Need Recommendations on Booster Seats

Most carseats that convert to boosters make horrible boosters and don't allow the seatbelt to fit properly.

I would recommend a carseat with a higher harness weight. It's safer to hold off on a booster for as long as possible. There are alot of seats with higher weight limits Graco Nautilus, Britax Marathon etc... They go way above the traditional 40lb. weight limit.

My daughter is almost 7 years old, and is still in a 5pt. harness.She still fits in a Britax Marathon but we like the extra room of the Britax Regent. I hate boosters. We have a booster but use it only for a back up seat.

You should try this website it's a carseat forum where other mom's and carseat techs can tell you exactly what would be the best for your daughter and your family.

http://www.car-safety.org

Check out this quick video it was a eye opener for me and had me in tears.

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My 2 1/2 year old also only weighs 23lbs and he isn't even forward facing yet. I would absolutely not be thinking of a booster yet. Rear facing is 4x safer than forward facing. He is in a Britax Marathon that rear faces to 35lbs and forward faces with a 5 point harness to 65lbs. He will be rear facing in it until he reaches 35lbs. Once he reaches 65lbs (if his car seat hasn't expired yet, which is 6 years from the date of manufacture) I will then put him in a booster or another 5 point harness car seat. There will be a few things to consider at that point. Being that your daughter is so small at 2 1/2 I wouldn't expect any seat you get now to still be good by the time she reaches 80lbs. The only car seat that doesn't expire in 6 years is the Sunshine Kids Radian 65 and Radian 85, they expire in 8 years. They are both convertable car seats, not boosters, though.

You should ask your question at www.car-seat.org. They give great advice over there and are extremely helpful.

Here are some good links about car seat safety.
http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/StayRearFacing.aspx
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2DVfqFhseo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K62Ea8Fs4ng&amp;feature=re...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMFPSStXfqE&amp;feature=re...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2kO8AxKbrM&amp;feature=re...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2LFo8vVi04&amp;feature=re...

H.,

You will want to keep your daughter in a convertible seat rear facing as long as possible. This is the safest option for your child. Think safety not convenience when choosing a carseat.

When your daughter is big enough, Graco has a new carseat that would be great and it ends up turning into a backless booster eventually. We have this for our 4yr old and he loves it. We purchased this after we already had him in a booster with a back that only uses a seat belt and we wanted him back in a 5pt harness to keep him safer.

With the Graco Nautilus your daughter could be in a 5pt harness until she is 65lbs, than use the seat belt with the back and than eventually take the back off and use as a backless booster.

http://www.gracobaby.com/catalog/product.aspx?modelNumber...

Absolutely ditto the other ladies... at only 23lbs, she's TINY and could still easily be rear facing! My boys rear faced to 18 months and 21 months, when the yreached 33lbs, the rear facing weight limit of thier seats.

Children should not ride in a booster until they are AT LEAST age 4 AND AT LEAST 40lbs. If they don't meet these requirements, they are too young and small for a booster. You have to consider maturity too... though a kid may be 4yrs old/40lbs, thye may not be mature enough for a carseat.. to sit up correctly all the time while in the car, keep the belt on thier shoulder nad not put it behind them or udner thier arm, etc.

For your 2yr old... she really should be rear facing at her size. However she legally CAN be forward facing, and if you choose to keep her forward facing, and are looking for a seat that will extended harness her, you should look at the Graco Nautilus. It will harness from 22-65lbs, and then becomes a high back booster, then a no back booster.

THis seat would be suitable for your 4yr old as well... 5pt harness is way safer, so consider keeping him in a 5pt harness, or putting him back in one if he's out.

My boys are 2 1/2 and 6, and both are in a 5pt harness carseat. My 2 1/2yr old is in aBritax Marathon which will harness to 65lbs. My 6yr old is in a Britax Regent, which will hold him to 80lbs. Both have at least 3yrs before they outgrow thier prospective seats, and boht will remain harnessed until they outgrow the Regent.

I hope you consider the Graco Nautilus for both your children. You can find it at Wal Mart for $150.