Baby Car Seat Advice

pinkshoes

I'm confused about car seats.

DS is 5 months, and we have a maxi cosi cabriofix. His head is almost at the top, and we were told in one mothercare branch and by a health visitor that once his head reaches the top, he needs to go into the next size car seat. He weighs over 21lbs.

I called into another mothercare branch today, and was told that he can't go into the next car seat until he can sit up unaided for 30 minutes.

He can somewhat sit up unaided, but only for about 10 seconds, as his sense of balance isn't good enough yet. He's only young!

So, what happens when his head goes over the top of the current rear facing car seat, but he can't sit up yet unaided?!

I'm confused. Help!!

I also intended buying a nice highchair for him too today, but they were out of stock, so a very MSE day spending nothing!

zoesmummy_2006

HHHave u looked at the britax range? We had the eclipse si for my son and it is reverse facing, then forward facing when they reach age/weight-whichever they go by now. Hes still in it at 2.5yrs, lasts til 4yrs. Reclines for sleep, but think that was easier in forward facing mode. Xxx

daleigha

I started a thread a while ago about the very same thing, and got great advice about the car seats that go from 0-4yrs. Just like the above poster, I decided to go for a Britax - the First Class one(ended up not having to buy one as it turns out my mum still had my little brothers - very MSE!!)
I was going to buy this one:
http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_800311_langId_-1_categoryId_165763
It's rear facing & forward facing for when they are older, and my DS actually looks more comfortable in it than the carry car seat - when you have it rear facing you can tilt it back so they aren't fully upright.

HTH

go_cat

He is far too young to go into the next stage car seat - My DS was 98th centile all along and 9lb 7oz when born so always been big for his age and he was 9 months before swapping to 1st stage seat.

He is so much safer in his cabrriofix leave him in it for as long as you can

pigpen

my daughter is 8.5 months and on the 99th centile and she is staying in hers until I can no longer squeeze her in it!

I'm also getting the next stage one which is rear facing until age 5 at least as it is safer.. The forward facing ones do not protect their necks in an accident as their heads are so huge compared to their bodies. It doesn't matter if his legs are up the back of the seat.. some recommendations say if their eyes are level with the top of the car seat.. check the manufacturers handbook.. don't trust a word the HV says!

If you thinkhe stil need the next size get ones which is rear facing or forward facing so he can be rear facing and safer for longer! The ones with hoods on and SIP are safer than the ones without too as they provide cover from flying glass/objects in the event of an accident.

poly1

My DD was in her rearward facing car seat until she could no longer fit in it because of weight restrictions not height, she was 9lb 13 when born so was big from the beginning, as far as I remember her head was well over the top. I think your HV doesn't really know what she is talking about unless she is concerned/confused because some group 0 seats only take up to 9kgs (your ds is 21lbs which is slightly over that) but I looked up your maxi cosi cabriofix and it is a class 0+ which means it is ok til he is 13kgs (which is 28.5lb), so I would keep him in the seat he has, far safer. HTH

pinkshoes

Thanks!
I think I'll make him squeeze into it for a bit longer then! He was 9lbs 13oz at birth too, so has always been huge. His legs already hang over the edge, but that doesn't matter. I was more concerned about how close his head is to the top, and whether it would still protect him if it went over the top.
It'll give me time to hopefully change my car before then too, as I only have a KA, and once he's in a forward facing seat he'll have to sit in the back! (I have no front airbag, so the baby seat goes in the front).

I was looking at the Maxi Cosi Priori XP as a second seat. Anyone had any good (or bad!) experiences with them?

rachbc

as others have said keep him in it til he is at the weight limit - rear facing is so so much safer than front, then move him into a stage 1 that is also rear facing. My dd was in her til 15 months an has only just (at over 4) come out of her stage 1

Bunny

my daughter is just coming up to 8 months old, she's also in a cabriofix, she was 10lb 7oz at birth, I agree with Pigpen, she too will remain rear facing. If we get whiplash in an accident and our necks are a lot stronger, what happens to their little necks.
Volvo do a rearfacing car seat for the next stage which will fit until around 4-5 years too. Give them a ring, I think it's a britax car seat but re-labelled and cheaper due to them being swedish it's a safety campaign

pigpen

Bunny wrote: »

my daughter is just coming up to 8 months old, she's also in a cabriofix, she was 10lb 7oz at birth, I agree with Pigpen, she too will remain rear facing. If we get whiplash in an accident and our necks are a lot stronger, what happens to their little necks.
Volvo do a rearfacing car seat for the next stage which will fit until around 4-5 years too. Give them a ring, I think it's a britax car seat but re-labelled and cheaper due to them being swedish it's a safety campaign

Their little necks snap.. check out infant deaths in car accidents for here (over 200 a year) and Sweden where children are rear facing until at least 4... (none at all!)

GobbledyGook

It's slightly worrying to see that carseatinfo site commenting that parents should consider the size of a seat because in the winter children will often have coats on - children shouldn't have thick coats on whilst in a car seat! A site purporting to give expert advice about car seats should know that surely?