choosing the right carseat | with baby cubby
we are definitely in a stage of transition when it comes to carseats. we made the big switch from infant carrier to convertible carseat when the twins were about 14 months old, and while Baker still fits comfortably in her carrier (we have the Chicco Keyfit 30; same seat we used for the twins) it wont be long before we are ready to make the switch. the big girls have been in the Britax Marathon for the last two years and are really starting to get tight in them- it is definitely time to make the switch from the convertible seat to the 5-point harness to booster seat. we had plans to make the switch for the twins and then let Baker use one of their convertible seats (carseats have a 6 year expiration date), just like we did with the infant carseat, but their seats are pretty worn.
they’ve been covered in goldfish, cheerios, french fries, m&m’s..
they’ve been puked in.
they’ve been peed in.
they’ve been slept in and they’ve been drooled on.
..and spilled on by everything from chocolate milk to watermelon slushy.
..and in turn through the wash about 1400 times, no less.
Baker needs a new one. for sure.
but where do I start?! at first thought I really wanted to go with what I know and stick to the Britax. but the options and styles and designs that have changed over the last couple years is impressive and I am so unsure where to start! I’ve heard amazing things about the Nuna RAVA, and I’m always faithful to Chicco because I have used several components of that brand and have been really pleased every time .. and the Maxi Cosi is new to me, but hello – it looks like my baby is sitting in a cloud! plus the reviews on that one is 5 stars all the way.
outside of how a seat looks + feels, does the seat fit my chid comfortably? height and weight limits go up pretty significantly with the transition to the convertible car seat, which makes it easier to spend a little more for quality because your babe will be spending a lot of time strapped into these things! and does it fit into my car? we have a third row bench in my car (I drive a GMC Acadia) and captain chairs in the second row. so, while the big sisters are in the way back, Baker sits in one of the captain chairs. rear facing a convertible seat in this row gives me more leeway and space; especially because the captain chairs move forward and backward. I know not all cars have this capability, which is why its important to measure ever possible scenario. because while that carseat looks amazing with all the bells and whistles, does it even fit?! you do want to drive the car, right? for this reason we put the carseat behind the passenger side because Jordan isn’t a small guy and he would prefer not to drive with his knees in the dash.
choosing the right car seat when the market is inundated with baby gear can be stressful. I was introduced to baby cubby’s car seat guide and it was SO helpful! after browsing a little further to see what baby cubby was all about, I was pretty impressed and kind of relieved to see these recommendations coming from professionals and parents passionate about encouraging, inspiring, and reminding parents how amazing they are and how important their role is. they have made shopping for the best and safest baby gear fun rather than stressful.
AND!
they price match everyday.
(even amazon)
how many times have I been standing in the check out line trying to convince someone to help a mother out and price match that highchair.. stroller.. pack and play..
in fact.. I was reading one of my favorite style and sale blogs and she posted about amazon’s amazing deal on the Maxi Cosi Pria 85 convertible seat. WELL. baby cubby already price matched it.
Whats even better? Use code themasseyspot10 for an extra 10% off your order! I don’t know about you, but obligatory purchases with heavy price points like these, I am always looking for a deal! and $20-$40 off helps a TON! which makes that Maxi Cosi seat a steal of a deal.. and I might have just used my own discount code- ha!
now. you go do the same.
thank you to baby cubby to their support in helping make my shopping experience amazing! you can read a little bit more about what they are passionate about and why they do what they do on their about us page here – HERE
August 3, 2016
Choosing a car seat is so difficult. There are so many options. You mentioned turning the twins around too early; be sure to make sure they are ready for a booster and not a 5 point harness still. Most children will need a 5 point harness until they are 5. I have really been loving the Graco seats, some of them have a 10 year expiration.
Nice deal. I just ordered and installed my daughter's new chicco convertible car seat.
Katie- you might be talking about the booster seats with the seatbelt capability, and in that case, yes they should be five (and actually it's 4 years + height) before transitioning to that seat. The 5 point harness booster seat is safe for the height and weight of my girls- I've definitely done my research!
My 3 yr old twins have been using the NextFit Zip by Chicco and they are amazing! Super safe and comfortable, and the best part is a huge zipper around the edge so you can take the cover off and throw all that YUCK from toddlers into the wash without even unhooking the seat. They are pretty pricey, more than even most of the premium brands, but well worth it!
Maxi Cosi all day err day. The cover comes off so easy and it's machine washable and dryer friendly. I can't even handle all the food and milk that gets spilled in there. I throw it in the wash every other week or so and its amazing and still looks new!
Which 5 point harness booster will you go with? My daughter is your twins age and I'm not sure which to get but am leaning toward the diono radian.
Michelle- I was leaning towards the Britax! But I will definitely look into the Diono Radian!
I love Brody's Britax. It's all he's ever had and it's a dream!
I've always been a huge Graco fan but recently bought a Britax Frontier Clicktight for my son (he just turned six, and is about 40lbs) so I can continue to have him in a 5 point harness for a couple more years. It is AMAZING. The seat in general, but especially the Clicktight feature. No more latch (since he and the seat now exceed the 60lb weight limit for using latch) and the seat is belted in tighter than I can believe with just a push. Crazy amazing and easy. I seriously love it. I could never buy a seat without it again!
Have you looked into the graco 4ever?