Ugh car seat mini vent

duffmaker · January 2013

Has anyone started looking into car seats yet?

We are absolutely doing an infant seat and a snap&go frame vs the whole travel system/full sized stroller, so I've decided (based on the limited choices for frames) that we're going with either a Chicco or Graco infant seat. So looking at these suckers online I'm in shock, just a year and a half ago (looking into them for M), these big 30+lb seats seemed to be more of a splurge item and there were quite a few more choices with a normal weight limit... now it's all there is available!! Of course they're more $$ which sucks, but they're also HUGE!! I had no intention of switching M to forward facing until at least 2, but all of these big bulky infant seats will not fit behind the driver's seat of our car (DH is our main driver and the seat needs to be pretty far back) and M's seat won't fit RF behind the driver's seat which means I would have to move her to FF around 19 months just so both seats will fit. A normal sized infant seat would go fine behind the driver's side but not the 30lb ones because they all have giant bases!! I'm slightly irritated because I REALLY don't want another travel system but it seems like the only way to get a normal sized infant seat.... grrrrrrr

bumpuser8448316 · January 2013

I hadn't noticed that they are any bigger than when DS was a baby.

You can use it without the base though if the base is the issue. The base is just for convenience. Can you put one behind the passenger and one in the middle?

Do you not still have the one you used for your LO?

JinglesChic · January 2013

There's a few SnugRide 22s on Amazon.

fefy2323 · January 2013

I had the quinny travel system..but it is pricey

kanga1622Wed220857 · January 2013

Have you checked Amazon and kohls.com and diapers.com? Ive searched all of them recently and remember seeing the old Snugrides without the travel systems. I know I saw some Graco Snugrides at either Target or Walmart in the last few weeks but am not sure if they were part of the travel system.

Alliebooberz · January 2013

Ditto PP, don't use the base if it between the base and turning your other LO FF.

pammasu0909 · January 2013

I have a mazda3 and this is a hug concern for me. We found that Chicco and Graco both have "infant" or 22 lb car seats that are smaller and lighter. FTM - I could be wrong, but the research I've done said that most babies grow out of their infant car seats in height before weight so we're betting on that and skipping the 30 lb seats.

btsrc5 · January 2013

pammasu:
I have a mazda3 and this is a hug concern for me. We found that Chicco and Graco both have "infant" or 22 lb car seats that are smaller and lighter. FTM - I could be wrong, but the research I've done said that most babies grow out of their infant car seats in height before weight so we're betting on that and skipping the 30 lb seats.

I have a Mazda3 as well. We had the Graco Snugride 22 for DD and it fit fine in the middle seat.

I am not sure what we are going to do with two under two now though... I would love a bigger car but I am trying to hold off until DH's car is paid off.

logoz80 · January 2013

Technically, the baby should be in the middle or the passenger side. We have the Chicco and luckily we have a truck and we're short people, lol.

logoz80 · January 2013

Also, you don't have to turn your older one forward facing if you don't want to, the convertible seat faces the rear. My daughter is small and outgrew the infant carrier around 15 lbs, she looked tight in it and frankly I couldn't carry it anymore so we switched to the convertible seat.

emolm · January 2013

Alliebooberz:
Ditto PP, don't use the base if it between the base and turning your other LO FF.

This for sure.

We're facing the same dilemma bc I put my foot down and refuse to trade my Forester in for a minivan.

duffmaker · January 2013

M is in her convertible seat RF right now, and it's behind my seat (passenger side). Because of our car (it's an '01 Maxima) and how far back the driver's seat needs to be for DH, we can't put her seat behind his or in the middle... and same goes for one of these larger infant seats. I wasn't planning on buying one because they are just a waste IMO. Like PPs mentioned, they do outgrow it far before they're 30lbs and they are just so much more money. I'm having a tough time finding a 22, I saw a couple but I'm incredibly picky and they aren't what I'm looking for. Although honestly I might not have a choice. We were debating on getting a new car this summer, and nixed the idea until next spring but we might need to revisit it.

As for using it without a base, can you even do that with a Chicco Keyfit? MIL has one from M for her car and I didn't see how you could. Even if it was possible though, I liked our base with M's infant seat... it just seemed much more secure.

mlandwehr · January 2013

we went yesterday and went to babies r us, they let you try the care seat in your care and even some after you put it in the middle the are so wide you can't put the seat all the way back. We are going to get the graco snugride 35 its one of the top safest car seats and it fits in our care and we can get the seat all the way back- DH is our main driver too. An its not part of a travel system

LiLi23 · January 2013

You can use the Keyfit without a base. My mom watches DD and a few times she's had to use the infant seat without the base. I think there's a way to thread the seatbelt through the seat. I haven't done it, but my parents figured it out.

Here's a link to the manual I found online:

https://www.chiccousa.com/Files/pdf/product-manuals/KeyFit-Instructions-08.pdf

I do agree with you on the secure part. Even trying to attach the base without LATCH didn't seem as sturdy. But I suppose it is possible.

ETA: Quote fail. Meant to quote you, clizh!

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