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I have a 2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee and my boyfriend is in the process of getting a late 2000's Ford Focus. Any suggestions on a car seat (infant &/or convertible) that fits well in both of these vehicles and functions easily but also safely?
Answer
Well, if the Ford Focus is a 4 door then from what it looks like it should have plenty of room for a convertible. The Graco My-Ride is one I'd try, you might need to put it in the middle of the backseat between the front seats to get it to lay back but it should be fine. I've actually heard a lot of good things about the Radian XTSL and that it seems taller but because it's actually shorter in the base it fits some cars better. The Grand Cherokee shouldn't give you any sort of trouble, so much room in that one in the backseat that I remember.
I did find this site, and they say that the Graco My-Ride doesn't fit well in their Ford Explorer. But what I'd do there is take the car to Babies R Us or a Toys R Us and try their 'model' in your car to see if it'll fit. You have to make sure it reclines fully for a newborn though. But that gives you the freedom to try them out. People list several of the Britax fitting.
Keep in mind you want to be able to keep them rear-facing at least to 2 years and 30lbs according to the AAP's more recent recommendation (though 4 years is the safest.) So a convertible may be wiser if you want to spend less money in the long run. I remember doing a comparison and since the Radian lasts 8 years it's basically the only seat you'd buy (no infant, convertible, then booster seats, just the one) and it starts to be close to the same price as if you went with having to replace them as the baby grows and goes from 5lbs up. Second link is the importance of keeping them rearfacing.
I was able to keep a Britax Decathlon and Graco My-Ride rearfacing in my old Dodge Reliant which had a very small backseat by putting them in the middle between the front seats until my daughter didn't need the recline as badly. The My-Ride was a bit harder to get to recline better without being between the two though, so I would look at the Britax line at Toys or Babies R Us and see if that will work. You sort of nest it between the front seats.
Add: Fourth link, I found this person complaining that safewise the Ford Focus has the hardest time fitting car seats safety wise, so you'll want to make sure you try it out before buying the seat. Of course they're talking European car seats, so maybe that will make a difference, but it's something I'd be warned about. Fifth link is from someone else asking a similar question and the Radian being recommended because of it's thinner width making it fit 3 to the backseat better (which to me again would make it easier to nest between the two front seats so that it reclines fully, but if your focus has a sort of lump in the middle back seat that might not even be a good place to put the car seat. :(0
Last link, promise. It's the carseatdata car seat search engine. Maybe that will help as well. It's not updated though and doesn't have some of the newer car seats (like the Graco My-Ride, Radian XTSL, or the Britax 70 line) but it should give you an idea of how it will fit and where. Looks like most folks haven't had problems putting them in the middle.
Well, if the Ford Focus is a 4 door then from what it looks like it should have plenty of room for a convertible. The Graco My-Ride is one I'd try, you might need to put it in the middle of the backseat between the front seats to get it to lay back but it should be fine. I've actually heard a lot of good things about the Radian XTSL and that it seems taller but because it's actually shorter in the base it fits some cars better. The Grand Cherokee shouldn't give you any sort of trouble, so much room in that one in the backseat that I remember.
I did find this site, and they say that the Graco My-Ride doesn't fit well in their Ford Explorer. But what I'd do there is take the car to Babies R Us or a Toys R Us and try their 'model' in your car to see if it'll fit. You have to make sure it reclines fully for a newborn though. But that gives you the freedom to try them out. People list several of the Britax fitting.
Keep in mind you want to be able to keep them rear-facing at least to 2 years and 30lbs according to the AAP's more recent recommendation (though 4 years is the safest.) So a convertible may be wiser if you want to spend less money in the long run. I remember doing a comparison and since the Radian lasts 8 years it's basically the only seat you'd buy (no infant, convertible, then booster seats, just the one) and it starts to be close to the same price as if you went with having to replace them as the baby grows and goes from 5lbs up. Second link is the importance of keeping them rearfacing.
I was able to keep a Britax Decathlon and Graco My-Ride rearfacing in my old Dodge Reliant which had a very small backseat by putting them in the middle between the front seats until my daughter didn't need the recline as badly. The My-Ride was a bit harder to get to recline better without being between the two though, so I would look at the Britax line at Toys or Babies R Us and see if that will work. You sort of nest it between the front seats.
Add: Fourth link, I found this person complaining that safewise the Ford Focus has the hardest time fitting car seats safety wise, so you'll want to make sure you try it out before buying the seat. Of course they're talking European car seats, so maybe that will make a difference, but it's something I'd be warned about. Fifth link is from someone else asking a similar question and the Radian being recommended because of it's thinner width making it fit 3 to the backseat better (which to me again would make it easier to nest between the two front seats so that it reclines fully, but if your focus has a sort of lump in the middle back seat that might not even be a good place to put the car seat. :(0
Last link, promise. It's the carseatdata car seat search engine. Maybe that will help as well. It's not updated though and doesn't have some of the newer car seats (like the Graco My-Ride, Radian XTSL, or the Britax 70 line) but it should give you an idea of how it will fit and where. Looks like most folks haven't had problems putting them in the middle.
What is the one thing you couldn't live without when your baby was born?
VillageGir
I'd love to hear what one (or more) thing (or things) you parents absolutely loved during your child's newborn weeks and the first year. I'm thinking about my baby list and registry. Thanks!
@Andrew: what exactly do you mean? Like, earplugs for dad? Yeah, um, that's not gonna work in our family. We're taking turns getting the baby.
Answer
My twins nursing pillow. I only use it for them one at a time, but if I was stuck on a desert island with them and could only bring one thing... that would be it.
Although without diapers it would get pretty stinky.
You can't take them home without a car seat of course.
For toys the doorway jumper KILLS SLAUGHTERS DESTROYS and ANNIHALATES all other toys. My guys are 5 months and been rocking out on them for 2 months.
ONLY the Graco is worth getting. I got the Evenflo - SUCKS. Worthless in comparison.
Graco doorway jumper cost $30, but worth $300 for fun.
I have all the stuff, all the toys, everything. For toys, Graco doorway jumper. I feel sorry for babies who don't have them.
I got the slings, I got the baby bjorns, I have the infant swings, bumbos, boppys, activity mat (okay, that one is IMPORTANT), I have 3 strollers, I have lots of bottles, pacifiers etc. gotta go with nursing pillow for feeding and for toys that doorway jumper.
I use prefolds and thirsties cloth diapers to. Much Much cheaper than disposables. For cloth get those, but if not using cloth that's fine to.
I change my guys on a waterproof mat on the floor. It is 1000 times better than a changing table. Because we do naked tummy time, play with them before and after changing... we do tons of floor time, and just change a diaper while we are down there.
I didn't have much help with the cleaning. Would have been great, but everyone who came to help me wanted to give them a bottle instead of helping me clean but I was breastfeeding so had to constantly tell them (my mom mostly) no. *sigh* Yes, help cleaning would have been nice.
Oh wait, an infant scale. I found that reduced my worries when breastfeeding. If you start to doubt your supply etc. you just weigh the baby and make sure they are gaining properly. Well worth the money. Pillow trumps it, but it is still a great thing to have for $30 from amazon.com. It also is a standing toddler scale for when they get bigger. Regular scales don't weight things less than 50 pounds very accurately, and infants not at all!
The best gift I got was my double electric breast pump... and the Kiddopotamus swaddlers! That is a tie actually. No, swaddlers win. Those velcro swaddlers will give you an extra couple hours of sleep or so a night. You want those very very much. Just 1 is fine. Costs about $12.
My twins nursing pillow. I only use it for them one at a time, but if I was stuck on a desert island with them and could only bring one thing... that would be it.
Although without diapers it would get pretty stinky.
You can't take them home without a car seat of course.
For toys the doorway jumper KILLS SLAUGHTERS DESTROYS and ANNIHALATES all other toys. My guys are 5 months and been rocking out on them for 2 months.
ONLY the Graco is worth getting. I got the Evenflo - SUCKS. Worthless in comparison.
Graco doorway jumper cost $30, but worth $300 for fun.
I have all the stuff, all the toys, everything. For toys, Graco doorway jumper. I feel sorry for babies who don't have them.
I got the slings, I got the baby bjorns, I have the infant swings, bumbos, boppys, activity mat (okay, that one is IMPORTANT), I have 3 strollers, I have lots of bottles, pacifiers etc. gotta go with nursing pillow for feeding and for toys that doorway jumper.
I use prefolds and thirsties cloth diapers to. Much Much cheaper than disposables. For cloth get those, but if not using cloth that's fine to.
I change my guys on a waterproof mat on the floor. It is 1000 times better than a changing table. Because we do naked tummy time, play with them before and after changing... we do tons of floor time, and just change a diaper while we are down there.
I didn't have much help with the cleaning. Would have been great, but everyone who came to help me wanted to give them a bottle instead of helping me clean but I was breastfeeding so had to constantly tell them (my mom mostly) no. *sigh* Yes, help cleaning would have been nice.
Oh wait, an infant scale. I found that reduced my worries when breastfeeding. If you start to doubt your supply etc. you just weigh the baby and make sure they are gaining properly. Well worth the money. Pillow trumps it, but it is still a great thing to have for $30 from amazon.com. It also is a standing toddler scale for when they get bigger. Regular scales don't weight things less than 50 pounds very accurately, and infants not at all!
The best gift I got was my double electric breast pump... and the Kiddopotamus swaddlers! That is a tie actually. No, swaddlers win. Those velcro swaddlers will give you an extra couple hours of sleep or so a night. You want those very very much. Just 1 is fine. Costs about $12.
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