@galentine I have gone to Lucie's List so many times for so many reasons. But I really trust her car seat reviews! Its helped immensely each time we've had to graduate to the next level. And for everyone, I'm with @cmbt2, Happy to share must-haves for your registry, things to skip, things to splurge on, etc. Maybe someone can start a Registry Must-Haves thread and STM/TTM+ can post their favorites. I know the list of stuff is endless though, so not sure how to keep a thread like that organized. Just a thought.
Maybe one of the STM/TTM+ could just come down to Texas and go registry shopping with me... 😂
@galentine I have gone to Lucie's List so many times for so many reasons. But I really trust her car seat reviews! Its helped immensely each time we've had to graduate to the next level. And for everyone, I'm with @cmbt2, Happy to share must-haves for your registry, things to skip, things to splurge on, etc. Maybe someone can start a Registry Must-Haves thread and STM/TTM+ can post their favorites. I know the list of stuff is endless though, so not sure how to keep a thread like that organized. Just a thought.
Maybe one of the STM/TTM+ could just come down to Texas and go registry shopping with me... 😂
I was there last month! I was supposed to go back in August, but I’m not allowed to fly at that point 😂
I will add my little bit here too as a STM mom. We purchased the Chicco KeyFit for DS and had no issues with the car seat. Just sucks that it was manufactured in March 2013 when we bought it in like August 2014, so it's basically expired before we got to use it with another baby (expiration is six years).
Just FYI, though you can do lots of research to see what seat is "safest", but all car seats are supposed to be equally safe because they all have to meet performance standards set by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Since we need to get a new car seat for this kid, I think we will purchase either the Evenflo SafeMax or the Britax B Safe. DS currently uses the (i think) Graco Size4Me in my car, which we purchased after DS outgrew the infant seat, and he has the Evenflo Sonus 65 in DH's car. I like this for toddlers+ since it's convertible and has a high height (50 inches) and weight (65 lbs) limit.
TTC #1: September 2013, BFP 01/01/14, DS 09/14 TTC #2: October 2018, BFP 02/02/19, EDD 10/14/19
... but all car seats are supposed to be equally safe because they all have to meet performance standards set by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
This is a good point. All car seats are safe. So definitely choose the one that feels best to you and has the features you desire. The main reason I picked the Graco SungRide initially is b/c at the time is was the lightest on the market (that wasn't also $400). I am weak and didn't want to lug a heavy carrier + the weight of my baby. Good thing b/c DS1 has been enormous from day 1. The important safety thing to remember is the rear facing thing. THAT is what is safest for the first two years, even if it's inconvenient as they get bigger (which it is!).
... but all car seats are supposed to be equally safe because they all have to meet performance standards set by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
This is a good point. All car seats are safe. So definitely choose the one that feels best to you and has the features you desire. The main reason I picked the Graco SungRide initially is b/c at the time is was the lightest on the market (that wasn't also $400). I am weak and didn't want to lung a heavy carrier + the weight of my baby. Good thing b/c DS1 has been enormous from day 1. The important safety thing to remember is the rear facing thing. THAT is what is safest for the first two years, even if it's inconvenient as they get bigger (which it is!).
And just remember, you can by the fanciest seat that will go to age 6 for fear facing, but some kids may not tolerate it no matter what (those “your kid will adapt; make them deal” photos that float around are bull, IME).
Another benefit to starting with the infant carseat that hasn't already been mentioned is that you can bring it into the hospital with you after baby is born and the nurses will help you make sure baby is positioned and strapped in properly, which is just a nice reassurance for nervous new parents. We also used the Chicco Keyfit 30 and really liked it.
Another thing to consider with registry is that depending on how fast your baby grows, you may need a convertible sooner than you think. We moved DS to one at just 6 months. In retrospect, I wish we'd registered for both seats ahead of time so we could at least have gotten the registry discount on the convertible. For convertible seats, my favorite so far is the Graco Extend2Fit. We also have the Maxi Cosi Pria, which DH prefers, but I find the straps more difficult to adjust than the Graco.
Another benefit to starting with the infant carseat that hasn't already been mentioned is that you can bring it into the hospital with you after baby is born and the nurses will help you make sure baby is positioned and strapped in properly, which is just a nice reassurance for nervous new parents.
In a lot of hospitals, they cannot do this.. it’s a liability thing, and they’re barred by the hospital from doing it
I was going to say the same thing as @cmbt2. The nurses weren’t allowed to help us and we had a very stressful (5 minute) drive home because the straps just didn’t seem to work on a newborn. We called a friend the next day to come over and show us how to do it properly.
Another benefit to starting with the infant carseat that hasn't already been mentioned is that you can bring it into the hospital with you after baby is born and the nurses will help you make sure baby is positioned and strapped in properly, which is just a nice reassurance for nervous new parents.
In a lot of hospitals, they cannot do this.. it’s a liability thing, and they’re barred by the hospital from doing it
I did not know this. Our hospital has a Car Seat Safety center on-site, so I wonder if maybe they have the nurses get certified so they can assist with this without added liability.
Another benefit to starting with the infant carseat that hasn't already been mentioned is that you can bring it into the hospital with you after baby is born and the nurses will help you make sure baby is positioned and strapped in properly, which is just a nice reassurance for nervous new parents.
In a lot of hospitals, they cannot do this.. it’s a liability thing, and they’re barred by the hospital from doing it
I did not know this. Our hospital has a Car Seat Safety center on-site, so I wonder if maybe they have the nurses get certified so they can assist with this without added liability.
This sounds familiar; I think that may be the case
We felt so prepared when our first was born...and then she hated her infant seat.
I can’t remember the style, but we registered for a Grace infant seat that was under $100 because all car seats are safe and I didn’t want to put a pricey one on our registry. The seat really lacked the bells and whistles and definitely didn’t look/feel comfortable. She hated it. Screamed and screamed in every time she was in it. We borrowed a maxi cosi infant seat from a friend for a few days and it was night and day.
We ended up switching her to her Maxi Cosi Pria convertible when she hit the min weight - like 8 lbs. it was fine because she stopped screaming and I mostly wore her everywhere anyway.
With our second, we bought a last-year’s model maxi cosi infant seat and it was a completely different experience than DD1. DD2 hates the car (still) but it’s more about being restrained than being uncomfortable.
We use Britax convertible seats in our main car now and I love that they grow with them for a long time. We bought each of them within a time frame to allow them to max their seat before expiration.
This is for long but I urge you to trust your gut vs. going with the least expensive option because they all pass the safety inspection. Feel the fabrics, etc. If it seems uncomfortable it just might be, and you may end up buying another out of desperation anyway!
Both of my children hated the infant seat and quickly moved over to a convertible. Not convenient at all! That being said, I’m still going to try an infant seat with the next one. 3rd times a charm?? We had graco before but I’m going to level up and get a Cybex this time around. Hopefully it will work. If not, I’ll be selling a slightly used Cybex!
We have used Evenflo and will for this baby as well. I had a saftey first for DS I got from a family member and it was alright. But I really love Evenflo and their safety ratings, plus pricing. Infant seats are a must IMO, easier at Dr offices, going in and out if the car and leaving baby with family! WIC gave us a convertible carseats with DS and it was a hassle to get him in and out all the time!!! I found a combo I want to get but I still have the carseat/bases from DD that just needs a good wash so well use that. We have the 3 across issue. Our truck can hold them all but it's super cramped, my car cannot. So we're on the way to getting a different vehicle lol
@jenferlee82 We have the Britax B Agile travel system. To us, the travel system was definitely worth it. We used it so much. Still use the stroller. It's not too bulky,fairly light for a travel system stroller. We took DD1 for walks every day in the neighborhood when she was born. It was October in FL, so ideal weather. If you live further north, having a baby in Oct might be too cold for walks that young and may not need a travel system and opt for a different stroller later.
Our convertible car seat we use now is the Graco Size4me 65. Depending where you buy it, it has a different name but they're all almost identical with slight differences. I think Target's version is Contender65. I think the Walmart version is the one we have in DHs car and the latch is really hard to get loose when taking it out of the car. That's the only complaint.
If you need an extra, cheaper carseat (example, in grandparent's car), I recommend Cosco. I can't remember the name of it, but it has a cupholder. Easy to install, light weight and cheap. I think we paid like $60.
Okay a mom friend of mine said I have to get the Nuna Pipa Lite, because it’s suuuper light and very safe. I checked it out today, is definitely lighter than the other infant car seat. My MIL is getting us the Uppababy Vista stroller and I know that there is an adapter you can buy to make the Pipa Lite fit into the Vista stroller. Any moms out there use this adapter? Wondering if I just need to get the compatible uppababy car seat...
also: my MIL told us she was getting us this stroller. I was a bit put off! What if I don’t like it? Have a different favorite? But my SIL has it and loves it, so there’s that decision done for me!
also: my MIL told us she was getting us this stroller. I was a bit put off! What if I don’t like it? Have a different favorite? But my SIL has it and loves it, so there’s that decision done for me!
Agree it's a little presumptuous for anyone to say "I'm buying you X stroller." It's such a big, important gear item. BUT... the uppababy vista is the best, top of the line, everything-you'd-ever-want-in-a-stroller stroller. I would die if someone just bought me a new one! Maybe before she actually purchases it you can go test it out at Buy Buy Baby. They let you push, fold up and generally try out the strollers. I have heard it's heavy, but still awesome.
Has anyone considered and/or bought a Chicco Fit2? It's an investment (obviously), but not a bad price with the Buy Buy Baby coupon. It has an anti-rebound bar - which my husband loves the idea of - and allows the kid to stay rear-facing in an infant seat for two years (dependent on size, of course).
@meagan-t I'd pass honestly... I stopped using the infant seat around 9 months because he wasn't super comfortable in it and it stopped being convenient for me to pull it out as he got heavier...
I think your money is better spent on a regular infant seat and then a convertible seat as it's more comfortable for kids and you'll ultimately need one anyway. I was able to get the extend2fit for $100 on black Friday one year and usually certain colors you can find for under $140 all year! And my infant seat was only $120 I believe, so ultimately less for more!
@meagan-t I'd pass honestly... I stopped using the infant seat around 9 months because he wasn't super comfortable in it and it stopped being convenient for me to pull it out as he got heavier...
I think your money is better spent on a regular infant seat and then a convertible seat as it's more comfortable for kids and you'll ultimately need one anyway. I was able to get the extend2fit for $100 on black Friday one year and usually certain colors you can find for under $140 all year! And my infant seat was only $120 I believe, so ultimately less for more!
I’m going to echo this. Once the kid hits close to a year, you’re looking at a 18-20* lb kid plus a 8-10 lbs seat you’re lugging back and forth. Hard pass
*for those that don’t know, you’re average run of the mill infant will roughly double their birth weight by 4m and triple it by 1 year.
Yes, I would wonder how heavy that seat must be? The infant seat with an infant in it is not very light to begin with. Ours outgrew the infant seat by 6 months and we were totally fine with the switch that early. Also, you will need a convertible seat past 24 months so I’m not sure of the benefit of that seat as it is not saving you from having to buy a convertible seat after it’s time is up.
All really good points, especially because I think the baby may be on the big side when he/she arrives (DH was ~8.5 lbs, I was about 9.5 lbs, and he/she was at 90%ile at 19w2d).
I don't honestly foresee carrying the seat very often after the first few months since the holidays will be mostly over, and spending a little more upfront than we would have on a carseat ($40ish) seemed like a good idea to stretch the budget out a little longer before needing a new seat. We're hoping to do some baby wearing to cut back on carrying the seat everywhere, but you know what they say about best laid plans...
I'm just trying to understand a little better before we make such a large purchase. Our initial seat choice was the KeyFit 30, if it matters.
@meagan-t We have the keyfit 30 and thought it was great. I agree with others that I don’t really see the point of a seat like this. Babies and toddlers can still be rear facing in a convertible seat and you probably won’t want to be carrying a car seat around once a baby has outgrown a standard bucket seat. We got our convertible seat on a clearance sale because it was last year’s color or something silly like that. Another option to save money would be to skip straight to a convertible seat, but I really did like being able to take out the whole car seat.
All really good points, especially because I think the baby may be on the big side when he/she arrives (DH was ~8.5 lbs, I was about 9.5 lbs, and he/she was at 90%ile at 19w2d).
I don't honestly foresee carrying the seat very often after the first few months since the holidays will be mostly over, and spending a little more upfront than we would have on a carseat ($40ish) seemed like a good idea to stretch the budget out a little longer before needing a new seat. We're hoping to do some baby wearing to cut back on carrying the seat everywhere, but you know what they say about best laid plans...
I'm just trying to understand a little better before we make such a large purchase. Our initial seat choice was the KeyFit 30, if it matters.
You would still have to move it between cars, and once you’re done using it as a pull out seat, it’s much easier to have a dedicated seat in each car.
Im also going to point out that not every infant/toddler will tolerate rear facing until age 2+. You may get lucky and have a kid who doesn’t care, or you may not and have one you need to flip prior, which you can’t do with the infant seat.
- the mom who almost ran off the road because her kid was screaming so much, day after day, from being uncomfortable rear facing
@meagan-t I'm going to agree with everyone here. I think you will find that you'll use the bucket carrier for much longer than 4 months. Baby often falls asleep in the carrier and it's much easier to pop the seat out of the base and bring the whole thing inside (your house, a restaurant, the grocery store, etc). Also, it will be still be cold (where I live anyway) in February when these kids are about 4 months old. Car seat-riding kids are not supposed to wear puffy coats. Being able to bundle the baby inside and put blankets over he/she and then just click the seat into the base is nice. And as @cmbt2 said, assuming more than one person will be driving Baby around, you can get a second base to install in your H's car and then the baby can be chauffeured around without you needing to move the whole base/seat into the other car. If you're concerned about the cost of buying two different car seats, I'd find a cheap infant seat (you can get them for under $100) and then find an affordable convertible next fall just before baby turns one. I have no doubt that you can find two car seats for the appropriate age/weight for the same price of this one seat.
I feel so argumentative, but I promise I'm honestly still confused and not trying to start any fights here.
The Fit2 only weighs 1.5 pounds more than the KeyFit 30 (not including the base in either weight). I realize we may not get lucky and that the kid may hate the seat from day 1 or even after 9+ months, but I feel like that's a risk you take with a lot of seats, right? And I can't even imagine carrying a baby in an infant seat past about 9 months, nor would I be removing a car seat and carrying it around with the baby inside at 9+ months.
I feel like I'm missing something here. So the extra ~$40 isn't worth taking the chance that we may get lucky and have the kid stay in it for up to two years?
@meagan-t I think the thing you may be missing is that you’ll still need to get a convertible seat eventually. At 2, your kid won’t be big enough for a booster. So you’re paying more upfront ($40 according to your comparison) and you’ll still eventually have to buy a convertible anyway. But if you really like it, get it. We’re not telling you it’s a “wrong” choice.
My experience was that I carried my very large and heavy DS1 in his carrier until he was 11 months. He was big! It was heavy, but he was still babyish and fell asleep in the carrier a lot. We didn't want to disturb him by waking him up to get out of the car seat. DS2 was in his carrier until he was about 14 months. He was much smaller and we were waiting to upgrade DS1 to a booster so DS2 could have the convertible. So maybe this will work for you until your baby is about 14-15 months. If he/she is big like you predict then a traditional convertible will likely be more comfortable for them. DS1 was rear facing in his convertible until he turned two. DS2 was never rear facing in a convertible. So you might get away with this seat for a year and a half. Then it's just a question of spending $280 for this seat + $200-ish (or more) for a convertible when you have a toddler. If you plan to have another kid in the next five years you'll be able to use this one again, so that would definitely be worth it.
@greenbean-2 That makes a lot of sense. I guess I'm just overwhelmed by all of the options available and I'm not one to make quick decisions, so hopefully having a little extra time to decide on a convertible seat will help. At this point, though, I'm not sure much can help my overloaded brain!
@meagan-t I completely empathize with the amount of thinking you’re doing on this. I was the exact same way when I was pregnant with DD. However, by the time we needed a convertible car seat, we just grabbed one that had a really good sale - same brand as our bucket seat, but otherwise zero thought or research went into it. I think after a certain point you just don’t have time to agonize over decisions like this, and you also realize that your kid will be just fine with whatever you choose. My point is, by the time you need a new, bigger car seat, this will seem much easier.
Also, taking a big step back, the two things I would think about are: 1) Will this car seat fit in my car with the driver’s seat as far back as I need it to go? (Important is you’re tall and/or you drive a smallish sedan). 2) How easy is the car seat to clean? So many diaper explosions and massive spit ups happened in our bucket seat. Any new car seat will be safe, and any bells and whistles are just bonuses.
Also, taking a big step back, the two things I would think about are: 1) Will this car seat fit in my car with the driver’s seat as far back as I need it to go? (Important is you’re tall and/or you drive a smallish sedan). 2) How easy is the car seat to clean? So many diaper explosions and massive spit ups happened in our bucket seat. Any new car seat will be safe, and any bells and whistles are just bonuses.
So much this! Our convertible carseat choice was based almost entirely on how much leg room it would provide for the front seat because both DH and I are tall and felt cramped from just the infant seat alone.
I agree with @greenbean-2 Space in the car is important, especially if you have a smaller vehicle or either of you are tall. We chose a slimmer option and still wondering how it's going to go with 1 rear and 1 fwd facing carseat. My guess is not well. DH is almost ready for a new car so trying to convince him to get one around Christmas time vs Next summer when he wants to just so we can have the extra space. And having one that's easy to clean is a MUST!!
Re: Product Spotlight: Car Seats
Maybe one of the STM/TTM+ could just come down to Texas and go registry shopping with me... 😂
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BFP #2 5/4/14, EDD 1/15/15, DS1 1/19/15
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Just FYI, though you can do lots of research to see what seat is "safest", but all car seats are supposed to be equally safe because they all have to meet performance standards set by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Since we need to get a new car seat for this kid, I think we will purchase either the Evenflo SafeMax or the Britax B Safe. DS currently uses the (i think) Graco Size4Me in my car, which we purchased after DS outgrew the infant seat, and he has the Evenflo Sonus 65 in DH's car. I like this for toddlers+ since it's convertible and has a high height (50 inches) and weight (65 lbs) limit.
TTC #2: October 2018, BFP 02/02/19, EDD 10/14/19
(edited for misspelling)
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BFP #2 5/4/14, EDD 1/15/15, DS1 1/19/15
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HX
DSD: 17
DS: 4(Nov'14)
MMC:8/17
MMC: 1/18
BFP: 2/7/19 EDD:10/16/19
Tickers
Another thing to consider with registry is that depending on how fast your baby grows, you may need a convertible sooner than you think. We moved DS to one at just 6 months. In retrospect, I wish we'd registered for both seats ahead of time so we could at least have gotten the registry discount on the convertible. For convertible seats, my favorite so far is the Graco Extend2Fit. We also have the Maxi Cosi Pria, which DH prefers, but I find the straps more difficult to adjust than the Graco.
Me 39 - DH 41
Married 8/26/07
TTGP #1 Jan '15 -
BFP 9/11/15 - DS born 5/31/16
TTGP #2 July '17 -
CP July '17
Blighted Ovum MC Dec '17
CP June '18
BFP 1/30/19 - EDD 10/13/19
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BFP #2 5/4/14, EDD 1/15/15, DS1 1/19/15
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Me 39 - DH 41
Married 8/26/07
TTGP #1 Jan '15 -
BFP 9/11/15 - DS born 5/31/16
TTGP #2 July '17 -
CP July '17
Blighted Ovum MC Dec '17
CP June '18
BFP 1/30/19 - EDD 10/13/19
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BFP #2 5/4/14, EDD 1/15/15, DS1 1/19/15
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I can’t remember the style, but we registered for a Grace infant seat that was under $100 because all car seats are safe and I didn’t want to put a pricey one on our registry. The seat really lacked the bells and whistles and definitely didn’t look/feel comfortable. She hated it. Screamed and screamed in every time she was in it. We borrowed a maxi cosi infant seat from a friend for a few days and it was night and day.
We ended up switching her to her Maxi Cosi Pria convertible when she hit the min weight - like 8 lbs. it was fine because she stopped screaming and I mostly wore her everywhere anyway.
With our second, we bought a last-year’s model maxi cosi infant seat and it was a completely different experience than DD1. DD2 hates the car (still) but it’s more about being restrained than being uncomfortable.
We use Britax convertible seats in our main car now and I love that they grow with them for a long time. We bought each of them within a time frame to allow them to max their seat before expiration.
This is for long but I urge you to trust your gut vs. going with the least expensive option because they all pass the safety inspection. Feel the fabrics, etc. If it seems uncomfortable it just might be, and you may end up buying another out of desperation anyway!
Our convertible car seat we use now is the Graco Size4me 65. Depending where you buy it, it has a different name but they're all almost identical with slight differences. I think Target's version is Contender65. I think the Walmart version is the one we have in DHs car and the latch is really hard to get loose when taking it out of the car. That's the only complaint.
If you need an extra, cheaper carseat (example, in grandparent's car), I recommend Cosco. I can't remember the name of it, but it has a cupholder. Easy to install, light weight and cheap. I think we paid like $60.
also: my MIL told us she was getting us this stroller. I was a bit put off! What if I don’t like it? Have a different favorite? But my SIL has it and loves it, so there’s that decision done for me!
Here is a link to the seat on BBB:
https://www.buybuybaby.com/store/product/chicco-fit2-reg-infant-amp-toddler-car-seat/5190852
I think your money is better spent on a regular infant seat and then a convertible seat as it's more comfortable for kids and you'll ultimately need one anyway. I was able to get the extend2fit for $100 on black Friday one year and usually certain colors you can find for under $140 all year! And my infant seat was only $120 I believe, so ultimately less for more!
*for those that don’t know, you’re average run of the mill infant will roughly double their birth weight by 4m and triple it by 1 year.
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BFP #2 5/4/14, EDD 1/15/15, DS1 1/19/15
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Me 39 - DH 41
Married 8/26/07
TTGP #1 Jan '15 -
BFP 9/11/15 - DS born 5/31/16
TTGP #2 July '17 -
CP July '17
Blighted Ovum MC Dec '17
CP June '18
BFP 1/30/19 - EDD 10/13/19
I don't honestly foresee carrying the seat very often after the first few months since the holidays will be mostly over, and spending a little more upfront than we would have on a carseat ($40ish) seemed like a good idea to stretch the budget out a little longer before needing a new seat. We're hoping to do some baby wearing to cut back on carrying the seat everywhere, but you know what they say about best laid plans...
I'm just trying to understand a little better before we make such a large purchase. Our initial seat choice was the KeyFit 30, if it matters.
Im also going to point out that not every infant/toddler will tolerate rear facing until age 2+. You may get lucky and have a kid who doesn’t care, or you may not and have one you need to flip prior, which you can’t do with the infant seat.
- the mom who almost ran off the road because her kid was screaming so much, day after day, from being uncomfortable rear facing
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BFP #2 5/4/14, EDD 1/15/15, DS1 1/19/15
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The Fit2 only weighs 1.5 pounds more than the KeyFit 30 (not including the base in either weight). I realize we may not get lucky and that the kid may hate the seat from day 1 or even after 9+ months, but I feel like that's a risk you take with a lot of seats, right? And I can't even imagine carrying a baby in an infant seat past about 9 months, nor would I be removing a car seat and carrying it around with the baby inside at 9+ months.
I feel like I'm missing something here. So the extra ~$40 isn't worth taking the chance that we may get lucky and have the kid stay in it for up to two years?
Why are there so many options these days? 😶
Also, taking a big step back, the two things I would think about are:
1) Will this car seat fit in my car with the driver’s seat as far back as I need it to go? (Important is you’re tall and/or you drive a smallish sedan).
2) How easy is the car seat to clean? So many diaper explosions and massive spit ups happened in our bucket seat.
Any new car seat will be safe, and any bells and whistles are just bonuses.
Me 39 - DH 41
Married 8/26/07
TTGP #1 Jan '15 -
BFP 9/11/15 - DS born 5/31/16
TTGP #2 July '17 -
CP July '17
Blighted Ovum MC Dec '17
CP June '18
BFP 1/30/19 - EDD 10/13/19