanyaandallie

Senior Community Member
I agree with playing it by ear. I'd just play the wait and see for now. No need to rush out and buy a new seat since she has 4 lbs to go in the current seat.
 

emandbri

Well-known member
I would wait a bit before freaking out since she just had a growth spurt she might not gain for a while. My daughter was 31 lbs for 10 months! ;)
 

southpawboston

New member
i can see how you'd be concerned about her reaching the weight limit of the MA at something just over 2yo, but personally i wouldn't stress too much-- that's still a year longer than most people RF.

also, she could have just had a growth spurt, and might slow down. our kids both stayed between 30 and 33 pounds for close to a year...
 

kandamom

New member
I would wait a bit before freaking out since she just had a growth spurt she might not gain for a while. My daughter was 31 lbs for 10 months! ;)

My son is exactly your daughter's age. He is just a little taller than she is and a couple pounds heavier. He was 29 lbs at his 15 month check-up, but also stayed at 31 lbs for over half a year. We have a 33 lb. rf marathon as well. I just got him a radian 65, since he was within a pound of the limit on his marathon. I had planned to use our older son's regent for him since the marathon expires soon, but I just couldn't bring myself to ff him yet.

I would be surprised if your daughter gains the last four pounds in the next few weeks. I'd wait until she is closer to 32 lbs to buy anything. Who knows what new seats could be available by then...:D

Rebecca
 

KaysKidz

Senior Community Member
I'm going to have to remeasure P...he's 26mo and 29lbs...but I don't think he's as tall as your dd, and he's tall. LOL Anyways, he's in a DC, rf, and I expect him to make it to 3yrs rf.
 

Amaris

New member
I'm going to have to remeasure P...he's 26mo and 29lbs...but I don't think he's as tall as your dd, and he's tall. LOL Anyways, he's in a DC, rf, and I expect him to make it to 3yrs rf.

She is very tall. The dr went to put her height in the computer they use and it didn't want to accept it because it couldn't put her on the chart. He actually remeasured her to make sure the nurse was right because he didn't think it could be. The thing that I don't like, as far as carseats go, is that she is all torso.
 

KaysKidz

Senior Community Member
P has a lot of torso too. When he was FF in his DC, he was nearly even with the 3rd slots. Now that he's back RF, he is below the 3rd slots. I'm going to measure him when we get home.
 

Amaris

New member
She's above the 3rd slots measuring up from the bottom. If we turned her she would be on the top slots!
 

KaysKidz

Senior Community Member
RF'ing she over the 3rd slots already? Good grief...you have a car seat nightmare child on your hands! LOL I thought P was tall w/a long torso for his age...you got my boy beat! Thank goodness his twin brother is a peanut...he BARELY is even with the 2nd slots...and that is with a cloth diaper! He'll likely fit until he's 4...not that I'll have him that long (foster baby).
 

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