Combo/Toddler Car Seat Recommendations

I'm looking into the Graco Nautilus which has the same benefits as the Britax...as far as growing w/your child. You can use the 5 pt. harness up to 65 lbs. and then use as a booster and also a backless booster.

I purchased a Britax for my son when we switched him to front facing (I think it's a Marathon?) and it's for kids up to 65lbs. It doesn't transition to a booster seat though, so I'm not sure if it suits your needs completely. It was the most versatile and safest I could find though, and we'll be able to use it from NB-65lbs for the next baby, in time to purchase a simple booster for my son when he's 5 or 6. Good luck with the search!

Britax is the leader in safe carseats. They have bicycle helmet foam all over not just in a few areas. Another great seat that is also rated very high for safety is the Radian http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw?url=search-alias%3Da...
The nice thing about the Radian is that it is very narrow so if you have another child you will still have room in the car. It also has the bicycle helmet foam all over and is very cushioned.

I would recommend the Graco Nautilus, First Years True Fit, or if you have the money for it the Britax Frontier. I would also recommend keeping the child rear facing longer...once you see one of the videos with the difference b/t front and rear facing in a crash, you will change your mind about the the discomfort of rf. Also, it does not matter if your child's legs hit the seat...this is not unsafe nor uncomfortable, the child easy adapts to it...they are very flexible. Also keeping the 5 pt harness on as long as possible is important....all three of these seats will do it for you. I have heard really good info about the first two with them being easy to install and having a really good fit in just about any car. Definetly go to the website recommended to do some research. Good luck.

car seats go on sale in a few months. you might want to wait to buy. we did not switch my son until 17 months (34" 22lbs) because rear infant seats are safer. that being said we got two different ones, one for each vehicle. 1 starts at 5lbs and goes up to 80lbs and 1 starts at 20lbs and goes up to 100lbs. most stores will let your child sit in the seat to check for comfort and compatability before you buy. my favorite one are safety 1st and gracco. be sure to also check for recalls before you buy to.

I love the graco nautilus- we just got it for my 2 year old. I really love it. The only drawback is it is not as easy to swich cars as my britax marathon(convertible) but he was going to grow out of that one soon.

I know there are some recommending to stay rear-facing as long as possible, and I agree, but I also have very large kids who approached 30 lbs. by their first b-day so I didn't have to wait that long after a year when I felt it was safe to switch them. Plus, their legs hit the back seat and they didn't seem comfortable that way.
We own a Britax seat as well as the Graco Nautilus, because of the high weight limits. If you are going to try staying rear facing, the Britax is great to have that option (as well as if you'll have a second baby someday, you can use it for him/her too). However, it is a much pricier seat. Their bi-yearly sale is going on now so it is a good time to buy. Plus, the weight limit is 65 lbs. which will take you through his toddler years. The safest is to at least stay in a 5-pt. harness as long as possible. That's why we got the Nautilus, as my 3 year old is almost 50 lbs. already! (I said my kids were big, right?) We LOVE LOVE LOVE the Nautilus. Super comfortable, has a cupholder and cubbies for toys or snacks, and nice armrests and head support for when he naps in the car. Plus it converts to a backed and backless booster for after he's 65 lbs. Plus, it's only $140 or so on Amazon (I think free shipping too). I'm so glad to keep him in that harness as long as possible, but it's so convenient I won't have to buy a booster later. I plan to buy a second for my other son after our third (due in May) grows out of her infant seat.
Best wishes!

R., are you referring to the combo seat that just uses the actual car seat belt to lock them in? it goes right across their chest, like the ones that adults use? if that is what your thinking of buying, you might want to look at the ht. and lbs. for those kinds of seats. your little guy might not be tall enough. we put our daughter in one of those when she was 2 1/2 and i think that the shoulders are supposed to be right at the height of where the seat belt would be on them. pls check before buying. as far as a car seat goes, you can get a nice graco one for a reasonable price to put it so it is facing forward, maybe it will be more enjoyable for the two of you. good luck, i hope my advice helps.
C.

I felt the same way last month. I love Graco products and Britax is just totally out of my price range. I bought the Graco Nautilus because such good things are said about it and I really like it. It is not as big as some seats out there. I have a van but still need to be able to have the older kids in the back bench. Also, you can adjust the height of the head rest. I originally bought it at Walmart then found it on line at Walmart $35 cheaper. With $.97 chipping, I ordered it and returned the store bought one. When you decide, look online before actually purchasing. Stores don't always honor online prices. The great thing about the seat is the 5pt harness for now, then the seat belt and finally the backless booster up to 100 lbs. I figure the seat will last until she is out of a seat altogether.

I did the research on the combo thing and ended up choosing a Britax? Go figure! After assessing the safety and the "washability" of the covers, I took my son to Babies R Us and sat him down in the seats. I did purchase the Britax Regent which keeps my child in a 5 point harness until 80 lbs. and that is the safest out there. It is expensive but your baby will be in it for a few years so I figured it was worth the investment. He is now 2 1/2 and we love it! I have had to wash the cover a couple of times due to road trips, snack and juice spills happen, and love the convenience of taking it off and throwin' it in the wash. So I guess my advice is look at the safety stuff online and narrow your search down to a couple, and have your child help you make the decision. At that age they can be melancholy but they will let you know one way or another what they like and more to the point what they don't like! Hopefully you have more pleasant car experiences! Best of luck!

you want to keep your child rear facing as long as possible. Check out this website for more info www.car-safety.org. My daughter has hated the car from day one but now that I know what would happen to her in a crash when I turn her around she will have to wait a little longer to rear face. I plan on keeping her that way until she reaches the limit...even if she is 2 or 3. Thats how they do it in other countries as well. There are some great videos as well showing what happens to your childs body in a rear facing seat and then the same crash in a forward facing. Once you watch this video you will not want a young child forward facing. Their spine cant handle the crash and they can easily internally decapitate. I couldnt wait to turn her around...he will not be using a booster til hes 4 or 5 anyway so you can get a lot of use out of a convertible seat still

The age for rear facing is only the federal requirement. It is suggested that you keep your child rear facing as long as possible because their bones haven't fully fused yet. I would suggest researching it before you decide to switch over completely. And a lot of convertible seats can grow with them even turning into a booster. Hope this helps. We got the Evenflo Triumph Advance Premier Convertible Car Seat for when our son has outgrown his infant seat but I don't know how good it is, I researched it and it seems good but I can't share personal experience yet.

After doing alot of research on car seats, I chose Britax Marathons for our twins. They love them (very comfortable), seats are easy to remove and wash, and they have the best safety rating. A year into them and everyone is still happy.

I absolutelt want to recommend buying a Britex seat which is a 5 point harness. This is the most SAFE!! They are expensive however the price of a carseat doesn't mean anything when it comes to the safety and life of your child. There are others brands other than Britex however as my son says they are very narrow and uncomfortable....PLUS the Britex seat grows with your child until they are 100lbs. Good Luck :)

I second Amanda's vote for a five-point harness. It is the most safe, the most secure for your child. Britax makes one of the best seats around.

Do your research, here's one site but there is another that is great too... I just don't have the bookmarks any longer because my computer crashed. I did my research (extensively) and couldn't be happier with my purchase.
www.car-seat.org

This site is independently run (not by a car seat manufacturer), and monitored by car seat technicians (the people who are trained and certified to put your child's car seat safely in your car. Register (for free), post the information you have regarding your child's height (seated and standing), weight, vehicle information (year, make, model, need for portability between cars), and a technician will post the seats they feel safest and most appropriate for your situation. Also, moms will provide tips with information on the easiest way to purchase (on-line vs in-store, or buy one way/return the other), and probably second to safety... when the best seats (and higher priced) go on sale every year!

I know there are other moms here who have used these forums. Help me (and most importantly R.) with posting any other sites that would help! Thanks!

Good luck R., and safe driving!

PS Just checked and it looks like Britax is having their bi-annual sale right now! Good timing for a great buy on a wonderful car seat.