how much to spend on infant car seat?

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!

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.

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how much to spend on infant car seat?

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!

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.

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Best convertable infant car seat for compact car?

T P

My daughter is 9 months and about 18 pounds(preemie) and is quickly outgrowing hergraco carrier.I have a small car- a 2 door hatch back Ford Focus,so my main issue is finding one that will fit my car.
Anyone have any suggestions for a good,small convertable car seat? Id like to be able to use it for a long time and dont want to have to buy another any time soon.

Thanks!

Answer
Car accidents are the #1 killer of children under age 12. Another person said that the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends to age 2 and the NHSTA recommends until age 3. I believe that all children should rearface as long as possible. This also means that you should keep on buying a higher weight limit rearfacing seat.

5 children in the United States die every single day due to incorrect use of car seats or not using car seats at all.

I would recommend any car seat that fits your vehicle, your child, and is used correctly each and every time.

To achieve this, car seats must be installed with less than one inch of movement from side to side. 1 inch is the maximum amount of movement. I would get the car seat in your car rock solid. The car seat fits your child (when rearfacing) when the harness straps are at and below your childs armpit level AND when the child's head is one inch away from the shell. If the child's head is above the car seat, then the child will be exposed to injury because our American seats are not tethered rearfacing and they do not have foot props to prevent downward rotational force.

Please note that since your daughter is now 9 months old, her convertible car seat can be installed at a more upright angle.

I would recommend the Radian RXT or R120 as this can rearface up to 45 lbs and has a top slot of 17.5 inches. It is an extremely narrow seat, so if you ever need to fit three car seats in a row, this is the car seat for you. But anyhow, the amount of room it takes up is a little extreme, which can be remedied by installing at in at a more upright angle in the middle seat as the car seat could fit between the 2 front seats, but the downside is that you may be unable to install the car seat in the center seat with LATCH. LATCH is basically metal hooks that hold crash forces of a car seat and the car seat is attached to the car by these hooks, instead of using the seat belt. If your car manual doesn't say that you can use latch in the center seating position, then you CANNOT use latch. Latch anchors are connected to each other and will fail. I would go to toys r us and test out the seat in your 2 door vehicle.

Rear facing seats:
Radian RXT (45 lbs rear facing)
Britax Marathon, Boulevard, or Advocate- (16.75 inch top slot as advertized by britax and up to 40 lbs rearfacing) I'm not sure if I would recommend the use for a small car because they are extremely bulky, but if you could get it to fit, it would install like a breeze due to the lock off it has built in.
Safety First Compass True Fit- has an 18" high top slot (up to 40 lbs rear facing)

I wanted to let you know that the Swedish have the lowest child fatalities in car accidents because of their rear facing car seats. They rear face their children up to 4 or 5 years of age or whenever the child outgrows their rear facing seats. Their seats go up to 50 or 55 lbs! They accomplish this by having 2 rearfacing tethers and a foot prop to accomodate larger taller children. Because of the foot prop and tethers, taller children are able to use the seat until the tips of the ears are even with the headrest or shell. American seats will never be able to accomplish this weight limit because they are not allowed by US Standards to have support from the seat with tethers and foot props. The rules is that the seat must be able to measure up to standards with only the seat belt supporting it. There have been only 5 or so cases of children in Sweden who have died in a car crash in a span of 2 years! Rear facing is safest and is meant for everyone!

Also, Swedish car seats can be installed at up to 10 degrees from vertical, to allow more room. It is actually slightly safer to be at a more upright angle. The only reason why newborns are at 45 degrees, is to support their necks.

Switching baby from infant car seat to full size car seat.. toy solution?

DanerBug

My baby loved playing with the toys dangling from the handle of the infant car seat. Now that he's in a full size car seat I haven't figured out how to have toys dangling for him to play with. Does anyone have a solution for this?
I should clarify he's 8 months old and the car seat is rear facing. If I just gave him toys to play with he'd toss them. I was hoping to find some kind of bar that could be attached to the car seat but I couldn't find anything.

Answer
Most cars have a handle, that I guess is to be used to aid you in getting out of the car, just above the window. I hang toys from there

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Best convertable infant car seat for compact car?

T P

My daughter is 9 months and about 18 pounds(preemie) and is quickly outgrowing hergraco carrier.I have a small car- a 2 door hatch back Ford Focus,so my main issue is finding one that will fit my car.
Anyone have any suggestions for a good,small convertable car seat? Id like to be able to use it for a long time and dont want to have to buy another any time soon.

Thanks!

Answer
Car accidents are the #1 killer of children under age 12. Another person said that the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends to age 2 and the NHSTA recommends until age 3. I believe that all children should rearface as long as possible. This also means that you should keep on buying a higher weight limit rearfacing seat.

5 children in the United States die every single day due to incorrect use of car seats or not using car seats at all.

I would recommend any car seat that fits your vehicle, your child, and is used correctly each and every time.

To achieve this, car seats must be installed with less than one inch of movement from side to side. 1 inch is the maximum amount of movement. I would get the car seat in your car rock solid. The car seat fits your child (when rearfacing) when the harness straps are at and below your childs armpit level AND when the child's head is one inch away from the shell. If the child's head is above the car seat, then the child will be exposed to injury because our American seats are not tethered rearfacing and they do not have foot props to prevent downward rotational force.

Please note that since your daughter is now 9 months old, her convertible car seat can be installed at a more upright angle.

I would recommend the Radian RXT or R120 as this can rearface up to 45 lbs and has a top slot of 17.5 inches. It is an extremely narrow seat, so if you ever need to fit three car seats in a row, this is the car seat for you. But anyhow, the amount of room it takes up is a little extreme, which can be remedied by installing at in at a more upright angle in the middle seat as the car seat could fit between the 2 front seats, but the downside is that you may be unable to install the car seat in the center seat with LATCH. LATCH is basically metal hooks that hold crash forces of a car seat and the car seat is attached to the car by these hooks, instead of using the seat belt. If your car manual doesn't say that you can use latch in the center seating position, then you CANNOT use latch. Latch anchors are connected to each other and will fail. I would go to toys r us and test out the seat in your 2 door vehicle.

Rear facing seats:
Radian RXT (45 lbs rear facing)
Britax Marathon, Boulevard, or Advocate- (16.75 inch top slot as advertized by britax and up to 40 lbs rearfacing) I'm not sure if I would recommend the use for a small car because they are extremely bulky, but if you could get it to fit, it would install like a breeze due to the lock off it has built in.
Safety First Compass True Fit- has an 18" high top slot (up to 40 lbs rear facing)

I wanted to let you know that the Swedish have the lowest child fatalities in car accidents because of their rear facing car seats. They rear face their children up to 4 or 5 years of age or whenever the child outgrows their rear facing seats. Their seats go up to 50 or 55 lbs! They accomplish this by having 2 rearfacing tethers and a foot prop to accomodate larger taller children. Because of the foot prop and tethers, taller children are able to use the seat until the tips of the ears are even with the headrest or shell. American seats will never be able to accomplish this weight limit because they are not allowed by US Standards to have support from the seat with tethers and foot props. The rules is that the seat must be able to measure up to standards with only the seat belt supporting it. There have been only 5 or so cases of children in Sweden who have died in a car crash in a span of 2 years! Rear facing is safest and is meant for everyone!

Also, Swedish car seats can be installed at up to 10 degrees from vertical, to allow more room. It is actually slightly safer to be at a more upright angle. The only reason why newborns are at 45 degrees, is to support their necks.

Switching baby from infant car seat to full size car seat.. toy solution?

DanerBug

My baby loved playing with the toys dangling from the handle of the infant car seat. Now that he's in a full size car seat I haven't figured out how to have toys dangling for him to play with. Does anyone have a solution for this?
I should clarify he's 8 months old and the car seat is rear facing. If I just gave him toys to play with he'd toss them. I was hoping to find some kind of bar that could be attached to the car seat but I couldn't find anything.

Answer
Most cars have a handle, that I guess is to be used to aid you in getting out of the car, just above the window. I hang toys from there

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What car seat(s) work best in these two vehicles?

best infant car toys image

p1nkp1nkp1

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.

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.

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What is the best car seat toy for a forward facing carseat?

best infant car toys image

julie.cipr

I am going to be getting my son a new car seat because he no longer fits in his old one. The new one is forward facing. In the old car seat, we have a bar that has rattles and a light up musical frog that my son loves to play with. Anyone have any ideas for an awesome car seat toy? I'm looking for the best one out there, one that I haven't seen on my google searches. Thank you!!

Answer
When deciding on any toy to be allowed in the car, think about what's going to happen in an accident and it goes flying. This will sound silly, but its a simple test to decide whether it should be allowed as a toy in the car: smack yourself upside the head with it. did it hurt? If not, go for it, if it hurt you, think about how much more it will hurt a baby, whose skull is softer, and when in an accident it will hit with a lot more force. Ican't at all remember who made them, but check your local kids resale shop (like Once Upon a Child) since they seem to have them often: soft toy steering wheels so child can play-drive while in the car.

However, a bigger issue here, would be how old is your child and what size? Sounds like he's outgrowing an infant carrier car seat? Kids do not go from infant carrier seat straight to forward facing seat. The next step is a rear facing convertible car seat. Most state laws require kids to be rear facing until at least 20lbs and 1 year, but more importantly, the laws of physics say kids should stay rear facing as long as they possibly can. Its THAT much safer. The old 20lbs/1 year rule is just that. OLD. It came about in the 1980's when our seats were only capable of rear facing to 20lbs and we didn't know any better. Now we definitely know better and all current convertible seats rear face to at least 30lbs, but its hard getting people to realize this.
Turning kids forward at 20lbs/1year is an outdated practice that could cost you your child's life!
1)A forward-facing child under 2 years old is 5 times more likely to be killed or seriously injured in a crash than a rear-facing child of the same age.
2)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.
3)Current research suggests that children under the age of two years are 75 percent less likely to die or be seriously injured when they are riding rear facing.
4)In a recent article from Injury Prevention, it was found that the odds of severe injury to forward facing children age 12-23 months old was 5.32 times higher than a rear facing child. (Car Safety Seats For Children: Rear Facing For Best Protection; Injury Prevention 2007; 13:398-402.)

It works this way: when you get in an accident and run into something, the car stop suddently, but everything and everyone in the car keeps moving in the direction the car was moving when it stopped, in most accidents, this is forward. So in an accident with a child in a forward facing seat, his head, the heaviest part of the body on babies and toddlers, flies forward very forcefully and easily snaps. If that same child is in a rear facing seat, his head tries to fly forward but is supported by the back of the rear facing seat, so there is no stress put on the child's neck and spine.

Check out this photo album exclusively of rear facing kids, many of them much older than 12 months: http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/RFAlbum.aspx 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. And most kids actually prefer to be rear facing b/c they can rest their feet on the vehicle seat back. When they are forward facing, their legs don't receive enough support and will frequently fall asleep.
WHY REAR FACING:
http://www.carseat.org/Resources/633.pdf
In the foreground is a forward facing seat, in the background a rear facing seat. You can see how much trauma the forward facing dummy has to endure. The rear facing child simply rides it out.
http://www.oeamtc.at/netautor/html_seiten/kisitest_2002/videos/test2002/frontcrash/maxicosipriori.mpg

Here's another video. You can see how there is NO trauma to the baby, it simply sits there waiting for it to end.
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v163/jen_nah/carseats/?action=view&current=video06A_MGA_213_RearFace-Convertib.flv

The story of a child who suffered severe injuries from being forward facing when he could've been rear facing:
http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=59783

How can I move without moving bedbugs in to?

Love

I have a four month old so I'm not sure how much spraying and bombing can be done. We are getting rid of the couch which is where they were first.
We have a lot of baby stuff, and all of it is coming with us, that's a crib, loads of clothes and diapers (I stocked up before she was born), toys, both plastic and stuffed animals. Gettin rid of the stuffed animals is not an option as they are very special.
In our room there are at least 200 books, both hard and soft cover that my husband will not get rid of. Then we have a night stand, dresser, and bed frame. There are also clothes and dream catchers.
We have two infant car seats that stay in the house unless we're going somewhere. A bassinet, bouncer and a large swing that has a frame I'm worried they could get into, the christmas tree and christmas ornaments are also sittin in a corner of the living room since we have no storage. We also have a large entertainmment center but I'm going to talk to my husband about getting rid of that.
Electronics: microwave, 2 coffee pots (my husand and I drink different stuff), a hair dryer, lap tops, baby monitor, tv, humidifier and DS. How do I make sure they're not in my electronics
oh, and some of my daughter's toys are stuffed animals with rattles in those, can those be dried in high heat?? And there are two guitars, one bass one electric

Answer
It is an easy job. If you stop bites immediately and leave CO2 traps. You will kill 100% bed bugs within 3 months. You don't need to dump anything.

Bed bugs hide behind wall, under carpet, in a laptop, and in everywhere. It is non sense to kill them by chemicals or steamer on contact only and let survived bugs bite and lay up to 300 eggs per bug.

Most people don’t know how to kill bed bugs inside laptops or how to stop bites immediately even bed bugs migrate from other apartments tonight. You don’t need to search any bed bugs and should have solved bed bug problem now if you received right tool today. Click “Show more” in the video to read text and understand one-time easy method and why experts never had a chance to use such an easy and efficient method.

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Does anyone know a place in Memphis that gives away free infant car seats?

What kind of toys worked when flying with kids(less than a year old) on long flights ?

best infant car toys image

I have a 10 month old, will be flying to Asia, I have purchased a seat for her but she does not enjoy being strapped in the car seat for long. I am contemplating checking in the car seat, at the same time wondering if the airlines provides you with necessary things to secure a child this young ? My first time flying with her so want to do every bit of research so make the journey comfortable for her and other fellow passengers. Please feel free to pass on any tips as well. Thanks.

Answer
We’ve only flown with a really young child once, and it wasn’t as long of a flight as you’ll be taking. My son was 13 months old, so a little older than your baby.

We checked the car seat and did not bring it on the plane. We’d flown with our daughter once when she was a toddler and used the car seat on the plane. It was awful--the seats are so close together that she literally had nowhere to put her feet. The man sitting in front of her insisted on reclining his seat, which made it worse. If she bumped his seat (which she could not help doing every time she moved), he turned around and glared at us. He even made a few comments about it, and when I tried to explain that it wasn’t the poor kid’s fault, he got very huffy. We decided to never try to bring a car seat on the plane again. I don’t know why the airlines suggest it, when they don’t even fit onto those stupid seats!

To keep my son occupied--we brought along a few quiet toys, some small books, and LOTS of snacks. It’s not a tactic I normally use, but to keep him happy on the plane I pulled out something new each time he got restless. His favorite activity was searching for Cheerios in a small box. I’d put a few Cheerios at a time into the little box, and he’d dig around for them. We also brought some of those Crayola Color Wonder markers and paper. The markers only write on the paper, so don’t make a mess. Your baby might be a bit young for something like that, but if she is starting to enjoy scribbling on paper, the markers might keep her busy for a while.

I’d suggest getting some small, inexpensive, quiet toys that your daughter has never seen before. They will be new to her and more interesting than her own toys. Pull them out one at a time, as needed, whenever she gets restless. She’ll probably also like playing with your keys or your cell phone--my kids always liked those things more than they liked their toys! Bring along some picture books that are new to her as well. The novelty of everything will keep her occupied for longer.

Also, it’s a good idea to have something on hand for your child to drink during take-off and landing so her ears don’t hurt. I don’t know what the current regulations are for bring things like juice boxes or bottles onto an airplane, but make sure you check that on the airline’s website before you leave.

Here are some websites with more tips for traveling with children:

http://www. flyingwithkids .com/ best_travel_tips .htm
http://www. flyingwithkids .com/ travel_tips .htm
http:// parenting.ivillage .com/mom/travel/0,,45jl, 00 .html
http://www. faa .gov/passengers/fly_children/
http://www. onestepahead .com/custserv/ shop_smarter_article .jsp?pageName=Flying_Tips

This article lists restricted items on planes. It does say that formula, milk, and juice for infants and toddlers ARE allowed. http://www. tsa .gov/travelers/airtravel/prohibited/ permitted-prohibited-items .shtm

Have a safe and happy trip!

ps you might want to pack some Advil or Tylenol for yourself. :)

How to help infants in the car?

Kate T

We are traveling 5 hours to upstate NY this weekend with a 3 year old and a 6 month old. The 3 year old is fine in the car, but the 6 month old screams the whole time. Does anyone have any suggestions as to help this? It is not car sickness or reflux, I think it is just boredom. Thanks a million for all of your help in advance.

Answer
My husband and I took a trip from MA to PA (6-7 hour trip) when my daughter was 10 months old. The best way we did it was to wake her up in the middle of the night (1:00am) start driving and let her fall back to sleep in the car. Then when she woke up at 6:00 we only had an hour or two left. We stopped and had breakfast, changed her and let her play for 20-30 minutes. When we got back in the car we only had 1 hour left and she was great.

We brought books and toys and don't forget the pacifier (bring a few so when he/she throws it you have more). Plus you have an added bonus, the 3 year old can sing songs and show pictures and toys to him/her. Teach the 3 year old to make faces to make the baby smile and sing baby songs. Give him a reward for helping you! Good Luck!

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Need an infant car seat that can be operated with only one hand?

best infant car toys image

GirlWithGl

A baby is on the way for my sister and my brother in law. He was injured at war and can only use one hand for pressing buttons etc. We are trying to find an infant car seat that can be released from it's base and the handle clicked down using only one hand (not both at the same time). Any tips or advice is appreciated thanks.

Answer
I don't know if they still make them but graco made a car seat that the button was on the handle. You just push the one button in and the seat was released. It also worked like that for the stroller. So that you could fold the stroller down with one hand as well. Try toys r us or babies r us that is where I remember seeing it.

What is the best car seat toy for a forward facing carseat?

julie.cipr

I am going to be getting my son a new car seat because he no longer fits in his old one. The new one is forward facing. In the old car seat, we have a bar that has rattles and a light up musical frog that my son loves to play with. Anyone have any ideas for an awesome car seat toy? I'm looking for the best one out there, one that I haven't seen on my google searches. Thank you!!

Answer
When deciding on any toy to be allowed in the car, think about what's going to happen in an accident and it goes flying. This will sound silly, but its a simple test to decide whether it should be allowed as a toy in the car: smack yourself upside the head with it. did it hurt? If not, go for it, if it hurt you, think about how much more it will hurt a baby, whose skull is softer, and when in an accident it will hit with a lot more force. Ican't at all remember who made them, but check your local kids resale shop (like Once Upon a Child) since they seem to have them often: soft toy steering wheels so child can play-drive while in the car.

However, a bigger issue here, would be how old is your child and what size? Sounds like he's outgrowing an infant carrier car seat? Kids do not go from infant carrier seat straight to forward facing seat. The next step is a rear facing convertible car seat. Most state laws require kids to be rear facing until at least 20lbs and 1 year, but more importantly, the laws of physics say kids should stay rear facing as long as they possibly can. Its THAT much safer. The old 20lbs/1 year rule is just that. OLD. It came about in the 1980's when our seats were only capable of rear facing to 20lbs and we didn't know any better. Now we definitely know better and all current convertible seats rear face to at least 30lbs, but its hard getting people to realize this.
Turning kids forward at 20lbs/1year is an outdated practice that could cost you your child's life!
1)A forward-facing child under 2 years old is 5 times more likely to be killed or seriously injured in a crash than a rear-facing child of the same age.
2)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.
3)Current research suggests that children under the age of two years are 75 percent less likely to die or be seriously injured when they are riding rear facing.
4)In a recent article from Injury Prevention, it was found that the odds of severe injury to forward facing children age 12-23 months old was 5.32 times higher than a rear facing child. (Car Safety Seats For Children: Rear Facing For Best Protection; Injury Prevention 2007; 13:398-402.)

It works this way: when you get in an accident and run into something, the car stop suddently, but everything and everyone in the car keeps moving in the direction the car was moving when it stopped, in most accidents, this is forward. So in an accident with a child in a forward facing seat, his head, the heaviest part of the body on babies and toddlers, flies forward very forcefully and easily snaps. If that same child is in a rear facing seat, his head tries to fly forward but is supported by the back of the rear facing seat, so there is no stress put on the child's neck and spine.

Check out this photo album exclusively of rear facing kids, many of them much older than 12 months: http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/RFAlbum.aspx 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. And most kids actually prefer to be rear facing b/c they can rest their feet on the vehicle seat back. When they are forward facing, their legs don't receive enough support and will frequently fall asleep.
WHY REAR FACING:
http://www.carseat.org/Resources/633.pdf
In the foreground is a forward facing seat, in the background a rear facing seat. You can see how much trauma the forward facing dummy has to endure. The rear facing child simply rides it out.
http://www.oeamtc.at/netautor/html_seiten/kisitest_2002/videos/test2002/frontcrash/maxicosipriori.mpg

Here's another video. You can see how there is NO trauma to the baby, it simply sits there waiting for it to end.
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v163/jen_nah/carseats/?action=view&current=video06A_MGA_213_RearFace-Convertib.flv

The story of a child who suffered severe injuries from being forward facing when he could've been rear facing:
http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=59783

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What is the best car seat toy for a forward facing carseat?

best infant car toys image

julie.cipr

I am going to be getting my son a new car seat because he no longer fits in his old one. The new one is forward facing. In the old car seat, we have a bar that has rattles and a light up musical frog that my son loves to play with. Anyone have any ideas for an awesome car seat toy? I'm looking for the best one out there, one that I haven't seen on my google searches. Thank you!!

Answer
When deciding on any toy to be allowed in the car, think about what's going to happen in an accident and it goes flying. This will sound silly, but its a simple test to decide whether it should be allowed as a toy in the car: smack yourself upside the head with it. did it hurt? If not, go for it, if it hurt you, think about how much more it will hurt a baby, whose skull is softer, and when in an accident it will hit with a lot more force. Ican't at all remember who made them, but check your local kids resale shop (like Once Upon a Child) since they seem to have them often: soft toy steering wheels so child can play-drive while in the car.

However, a bigger issue here, would be how old is your child and what size? Sounds like he's outgrowing an infant carrier car seat? Kids do not go from infant carrier seat straight to forward facing seat. The next step is a rear facing convertible car seat. Most state laws require kids to be rear facing until at least 20lbs and 1 year, but more importantly, the laws of physics say kids should stay rear facing as long as they possibly can. Its THAT much safer. The old 20lbs/1 year rule is just that. OLD. It came about in the 1980's when our seats were only capable of rear facing to 20lbs and we didn't know any better. Now we definitely know better and all current convertible seats rear face to at least 30lbs, but its hard getting people to realize this.
Turning kids forward at 20lbs/1year is an outdated practice that could cost you your child's life!
1)A forward-facing child under 2 years old is 5 times more likely to be killed or seriously injured in a crash than a rear-facing child of the same age.
2)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.
3)Current research suggests that children under the age of two years are 75 percent less likely to die or be seriously injured when they are riding rear facing.
4)In a recent article from Injury Prevention, it was found that the odds of severe injury to forward facing children age 12-23 months old was 5.32 times higher than a rear facing child. (Car Safety Seats For Children: Rear Facing For Best Protection; Injury Prevention 2007; 13:398-402.)

It works this way: when you get in an accident and run into something, the car stop suddently, but everything and everyone in the car keeps moving in the direction the car was moving when it stopped, in most accidents, this is forward. So in an accident with a child in a forward facing seat, his head, the heaviest part of the body on babies and toddlers, flies forward very forcefully and easily snaps. If that same child is in a rear facing seat, his head tries to fly forward but is supported by the back of the rear facing seat, so there is no stress put on the child's neck and spine.

Check out this photo album exclusively of rear facing kids, many of them much older than 12 months: http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/RFAlbum.aspx 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. And most kids actually prefer to be rear facing b/c they can rest their feet on the vehicle seat back. When they are forward facing, their legs don't receive enough support and will frequently fall asleep.
WHY REAR FACING:
http://www.carseat.org/Resources/633.pdf
In the foreground is a forward facing seat, in the background a rear facing seat. You can see how much trauma the forward facing dummy has to endure. The rear facing child simply rides it out.
http://www.oeamtc.at/netautor/html_seiten/kisitest_2002/videos/test2002/frontcrash/maxicosipriori.mpg

Here's another video. You can see how there is NO trauma to the baby, it simply sits there waiting for it to end.
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v163/jen_nah/carseats/?action=view&current=video06A_MGA_213_RearFace-Convertib.flv

The story of a child who suffered severe injuries from being forward facing when he could've been rear facing:
http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=59783

How can I move without moving bedbugs in to?

Love

I have a four month old so I'm not sure how much spraying and bombing can be done. We are getting rid of the couch which is where they were first.
We have a lot of baby stuff, and all of it is coming with us, that's a crib, loads of clothes and diapers (I stocked up before she was born), toys, both plastic and stuffed animals. Gettin rid of the stuffed animals is not an option as they are very special.
In our room there are at least 200 books, both hard and soft cover that my husband will not get rid of. Then we have a night stand, dresser, and bed frame. There are also clothes and dream catchers.
We have two infant car seats that stay in the house unless we're going somewhere. A bassinet, bouncer and a large swing that has a frame I'm worried they could get into, the christmas tree and christmas ornaments are also sittin in a corner of the living room since we have no storage. We also have a large entertainmment center but I'm going to talk to my husband about getting rid of that.
Electronics: microwave, 2 coffee pots (my husand and I drink different stuff), a hair dryer, lap tops, baby monitor, tv, humidifier and DS. How do I make sure they're not in my electronics
oh, and some of my daughter's toys are stuffed animals with rattles in those, can those be dried in high heat?? And there are two guitars, one bass one electric

Answer
It is an easy job. If you stop bites immediately and leave CO2 traps. You will kill 100% bed bugs within 3 months. You don't need to dump anything.

Bed bugs hide behind wall, under carpet, in a laptop, and in everywhere. It is non sense to kill them by chemicals or steamer on contact only and let survived bugs bite and lay up to 300 eggs per bug.

Most people don’t know how to kill bed bugs inside laptops or how to stop bites immediately even bed bugs migrate from other apartments tonight. You don’t need to search any bed bugs and should have solved bed bug problem now if you received right tool today. Click “Show more” in the video to read text and understand one-time easy method and why experts never had a chance to use such an easy and efficient method.

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What is the best car seat toy for a forward facing carseat?

How can I move without moving bedbugs in to?

best infant car toys image

Love

I have a four month old so I'm not sure how much spraying and bombing can be done. We are getting rid of the couch which is where they were first.
We have a lot of baby stuff, and all of it is coming with us, that's a crib, loads of clothes and diapers (I stocked up before she was born), toys, both plastic and stuffed animals. Gettin rid of the stuffed animals is not an option as they are very special.
In our room there are at least 200 books, both hard and soft cover that my husband will not get rid of. Then we have a night stand, dresser, and bed frame. There are also clothes and dream catchers.
We have two infant car seats that stay in the house unless we're going somewhere. A bassinet, bouncer and a large swing that has a frame I'm worried they could get into, the christmas tree and christmas ornaments are also sittin in a corner of the living room since we have no storage. We also have a large entertainmment center but I'm going to talk to my husband about getting rid of that.
Electronics: microwave, 2 coffee pots (my husand and I drink different stuff), a hair dryer, lap tops, baby monitor, tv, humidifier and DS. How do I make sure they're not in my electronics
oh, and some of my daughter's toys are stuffed animals with rattles in those, can those be dried in high heat?? And there are two guitars, one bass one electric

Answer
It is an easy job. If you stop bites immediately and leave CO2 traps. You will kill 100% bed bugs within 3 months. You don't need to dump anything.

Bed bugs hide behind wall, under carpet, in a laptop, and in everywhere. It is non sense to kill them by chemicals or steamer on contact only and let survived bugs bite and lay up to 300 eggs per bug.

Most people don’t know how to kill bed bugs inside laptops or how to stop bites immediately even bed bugs migrate from other apartments tonight. You don’t need to search any bed bugs and should have solved bed bug problem now if you received right tool today. Click “Show more” in the video to read text and understand one-time easy method and why experts never had a chance to use such an easy and efficient method.

What's a really good convertible car seat?

armywifes3

I have to infant car seats and I know that the weight limit is 22 lbs. Should I change now are when my baby girl weighs 22 lbs?
Is it true that the safest place for a car seat is in the middle of the back seat?

Answer
ok the cosco scerina is a wonderful seat at a great price. about 30-35$. Dont' let taht fool you either. It can rear face up to 35lbs & has good support. It also has the adjuster on the front.
The middle of the back seat is the safest IF your car will let you put it there. CHECK THE MANUAL. Some cars don't.
Rear face as long as possible. If yo uare in a frontal impact & your kid is facing forward then their BIG HEADS get thrown so hard... massive neck problems... yikes. Besides if they are rear facing then they don't drop their toys as bad.
Their still to weak to have good enough support to keep their bodies from being slung.
Oh yeah, the back is higher so it has a higher max height & longer straps. Means this is the seat till the kids is about 4years old! next step is a booster!

ok if you want a GREAT site.. check here:
http://boards.babycenter.com/n/pfx/forum.aspx?webtag=bcus9421

If you have the $$ a Britax is an excellent option.. but I still like my Scerena. Cheap enough I can put em in husbands car too.

Keep em in a booster till they are 4'9"!

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What kind of toys worked when flying with kids(less than a year old) on long flights ?

best infant car toys image

I have a 10 month old, will be flying to Asia, I have purchased a seat for her but she does not enjoy being strapped in the car seat for long. I am contemplating checking in the car seat, at the same time wondering if the airlines provides you with necessary things to secure a child this young ? My first time flying with her so want to do every bit of research so make the journey comfortable for her and other fellow passengers. Please feel free to pass on any tips as well. Thanks.

Answer
We’ve only flown with a really young child once, and it wasn’t as long of a flight as you’ll be taking. My son was 13 months old, so a little older than your baby.

We checked the car seat and did not bring it on the plane. We’d flown with our daughter once when she was a toddler and used the car seat on the plane. It was awful--the seats are so close together that she literally had nowhere to put her feet. The man sitting in front of her insisted on reclining his seat, which made it worse. If she bumped his seat (which she could not help doing every time she moved), he turned around and glared at us. He even made a few comments about it, and when I tried to explain that it wasn’t the poor kid’s fault, he got very huffy. We decided to never try to bring a car seat on the plane again. I don’t know why the airlines suggest it, when they don’t even fit onto those stupid seats!

To keep my son occupied--we brought along a few quiet toys, some small books, and LOTS of snacks. It’s not a tactic I normally use, but to keep him happy on the plane I pulled out something new each time he got restless. His favorite activity was searching for Cheerios in a small box. I’d put a few Cheerios at a time into the little box, and he’d dig around for them. We also brought some of those Crayola Color Wonder markers and paper. The markers only write on the paper, so don’t make a mess. Your baby might be a bit young for something like that, but if she is starting to enjoy scribbling on paper, the markers might keep her busy for a while.

I’d suggest getting some small, inexpensive, quiet toys that your daughter has never seen before. They will be new to her and more interesting than her own toys. Pull them out one at a time, as needed, whenever she gets restless. She’ll probably also like playing with your keys or your cell phone--my kids always liked those things more than they liked their toys! Bring along some picture books that are new to her as well. The novelty of everything will keep her occupied for longer.

Also, it’s a good idea to have something on hand for your child to drink during take-off and landing so her ears don’t hurt. I don’t know what the current regulations are for bring things like juice boxes or bottles onto an airplane, but make sure you check that on the airline’s website before you leave.

Here are some websites with more tips for traveling with children:

http://www. flyingwithkids .com/ best_travel_tips .htm
http://www. flyingwithkids .com/ travel_tips .htm
http:// parenting.ivillage .com/mom/travel/0,,45jl, 00 .html
http://www. faa .gov/passengers/fly_children/
http://www. onestepahead .com/custserv/ shop_smarter_article .jsp?pageName=Flying_Tips

This article lists restricted items on planes. It does say that formula, milk, and juice for infants and toddlers ARE allowed. http://www. tsa .gov/travelers/airtravel/prohibited/ permitted-prohibited-items .shtm

Have a safe and happy trip!

ps you might want to pack some Advil or Tylenol for yourself. :)

How to help infants in the car?

Kate T

We are traveling 5 hours to upstate NY this weekend with a 3 year old and a 6 month old. The 3 year old is fine in the car, but the 6 month old screams the whole time. Does anyone have any suggestions as to help this? It is not car sickness or reflux, I think it is just boredom. Thanks a million for all of your help in advance.

Answer
My husband and I took a trip from MA to PA (6-7 hour trip) when my daughter was 10 months old. The best way we did it was to wake her up in the middle of the night (1:00am) start driving and let her fall back to sleep in the car. Then when she woke up at 6:00 we only had an hour or two left. We stopped and had breakfast, changed her and let her play for 20-30 minutes. When we got back in the car we only had 1 hour left and she was great.

We brought books and toys and don't forget the pacifier (bring a few so when he/she throws it you have more). Plus you have an added bonus, the 3 year old can sing songs and show pictures and toys to him/her. Teach the 3 year old to make faces to make the baby smile and sing baby songs. Give him a reward for helping you! Good Luck!

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What's a really good convertible car seat?

best infant car toys image

armywifes3

I have to infant car seats and I know that the weight limit is 22 lbs. Should I change now are when my baby girl weighs 22 lbs?
Is it true that the safest place for a car seat is in the middle of the back seat?

Answer
ok the cosco scerina is a wonderful seat at a great price. about 30-35$. Dont' let taht fool you either. It can rear face up to 35lbs & has good support. It also has the adjuster on the front.
The middle of the back seat is the safest IF your car will let you put it there. CHECK THE MANUAL. Some cars don't.
Rear face as long as possible. If yo uare in a frontal impact & your kid is facing forward then their BIG HEADS get thrown so hard... massive neck problems... yikes. Besides if they are rear facing then they don't drop their toys as bad.
Their still to weak to have good enough support to keep their bodies from being slung.
Oh yeah, the back is higher so it has a higher max height & longer straps. Means this is the seat till the kids is about 4years old! next step is a booster!

ok if you want a GREAT site.. check here:
http://boards.babycenter.com/n/pfx/forum.aspx?webtag=bcus9421

If you have the $$ a Britax is an excellent option.. but I still like my Scerena. Cheap enough I can put em in husbands car too.

Keep em in a booster till they are 4'9"!

Is convertible car seat a good idea for a newborn?

Q. I am very confused shall buy an infant car seat now and a convertible when the baby is an year old or shall I get a convertible which can be used both for a newborn and a todller?

Answer
Many convertible seats have a minimum weight of 5 lbs or "birth". The problem is that most newborns do not fit well in a convertible seat. In order to fit correctly, the child's shoulders must be at or above the lowest set of harness slots. Many parents purchase a convertible seat before their child is born, thinking that it is the ONLY seat they'll ever need. Most babies will need an infant seat.

Many people don't realize that not every car seat fits in every car. Many vehicles have humps, sloped seats and buckle configurations that are completely INCOMPATIBLE with some car seats. Unfortunately, the only way to tell if a seat will fit is to try it out. Many baby specialty stores and places like Toys R Us/Babies R Us will allow the customer to leave a drivers license at the front desk and take seats out of the store to try them out in the car. When installing the seat, you need to be sure that it is locked into place. Check your car's owner's manual to find out how to lock your child restraint in. There should be less than 1 inch of movement side to side and from back to front. To check for seat movement, grab the seat where the seat belt threads through on either side and pull from side to side and from the back of the seat toward the front. Use gentle tugs - any forceful movement can dislodge even the tightest installation. A rear-facing seat will have normal movement back and forth and side to side at the TOP of the seat - this is the way it's designed to protect baby.

Please check out this page http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/stayrearfacing.aspx

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Does anyone know a place in Memphis that gives away free infant car seats?

best infant car toys image

Q. I am due in a couple on months and I am trying to use money wisely in that I can only get necessities right now. Even though a car seat is a necessity, if I can locate a place to give one free then I can allocate those funds elsewhere.

Answer
You can call your local Fire Department / Car Seat Installation place to see if they are aware of programs. Our town had a special with Graco car seats - if you brought in an old, recycled seat, they would install a brand new one in your car.

Do NOT purchase a used seat online from someone on E-Bay, Craigs List or a free used one off Freecycle. Do not get a used one unless you know the person you are purchasing from and know that the seat is not expired, has no recalls and has not been in an accident. Your child's safety is not something to take short-cuts with.

I am all for (and have) second hand strollers, clothes, toys . . . but not car seats.

Best wishes & congrats!

What kind of toys worked when flying with kids(less than a year old) on long flights ?

I have a 10 month old, will be flying to Asia, I have purchased a seat for her but she does not enjoy being strapped in the car seat for long. I am contemplating checking in the car seat, at the same time wondering if the airlines provides you with necessary things to secure a child this young ? My first time flying with her so want to do every bit of research so make the journey comfortable for her and other fellow passengers. Please feel free to pass on any tips as well. Thanks.

Answer
We’ve only flown with a really young child once, and it wasn’t as long of a flight as you’ll be taking. My son was 13 months old, so a little older than your baby.

We checked the car seat and did not bring it on the plane. We’d flown with our daughter once when she was a toddler and used the car seat on the plane. It was awful--the seats are so close together that she literally had nowhere to put her feet. The man sitting in front of her insisted on reclining his seat, which made it worse. If she bumped his seat (which she could not help doing every time she moved), he turned around and glared at us. He even made a few comments about it, and when I tried to explain that it wasn’t the poor kid’s fault, he got very huffy. We decided to never try to bring a car seat on the plane again. I don’t know why the airlines suggest it, when they don’t even fit onto those stupid seats!

To keep my son occupied--we brought along a few quiet toys, some small books, and LOTS of snacks. It’s not a tactic I normally use, but to keep him happy on the plane I pulled out something new each time he got restless. His favorite activity was searching for Cheerios in a small box. I’d put a few Cheerios at a time into the little box, and he’d dig around for them. We also brought some of those Crayola Color Wonder markers and paper. The markers only write on the paper, so don’t make a mess. Your baby might be a bit young for something like that, but if she is starting to enjoy scribbling on paper, the markers might keep her busy for a while.

I’d suggest getting some small, inexpensive, quiet toys that your daughter has never seen before. They will be new to her and more interesting than her own toys. Pull them out one at a time, as needed, whenever she gets restless. She’ll probably also like playing with your keys or your cell phone--my kids always liked those things more than they liked their toys! Bring along some picture books that are new to her as well. The novelty of everything will keep her occupied for longer.

Also, it’s a good idea to have something on hand for your child to drink during take-off and landing so her ears don’t hurt. I don’t know what the current regulations are for bring things like juice boxes or bottles onto an airplane, but make sure you check that on the airline’s website before you leave.

Here are some websites with more tips for traveling with children:

http://www. flyingwithkids .com/ best_travel_tips .htm
http://www. flyingwithkids .com/ travel_tips .htm
http:// parenting.ivillage .com/mom/travel/0,,45jl, 00 .html
http://www. faa .gov/passengers/fly_children/
http://www. onestepahead .com/custserv/ shop_smarter_article .jsp?pageName=Flying_Tips

This article lists restricted items on planes. It does say that formula, milk, and juice for infants and toddlers ARE allowed. http://www. tsa .gov/travelers/airtravel/prohibited/ permitted-prohibited-items .shtm

Have a safe and happy trip!

ps you might want to pack some Advil or Tylenol for yourself. :)

Powered by Yahoo! Answers

What's a really good convertible car seat?

best infant car toys image

armywifes3

I have to infant car seats and I know that the weight limit is 22 lbs. Should I change now are when my baby girl weighs 22 lbs?
Is it true that the safest place for a car seat is in the middle of the back seat?

Answer
ok the cosco scerina is a wonderful seat at a great price. about 30-35$. Dont' let taht fool you either. It can rear face up to 35lbs & has good support. It also has the adjuster on the front.
The middle of the back seat is the safest IF your car will let you put it there. CHECK THE MANUAL. Some cars don't.
Rear face as long as possible. If yo uare in a frontal impact & your kid is facing forward then their BIG HEADS get thrown so hard... massive neck problems... yikes. Besides if they are rear facing then they don't drop their toys as bad.
Their still to weak to have good enough support to keep their bodies from being slung.
Oh yeah, the back is higher so it has a higher max height & longer straps. Means this is the seat till the kids is about 4years old! next step is a booster!

ok if you want a GREAT site.. check here:
http://boards.babycenter.com/n/pfx/forum.aspx?webtag=bcus9421

If you have the $$ a Britax is an excellent option.. but I still like my Scerena. Cheap enough I can put em in husbands car too.

Keep em in a booster till they are 4'9"!

Is convertible car seat a good idea for a newborn?

Q. I am very confused shall buy an infant car seat now and a convertible when the baby is an year old or shall I get a convertible which can be used both for a newborn and a todller?

Answer
Many convertible seats have a minimum weight of 5 lbs or "birth". The problem is that most newborns do not fit well in a convertible seat. In order to fit correctly, the child's shoulders must be at or above the lowest set of harness slots. Many parents purchase a convertible seat before their child is born, thinking that it is the ONLY seat they'll ever need. Most babies will need an infant seat.

Many people don't realize that not every car seat fits in every car. Many vehicles have humps, sloped seats and buckle configurations that are completely INCOMPATIBLE with some car seats. Unfortunately, the only way to tell if a seat will fit is to try it out. Many baby specialty stores and places like Toys R Us/Babies R Us will allow the customer to leave a drivers license at the front desk and take seats out of the store to try them out in the car. When installing the seat, you need to be sure that it is locked into place. Check your car's owner's manual to find out how to lock your child restraint in. There should be less than 1 inch of movement side to side and from back to front. To check for seat movement, grab the seat where the seat belt threads through on either side and pull from side to side and from the back of the seat toward the front. Use gentle tugs - any forceful movement can dislodge even the tightest installation. A rear-facing seat will have normal movement back and forth and side to side at the TOP of the seat - this is the way it's designed to protect baby.

Please check out this page http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/stayrearfacing.aspx

Powered by Yahoo! Answers

Is convertible car seat a good idea for a newborn?

best infant car toys image

Q. I am very confused shall buy an infant car seat now and a convertible when the baby is an year old or shall I get a convertible which can be used both for a newborn and a todller?

Answer
Many convertible seats have a minimum weight of 5 lbs or "birth". The problem is that most newborns do not fit well in a convertible seat. In order to fit correctly, the child's shoulders must be at or above the lowest set of harness slots. Many parents purchase a convertible seat before their child is born, thinking that it is the ONLY seat they'll ever need. Most babies will need an infant seat.

Many people don't realize that not every car seat fits in every car. Many vehicles have humps, sloped seats and buckle configurations that are completely INCOMPATIBLE with some car seats. Unfortunately, the only way to tell if a seat will fit is to try it out. Many baby specialty stores and places like Toys R Us/Babies R Us will allow the customer to leave a drivers license at the front desk and take seats out of the store to try them out in the car. When installing the seat, you need to be sure that it is locked into place. Check your car's owner's manual to find out how to lock your child restraint in. There should be less than 1 inch of movement side to side and from back to front. To check for seat movement, grab the seat where the seat belt threads through on either side and pull from side to side and from the back of the seat toward the front. Use gentle tugs - any forceful movement can dislodge even the tightest installation. A rear-facing seat will have normal movement back and forth and side to side at the TOP of the seat - this is the way it's designed to protect baby.

Please check out this page http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/stayrearfacing.aspx

Does anyone know a place in Memphis that gives away free infant car seats?

Q. I am due in a couple on months and I am trying to use money wisely in that I can only get necessities right now. Even though a car seat is a necessity, if I can locate a place to give one free then I can allocate those funds elsewhere.

Answer
You can call your local Fire Department / Car Seat Installation place to see if they are aware of programs. Our town had a special with Graco car seats - if you brought in an old, recycled seat, they would install a brand new one in your car.

Do NOT purchase a used seat online from someone on E-Bay, Craigs List or a free used one off Freecycle. Do not get a used one unless you know the person you are purchasing from and know that the seat is not expired, has no recalls and has not been in an accident. Your child's safety is not something to take short-cuts with.

I am all for (and have) second hand strollers, clothes, toys . . . but not car seats.

Best wishes & congrats!

Powered by Yahoo! Answers

What kind of toys worked when flying with kids(less than a year old) on long flights ?

Q. I have a 10 month old, will be flying to Asia, I have purchased a seat for her but she does not enjoy being strapped in the car seat for long. I am contemplating checking in the car seat, at the same time wondering if the airlines provides you with necessary things to secure a child this young ? My first time flying with her so want to do every bit of research so make the journey comfortable for her and other fellow passengers. Please feel free to pass on any tips as well. Thanks.

A. We’ve only flown with a really young child once, and it wasn’t as long of a flight as you’ll be taking. My son was 13 months old, so a little older than your baby.

We checked the car seat and did not bring it on the plane. We’d flown with our daughter once when she was a toddler and used the car seat on the plane. It was awful--the seats are so close together that she literally had nowhere to put her feet. The man sitting in front of her insisted on reclining his seat, which made it worse. If she bumped his seat (which she could not help doing every time she moved), he turned around and glared at us. He even made a few comments about it, and when I tried to explain that it wasn’t the poor kid’s fault, he got very huffy. We decided to never try to bring a car seat on the plane again. I don’t know why the airlines suggest it, when they don’t even fit onto those stupid seats!

To keep my son occupied--we brought along a few quiet toys, some small books, and LOTS of snacks. It’s not a tactic I normally use, but to keep him happy on the plane I pulled out something new each time he got restless. His favorite activity was searching for Cheerios in a small box. I’d put a few Cheerios at a time into the little box, and he’d dig around for them. We also brought some of those Crayola Color Wonder markers and paper. The markers only write on the paper, so don’t make a mess. Your baby might be a bit young for something like that, but if she is starting to enjoy scribbling on paper, the markers might keep her busy for a while.

I’d suggest getting some small, inexpensive, quiet toys that your daughter has never seen before. They will be new to her and more interesting than her own toys. Pull them out one at a time, as needed, whenever she gets restless. She’ll probably also like playing with your keys or your cell phone--my kids always liked those things more than they liked their toys! Bring along some picture books that are new to her as well. The novelty of everything will keep her occupied for longer.

Also, it’s a good idea to have something on hand for your child to drink during take-off and landing so her ears don’t hurt. I don’t know what the current regulations are for bring things like juice boxes or bottles onto an airplane, but make sure you check that on the airline’s website before you leave.

Here are some websites with more tips for traveling with children:

http://www. flyingwithkids .com/ best_travel_tips .htm
http://www. flyingwithkids .com/ travel_tips .htm
http:// parenting.ivillage .com/mom/travel/0,,45jl, 00 .html
http://www. faa .gov/passengers/fly_children/
http://www. onestepahead .com/custserv/ shop_smarter_article .jsp?pageName=Flying_Tips

This article lists restricted items on planes. It does say that formula, milk, and juice for infants and toddlers ARE allowed. http://www. tsa .gov/travelers/airtravel/prohibited/ permitted-prohibited-items .shtm

Have a safe and happy trip!

ps you might want to pack some Advil or Tylenol for yourself. :)

Original Question

How to help infants in the car?

Q. We are traveling 5 hours to upstate NY this weekend with a 3 year old and a 6 month old. The 3 year old is fine in the car, but the 6 month old screams the whole time. Does anyone have any suggestions as to help this? It is not car sickness or reflux, I think it is just boredom. Thanks a million for all of your help in advance.

A. My husband and I took a trip from MA to PA (6-7 hour trip) when my daughter was 10 months old. The best way we did it was to wake her up in the middle of the night (1:00am) start driving and let her fall back to sleep in the car. Then when she woke up at 6:00 we only had an hour or two left. We stopped and had breakfast, changed her and let her play for 20-30 minutes. When we got back in the car we only had 1 hour left and she was great.

We brought books and toys and don't forget the pacifier (bring a few so when he/she throws it you have more). Plus you have an added bonus, the 3 year old can sing songs and show pictures and toys to him/her. Teach the 3 year old to make faces to make the baby smile and sing baby songs. Give him a reward for helping you! Good Luck!

Original Question

What car seat(s) work best in these two vehicles?

Q. 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?

A. 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.

Original Question

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