Car seat info please :-) how long in 0+

[AngelofTroy]

Ok so I admit that I don't know much about car seats. We currently have Micah in a mamas and papas Aton group 0+, he's now 8 months and just under 19lb. A lot of my friends are talking about the next seat up and I've heard that people move up to the next car seat at 9 months..
Micah looks big in his seat already, so I was starting to look into the next one we would need. The little research I have done so far convinced me I didn't want him forward facing yet but imagine my surprise when I read on the mamas and papas website that his current seat is good til he's 15 months?!

From a financial point of view it's a great thing, as not sure we can afford to buy a rear facing one next, but I really can't imagine him in there for another 7 months! Has anyone kept their baby in a 0+ seat that long?

 

[Sparrow85]

Most infant car seats go up to 13kg, so I think that's 29lbs.

They have only grown out the car seat when their head reaches the very top, it doesn't matter if their legs are hanging over the edge.

I have the maxi cosi cabriofix and I will be keeping LO in it until he really can't any longer, no matter how long that is. We can afford an ERF seat so he'll be forward facing after this one and I don't want that to be anytime soon.

 

[kitabird]

We switched DS1 to forward facing when he was 10 months. The back seat of our car sloped backwards quite dramatically which meant that his feet and legs were being squashed by the weight of his infant carrier, if you can understand what I mean. To be honest I didn't know the benefits of keeping him rear facing. I've just bought a maxi cosi opal for DS2 which will allow him to be comfortable rear facing for much longer and then turns round to be ff up to 4 years.

 

[Twister]

Yeah most infant seats are good up until 13kg. You can also get combi seats which have more room but also rf up until 13kg then ff up until around 4 years after that, lots of people recommend the Britax first class plus. Then you've got erf as well if you can afford it.

My lo will be staying in her infant seat until she outgrows it or hits the weight limit, I reckon she will fit in it until at least 1.5 years, we can't afford erf right now. If she does grow out of her infant seat but is still under the weight limit then we will get a combo seat and turn her ff at 13kg. I want to rf her for as long as possible. It's a shame erf seats are so expensive in the uk.

 

[Egyptiangirl]

We've just moved lo into the britax multi tech which is rear facing until 4 years and ff until 6 years. It has foot prop and tethers when rf so its solid. We looked at the first class plus but it didn't look stable enough for me. Lo was in cybex aton until last week andche weighs about 22lbs now but is very tall so head was level with the top of the seat. Dh is Swedish so he is adamant that lo shud remain rf until at least 2 yrs. We found following website very helpful. Www.carseat.se

 

[Mrs Mc]

So does this mean my LOs who at 9 months are only 16lb and 25% for height, could in theory be in their baby seat up to 1, if not longer?

This is great if its true as we really cant afford to buy two new car seats at the moment!

 

[summer rain]

My second youngest was taller than average (he has levelled out now) and just about fitted in his RF seat until he was 2. He seemed to be outgrowing it at about 8 months but then he started growing more in the legs than upper body. We did get a Britax First Class when he was 1.5 but barely used it RF and now he is over the limit for it being RF xx

 

[ellie27]

My baby carrier goes up to 13kg.

My daughter was in it comfortably til 18 months, and my son has just been in it for the last 19 months.

Keep them in the infant carrier for as long as you possibly can - it is safer than a forward facing seat.

Both my children are still rear-facing.

Daughter 3.5 yrs old and in Maxi Cosi Mobi, an extended rear-facing seat to 25kg!! That should seat her rear-facing til around age 6. Plenty of legroom as it sits on the edge of the back seat, she has her legs fully extended.

Son 19 months and in Joie Stages, new seat from Toysrus/Babysrus that is rear-facing to 18kg, around age 4.

Rear-facing is the safest way to travel for young children up to at least age 4. The seats are more expensive. The Maxi Cosi Mobi was £240. The new Joie stages from Babysrus is currently £129.99, I got it 2 weeks ago when there was 20% off everything so got it for £104 which is easily half the price on any other extended rear-facing seat. Have a look..... https://www.toysrus.co.uk/Babies-R-...Carseat-in-Midnight(0100430)?searchPosition=4

 

[Button#]

My LO is still in his infant car seat. Like a pp said until their head reaches the top or they exceed the weight limit you can keep them in their infant car seats. 9 months and weighing 9kg is the absolute minimum you can turn them forward facing, not the age that you should turn them. It is safer to keep them rear facing as long as possible.

 

[AngelofTroy]

Thank you everyone! You're all so helpful, my general Googling was much more confusing! I think I'll keep him in this one as long as we can then and in the meantime keep a look out for good deals on ERF seats for when the time comes. Hopefully if we start looking now then we'll be able to source one that doesn't break the bank!

 

[mhazzab]

This is quite a helpful link to compare some ERF seats...obviously it's only the ones this company sells but I found it really useful as a starting point.
https://www.securatot.co.uk/rear-facing-car-seat-comparison

My LO just moved from her Maxi Cosi Pebble to an ERF BeSafe Izi Combi last week at 11 months. She is much happier in the new seat as she has more space and a better view but could have stayed in the Pebble a little bit longer I think, despite being quite tall although skinny.

 

[rocknrolla]

Should definitely go on weight more than age, my lo is still in her first car seat at 14 months, she's only about 17lbs and i think the seat goes up to 20. Her head doesn't reach the top yet! We'll probs get a yr and half out of it! Although i know rf is safest, i think itl be nice for her to ff soon as she gets bored and we can't reach her to give her toys or snacks while she's rf! Long journeys result in a lot of whining right now! X

 

[minties]

Thomas has been in the same seat since he was 8 weeks old. He's not small either, he's pretty heavy at 15kg.

I thought he looked like he was about to grow out of it around 6 months, I laugh thinking back now! He's managed another 2 years in it.

 

[Indigo77]

Don't forget to also look at the height maximum, as well. My LO outgrew his infant seat in height before weight.

 

[lozzy21]

Niamh could still fit in her infant seat at two!.
https://i930.photobucket.com/albums/ad148/lozzy22minx/IMG_3202.jpg

We however swapped to a britax first class plus around 10 months to give her more room. She was rear facing in this till she was two, we only turned her around because she had her leg in plaster and could not fit it in rear facing. Shes still light enough to go in it rear facing at 31 months.

If you cannot afford and ERF seat then seats like the first class plus are a good compramise.They can be picked up for around £100 and last till your childs around 4.

 

[star1]

Maxi-cosi car seats can actually be used until the top of their ears go over the top of the seat: https://www.maxi-cosi.com/products/car-seats/how-to-choose.aspx

I expect this is the same for other infant seats too but it's best to check with the manufacturer

Hope that helps x

 

[kimberleyrobx]

Emily has been forward facing since 9 months. She is so tall for her age and always has been, her legs were crushed while she was rear facing xx

 

[ellie27]

Emily has been forward facing since 9 months. She is so tall for her age and always has been, her legs were crushed while she was rear facing xx

She may have been tall and exceeded the limit for that seat, but there are rear-facing seats that suit children til around age 6 with no legs crushed, children can bend their legs at the knee.

My 3.5 yr old and 19 month old are both rear-facing - no legs crushed.

 

[kimberleyrobx]

Emily has been forward facing since 9 months. She is so tall for her age and always has been, her legs were crushed while she was rear facing xx

She may have been tall and exceeded the limit for that seat, but there are rear-facing seats that suit children til around age 6 with no legs crushed, children can bend their legs at the knee.

My 3.5 yr old and 19 month old are both rear-facing - no legs crushed.

I don't have a car, she is usually in my mums. My mum bought a forward facing at 9 moths so I thought 'ok, mum knows best' but I'm actually quite glad I saw this thread as it educated me a little in all the different types and sizes so car seats, will definitely keep this thread in mind when I start driving xx

 

[CelticStar]

My daughter is 13 months and weighs 21lbs, she's still in her Maxi Cosi Cabriofix but I'll be getting her the Hauck Varioguard within the next year : https://www.preciouslittleone.com/product-information/36/25311/hauck-varioguard-isofix-car-seat-/