Peqo
hi,
we are having twin babies this coming summer and I am looking at different car seats. I just learned that they will need an infant car seat and a car seat for when they are more than 30 lbs or so.
I have been looking on amazon for ones that have the best ratings etc...
is this a normal range?
249.99 for one infant car seat ...... that will be about $500 for the twins
http://www.amazon.com/Graco-Infant-SafeSeat-Step-Nectar/dp/B0012IUU3Q/ref=sr_1_109?s=baby-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1295284795&sr=1-109
179.99 for one older baby car seat.....that will be about $360 for the twins.
http://www.amazon.com/Graco-Nautilus-Car-Seat-Dori/dp/B002GWVDLU/ref=sr_1_178?s=baby-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1295284068&sr=1-178
are we really looking to spend over $800 on just car gear :( None of our friends have small babies who are ready to give away theirs. And since this is our first time as parents, I'm sure you can imagine we want to be really safe.
But I just want to make sure this is a normal price range.
any suggestions for buying gear for twin babies?
thank you
Answer
Welcome to the world of twins!
With the infant carrier, you can buy 2 seats and than an extra 2 bases if you need to have them in multiple cars. Some people will tell you to just get a convertible seat and skip the carrier, but I disagree - it is easier with a carrier and twins frequently run a bit smaller and just "fit' better in the carrier. Because our twins were small - 5 lbs 1 oz and 5 lbs 4 oz, they had to pass a "car seat test" at the hospital before we could take them. Basically, they fit them in the seat and monitor their oxygen levels for an hour. Our daughter failed and had to be retested - we almost had to go out and buy a "car bed" to take her home in. There is no way they would have been able to sit in a convertible seat at that size and be released from the hospital. Just because a convertible seat is rated for 5 lbs and up does not mean it is the right choice from birth.
Graco is a good brand and you can get the infant carriers for as low as $100 at Babies R Us ($200 for two and then you need to decide whether you need the extra bases).
http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=4043732
When they outgrow it, you can switch to a convertible seat - we invested in the Britax Marthons, pricey but worth it to us as they will be in it for years. We got 4 - 2 for my car and 2 for my husbands as it varies as to who picks them up from daycare etc . . .
Honestly? Car Seats are all safety checked and follow the same standards set by the government - some have additional side impact protection - otherwise it is just padding, ease of use etc . . .
Go to Babies R Us - try them out in your car (they will let you check them for fit) and go from there. Shop online - you will find better deals.
I also recommend that you call the local police station / fire department - they can assist you with getting the seats installed, but I would also ask them about car seat programs. Our town had a deal with Graco. If you brought them an old seat, they would recycle it and replace it with a new one. We got our infant carriers for free through this program as friends and family donated their old seats for us to trade in. It made investing in nicer convertible seats for later easier.
You should also check to see if there are any Parents of Twins groups in your area - a lot of times, they have tag sales etc . . . I am not suggesting buying a used car seat. Car seats and cribs are what you invest in . . . but on a tight budget, it is a great way to get a good double stroller, clothes, toys etc . . .
Hope this helps!
Welcome to the world of twins!
With the infant carrier, you can buy 2 seats and than an extra 2 bases if you need to have them in multiple cars. Some people will tell you to just get a convertible seat and skip the carrier, but I disagree - it is easier with a carrier and twins frequently run a bit smaller and just "fit' better in the carrier. Because our twins were small - 5 lbs 1 oz and 5 lbs 4 oz, they had to pass a "car seat test" at the hospital before we could take them. Basically, they fit them in the seat and monitor their oxygen levels for an hour. Our daughter failed and had to be retested - we almost had to go out and buy a "car bed" to take her home in. There is no way they would have been able to sit in a convertible seat at that size and be released from the hospital. Just because a convertible seat is rated for 5 lbs and up does not mean it is the right choice from birth.
Graco is a good brand and you can get the infant carriers for as low as $100 at Babies R Us ($200 for two and then you need to decide whether you need the extra bases).
http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=4043732
When they outgrow it, you can switch to a convertible seat - we invested in the Britax Marthons, pricey but worth it to us as they will be in it for years. We got 4 - 2 for my car and 2 for my husbands as it varies as to who picks them up from daycare etc . . .
Honestly? Car Seats are all safety checked and follow the same standards set by the government - some have additional side impact protection - otherwise it is just padding, ease of use etc . . .
Go to Babies R Us - try them out in your car (they will let you check them for fit) and go from there. Shop online - you will find better deals.
I also recommend that you call the local police station / fire department - they can assist you with getting the seats installed, but I would also ask them about car seat programs. Our town had a deal with Graco. If you brought them an old seat, they would recycle it and replace it with a new one. We got our infant carriers for free through this program as friends and family donated their old seats for us to trade in. It made investing in nicer convertible seats for later easier.
You should also check to see if there are any Parents of Twins groups in your area - a lot of times, they have tag sales etc . . . I am not suggesting buying a used car seat. Car seats and cribs are what you invest in . . . but on a tight budget, it is a great way to get a good double stroller, clothes, toys etc . . .
Hope this helps!
my 9 and half month old son.... is about 22LB and he hates his car seat?
gisele_hom
what kind of car seat/bran name/style do you segest..please help
Answer
First off, don't ever put any hard toys on a baby's seat, nor a TV! OUCH in a crash or even a speed bump. My first question would be how reclined is he? If he is still in an infant carrier, you can't change the 45 degree recline angle, but in a rear facing convertible car seat, you can adjust it a little bit. Newborns must have a 45 degree angle recline to prevent their head falling forward and closing off their airway, but an older baby only needs 30-45 degrees recline. He may want to be able to see more than he can right now. So I'd look into that first off. Put some static clings on the rear windshield and back side windows to give him something to look at. Play music for kids, or better yet, talk and sing to him. He may just not like his seat, he may be bored, he may be scared b/c he can't see you.
Put one of those mirrors so you can see him. I had a mirror securely attached (with several safety pins to make sure it would not become a projectile in an accident) to the rear headrest so he could see himself, also, I put on of those baby view mirrors below my rear view mirror so I could see his reflection in his mirror in my mirror without turning around while driving (which isn't safe!) You may have to try several different models of mirrors (for his headrest) until you find one that works securely with your car.
He may really just not like car rides right now. In that case, minimize travelling for a little bit till he gets over it, which he soon will! Aim to travel at his best times of the day, morning for most babies, only go when he's eaten, well-rested, and in a good mood. It will make the trip easier for both of you.
Please DON'T get the Safety1st 3-in-1/Cosco Alpha Omega/Eddie Bauer 3-in1 seats. These are all the same company - same seat, just different covers. They stink. Hard to install, b/c of narrow belt paths. Ever tried to wash a skinny cup by hand? Now imagine that skinny cup with pointy edges. That's what putting your hand through these to install them is like. AND they have too short a shell to really go to 40lbs. And they do not make good boosters. Also, most kids have to use boosters until they're at least 8 years old. Car seats expire 6 years after the date of manufacture, so no matter what they say it is NOT the last seat you'll ever need to buy. Not a good choice.
If you think padding might help, some great choices (and best bang for your buck, too!) are:
The Evenflo Triumph Advance (not the original Triumph, make sure it says Advance) is a great seat. $150 version at Babies R Us has padding similar to Britax seats, top slots of 17", harnesses to 35lbs rear facing, and 50lbs forward facing. $120 Walmart version just has little less plush padding. Wide open belt path, easy to install, though it doesn't have built in lockoffs. The harness adjusts at the front of the car seat, you don't have to take the car seat out of the car just to raise/lower the straps. It's one of only 2 seats that does this (The Britax Boulevard is the other, I believE), and it has infinite harness adjustment so the harness always fits perfectly until its outgrown. No more tugging straps to tighten them either. You tighten and loosen the harness using knobs on the side of the seat. As a major bonus, it can be used in a recline position even in forward facing mode. Awesome for kids who still sleep in the car. I LOVE THIS SEAT! LOL My son, who is too big for every other car seat at Walmart has the same amount of room in this as the Britax Marathon.
The Britax Marathon/Boulevard/Decathalon (These 3 are the same seat, just different variances of luxury additions, with the Marathon being the cheapest base model) can be found for regular price of $269, and on sale at Albee Baby online for $209-$219. The Marathon a wide open easy to route belt path, which makes using it correctly a lot easier, as do the built in lockoffs, which mean you never again have to use a locking clip. I can get it into 4 different vehicles in under 2 minutes. Because of the way the base is made, it fits in most cars. And, it is worth the money, b/c it lasts usually twice as long as most other car seats (all car seats expire 6 years after the date of manufacture) lasting a baby till they are 5-6 years old, where most at Walmart will only last till 2-4 years old. Rear faces to 33lbs, then forward to 65lbs. and top slots 17inches tall, lasts most kids to ages 5-6 years old.
Whatever you do, don't turn him forward facing! It is recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics (see sources) that ALL babies stay rear facing as long as possible, up to the weight/height limits of their seat. Most seats go to 30lbs rear facing, some go higher, check your manual. They are too tall for an infant carrier when the head is within an inch of the top of the shell. Too tall for most convertible seats when their ears reach the top of the seat. Has nothing to do with how long their legs are! There isn't a single documented case of a child breaking their legs b/c they were rear facing in an accident. There are, however, lots of cases where children have been killed and seriously injured where a rear facing seat would have protected them better. They are safest rear facing b/c their bones have not yet completed the ossification process that bonds/hardens them like adults. They need the bracing support that a rear facing seat offers to withstand a crash. 20lbs AND 1 year is the bare minimum as far as the law is concerned, but the law is the bare minimum of safety, and who wants to do the bare minimum for their child? A forward-facing child under 2 years old is 4 times more likely to be killed or seriously injured in a crash than a rear-facing child of the same age. A child's vertabrae do not fully fuse until 3-6 years old, before then, she is at great risk for internal decapitation. The spinal column can stretch up to 2 inches in a crash BUT the spinal cord can only stretch up to 1/4 inch before it snaps and baby is gone.
First off, don't ever put any hard toys on a baby's seat, nor a TV! OUCH in a crash or even a speed bump. My first question would be how reclined is he? If he is still in an infant carrier, you can't change the 45 degree recline angle, but in a rear facing convertible car seat, you can adjust it a little bit. Newborns must have a 45 degree angle recline to prevent their head falling forward and closing off their airway, but an older baby only needs 30-45 degrees recline. He may want to be able to see more than he can right now. So I'd look into that first off. Put some static clings on the rear windshield and back side windows to give him something to look at. Play music for kids, or better yet, talk and sing to him. He may just not like his seat, he may be bored, he may be scared b/c he can't see you.
Put one of those mirrors so you can see him. I had a mirror securely attached (with several safety pins to make sure it would not become a projectile in an accident) to the rear headrest so he could see himself, also, I put on of those baby view mirrors below my rear view mirror so I could see his reflection in his mirror in my mirror without turning around while driving (which isn't safe!) You may have to try several different models of mirrors (for his headrest) until you find one that works securely with your car.
He may really just not like car rides right now. In that case, minimize travelling for a little bit till he gets over it, which he soon will! Aim to travel at his best times of the day, morning for most babies, only go when he's eaten, well-rested, and in a good mood. It will make the trip easier for both of you.
Please DON'T get the Safety1st 3-in-1/Cosco Alpha Omega/Eddie Bauer 3-in1 seats. These are all the same company - same seat, just different covers. They stink. Hard to install, b/c of narrow belt paths. Ever tried to wash a skinny cup by hand? Now imagine that skinny cup with pointy edges. That's what putting your hand through these to install them is like. AND they have too short a shell to really go to 40lbs. And they do not make good boosters. Also, most kids have to use boosters until they're at least 8 years old. Car seats expire 6 years after the date of manufacture, so no matter what they say it is NOT the last seat you'll ever need to buy. Not a good choice.
If you think padding might help, some great choices (and best bang for your buck, too!) are:
The Evenflo Triumph Advance (not the original Triumph, make sure it says Advance) is a great seat. $150 version at Babies R Us has padding similar to Britax seats, top slots of 17", harnesses to 35lbs rear facing, and 50lbs forward facing. $120 Walmart version just has little less plush padding. Wide open belt path, easy to install, though it doesn't have built in lockoffs. The harness adjusts at the front of the car seat, you don't have to take the car seat out of the car just to raise/lower the straps. It's one of only 2 seats that does this (The Britax Boulevard is the other, I believE), and it has infinite harness adjustment so the harness always fits perfectly until its outgrown. No more tugging straps to tighten them either. You tighten and loosen the harness using knobs on the side of the seat. As a major bonus, it can be used in a recline position even in forward facing mode. Awesome for kids who still sleep in the car. I LOVE THIS SEAT! LOL My son, who is too big for every other car seat at Walmart has the same amount of room in this as the Britax Marathon.
The Britax Marathon/Boulevard/Decathalon (These 3 are the same seat, just different variances of luxury additions, with the Marathon being the cheapest base model) can be found for regular price of $269, and on sale at Albee Baby online for $209-$219. The Marathon a wide open easy to route belt path, which makes using it correctly a lot easier, as do the built in lockoffs, which mean you never again have to use a locking clip. I can get it into 4 different vehicles in under 2 minutes. Because of the way the base is made, it fits in most cars. And, it is worth the money, b/c it lasts usually twice as long as most other car seats (all car seats expire 6 years after the date of manufacture) lasting a baby till they are 5-6 years old, where most at Walmart will only last till 2-4 years old. Rear faces to 33lbs, then forward to 65lbs. and top slots 17inches tall, lasts most kids to ages 5-6 years old.
Whatever you do, don't turn him forward facing! It is recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics (see sources) that ALL babies stay rear facing as long as possible, up to the weight/height limits of their seat. Most seats go to 30lbs rear facing, some go higher, check your manual. They are too tall for an infant carrier when the head is within an inch of the top of the shell. Too tall for most convertible seats when their ears reach the top of the seat. Has nothing to do with how long their legs are! There isn't a single documented case of a child breaking their legs b/c they were rear facing in an accident. There are, however, lots of cases where children have been killed and seriously injured where a rear facing seat would have protected them better. They are safest rear facing b/c their bones have not yet completed the ossification process that bonds/hardens them like adults. They need the bracing support that a rear facing seat offers to withstand a crash. 20lbs AND 1 year is the bare minimum as far as the law is concerned, but the law is the bare minimum of safety, and who wants to do the bare minimum for their child? A forward-facing child under 2 years old is 4 times more likely to be killed or seriously injured in a crash than a rear-facing child of the same age. A child's vertabrae do not fully fuse until 3-6 years old, before then, she is at great risk for internal decapitation. The spinal column can stretch up to 2 inches in a crash BUT the spinal cord can only stretch up to 1/4 inch before it snaps and baby is gone.
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