Ok. I am so confused. My son age 11 is my stepson and we have had him since he was 5 so I kind of by-passed this whole issue. The problem is with carseats. What do I need? I would love to just buy a convertible carseat and have it last until age 4-5, but is that safe for a newborn? Do I need to get an infant seat first or not? I have looked at this seat. It partially reclines but not all the way. I have read reviews. Some say, yes, you can bypass the infant carrier, others say no, it does not recline enough or does not have enough support for the head and neck. I sure don't know. And we are on a budget, but I still want the best for my baby (duh). Help!
I don't know which is best, but I bought an infant car seat at a yard sale to use for those first four or five months. If the baby falls asleep, he can keep sleeping, because the whole seat comes out and becomes a carrier. Life would have been much more difficult without it. I gave mine away when I was done with it on freecycle.org. You can check online to see if you have a freecycle group in your area, and I bet you can find a good one being given away.
Tip: Occasionally check with the car seat co to make sure the seat you own has not been recalled. If you have been in a fender bender the car seat co usually will replace your car seat free of charge if you return the car seat that was involved in an accident. They do studies to see how they can improve on their designs.
A convertible car seat is the safest option for infants. Infant seats are more convenient, but not as safe. The state of Missouri doesn't even allow it's foster parents to use infant car seats (often referred to as "pumpkin seats") with children in state custody.
Wow, Amie! That is interesting, because the store I was in said the infant seats were safer, but then, they may not know what they are talking about.
Personally I've always been leary of used car seats. If you've been in an accident they recommend you replace the seat and if it is used, you may not know the history of the seat. Eta: http://www.biglots.com/specials/item.aspx?cid=15&scid=49&iid=4365 I have no clue how good this one is but it caught my eye in the flyer the other day.
We're die hard Britax owners around here (now). With 3 kids, we've owned a lot of car seats. At a van totalling wreck to the mix, and you get all new carseats. When we totaled our van (flipped down the interstate median 3-4 times), my son was 11 months and in a Britax Roundabout. We were all generally fine but the reason they took us to the hospital was because HE NEVER CRIED. I think he was so protected in that car seat, that his little world was safe and secure It didn't seem normal to the ambulance folks. Anyway, my girls were in a Century NextStep and a Britax booster. All were fine although the oldest got a seatbelt burn on her neck. Anyway, when we replaced them, I got Britax Wizards for the younger 2 and a new Britax booster. We had these for several years and then I passed them to my cousin for her younger kids when all mine were old enough for boosters.....and you guessed it.....they all have Britax Parkway full boosters (with the back and protective head rest). They are more expensive but now that they have so many versions, my sister probably won't have to buy her newborn a 3+ carseats over the next 6-8 years (although she does use an infant seat that's not Britax for a few months....but that's because she already owned it....but has the Britax waiting in the wings.) She's actually the one who passed on the initial info/reports that convinced me to buy the first one. I promise I'm not a salesperson....just a satisfied mommy. Rhonda
Yeah, I would love to be able to get Britax, that is my first choice. But they are just too expensive for us. I found a great link while researching this: How to protect your new baby in the car So that helped clear up the confusion a bit. I think I will go for the Evenflo Triumph (rated as high as the Britax seats) if I can convince my hubby (Mr Cheapo). He wants to get one at a garage sale and I am just cringing at what the carseat may or may not have been through.
A carseat is not just an accessory purchased because of pesky laws. Your DH needs to understand that it can literally mean the difference between life and death. So much so that even a minor fender bender puts enough stress on the plastic to make it useless in a more serious accident. Buying one at a garage sale to save a dime means he'd have to be willing to risk your baby's life. I know that probably sounds harsh, but it's the God's honest truth. And your DH needs to be ok with the decision he's made.
I know you know that. lol. More just speaking rhetorically, since he's not going to be the one to read what I wrote.
I think I will ask him whether he would buy a used motorcycle helmet at a garage sale or not... That should get him thinking.
I would not have lived without the carseat/carrier. Just for the reason pointed out earlier, they are removable and a sleeping baby can be put right in a shopping cart.
I would only use a used car seat (infant or otherwise) if it was a from a trusted source....like family member etc. When we had our first, my eldest sister passed us her infant seat/carrier car seat thing AND her convertible one. We used them a long time - I knew she wouldn't lie about the accident issue, etc. We have bought the harnessless booster's too - but we inspected well to make sure there were no stresses/cracks/etc. On the carrier/infant seat ones. GET ONE. Don't hesitate. All three of my kids would fall asleep in the car - and we were able to carry a sleeping baby around, etc. My youngest would take her morning nap in the car seat on the days I worked. It was a necessity. Also, newborns are so floppy, and lack head control, so, infant seats give them great support as they grow. Just my .02!!!!
A convertible that is designed to start for a newborn includes all of the same head support as a pumpkin seat. I guess I'm in a "if I knew then what I know now" mode. I would never have used a pumpkin seat if I knew how comparably unsafe they are. Yes, they are convenient, but do not perform nearly as well as a regular car seat in independent crash tests. Here's one of the articles I came across recently (I'm still looking for the others) http://mamaknowsbreast.com/2007/01/infant_car_seats_ratings.php
I should have added that after our wreck, the insurance paid us a little bit to replace the car seats and my Dad paid the difference between the insurance and what 3 new Britax's cost. He knew that I really wanted them but that 3 new ones purchased all at the same time plus getting a new van when we weren't even sure if insurance would pay off the totaled van, etc. The previous one I owned, prior to the wreck, I got by budgeting it in over time (and because as the 3rd child, I didn't need much equipment except clothes). As for the 3 Parkways, by that time, I knew we were gonna buy them, so I just set aside a bit each pay period until I had enough. You are right though.....they are pricey but I'd rather eat Ramen (forever) than buy a "cheap" one. There are LOTS of good ones though. Our first ones for our oldest weren't Britax. I didn't hear about them until my youngest was born and outgrew his infant carrier (the same one I had used for his 2 sisters) :lol: I second not buying them used (unless you know the folks). After our wreck, all the car seats looked fine BUT they had been in a totalled wreck. I took them apart and bagged them separately (all the pieces in a different trash bag) and put them out at different trash days just to make sure no one tried to re-assemble and used them. In hindsight, I should have taken a Sharpie to them "THESE WERE INVOLVED IN A WRECK....THAT FLIPPED MANY TIMES" or something like that. If you've done your research, feel confident in what you get....because you've done the best any new mommy can do!!
