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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 are some things I can do to make a long car ride with a 9 month old easier?
M.Warren
In the near future my husband and I will be taking a 6 hour drive to the beach our 9 month old can get pretty fussy if she's been in the car a long time what are some things we can do to make it easier on both her and us and just beach tips with a baby are welcome too!
Answer
It has been a while since I took a long car ride with an infant, but here is what I used to do.
-Try to leave early so baby will sleep for as much of the ride as possible.
- Have someone sit in the back if possible, to provide toys or food as needed.
- Stop frequently so the little one isn't sitting in a wet or dirty diaper for a long time.
- Pack a few things from baby's normal sleeping environment, this will also help if you are staying overnight somewhere.
I don't have many beach tips as I never took my little one to the beach until she toddler age and then I spent most of my time keeping her from eating sand and running too far into the water.
It has been a while since I took a long car ride with an infant, but here is what I used to do.
-Try to leave early so baby will sleep for as much of the ride as possible.
- Have someone sit in the back if possible, to provide toys or food as needed.
- Stop frequently so the little one isn't sitting in a wet or dirty diaper for a long time.
- Pack a few things from baby's normal sleeping environment, this will also help if you are staying overnight somewhere.
I don't have many beach tips as I never took my little one to the beach until she toddler age and then I spent most of my time keeping her from eating sand and running too far into the water.
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