Car seat shopping is the worst...

[sangtarah]

WWYD?

Buy an infant seat that doesn't snap in/out of current stroller?

Buy a new stroller/seat combo?

Buy a convertible car seat?

Please comment with favorites, too, if you have one.

 

We had a Graco Snugride 35 with stroller for #3. Come to find out it expired Dec '16. I really loved that combo, and the stroller has the wear and tear to prove it (still functions, but handle pads are coming off, cup holder was cloth and it has some tears). Our new baby girl is due in a month, and now I have to choose another seat.

 

Easy, I thought, I'll just buy another Graco and then I can snap it in/out of the stroller. Nope. Graco switched the connections, so the new "Click Connect" is not compatible. Next thought was to buy a convertible car seat and skip the infant seat. But dh really wants/likes the infant seat - he likes that it cradles more, and he likes taking it in/out.

 

Pricing on Graco seats is $100-150...and the convertible car seat we always move are kids to eventually is the Diono Radian brand...it's over $200. Not the kind of money we wanted to spend right now, because baby girl needed a lot of things. (We sold most baby gear in May and had to re-buy.)

 

So, now I can't decide. And if I do buy another Graco, which one? 30, 30LX, 35, 35 LX, 40? Too many choices are driving me crazy!

[Garga]

No advice, just commiseration. I haven't had to buy a car seat in a long time, but those types of purchases are such a pain. Too many options!

[ktgrok]

I'd look at buying a new combo...some of the combos aren't much more than the seat by itself. That said, we just went with a convertible, but I never carry the seat inside anyway. 

[hjffkj]

I personally would go with a convertible car seat or just buy the infant seat without stroller. But I hate strollers with a passion.

[Ailaena]

 

Maybe there's an adapter that would work?

[Guest]

I liked the Chicco bucket carseat when I had newborns, but my kids each grew out of them by four months old. (I had big chunky babies, so it was kind of a waste, and the stroller that went with it wasn't that awesome.)  I went to a Britax convertible after that. I am a major Britax fan. The new Clicktight installation Britax uses is freaking genius. I can install the kids' Britax boosters in less than 10 seconds. They're pricey, BUT, if you buy a convertible now it will last you at least five years which makes the cost easier to handle. I wish we had just started with them to begin with. 

 

As for strollers, I never met an "indoor" stroller I liked. I don't go to malls and that's the only thing they seem practical for. If I was using a stroller it was to go running and for that- BOB strollers are the most awesome strollers on earth, but might not what you're looking for. I huge puffy hearted my BOB stroller though. I almost cried when they outgrew it and we sold it. (For 3/4 of what we paid for it four years later, so just another thing to consider. Resale is awesome. ;) ) 

[matrips]

Can you borrow or buy a newer used snug ride? Babies don't get much use out of them, so you could find some in very good condition.

[Jacbeaumont]

What about those click it strollers? They are compatible with the most popular brands. I bought mine from Once Upon a Child for $40 bucks.

 

FYI: they still have Classic Connect Gracos. I just bought one last year and still see my same model for sale.

 

Sent from my U9200 using Tapatalk

[Shellydon]

I'd buy a bucket seat, I feel like they are safer for infants

[staceyobu]

I like this website for car seat options! https://carseatblog.com/safest-recommended-car-seats/

[HomeAgain]

I'd buy a bucket seat, I feel like they are safer for infants

 

They are...and not.  (Former CPST here)

 

Sometimes you get a better fit with a bucket seat for brand new babies, and being able to take it into the hospital lets the staff help you adjust the straps for the first time and show how they're supposed to fit: not loose, chest clip AT the armpits, straps at or below the shoulders in the slot behind (above for forward facing) - all common mistakes that make up about 80% of the misuses.

 

But by the time baby is about 6 months old the gap between the head and the top of the seat has shrunk considerably, and they now recommend a greater gap than the 1in most seats require.

 

Personally, I don't go for higher weight infant seats.  30lbs is usually enough to get you through that first year, and often the higher weight doesn't come with a much longer seat.  The exceptions to this would be the Graco 40, which is made for up to age 2, and the Chicco Fit2, which has a headrest that extends for use up to age 2.

 

If you know you'll only use it for the first year then a 30lb seat is plenty enough.

 

And I don't worry about connecting it to the stroller.  Take the baby out, pop them in a sling or wrap for the first few months (better for their airways) and use the stroller separate when they are more alert in the world.  Leave the seat in the car.  Car seats have to be flame retardant and at an angle that isn't always best for little babies.  The less they're in them the better off they are.

 

[AnnE-girl]

The only reason we bought another bucket seat and stroller was that my littlest was born in November. It's easier to keep baby warm going in and out of the van in the covered bucket seat. He's a little, barely on the growth chart, peanut at 15 months, so we haven't switched him to the convertible seat yet. We will in the next month though.

[HelenNotOfTroy]

Assuming that the numbers are the weight limit, I wouldn't pay more money for an infant seat that goes higher than 30 pounds if you are going to move your toddler to a rear-facing convertible.

[Petrichor]

Agreeing with HomeAway

 

I got the graco 4-ever for my newborn last year. It's been great. Easy to adjust and install and use = more likely to use properly = safer. Of course, still read the manual well and read up on car seats, because an astonishing 80% of seats aren't used correctly. 

 

I chose the 4-ever because it was rated well for newborn use (many convertible seats can't accommodate smaller newborns right away because of the incline.) She was born in the dead cold of a Michigan January, and we just wrapped her up in a couple of blankets when going out, she was fine. And after an initial healing period of a couple weeks for me, we were out of the house daily. In February. No bucket seats required :)

 

Carrying the baby is much easier (and lighter) in a sling. Once she got a bit too heavy for that to be comfortable all the time we got an umbrella stroller with a decent recline since she wasn't able to sit on her own yet. And before the stroller, if I was taking her to someone's house and wanted to put her somewhere (as one would do with the infant bucket seat) I brought along her bouncer chair (easier to carry than a carseat too since it's lighter)

 

 

 

[heartlikealion]

We owned a Graco Snug Ride 35 and for some reason the chest clip didn't make a good snapping sound when it closed. Even a car seat tech at the fire dept. said he had the same complaint with his that it looked like it might be too easy to reopen. I might look for a different one all together. Dd was never able to open her chest clip, but I didn't like it. The thing I did like about ours is the boot. http://www.gracobaby.com/products/pages/snugride-click-connect-35-infant-car-seat-amelia.aspx She was born in winter and I kept the "boot" on to help keep her feet warm. I didn't worry about that piece falling off, but it was removable. I avoid add-ons with car seats so this was perfect as it was intended to be there. I bought it at Bed, Bath and Beyond with their 20% off coupon. I'd look there because I think you can usually use their 20% off coupon on seats.

 

My kids are tall. The height limit will be exceeded far sooner than the weight for most kids. So I don't think you're really getting more time with say a 30 lb. seat vs. a 35. Dd is now 2 years old and weigh 29 lbs. She's been out of that infant car seat for some time. She's using a convertible now. And I have some issues with that seat too lol. Dh bought it without my input. I've found out since it's one of the bulkier ones which has its pros and cons. Hogs more space in vehicle but it looks roomy and has two cup holders. It's a Graco MyRide 65. I think one of the reasons he got it was because it looked like it had more cushion for her head. She spent too much time in swings and car seats like the bucket and had torticollis. So in that sense, if I were to do things all over again, I might take her out of the car seat more often and baby wear her inside buildings. But yes it was nice to be able to carry the bucket in and your dh may not want to babywear.

 

If possible maybe go look at some in person. I did most of my shopping online because there are limited choices in stores, but at least you could test the buckles. And read about the rethreading. Which ones are more convenient. I want to become a car seat tech but I haven't been able to do it yet. Wish I could be of more help.

[Guest]

You might also want to look at the new studies coming out on LATCH systems. When it was designed they didn't account for car seats to be used with children at the ages/weights that are now required in many states. The carseat weight combined with the child's weight could theoretically cause the LATCH system to fail, so companies are now looking for alternatives and some like Britax, are moving away from LATCH for this reason. Obviously not a worry with a newborn, but something to consider if you're looking to purchase a seat that takes you from newborn to 70 lbs, as many of the convertibles can do now.

[heartlikealion]

I thought LATCH has always had weight limits. I guess it's just a bigger problem with seats that last longer? We have never used LATCH.

Edited February 18, 2017 by heartlikealion

[Murphy101]

I have a Chico keyfit 30 and love it. If I ever used a car seat on the stroller, that's the system I'd get be I really love how easy this car seat is to get in and out of the van and how well it seats baby.

[HomeAgain]

I thought LATCH has always had weight limits. I guess it's just a bigger problem with seats that last longer? We have never used LATCH.

 

Individual cars had weight limits on the bar the Lower Anchors are connected to.  It wasn't until 2014 that there was a blanket recommendation/rule across the board of 65lbs total: seat and child.  Seats made before 2014 require you to look up the seat's weight and subtract it from the total amount to get your child's max weight.

 

I hate car seat regs with a passion.  They are designed to confuse and irritate parents.  It should not be so hard to find and use a seat that works the first time, every time.

Infant seats have a weight lower limit only (usually 4-6lbs) for a child to fit, rather than a length of child.  I put my kid in two seats rated for 4lb infants.  The one had straps way above his shoulders and a crotch strap with a two inch gap.  The other fit him snugly.  I tell parents to put their hands in the seat instead, one hand right up against the back from the seam to the strap slots.  Measure where each seat's shoulder strap bottom slot hits against your hand and go for one that is nice and low.

 

Car manufacturers are terrible, too.  The new Dodge Grand Minivan has one full LATCH position in the back row, in the middle of two seats.  If you use put a child there you must use the lower anchors and the top tether in that single position, taking your 7 seater van down to 6.  Our truck's top tethers require a weird routing through one and over to the next, so I can have two seats tethered next to each other but can't use all three tethers at once or have a gap between children in the back seat since they can't both attach to the middle tether slot.

 

I just hate it.  I want standardized rules across the board.

 

And I know this has nothing to do with the original topic, but please, OP, when you do find a seat take a look on NHTSA's page or cert.safekids.org to find a tech.  It's free, takes about 20 minutes, and every time you learn something new because of the way things change.

[heartlikealion]

Individual cars had weight limits on the bar the Lower Anchors are connected to.  It wasn't until 2014 that there was a blanket recommendation/rule across the board of 65lbs total: seat and child.  Seats made before 2014 require you to look up the seat's weight and subtract it from the total amount to get your child's max weight.

 

I hate car seat regs with a passion.  They are designed to confuse and irritate parents.  It should not be so hard to find and use a seat that works the first time, every time.

Infant seats have a weight lower limit only (usually 4-6lbs) for a child to fit, rather than a length of child.  I put my kid in two seats rated for 4lb infants.  The one had straps way above his shoulders and a crotch strap with a two inch gap.  The other fit him snugly.  I tell parents to put their hands in the seat instead, one hand right up against the back from the seam to the strap slots.  Measure where each seat's shoulder strap bottom slot hits against your hand and go for one that is nice and low.

 

Car manufacturers are terrible, too.  The new Dodge Grand Minivan has one full LATCH position in the back row, in the middle of two seats.  If you use put a child there you must use the lower anchors and the top tether in that single position, taking your 7 seater van down to 6.  Our truck's top tethers require a weird routing through one and over to the next, so I can have two seats tethered next to each other but can't use all three tethers at once or have a gap between children in the back seat since they can't both attach to the middle tether slot.

 

I just hate it.  I want standardized rules across the board.

 

And I know this has nothing to do with the original topic, but please, OP, when you do find a seat take a look on NHTSA's page or cert.safekids.org to find a tech.  It's free, takes about 20 minutes, and every time you learn something new because of the way things change.

 

Could you just skip LATCH and use seatbelts and maintain a 7 seater? Or do they just not fit well enough?

 

 

[HomeAgain]

Could you just skip LATCH and use seatbelts and maintain a 7 seater? Or do they just not fit well enough?

 

 

 

No, because that's the position for the top tether, too.

 

And now car companies have started doing overlapping seat belts so you can't even really use them for a 3 seater.  Two at any one time, especially if you have car seats.  It's another thing you have to look for when shopping.  We've had safety seats for nearly 40 years now.  You would think there would be working toward standard installation instead of making it harder.

[mohsmom23]

I am in the same boat...our stroller is compatible with the Classic Connect Snugride seats.  The stroller is still in really good condition and this is our last baby (due in April) so I don't want to get another stroller.  I ended up just going with a Graco Snugride Click Connect 30LX.  I figured if I really needed to use the stroller that I would just take the baby out of the infant seat and use the stroller only.  We really don't use a stroller an awful lot though....only if we're going to be walking a lot.  I tend to baby wear for grocery shopping trips, etc because I can't handle a stroller and a cart at the same time.  

 

I did really waffle on whether to even get the infant car seat though and just get a convertible, but I really like the the ease of taking the infant seat out for quick runs into the store or for baby to have a safe place to sit inside while I'm unloading groceries, etc.  

[sangtarah]

Thanks for all the great information, advice, and commiseration. I didn't know about the LATCH changes, I will definitely be looking at that.

 

We went to Target and briefly looked over the options today. Dh really liked the Graco Pace travel system, it comes with the Snugride 30. The stroller is really light and easy to carry. I'd rather get the Graco 40 if we are going to buy an infant seat - might as well be able to use it longer!

Tomorrow we plan to go across town to Babies R Us and BuyBuy Baby. Babies R Us has a trade-in deal until Monday - they give you 25% off for bringing in your old gear.

 

We have an umbrella-like stroller - I'm not sure of the name, but the seat is higher than most umbrellas. Cons are no cup holders/trays for either parent or child and a tiny basket. We also have an old Combi double stroller, also without trays. Like this: http://www.combiusa.com/product-p/7720.htm I don't want to push around a double though, since the 3 year old can walk in most situations.

 

I love wearing my babies, btw. The car seat/stroller wouldn't always be in use. I have a Moby Wrap and an Ergo.

 

Another thing I'm thinking about is that we are moving across country this summer and will be living near D.C. - hopefully using the Metro to see all the sights. So I'm also trying to imagine schelpping 4 kids through the city, and what that will require. Maybe the double stroller would be best for all those museums? I would think it'd be hard to get up an escalator if the elevator is broken. Or a restraining harness on the 3/4 year old with the baby being worn? My babies tend to be chubby, though, so I'm not sure my back could take a whole day of baby-wearing, lol.

 

Still, car seat shopping is the worst.

[heartlikealion]

Thanks for all the great information, advice, and commiseration. I didn't know about the LATCH changes, I will definitely be looking at that.

 

We went to Target and briefly looked over the options today. Dh really liked the Graco Pace travel system, it comes with the Snugride 30. The stroller is really light and easy to carry. I'd rather get the Graco 40 if we are going to buy an infant seat - might as well be able to use it longer!

Tomorrow we plan to go across town to Babies R Us and BuyBuy Baby. Babies R Us has a trade-in deal until Monday - they give you 25% off for bringing in your old gear.

 

We have an umbrella-like stroller - I'm not sure of the name, but the seat is higher than most umbrellas. Cons are no cup holders/trays for either parent or child and a tiny basket. We also have an old Combi double stroller, also without trays. Like this: http://www.combiusa.com/product-p/7720.htm I don't want to push around a double though, since the 3 year old can walk in most situations.

 

I love wearing my babies, btw. The car seat/stroller wouldn't always be in use. I have a Moby Wrap and an Ergo.

 

Another thing I'm thinking about is that we are moving across country this summer and will be living near D.C. - hopefully using the Metro to see all the sights. So I'm also trying to imagine schelpping 4 kids through the city, and what that will require. Maybe the double stroller would be best for all those museums? I would think it'd be hard to get up an escalator if the elevator is broken. Or a restraining harness on the 3/4 year old with the baby being worn? My babies tend to be chubby, though, so I'm not sure my back could take a whole day of baby-wearing, lol.

 

Still, car seat shopping is the worst.

 

I did the trade in this year, but couldn't use the coupon for anything (dd already has a toddler bed) so gave it away. Babies R Us/Toys R Us is often overpriced so the 25% off coupon may not be any real benefit. Just look at the prices in other stores first. They will only take the coupon for what's in stock in store, too. You may have already known that, though.

 

I looked up your 40 lb Graco. At least you get an additional 3" for height. Although, now they are saying that babies might need more than the standard 1" margin above their head for a crash. So I don't know if you are really getting a full 3" gain. And as the baby grows you may not want to try to get them into a bucket seat. YMMV

[KungFuPanda]

Can't you get the seat you want, then get one of those universal infant seat strollers?

[Guest]

Whatever you choose double check Amazon for prices. I agree with heartalikealion that BRU/TRU are high and their sales aren't usually that great of a deal. Amazon does sales periodically that make their car seats a spectacular deal, but even off sale they're usually cheaper than other box stores. We've bought 9 Britax seats (multiple cars and for our parents) in the last 5 years and without a doubt Amazon had always been the cheapest place.

[sangtarah]

Update:

 

We went car seat shopping at the baby stores near us, and ended up liking the Graco 4Ever convertible seat the best. Texas mama, I did double check Amazon, and with the baby registry 15% off, we saved a lot of money. Thanks for the reminder!

 

Thanks for all the input, everyone!

 

I'm a tad nervous about not having the infant seat (and I thought I wouldn't be), but it will be nice to not have to buy another seat in a year or two. :-)

[matrips]

Regarding D.C. We loved it there. I took my three little ones into the city all the time, but despite living right near a metro, it was actually easier and faster to drive in. Got there right after traffic hour, all the street parking was just freed up. Used Parkmobile app. Visit about 2 hours and head back out. It was a good amount of time with the little kids and coincided with the parking limits.

[sangtarah]

Regarding D.C. We loved it there. I took my three little ones into the city all the time, but despite living right near a metro, it was actually easier and faster to drive in. Got there right after traffic hour, all the street parking was just freed up. Used Parkmobile app. Visit about 2 hours and head back out. It was a good amount of time with the little kids and coincided with the parking limits.

Thanks for this information!! That sounds much easier than the metro. I'll look for that app.

Edited February 21, 2017 by sangtarah

[sheryl Brown]

I would go with a convertible car seat, you can use it for new born infants, toddler and some can even be used as booster seats. My personla favorite is the Britax Clicktight, it is easy to install and you dont have to worry that you have installed it wrongly and it is comfortable and easy on the eye too. Check out this site http://www.bestconvertiblecarseathq.com/child-car-seats-the-ultimate-buying-guide/ for the different types of seats and the ages and weight recommendations for a car seat to buy for your kid.