Did I blow it by not gettng the Britax Marathon earlier?

Lux_Diva

Hello Ladies:

 I am kicking myself now because I think I blew it by not buying the Britax Marathon in the Hannah pattern when it was $142 online earlier this month.  There were so many posts about it but I passed because I thought the pattern was hideous and girly (I'm team blue).  I also saw an Onyx online that $219 around that time so I was going to go with that but it has sold out and now the best thing I can do are some discontinued girly patterns for about $180. For those who have been coveting the marathon since 1st tri and price watching or those experienced moms, please advise.  If $180 is the best I can do for the next 4 months then I will order now.

darlene'smommy

Britax is not a good seat for a newborns. Also it only has a 6 year life so if you buy it now and do not need it for another year then it's now only good for 4.5-5 years instead of 6 years. So it's better to buy it when you need it. Are you using a convertible car seat instead of an infant seat? If so I can give you some names of seats that are good for infants.

krissyh21

darlene'smommy:

Britax is not a good seat for a newborns.

Ditto. Save your money and buy a higher rated seat like a Chicco Key Fit for your infant and get a Britax convertible for later. 

Lux_Diva

Thanks Ladies but I am confused... I really hate the idea of infant seats and was going to break down and get one until I went out and test drove a few strollers and infant seats and had several moms and sales people confirm that you could use the marathon in rear facing with a Snuzzler from a newborn and it will be the best investment you make because it should last until the child is 60 lbs or 5 years old.  I have even seen a 3 month old in a marathon with a snuzzler looking well supported so I was sold.  As far as a convertible seat, the martathon is the most highlhy rated for safety.  The graco myride and the recarro have high reviews because they have more padding for newborns but they are still not as safe as the marathon (shock absorption around the entire seat).  I think I'm sold but if you can tell me otherwise... 

KaseyBrent

I have just found a few on Amazon.com for $189 if you are still interested!

a.conwell

I think the Britax is high priced and not comfortable for a newborn. We put our son in one and he just looked uncomfortable, we ended up going with a Graco and after he turned a year old we got the Britax that converted. I say get something that will fit the baby as new born and buy a convertible carseat later. The last thing I want to hear is the baby crying in the back. We are buying a Chicco for the new baby due in August.

Good luck.

SuperCuteBenz

Just as an example for you... My almost 2 year old daughter (average height/weight) is still on the lowest strap setting for her Marathon. I would not suggest putting a newborn in one, and those snuzzlers are an after market product that isn't approved for use with Britax seats.

SuperCuteBenz

https://community.babycenter.com/post/a12994095/newborn_in_convertible_car_seat?

darlene'smommy

1.  All car seats are just as safe as another.  They dont put out how the car seat passed a test over the other car seat.  So no one but the company its self knows how their car seat passed and they dont give that info to anyone else so Britax has no clue how Graco did in testing so no one can tell you what one is safer. 

 2.  A snuzzler should NOT be used in a car seat,  Nothing should be added to a car seat unless it came with the car seat or the manufacture says its ok.  No car seat manufacutre says its ok to use any after market product (a product not bought from them).  They make the harness move out of place which means it wont perform right in a car crash,  they also compress in a car crash which adds slack in to your harness and can eject your baby.  If you were in a crash and something happened to your baby and it was the car seats fault the manufacture will do nothing for you or pay any medical bills because you used an after market product.

3.  Britax says the harness must be at or below the childs should for the child to fit in the seat.  They have a really high bottom slot which is to tall for 90% of newbons.  Here is a poll that was done on my car seat board (I am a car seat tech) where 96% said thier child did not fit in the Marthon at birth.

https://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=106228

Some car seats to try are the my ride, Combi Coccoro, True fit or ture fit premier and the Evenflo triumph advanced.  All these seats fit newborns very well.  If you have any questions let me know.  I am a tech and try to keep up on all this stuff for parents when they call and ask.

 

bethCT

I really suggest getting an infant seat and then getting the convertible later on.  DD was SO colicy that we ended up driving her around nearly every day because that was the only way she would nap.  it was SO much easier to bring her back into the house (or a store, etc...) in the infant seat without waking her up.  I am only now sometimes able to move her from the car seat to a stroller without waking her up.  I agree with the logic of only getting one seat but it is not really practical.  We have the baby jogger city mini and while she can (and did) go in there as a newborn, with the adapter, I could also drop her infant seat right in and that was SO convenient.  I am not a fan of snap and go strollers and find them hard to steer, but the city mini was fabulous with the infant seat.

darlene'smommy

Also my next baby will be in a convertible car seat.   I am getting the Combi Coccoro.  I have the Evenflo advanced and a britax (which I dont prefer but its the only seat that will fit in my middle seat in my car).  I prefer my Evenflo.  I need a small convertible like the combi because I cant fit an infant seat or bigger convertible (like my Evenflo) behind my passanger seat with out being pushed up in to the air bag. 

Lux_Diva

SuperCuteBenz:

Just as an example for you... My almost 2 year old daughter (average height/weight) is still on the lowest strap setting for her Marathon. I would not suggest putting a newborn in one, and those snuzzlers are an after market product that isn't approved for use with Britax seats.

Okay, that is the most convincing argument I have heard yet. I will have another look at the Graco car seat that I was eyeing and hold off on the Marathon.  By the time I look at it again I should be able to catch another great sale.

JillBean78

As much as I hate infant seats because I think they are a pain, There is no way DS would have fit in the Britax as a newborn.  We have one now, but when he was tiny, no way.  You can get a very nice, high rated Graco Snugride for as low as $89, do that and usually in the fall, around September. Britax has the awesome sales again.  Just keep your eyes open, www.babycheapskate.com is a great website for the sales througout the year.  I got my Britax in September when they put them on sale and transitioned by son then when he was around 6 months old.