Advice needed - baby car seat questions (merged)

callansdad

A booster chair is for older children.

What i have for mine is a Britax Eclipse SI. Its brill, easily fitted. The straps adjust easily, washable and it has 5 recline positions which can be used when the child is in the chair just by using one hand.

http://www.kiddicare.com/invt/carbtxecpstlb

It is meant for 9 months+, you can get a First Class SI chair which can be used from birth but the only difference is that you can have it forward and backfacing and there is an insert to support the babies head. If you look at the side of the page where the link takes you there should be a head rest for the Eclipse for £9.99

To buy 2 of them would come in at £156 but they are really safe and sturdy seats.

bigmuffins

Hi - would it not be possible to buy one seat that is easy to fit in car and leave with baby at nursery? Then whoever picks up has the seat there already, just need to fit in car?
I had a seat for my daughter that used normal seat belts - easy to transfer between cars, but she was a lot older. Don't know if can get them for 6 month old though.
Just a thought.
Good luck

sukey13

I wouldn't compromise on safety and would go for the best one on the market... the Britax First Class Si (for newborn - with insert 'til 4 years, can fit rearward then forward facing)

Also, it is important to note that once your child's head is above the back of a baby car seat the seat is too small (regardless of weight) - only found this out at a local postnatal group when a guy from the council came to check all our car seats in our cars. If when your hand is flat on top of the baby's head your fingers do not touch the back of the car seat it is too small. Cost me £110 to buy the next size up seat - but you cannot put a price on a life.

The Britax First Class Si is a universal fitting seat which means it fits most cars.

SammyD_2

Have a look at the Which? web site...you can sign up for a free three month trial. They review car seats, and we ended up buying the Maxi cosi SP on the basis of their tests.

brummiebabe

Ok..further to my thread re: alternatives to booster seats...have looked at options and it doesn't look as though my beloved Focus is going to be able to fit 3 child seats in it! :mad:

We're considering our options re: replacing one of our cars (Focus/Fiesta) to enable us to have 3 child seats in the back (I'm due to have baby no. 3 in November!)

I know that the obvious cars like the MPVs will allow 3 seats - has anyone got any other suggestions? Don't really want to spend too much money!!

Thanks in advance!!!

bargainaholic

I know at least one of the Audi range fits three across the back seat, as a friend of mine bought hers for this very reason. I can't remember the model name/number, but it was a normal size car.

mancitychick

A Citroen Picasso has 3 individual seats in the back as opposed to one long seat. I have Picasso Desire (middle of range - LX, Desire, Exclusive) and can't fault it.

brummiebabe

mancitychick wrote:

A Citroen Picasso has 3 individual seats in the back as opposed to one long seat. I have Picasso Desire (middle of range - LX, Desire, Exclusive) and can't fault it.

I know......we used to have one!!! :rolleyes: I part exchanged it for the Focus (before I got pregnant!):doh:

Thing is..I found it very sluggish and the gear box was AWFUL (like driving a van!) However, I've spoken to others with them..who don't seem to have these problems. Perhaps we just had a dodgy one! DH doesn't really want to get another one..but I know they're an ideal size (and reasonably priced!)

auntywalker2

We like our Picasso too, and you can switch off the airbag with the key, so one of the child seats can go in the front, if you prefer. This makes it easier to put the kids in, IMHO.

HTH

mancitychick

brummiebabe wrote:

I know......we used to have one!!! :rolleyes: I part exchanged it for the Focus (before I got pregnant!):doh:

Thing is..I found it very sluggish and the gear box was AWFUL (like driving a van!) However, I've spoken to others with them..who don't seem to have these problems. Perhaps we just had a dodgy one! DH doesn't really want to get another one..but I know they're an ideal size (and reasonably priced!)

Not had any probs with our gearbox. Mine is sluggish compared to my 1.6 Escort but I put that down to it being a heavier car - dread to think how it would be with one of those roof boxes on. :-)

The picasso is the biggest brand new car we could get for our money.