Question Convertible car seat suggestions

[srini]

Hi all,

My daughter is 17 months old and eager to switch to a FF seat.

We are looking to purchase a good FF car seat which can fit in a regular Sedan car. At times, we need to fit in 2 seats on the back, so we don't need a bulky new car seat.

Budget around $100 - $150

Please suggest any good ones.

thanks

 

[EmmaCPST]

Hi there! Is there a reason you're in a hurry to move to forward facing? The AAP and NHTSA recommendations are to keep kids rear facing until the maximum of their convertible car seat - at the very least until their second birthday. 12-24 month old children are FIVE times more likely to be killed in an accident if they are forward facing than if they are rear facing. A 17 month old's neck and spine just cannot handle the force of a serious crash.

What kind of seat is she in right now, and how tall and heavy is she? For under $150, you can easily purchase a Graco MyRide, Evenflo Triumph, or First Years True Fit that will allow her to rear face easily another year, and then will be long lasting as a forward facing seat as well when her spine has matured enough for her to ride safely forward facing.

 

[djma]

Welcome! I agree with the previous poster. Please read about the benefits of rearfacing before making your final decision.

Can you give more specifics on the sedan? That way someone who has that car could chime in as well.

The MyRide, TrueFit and Evenflo Triumph Advance are good recommendations and should be in your price range.

 

[wendytthomas]

Also, what is the other carseat in the back? Are they one on either side, or are you hoping to put one in the middle?/

http://carseatblog.com/5168/why-rear-facing-is-better-your-rf-link-guide/

Wendy

 

[srini]

I understand RF is better for the child under 2.

The intention here is to get a better comfortable FF seat recommendations to be used in the long run in the coming months. She traveled in a friend's car FF couple of times, and she is very much eager to turn around. But i will have to keep her RF as long as I can.

She is currently on a Graco Snugride 35 installed in the middle.

She is 30" tall, 24 lbs and 17 months.

The car is a mitsubishi galant

Thanks

 

[wendytthomas]

Many kids ride rear facing in one car and forward in another without a problem. I bet she's not eager, but many parents think their kids are.

Two is the absolute bare minimum to be forward facing. I wouldn't forward face her even occasionally in other cars. At her age it's up to 534% safer to rear face. Hardly a trivial amount. Rear facing is safer for EVERYONE, but under two is absolutely vital, and most of us rear face to our kids to at last three to four years old. Hence the recommendations for you for a rear facing seat, rather than a forward facing one. Rear facing as long as possible does not mean until two. Rear facing as long as possible would mean taking a small child to close to *six* years old.

So, for a 17 month old who needs another seat, in the $100-$150 range, looking for less bulk side to side, I'd look at the Graco My Ride and Safety 1st Complete Air. They both rear face to 40 pounds The Complete Air is taller and so will last longer rear facing by height.

The My Ride is easy to find under $150. The Complete Air I'm seeing several online, but not sure if they'd be in stores in that price. http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=4232164&CAWELAID=602137697 http://www.samsclub.com/sams/shop/p...CSE_Froogle&ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=sku5334072 http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=4232163&CAWELAID=602137696 http://www.samsclub.com/sams/shop/p...CSE_Froogle&ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=sku5334071 Both are at BRU if you want to take them out to your car and then see how each fit. And likely you can get BRU to match the online price if it's different in the store.

Also in that price range would be the First Years True Fit (online, the BRU version is the Premier and is out of your budget) with a 35 pound rear facing weight limit, and the Evenflo Triumph 65, with a 40 pound rear facing limit and a tall shell. But those are also both very wide seats. So you can look at them, great seats, but you said you wanted narrower.

Wendy

 

[java]

She may be eager to be in a 'big girl seat' that sits up straighter and has more wiggle room for her arms and legs than her current seat. Lots of babies/toddlers just love to sit up more than the infant seats allow. My DD still fits fine in her infant seats, but she is a much happier camper in her convertible seat that sits up higher and straighter, even though she is still rfing and will be for a long time. The seat we have is the one in my siggy pic, a britax RA55.

 

[stacytr]

DD and I really liked her Graco My Ride -- not too expensive and can reface for a good long time -- esp for a shorter-torsoed little one like mine. I think it also feels a bit more grown up cause there are the double cup holders -- when she was little she loved putting stuff in and out! The recline is deep -- but it wasn't too much for us.