Baby Car Seats

GraysonsMama · July 2017

Hey, so I know that this is early but I also know that many will be purchasing or given car seats soon. I have learned so much about car seat safety and some of it is scary. I thought we could have a place to put some general information in to keep our little ones safe when they arrive.
Disclaimer: I am not a CPS (Do we have one on the board?)

GraysonsMama · July 2017

Thing's I have learned:
Always, always, always read your manual.
Some seats so not allow machine washing.
Never saturate the straps.
Do not use any harsh chemicals on any part of the seat.
The sun is wonderful when getting out smells (urine, vomit, etc.)
Rear face until at least 2 years of age.
Do not put anything between baby and seat (covers, blankets, etc).

There's a really good FB page called car seats for Littles. Lots of good information.

kyrwyn · July 2017

I have read that detergents especially weaken the efficacy of the straps for baby seats, strollers, anything else with restraints. I cannot remember where I read this, at the moment, but it follows with @GraysonsMama's advice above.

Also, our local fire station and police storefront will do car seat installation checks. The fire station will grumble about it a bit, but still check, and the police storefront requires an appointment. (There may be a small fee at some stations.) Depending on your area, they may offer the same service! I found this really useful for calming my and DH's anxiety!

Tennis11785 · July 2017

Just wanted to second the car seat installation checks. I know so many people who thought they had theirs installed properly, only to take it in and find it was wrong. All the seats out there (that you buy new) are safe, but only if they are used and installed properly.

GraysonsMama · July 2017

If you're looking for an instation check I would suggest finding a local CPS. They are free and very qualified. They will teach you how to properly install your specific seat and can answer any questions.
https://cert.safekids.org

ETA: with this I'm just sharing what we found really helpful with our first. I don't mean to come off as self-righteous.

ameliabedelia-2 · July 2017

This isn't about safety, but I will share the carseat we bought for DD and I am obsessed with it. It's the Graco 4ever seat. We have that in my car and a Britax in my husbands, and it's so much easier to get her in and out of. The fabric is also much easier to clean and is holding up way better. You can use it from newborn until the time they are big enough not to be in a booster anymore. It's pricey, but IMO, totally worth it.

https://www.target.com/p/graco-174-4ever-all-in-one-convertible-car-seat/-/A-50198682?ref=tgt_adv_XS000000&AFID=google_pla_df&CPNG=&adgroup=&LID=0pgs&network=g&device=c&location=9007587&gclid=Cj0KEQjwnPLKBRC-j7nt1b7OlZwBEiQAv8lMLGOnXqo71dkXals9UQtroURfx0h2JB4iHvboFXNeI2saAuN28P8HAQ

Tennis11785 · July 2017

@ameliabedelia-2 -- when using that car seat as a rear-facing/infant seat, can you pop it in and out easily like you do a regular car seat? Or does the seat stay in the vehicle and you just load your LO into it?

Jellybelly119 · July 2017

@Tennis11785 The convertible seats stay installed. Only the infant (bucket) seats click in and out.

Jellybelly119 · July 2017

Also, since we're having winter babies, puffy jackets are a no-no in the car seat! You want to make sure the jacket is not thick enough to prevent the straps from being tightened up to the baby's body. The test would be to tighten the straps with the jacket on, removed the jacket, then re-fasten the straps to see if there's any slack. I know Patagonia down sweater and puff ball jackets are recommended by a lot of CSPTs, and we sometimes used ours, but mostly I piled blankets on top of DS while walking between the car and wherever we were going.

dkizz82 · July 2017

Also, baby trend car seats do not tend to fit newborns well. We had one with DD and it was about a month before the straps were at/below her shoulders.

If you seat doesn't have a great infant insert, you can roll two receiving blankets and place on either side of baby.

Theres another Facebook group called Car seat safety. I learned a lot on there.

ameliabedelia-2 · July 2017

@Tennis11785, what @Jellybelly119 said. We used a carrier for the first year since DD was so tiny, then moved to this one. I know plenty of people who just buy the convertible, but you lose the convenience of being able to switch between car and stroller/carry. For us, the carrier was a must. I have friends with LOs that were out of the carrier by 3-4 months because they were getting too heavy. Also, if you plan on doing a lot of baby wearing, you might not need a carrier.

One thing to also keep in mind is to get the measurements of the installed seat and make sure it fits in your car. I have an SUV that can't hold a rear facing seat behind the driver's side, but it fits just fine in my husbands Maxima.

mamaalicie · July 2017

I really like the convertible car seat. If you don't change vehicles often you install it once and you don't have to worry about it. And when I comes to caring baby, I prefer to baby wear. You don't have to carry around a big bulky heavy carseat and it's more soothing for baby,also you are hands free to do whatever you are doing, plus you only have to make one purchase. Also it makes it much easier if you have other kids. I wear one then have the freedom to hold the hands of the other 2 and I sometimes carry a second child if they get fussy. Sorry this is a little off topic but I feel that this info helped my decision on the type of carseat I bought with my 2nd baby. I'm going on#4. Also if I'm out with my husband we both have matching baby carriers and we both carry a baby making us hands free to do other things and keep up with the 5yr old.

splsmama2016 · July 2017

DD has been in a convertible seat since about 8 months in my car. It was getting to be too heavy for me to take the bucket seat in and out every time. But DH used the bucket seat in his car until I stopped working at the shop (around 10 months), so he didn't need to pick her up anymore from my parents house. TBH, she still fits in her infant seat and is under both the weight and height restrictions, but we find that she seems so much more comfortable in the convertible seat.

The new baby, regardless of sex, will be in the infant carrier we used for DD. It was so much easier for us to have the option to baby wear or to put the car seat into the stroller. I do however, wish that the convertible seat we have (Chicco NextFit) had the same material as the bucket seat (also a Chicco). Since its the middle of the summer here in SoCal, almost every single time we go anywhere, DD gets SOOOOOO sweaty in her seat and I feel so bad knowing that its because of the material.

Also, FTM's!!! You may know this already, but I had NO clue. It is NOT recommended to use any aftermarket carseat products! You may think that babe is uncomfortable in their seat, and want to give them some extra cushions or padding (for me, it was a softer headrest and strap covers because those are cute), but they can interfere with protecting him/her in the chance of an accident. As mentioned above, you can use a rolled receiving blanket to help support them, as its not changing anything, but some people don't even recommend doing that either.

Tennis11785 · July 2017

Thanks, @jellybelly119 and @ameliabedelia-2. That's what I was afraid of. I love the idea of only having to buy one seat, but I hate that the convertible seats don't pop in and out. But good to know for when they grow out of the infant seat that you like that particular convertible.

anewadventure · July 2017

yes!!!! all the love to this thread! my parents and ILs like to call me car seat nazi. i just roll my eyes at them because i don't get all the hate - why object to your grandchild being as safe as possible? be prepared for flak (or none, YMMV) from older generations because "we didn't use car seats and you all were fine." my son is still rear facing and is nearly 3. he is perfectly happy and it gives me great peace of mind.

PPs have covered so many good points. perhaps next week when everyone's thoughts are out, we can have grayson's mama update her original post to summarize everything in one spot for future reference.

carseats can be installed by the "latch" system (car models late 2002 and newer) or via a seat belt. not all car seats and cars can use latch and not all car seats can use the seat belt in a given car. you have to use both your car's manual and the car seat manual to figure out your exact situation. similarly, not all car seats will fit or install correctly in all cars. besides width, depth, and height, they also have to be able to be installed at a certain flatness (levelness). some cars don't have a good fit in all seat positions (side vs. middle). don't let this overwhelm you! you can try carseats out at the store with the car you bring with you. there are also a million reviews and some great websites mentioned above to hep you narrow this down. i highly highly recommend getting your seat installed by 34 weeks and having it inspected. you will learn a lot and feel confident that you know what you are doing.

for the infant bucket seat vs convertible debate, i think you'll get all kinds of opinions on this. i actually disagree, from my experience, with windfarmmama. the bucket seat, for us, was far more comfortable and convenient. the convertibles can be poorly sized and shaped for infants as they are meant to hold much larger children for many years. we loved the bucket seat. we put a base in each of our cars and you just click and go. if your LO is sleeping when you arrive somewhere (which is practically any time you drive unless you are unlucky enough to get a baby that despises the car seat) it is easy to just carry them around still asleep. when you have to remove them from the seat in order to leave the car, even if you transfer directly to baby wearing, it can be obnoxious. i also want to point out that having an infant seat doesn't mean you can't choose to baby wear. it gives you more options. if you're cutting costs, by all means, skip the bucket seat.

speaking of costs, car seats can seriously range in price. please know that all car seats in the US must meet minimum standards. they are ALL SAFE. pricier car seats will often have added features, additional padding or safety features, convenience or patented release and tightening systems, premium fabric, the ability to rear-face for larger children. if you need to get a $100 seat, this does not mean your child is not safe. if a $100 seat means you can get one convertible for each car, therefore avoiding having to constantly reinstall your seat, then consider doing that in lieu of getting one $400 seat. you can also wait for sales.

if you want to register for a convertible in addition to a bucket seat, i would consider how many children you plan to have. car seats have expiration dates. it's usually 6 years from date of manufacture. this information is required by law to be printed on a sticker directly on the seat itself. we registered for the bucket seat but waited until we needed the convertible to buy it "fresh."

i also do not recommend buying a used car seat. in the event of an accident, you are required to replace your car seat. as noted above, there are strict guidelines for cleaning and care. if you trust your source explicitly, then maybe it's OK. this is up to your level of comfort. for myself, it's not an area i'm willing to risk it. there are so very many baby items you can get used, but please consider a brand new car seat for your LO.

straps! please educate yourself on the proper way to secure your LO in your seat. this involves the actual configuration of the straps in the various holes / locations (follow your manual based on your baby's size), the tightness of the straps, and the location of the chest buckle on your baby's torso.

i would reiterate many of the points made by PPs but this novel is plenty long.

lastly, please do not be overwhelmed by this topic. there are tons of people who will happily help you to learn. it's all to keep the babies as safe as possible!

whiska · July 2017

Guys I had such a carseat wake-up call working on the registry last week and researching products. I had added all kinds of after-market stuff to put in the carseat - the JJ Cole BundleMe, a little Snuggly insert to help support LO's head - and then read that all these things can void the car seat's warranty and leave LO even more vulnerable during a crash. Scary!

I can't believe that they're allowed to advertise with pictures of their products in car seats. So I started reading about how to position a newborn in a car seat and found The Car Seat Lady.

https://youtu.be/TDnVE6t-vbc

I'm still getting those products, but to use elsewhere, and getting the JJCole Carseat cover, which doesn't go between baby and carseat. It also looks easy to pop on and off, like a shower cap.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5020794/uploads/editor/ek/h80ux1cz9kux.png

thatlauragirl · July 2017

I just wanted to reiterate what @anewadventure said about cost. Safety ratings are everything and cost doesn't always correlate. If you buy the priciest one out there, just make sure you're getting it because it's the one you actually like. When our ds was little and we wanted a car seat for my dh's vehicle, we went with a Cosco Scenera that was like $50 at the time. Great safety ratings and basic, it was perfect for the occasional time he rode in my dh's vehicle.

There's some great blogs out there, I know The Car Seat Lady used to be one, that have a wealth of information as well.

lavashiner · July 2017

Seconding the cosco scenera. We've bought three so far, one for a second seat for us, one for my parent's car, and one for our nanny. They also fit on airplanes (and meet FAA regulations) and are very lightweight for air travel!

eazybreezy225 · July 2017

@anewadventure yes yes yes to everything she said.

I want to emphasize one thing she covered, which I come across all the time, which is please do NOT purchase a used car seat!!
When a vehicle with a car seat in it is involved in an accident, that car seat must be thrown in the trash and a new one purchased (usually covered by auto insurance). Regardless of whether or not a child was in the seat at the time of the accident.
Car seats sold on FB, Craigslist,etc cannot be verified or proven that it wasn't involved in an accident, even if the seller states it wasn't. Also, used car seats could have damage from other types of misuse that might not been seen at first glance.
The only time you should accept and use a used car seat is if it came from a close friend or relative that you trust and know without a doubt that the seat was properly cared for. Again, as @anewadventure stated, this is all based on your comfort level. I personally have never used a used seat regardless, and wouldn't accept one even from friend/family.
Another important note is that ALL car seats have expiration dates! This date is 6 years from the year it was manufactured. There's a date printed on the side of the seat, or if not, it can be found in the owners manual. This is when the seat was made, and is required to be on all seats by law. If it's past 6 years from this date, it's time to replace.

Also, I've stated this before in another thread... when purchasing a new seat, It doesn't matter if you spend $30 or $300, all seats must pass the same safety standards and testing. And this is regardless of ratings. Please do NOT feel you must go out and spend $100 on a car seat if you cannot afford to. There are plenty of cheaper options for new car seats, and they passed the same safety testing and standard as that $400 seat. What is most important is how it is installed and used.

flowerpower5838 · July 2017

Following up what Jellybelly119 said about puffy coats - fleece is a really good alternative. It's "skinny" enough to not impact carseat straps and warm enough to walk to and from the car.

cait5413 · July 2017

I also am on the pro-bucket seat side! DD is 11 months and still in her bucket seat. We don't haul her around in it too much anymore, but can easily carry her in the house/into daycare without waking her and the fact that it clicked into her stroller was great when she was little. We mostly use my car with her, so we did not buy a second base for DH's car. Instead, we put the convertible in there and he uses that the few times he has to pick her up, and we'll move it to my car soon because they should only be in the bucket up to 1 year or when their heads are an inch from the top.

I also recommend seeing if your town has an inspection station. Our local fire station has certified car seat technicians and they installed our seats for us. Gives some peace of mind because installation is not always easy!

I also concur with the "don't worry about price" comment. I think our convertible was about $80. It's a well-rated Evenflo seat. Our bucket was also not very expensive. It's a Graco Click-Connect we got with the stroller--I think stroller and carseat together were under $200. You can get those in discontinued patterns often for a discount. I do recommend going and lifting the bucket seats and your stroller--some are a lot heavier than others, and once you add baby, it's worse!

Middle seat is the best spot for install, but if you cannot get it tight enough, it is better to have baby on one of the sides than to have it loose. DD is behind the driver's seat because we couldn't get the base tight enough in the middle.

I also concur--don't buy a carseat second hand. They do expire and should not be used after an accident. There are a lot of great baby things you can get on consignment, but a carseat is not a good option.

acgonzalez22 · July 2017

Where I live here in FL, you need to bring your car-seat and car in to get checked and they give you a certificate. The hospital does not let you leave without proof of the certificate. It is brilliant!

tmk0325 · July 2017

@whiska we have two of those car seat covers and I'd highly recommend. We live in WI and used them all winter long until we transitioned to convertible seats in March.

Id also highly recommend an infant car seat for those who live in colder climates. It was so much easier taking the car seat in and out rather than a baby. Also, it gets extremely snowy and icy here and if I were to slip and fall at least the baby would be protected in their car seat. That was a legit concern of mine!

GraysonsMama · July 2017

As @eazybreezy225 started all car seats expire, though some of them have a 10 year expiration date now so check your manual.
Something else I just remembered is that when you are shopping don't put a bucket seat on top of the cart. This can cause the cart to be top heavy and might tip. Always place it in the basket.

dkizz82 · July 2017

@agonzalez that's awesome. I wish it were required everywhere.

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