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February 2018 Moms
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Weekly Product Spotlight 10.11: Car Seat

precious88precious88 member
in February 2018 Moms
I got this idea while lurking on the June18 board. I had some people "love" the idea when I proposed it on our Board Organization thread, so each week we can cover one baby product on this thread. I'm not sure how June18 is specifically doing this, but I thought we could get feedback from STM+ who have experience using the product with a baby. That way FTM, and STM+ who are having to replace/purchase additional items, can see why and how other moms have chosen and used a product, and if someone had similar needs/wants to yours it can help narrow down the choices.

I thought for the first week, we'd discuss car seats, since that is probably the most important product parents have to make a decision on. If you're a STM+, please share:
  1. Which car seat(s) have you used with an infant? What needs did your family have that led you to pick this car seat (i.e. car size, twins/multiples, cost)?
  2. What did you like about this car seat?
  3. What did you dislike about this car seat?
  4. Did you start with an infant car seat, or use a convertible from the beginning? Why? Using hindsight, are you doing the same thing with this pregnancy and why?
  5. If you used a portable infant seat that can connect to a stroller, which stroller did you use? How satisfied were you with it?
  6. Did you use any online resources you can share a link to? How was this online resource helpful when you were choosing a car seat? 
  7. Any other advice or tips you have about choosing and using a car seat with an infant.
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Re: Weekly Product Spotlight 10.11: Car Seat

  • precious88precious88 member
    1. Which car seat(s) have you used with an infant? What needs did your family have that led you to pick this car seat (i.e. car size, twins/multiples, cost)?
    Graco SnugRide Click Connect 35
    We wanted something lightweight to make it easier to transport between cars and to a stroller. We also wanted something within our price range.

    2. What did you like about this car seat?
    It is very lightweight, which ended up being super helpful after I had to have a c-section. It came with a base you can install in a car, so it clicks in and out of the base super easily, making it very easy to carry baby out of the car without waking them up to put them in the stroller. The fabric padding is very easy to remove and replace and is machine washable. DD seemed very comfortable; she hardly ever cried in the car and usually slept. The price is also reasonable.

    What did you dislike about this car seat?
    Having to re-thread the straps to adjust shoulder height is super annoying. I'm not even sure if any infant car seats have an alternative way to adjust the strap shoulder height, but threading the straps while handling an infant is difficult. It was helpful that the car seat was portable, because I would bring the seat into the house to adjust it since I could lay DD down in her swing or something.

    Also, I didn't realize that the car seat could be installed without the base, using the car's seat belt. The car seat included one base with the purchase, and we purchased an additional base for DH's car so we could move it back and forth. After we realized we could just use a seat belt this felt like a huge waste of money. I really liked having the base for my car because it was so easy to put in and remove from the car, but it wasn't necessary in DH's car which we hardly used the seat in.

    Did you start with an infant car seat, or use a convertible from the beginning? Why? Using hindsight, are you doing the same thing with this pregnancy and why?
    Infant car seat. We wanted to be able to move the car seat back and forth easily between cars and to a stroller. This was very convenient, especially since it was so easy to put the car seat in my mom's car when she would babysit, too. It also ended up being really important to me since I ended up with a c-section and couldn't use a body infant carrier for a couple of months; I needed to use a stroller when I went anywhere with DD, and it was so nice that I could get her in the stroller without waking her up. Since DD has transitioned to a convertible car seat and we still have our infant, we are definitely using it again for the same reasons (I am having a c-section again).

    If you used a portable infant seat that can connect to a stroller, which stroller did you use? How satisfied were you with it?
    Verb ClickConnect Stroller (Graco, compatible with all Graco ClickConnect car seats)
    Initially I loved this stroller. It was one easy motion to click the car seat into place, and also easy to remove it from the car seat. However, less than a year after we started using it, the collapse feature on the stroller snapped so it was permanently stuck open. It wouldn't fit in either of our cars unless it was collapsed, so it was basically useless after that. The tires also wore out REALLY fast. I'm not sure whether this is a common issue or not, but it made me mad enough not to want to buy it again.

    Did you use any online resources you can share a link to? How was this online resource helpful when you were choosing a car seat?
    I checked both the CDC and my state's highway safety and motor vehicles websites to familiarize myself with current seat belt laws. The highway safety and motor vehicles website also had helpful resources to help with choosing a car seat, such as descriptions of the different kinds of car seats and ages/weights/heights they are suited for, and locations to take our car for a free safety inspection (ours was a fire station, they came out to make sure the seat was installed correctly and went over how to correctly buckle baby in). Here is Florida's highway safety and motor vehicles website, for anyone in FL: https://www.flhsmv.gov/safety-center/child-safety/safety-belts-child-restraints/

    I also searched for independent studies (NOT funded by any companies selling car seats) covering the safety of various car seats. The studies I looked at conducted various impact tests, and also rated the seats based on cost and how easy they are to install. However, the studies I looked at are now 2-3 years old, so I wouldn't look at them. I'd google search for new studies.

    Any other advice or tips you have about choosing and using a car seat with an infant.
    When I  was researching for DD's seat, I was initially so concerned about the impact safety tests. However, in my research it came up a lot that all of the car seats sold in your country/state HAVE to meet your country's/state's safety requirements and are basically all the same in that respect. What causes injuries and deaths in car accidents is not the type of car seat which was used, but when the car seat is used incorrectly. This was also concurred at the fire station we took our seat to for inspection. So making sure a car seat will fit in your car, is installed correctly, and that you can easily strap your child in correctly are the most important factors to consider.





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  • PeachGal23PeachGal23 member
    1. Which car seat(s) have you used with an infant? What needs did your family have that led you to pick this car seat (i.e. car size, twins/multiples, cost)?  We've used the same Chicco KeyFit 30 for 2 babies now and will use it for #3.  It had the highest safest ratings when we purchased it in 2016.
    2. What did you like about this car seat?  I like the versatility -- it snaps right into the Chicco Liteway Plus stroller, which is a great umbrella-like stroller. I think it was one of the lightest seats on the market at the time.
    3. What did you dislike about this car seat? I wish it had better canopy coverage and was perhaps a little lighter (of course they all could be!)
    4. Did you start with an infant car seat, or use a convertible from the beginning? Why? Using hindsight, are you doing the same thing with this pregnancy and why?  we did start with the infant seat with both kids and will do the same this time with #3.  The infant seat is such a necessity for going out to eat and transport when the baby is sleeping (which is so often in those newborn/ infant days!)
    5. If you used a portable infant seat that can connect to a stroller, which stroller did you use? How satisfied were you with it? the Chicco Liteway Plus.  It's a great lightweight stroller that converts from a infant seat carrier to a toddler stroller.
    6. Did you use any online resources you can share a link to? How was this online resource helpful when you were choosing a car seat?  we used the Baby Bargains book and www.lucieslist.com
    7. Any other advice or tips you have about choosing and using a car seat with an infant.  FTMs, don't stress about the convertible seat yet, and if you do receive one as a shower gift, don't open it up yet.  In a year from now, when you are more likely to being using it, you may find you like something else and can return the one you received.


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  • sabriel1sabriel1 member
    1. Which car seat(s) have you used with an infant? What needs did your family have that led you to pick this car seat (i.e. car size, twins/multiples, cost)? We used the Graco classic connect 30 for the rain that it was so light. It was between that and the Maxi Cosi which were the two lightest in the price point we were looking at. I chose the Graco over the Maxi Cosi because it was not as long so could fit inside the basket of a shopping cart easier.
    2. Whatt did you like about this car seat? I liked how light it was
    3. What did you dislike about this car seat? The base is a bit long so can make this incompatible with your vehicle depending on how long your seats are because of it exceeding the allowable overhang. This seat was NOT compatible with my GMC Acadia
    4. Did you start with an infant car seat, or use a convertible from the beginning? Why? Using hindsight, are you doing the same thing with this pregnancy and why? We used an infant seat from the beginning because I have so many kids it is helpful to be able to put the seat down on the ground while I open the doors to let my other kids in the vehicle. I wouldn't be able to police the other kids if I was buckling in a baby in the parking lot.
    5. If you used a portable infant seat that can connect to a stroller, which stroller did you use? How satisfied were you with it? We used an adaptor for the city select for the infant seat and it worked fine
    6. Did you use any online resources you can share a link to? How was this online resource helpful when you were choosing a car seat? i was mostly googling car seat resources of what seats would be the narrowest (we need three across) and lightest
    7. Any other advice or tips you have about choosing and using a car seat with an infant. All of the seats available in Canada and the US at least must meet the same rigerous safety standards so I wouldn't base my decision on that. I also wouldn't focus on making sure I got one that went to 35lbs (if it does, great but I wouldn't decide based on that) because when baby hits that weight there is no way you will want to be carrying them around in an infant carriers, way too hard on the arms and back
    8. Don't buy a used seat. If you don't know the history of the away don't buy it. You don't know if it's been in an accident or even if the straps have been washed incorrectly (even baby wipes are not supposed to be used on the straps, just water) so you can't be sure of the integrity of the seat.
    9. Get a certified car seat technician to install the seat for you. I think the stat is 80% are installed incorrectly so get a professional

     DD born Oct 2011 - DS#1 born Jan 2014 - DS#2 born Apr 2015 - DS#3 born Sept 2016 - LO#5 due Feb 7, 2018

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  • the_other_motherthe_other_mother member
    1. We used the Graco snugride click connect
    2. It was light, and easy to click in and out of bases and the stroller.
    3. The little button to loosen the straps couldn't be reached when the seat was clicked into the car base. It was also in an awkward position. No other complaints.
    4. We used the infant bucket seat for about 6 months until DD could sit up on her own, then switched to convertible. It became more convenient to use the convertible when I would regularly take DD out of the seat rather than take the whole seat with me, since she could ride in the grocery cart or sit up in the stroller without the bucket seat. The convertible carseat we chose was the Graco contender 65. I love this seat and have no complaints about it. 
    5. We use the Graco Pace click connect stroller. It was easy to click in the bucket seat. It has a single front wheel and is extremely easy to fold and unfold.

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  • magnolia305magnolia305 member
    1. Which car seat(s) have you used with an infant? What needs did your family have that led you to pick this car seat (i.e. car size, twins/multiples, cost)? We had the Britax B-Safe Elite. My SIL had used Britax and I was familiar with it.  
    2. What did you like about this car seat? It is easy to take apart to clean and just seemed very safe/snug.  I was able to use a seatbelt without the base when riding in a different car. The best part about the travel system is the stroller---
    3. What did you dislike about this car seat? It is on the heavier side and the travel system can get pricey.
    4. Did you start with an infant car seat, or use a convertible from the beginning? Why? Using hindsight, are you doing the same thing with this pregnancy and why? We will be using the infant seat again because it is so convenient. It easily clicks in and out of the base and keeps baby warm (and asleep). When we were out to eat, DS would sleep in his seat during the meal which kept him safe and away from strangers touching him.  
    5. If you used a portable infant seat that can connect to a stroller, which stroller did you use? How satisfied were you with it? The stroller that comes with the travel system (B-Agile?) is my favorite part. The stroller is light, folds flat, and can basically be folded one handed.  BUT, the best part is that is has a three-point wheel base.  We used our stroller a lot on uneven ground/walks and I have NEVER had a problem with it.  The stroller is a nice compromise if you want something for walking, but don't want to splurge on the BOB or a running stroller.  I love the stroller!! 
    6. Did you use any online resources you can share a link to? How was this online resource helpful when you were choosing a car seat? Just some internet basic searches comparing strollers/carseats.  But mostly talked to other moms. 
    7. Any other advice or tips you have about choosing and using a car seat with an infant.  Go to a store and get the strollers/carseats out and push them around.  
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  • lainikinslainikins member
    1. I am going to start by saying that the seats I am writing about are old now since my son is 5, so they are likely no longer manufactured. Also, we are not using the same types for this baby because of things that we learned the first go around. Finally, I apologize for the random numbering. I can't get it to go away. 

    1. Which car seat(s) have you used with an infant? What needs did your family have that led you to pick this car seat (i.e. car size, twins/multiples, cost)?
    We started with a infant seat. It was a Peg Perego. My husband had a strangely proportioned car and it was the only one that fit correctly so there was comfortable legroom for the passenger. It was heavy and we lived on a third floor walk up, so we did not use it long before it got too heavy for me to lug up the stairs. At 3 months, we moved to a convertible car seat and have been using that for the past 5 years and love it. It was the Evenflo Symphony E3. I am not sure if they are still making that exact model, but they might have something similar. 

    This time we are going to try an infant carrier again. We no longer live on the third floor, have an attached garage this time. We are going for a light one this time, and my husband has a new car. We are thinking Graco Snug Ride either 30 or 35. We are leaning towards the 30 since it is a pound lighter. We still need to make sure it fits correctly in our cars though. 
    1. What did you like about this car seat?
    I love the Evenflo. It is comfortable for my son. He was able to rear face for a real long time. He was 4 1/2 before he out grew the rear facing. He is on the small side though. If you have big babies and want to rear face for a long time, go with one that has higher limits for rear facing. The straps adjust really easily. They slide up and down and are always a perfect fit. It also installs really easily. I have never taken it apart, but my husband said it was not too bad to take apart and put back together. 

    I do not remember much about the Peg Perego, but it served its function and it fit in my husband's car. I do not know from experience about the Graco yet. 
    1. What did you dislike about this car seat?
    There is nothing that I really dislike about the Evenflo. It had worked great for us and still going strong. It does not expire for another 3 years and will also go into a high back booster and I think even a backless booster. We have not moved it into booster mode yet. We still have 25 lb and a lot of inches before we outgrow it as a front facing car seat. The only thing I would complain about is that the height and weight limits could be outgrown easily if your kid is in higher percentiles. My son is 35% for height and 25% for weight, so it has been great for us. 

    The Peg Perego was too heavy really quickly. 
    1. Did you start with an infant car seat, or use a convertible from the beginning? Why? Using hindsight, are you doing the same thing with this pregnancy and why?
    We started with an infant carrier, but quickly switched to a convertible. We are trying the infant one again this time, but with a lighter model and not living on the third floor. 
    1. If you used a portable infant seat that can connect to a stroller, which stroller did you use? How satisfied were you with it?
    We used a Peg Perego stroller and car seat travel system. It clicked into the stroller. There were not a ton of options for the Peg Perego car seats since there were not really adaptors for them 5 1/2 years ago. The stroller did its job and was easy to fold. It did not fold up very small though and took up a lot of room.
    1. Did you use any online resources you can share a link to? How was this online resource helpful when you were choosing a car seat? 
    We used consumer reports and random internet searches/review lists. 
    1. Any other advice or tips you have about choosing and using a car seat with an infant. 
    Think about what will work well for your life, parenting style, and budget. Remember that they all need to pass tough safety standards, but they do not all have the same requirements for size (especially the convertible ones). 
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  • TattoosandLaceTattoosandLace member
    Honestly, the best place for at seat information is Car Seats for the Littles. They have certified Child Passenger Safety Technicians available to answer questions based on make, model, and year of vehicle and your child’s height and weight. 

    I’m passionate about car seat safety and low-key looking into the certification process. I would highly recommend seeking out a CPST near you to help you choose and install your car seats. 
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  • mbirdiembirdie member
    TattoosandLace said:
    Honestly, the best place for at seat information is Car Seats for the Littles. They have certified Child Passenger Safety Technicians available to answer questions based on make, model, and year of vehicle and your child’s height and weight. 

    I’m passionate about car seat safety and low-key looking into the certification process. I would highly recommend seeking out a CPST near you to help you choose and install your car seats. 
    This ^. I am a CPST and highly recommend going to different stores and trying out seats in your vehicle. Not every seat will work well in every vehicle. Also always be sure to read your car seat manual and car manual. And don't be afraid to reach out to a tech! We love to help.
    DD - 4.15.16
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  • psm2462psm2462 member
    +1 for the Chicco KeyFit 30.  Relatively lightweight, snaps into the (reasonably-priced) KeyFit Caddy, which basically lived in our car, and can't imagine life without an infant seat.  Being able to move them in and out of the car for errands without waking them up and to put the seat into a high chair at restaurants was hugely important to maintaining a semblance of a normal life.  We didn't move to a convertible until maybe 8-9 months or so... basically not until our son was close to outgrowing the length of the infant seat.  We will be using the same car seat and stroller setup this go-round.
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  • babymakes9babymakes9 member
     with my first 2 i started with  convertable seats.  I finally got a bucket for my 3rd  because 3 under 5 i felt it was necessary,  and immediately kicked myself for not having gone that route with #1 &2  It was a huge game changer. Since then i have had a mix of convertibles, buckets,  and boosters in my car ever since.  My 2 cents are:

    1. Always get a bucket seat.  Your life will be so much easier with a newborn. 

    2. After switching to a booster, use one with the backrest as long as possible.  6 and 7 years old still frequently gal asleep in the car on longer drives or after lessons,  etc. And it helps support them. 

    3. if you don't plan on baby wearing,  Get a stroller that can accommodate all of your kids under 5 years old of you walk alot, or go to a lot of all day events.  Little legs get tired.  And a stroller just for the # of Kids you have under 3 door day to day that the bucket seat clips into. 

    Currently i have a this booster for my 7 year old (in NY you have to be in a booster til 8 currently)

     

    And we just purchased this for baby.  Dh researched all the carseat and said this was the one to get. 



    BabyFruit Ticker
    older siblings: ds 16 dd 14 ds 13 dd 11 dd 7 
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  • 3plus1equals43plus1equals4 member
    Ok, so skipping the format questions... sorry. 

    We got a graco snug ride for our 1st and kept it through our 3rd (when it expired.) We switched him to a convertible at that time. For #4, we are getting a new graco snugride. It still had good ratings and is in our price range. 

    We have never had a travel system stroller, but are opting for one this time around. We're getting a graco jogging stroller. We tried it out in store and it's easy to fold, push, etc. Only downside is the phone Holder doesn't actually fit my phonew  (which nbd to me since I usually just stick it in a cup holder.)

    I have a mini van, so fit wasn't an issue really. We just make sure to have the bases properly installed at a firehouse before baby arrives. I like infant seats because my kiddos always fall asleep on car rides and are easy to transfer while watching other kiddos in these. 
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  • TattoosandLaceTattoosandLace member
    mbirdie said:
    TattoosandLace said:
    Honestly, the best place for at seat information is Car Seats for the Littles. They have certified Child Passenger Safety Technicians available to answer questions based on make, model, and year of vehicle and your child’s height and weight. 

    I’m passionate about car seat safety and low-key looking into the certification process. I would highly recommend seeking out a CPST near you to help you choose and install your car seats. 
    This ^. I am a CPST and highly recommend going to different stores and trying out seats in your vehicle. Not every seat will work well in every vehicle. Also always be sure to read your car seat manual and car manual. And don't be afraid to reach out to a tech! We love to help.
    Could I message you to learn more about becoming a CPST?
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  • mbirdiembirdie member
    TattoosandLace said:
    mbirdie said:
    TattoosandLace said:
    Honestly, the best place for at seat information is Car Seats for the Littles. They have certified Child Passenger Safety Technicians available to answer questions based on make, model, and year of vehicle and your child’s height and weight. 

    I’m passionate about car seat safety and low-key looking into the certification process. I would highly recommend seeking out a CPST near you to help you choose and install your car seats. 
    This ^. I am a CPST and highly recommend going to different stores and trying out seats in your vehicle. Not every seat will work well in every vehicle. Also always be sure to read your car seat manual and car manual. And don't be afraid to reach out to a tech! We love to help.
    Could I message you to learn more about becoming a CPST?
    Absolutely! 
    DD - 4.15.16
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  • brash717brash717 member
    1. Which car seat(s) have you used with an infant? What needs did your family have that led you to pick this car seat (i.e. car size, twins/multiples, cost)? We used the Britax Chaperone with my first two and loved it. It is expiring before this one will be born, but we decided to stick with the Britax Endeavours for some of the same reasons. 
    2. What did you like about this car seat? We liked the safety ratings on the Chaperone and the fact that it had the double impact head protection. The Endeavours is very highly rated for safety, has an anti rebound bar and also has an easy to adjust headrest without having to rethread the harnesses
    3. What did you dislike about this car seat? It is a little bit heavy but to be honest I didn't mind because of the safety standards. Plus I realized with my first two that such little time is spent actually carrying it that it wasnt a huge deal (because most the time I was taking it out of the car long enough to place it in the stroller or shopping cart or carry it in the house... super short stints)
    4. Did you start with an infant car seat, or use a convertible from the beginning? Why? Using hindsight, are you doing the same thing with this pregnancy and why? We started with the infant seat because I wanted to be able to leave our babies sleeping instead of having to take them in and out of a seat. We will be doing the same this time, especially since there will be a lot more car time since I have two younger ones to take to various places.
    5. If you used a portable infant seat that can connect to a stroller, which stroller did you use? How satisfied were you with it? We used the Britax B-Ready stroller and I really liked it. It was a bit pricey but I have gotten almost 5 years of use out of it and it is still holding strong for this one coming. It also has the ability to add an adaptor for a second seat or infant 
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  • Aeml1985Aeml1985 member
    1. Which car seat(s) have you used with an infant? What needs did your family have that led you to pick this car seat (i.e. car size, twins/multiples, cost)? we have the peg perego infant seat. It was one of 3 compatible with our stroller (uppababy vista) and we sure as hell weren't getting a graco
    2. What did you like about this car seat? made in Italy vs made in China like other brands. Looks sleek (leather trim) and higher than baseline safety features 
    3. What did you dislike about this car seat? Nothing 
    4. Did you start with an infant car seat, or use a convertible from the beginning? Why? Using hindsight, are you doing the same thing with this pregnancy and why? I wanted to be able to carry a sleeping baby into stores/the house so we will do the same thing this time too
    5. If you used a portable infant seat that can connect to a stroller, which stroller did you use? How satisfied were you with it? Uppababy vista. I love it more than I love my car
    6. Did you use any online resources you can share a link to? How was this online resource helpful when you were choosing a car seat? 
    7. Any other advice or tips you have about choosing and using a car seat with an infant. Try it in your vehicle first. The bet car seat is one you can properly and safely install that fits well in your car and in your budget 
    Andrea (31), married Aaron (36) September 2012
    Parents to fur babies Tiki and Gizzmo and 2yr old Georgia
    IF veterans; #1 conceived on second clomid+HCG+IUI, #2 conceived on 1st Letrozole+HCG+IUI
    EDD: Feb 5, 2018


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