Product Spotlight- Car Seats

Kathryn0903

Each week we'll spotlight a new category of product. Feel free to comment on threads like these throughout your time at the board, not just when they're in their week in the spotlight, if you discover something new OR are new to the board. This week it's.... Car Seats!

FTMs are encouraged to ask questions & STM/+s encouraged to share their knowledge based on experience. You can use any or all the prompts relevant to you below to share info in an easy-to-read format. Pictures/screen grabs, if put in spoilers, are welcome!

For STMs....
What car seat did you use last time? What did you like or not like about it?
Are you considering a different one this time?
For FTMs....
Any car seats you're interested in?
For all....
Are you interested in an infant seat or a convertible?

To  view the upcoming PSS schedule, see here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1j7iBv8rbDsTBMXAK7R3NWhG-619XNbpdNza2uci0iYs/edit#gid=0!
Next up: Breast Pumps and Accessories

Kathryn0903

We started last time with an infant seat in my car and a convertible in DH'S car. I had the Chicco Keyfit 30 infant seat. Loved the ability to hook into a stroller and the ability to just carry baby in the seat places. For the convertible, we have the Safety 1st Grow N Go. It was a pain to install rear facing, but we like it. Got the same one for my car once I got sick of carrying the infant seat around somewhere around 6 months. This time, we'll likely start baby off in the infant seat and eventually add a 2nd convertible seat to each of our cars.
For FTMs, if you plan on having a grandparent or someone else watch the baby a lot, it is nice if they have a car seat in their car as well. You can take your seat out and install in their car, but it's a hassle.

mercury94

I currently have a Graco 4ever in my car. DH has a Graco 3 in 1 in his car. It’s a little smaller (his car is quite small). We started with the Graco ClickConnect 35 and we both just had a base (my mom had one too). We switched to the convertible seat in my car when he started at his first daycare bc they would let us leave the carrier there. DH still used it in his car until DS was too big to sit in it comfortably. We still have it and plan to use it for this baby. The new daycare does have storage for the carrier, so we’ll probably use it until closer to 6 months this time. 

mflowers929

We used our Graco clickconnect 35 for over a year. It was great, especially because we had the stroller that went with it. We stopped using it because DS was about to outgrow it and the Extend2fit was almost half off on Prime day. It's a bit bigger rearfacing, but it's great and I love that it will last us until it's time for a booster (I was recommended the Cosco Next but it only goes to 40 lbs front or rearfacing).
We'll use the clickconnect for the new baby and probably wind up getting another extend2fit next prime day. I've already found a double stroller that you can put the bucket seat into 😊

independentgeorge

FTM here. Is it unrealistic to just get the Graco 4ever and use only that from birth on? This is my hope since I am trying to minimize anything I buy to only use for a few months (due to limited storage and not wanting to waste plastic).
I figured we would try to start with one 4ever in my car and then when maternity leave ends either we will cave and get an infant seat for him or another 4ever. 

Kathryn0903

@independentgeorge no that can absolutely be done. I know moms in my last BMB that did that.

doraleigh35

We are big fans of Graco car seats. We had the Snugride Click Connect 35 with DD (with a base in each car) and used it for over a year. I definitely prefer having a bucket seat in the beginning and used it a lot with my stroller. It hasn't expired so we plan to use it again with this baby. As a toddler DD has the 4Ever in my car and Extend2Fit in DH's car. We love them both, I kept my eye on sales when she was still in the bucket and got them both at least $100+ off.

For air travel we have a Cosco convertible car seat that was inexpensive, but still great!

coaster102516

For an infant car seat, we had the Graco click connect SnugRide for our first two babies and I was very happy with it. Simple and has an adapter for City Select Stroller. 

We will switch baby at a year to a convertible and will go with the Evenflo Symphony DLX. My older two have the same one and I LOVE everything about this car seat, not one complaint.