October 2021 Moms

Product spotlight: Car seats 3/1

demimondainedemimondaine member
edited March 2021 in October 2021 Moms
This is a place for FTMs to ask questions and S+TMs to share the wealth of knowledge they've accumulated on baby products. Each week we'll spotlight a new category of product to help streamline and make it easier to refer back. This week it's.... car seats! Please stick to infant car seats so buckets or convertible car seats that are safe for infants. 

Please use the prompts below to try to share as much relevant info as you can in a format that is easy for those reading to absorb/respond to. If you'd like to recommend/ask questions about more than one product, please copy/paste the prompts as needed.  

For S+TMs:
  • Favorite [car seat]:
  • Link/picture:
  • Cost (either actual dollar amount, or just $, $$, $$$, etc.):
  • What you like about it:
  • What you don't like about it, if anything:
  • Is there a [car seat] you don't have but are considering? Why?:
  • Additional thoughts on [car seat]:

For FTMs:
  • [car seat(s)] you're interested in:
  • Link/picture:
  • Cost (either actual dollar amount, or just $, $$, $$$, etc.):
  • Any questions about it/them for S+TMs?
Here is the schedule for the product spotlights to keep track of the topics and threads: 
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1sI-VJ1F71kVneOVUjKUs7hEChObe7H8_GufjE1XgzSg/edit?usp=sharing

Feel free to offer suggestions for other products or changes you think can be made. This is copied from S21 BMB so thanks to those going before us :-) 

Re: Product spotlight: Car seats 3/1

  • We got the Graco Click Connect car seat for DD and just bought a ton of bases for people’s cars. I love it! And it’s still plenty good for this baby, too! We kept the car seat and the bases so we won’t have to worry about a new car seat until this babe out grows the infant seat. It’s $125 and worth every Penny! The bases are $30 a piece. It comes with one base already.

    Graco SnugRide SnugLock 30 Infant Car Seat | Baby Car Seat, Gotham https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07D7DGNSC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_AJT314WFWX7PBHRZE9XG
    TTC History

    Me: 26 DH: 27

    TTC #1 | June '18-August '18 | DD | Born April 21, 2019 | Due May 10, 2019

    Lilypie Third Birthday tickers

    TTC#2 | June '20-February '21 | DS | Due October 27, 2021

    Lilypie Maternity tickers

  • We used the Chicco keyfit 30 for our first 2 and will get another for our last babe as well (the one we own is expired 😭) we'll get one seat and only one base since it's pretty dang easy to install without a base. Although tbh we pretty much haul the kids in one car and only one car (the van). 

    We'll also likely get a convertible Graco Extend2fit as long as we can seat 3 across for the few occasions we use truck. My older two are still in their Gracos, and we love them, but they won't be able to pass em down quite yet! I love the extend2fit though. Rearfaces forever and has a leg extender for refreshing even longer. We kept DS rear facing until he was close to 4. It was great!
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  • We have the chicco keyfit 30 for the infant days. I love the ability to carry the baby in his/her carseat into daycare, the doctor, etc. We got the travel system so the infant carrier also clicks into the stroller. Love that feature.

    DD is currently in the Graco Slimfit in both of cars. It works great for us. We chose the slimfit just in case we end up going for a 3rd kiddo and someday end up with 3 in carseats, hopefully they slimfit is narrow enough to fit 3 across. 🤞
  • We also had the chicco keyfit for infant seat and travel system. I got over the carrying at like 6 months haha, but in those early months it was so nice. I may have appreciated it more for daycare and such but DS went back only for a bit before COVID. We now have the Graco DLX and really like that one. We'll get two of those again for this baby once they're out of the infant carrier.
  • I was going to offer my opinions, but it would be a bit redundant since @cait32 already covered it. Love my Chicco Keyfit and Diono! DH has had a few different car seats in his truck and hasn't liked any of them.

    The most important thing to remember is expensive does not equal safer and inexpensive does not equal less safe. For safety be sure the carseat is installed properly and baby is always buckled snuggly with the harness over the upper chest area. Some of our local police, fire, and Kohl's will do carseat inspections to make sure everything is installed properly. That's how I found out DH is really good at installing carseats. It's also where I found out you are not supposed to leave the handle up on the infant carseat when you are driving.
  • ST+Ms, thank you in advance for sharing all your experience with us newbies!
    My question is for hot climates, are there any no-go carseats that are just awful for hot or humid weather? Or do you have a go-to one that helps with ventilation?

    Although I do plan on getting air to the rear seat and cooling down car ahead of time when possible, I'd hate to accidentally get one that doesn't breathe at all.
  • @5yearstrying We have the noggle for my husbands car although I don't really love it, it does help.  We also have a fan that we use either for the stroller or the carseat.  I didn't find any that were particularly better for the hot climate. We did get sunshades and you can by a sunshade for the carseat to help it stay cool.  One of my friends bought this and says good things. 

    We have the Graco 4ever DXL and the Britax B-Safe 35 for when he was an infant. We really liked the Britax carseat.  I am not in love with the Graco 4ever DXL, I find it harder to clip him in but I love their help.  I called to ask a question and the customer service rep gave me someone in my area that could make sure we installed it correctly and walked through tips.  Also if your on IG, I definitely recommend following Car Seat Safety Mama, she gives a lot of great advice. 
  • Looking for an infant to child car seat. FTM here so I have no idea what to look for. Found this on Amazon- what do you think? Anyone else with infant to child recommendations?

    Britax One4Life ClickTight All-in-One Car 

  • @tari_sara All "convertible" car seats will fit an infant to harnessed front facing. My son is 3.5, so he's been in his convertible for 3 years, and I'm ready to dump it when I go to front facing because its gross. I don't put much stock in the "lasting forever"! Most people choose an infant carrier at first because it's much easier to strap the baby in in the house, and then you can cover with a blanket - which I'm more concerned about now than I was with my June baby! No jackets in the car seat, of course. And newborns so often fall asleep in the car I would hate to wake them!
  • @tari_sara, it's going to be a personal choice, but I think a lot of people like the flexibility of the infant carrier carseats when the baby is tiny. If you live somewhere you get winter weather, I'd especially encourage you to consider a carseat with infant carrier. It's so much easier to cover them with a blanket or car seat cover and then just click the carseat into the base, rather than juggle a tiny baby into the convertible carseat in the cold.
  • @galentine and @cait32 OHHHH okay I feel so silly now. For some reason I thought you can "click" the seat in and out for the infant to child option as well. LOL. Sounds like I need an infant car seat and then upgrade it when the baby gets bigger. It definitely gets cold here. This is so eye opening, lol
  • aukeevaukeev member
    edited March 2021
    • Favorite [car seat]: Infant, Nuna Pipa. Convertible, Maxi Cosi Pria.
    • Link/picture: Nuna, Maxi Cosi
    • Cost (either actual dollar amount, or just $, $$, $$$, etc.): Nuna, $$$. Maxi Cosi, $$. 
    • What you like about it: Nuna - SO lightweight and comfortable to carry. Base installation is easy yet feels much more secure than others we tested with DS. It has a stabilizing leg which we love. The Maxi Cosi is so comfy. The padding is fluffy and the strap covers slide just behind the chest clip so when tightened properly feels very secure but is always comfortable for my DS. Easy to move between vehicles. Both car seats have very easy-to-remove fabric covers and are just beautiful, IMO.
    • What you don't like about it, if anything: Nothing for these two. We had Graco infant and convertible seats at first with DS, and still have the Extend2Fit in DH's vehicle, but have just really been happier with the Nuna and Maxi Cosi. 
      ETA: I say we've been happier with the Nuna and Maxi Cosi because they seem more comfortable for DS, the fabric is easier to remove and wash on both than with our first car seats, and I honestly just love the look of them. I don't have any concern about the safety of out other seats. These just felt like "upgrades" that I was excited about!
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