Car Seats

[katekatekate]

I'm on mothercare, looking for a car seat and I'm about to have a meltdown.
I'd preferably like a car seat that will last as long as possible but them ones don't come out of the car do they? I like the ones that you can take out, so like when we visit family we can just keep her in her car seat and bring her into the house without having to fanny about with putting up the buggy.
Also we only have a punto, I dunno if cars make a difference to what seats you can have.
Budget isnt really an issue, this is the only thing Im buying not second hand because I know it's important.
If anyone could help that'd be great.
x

 

[thechaosismex]

Hiya hun,

I have 2 car seats, an infant carrier that you can carry around and take in and out easy, and one of the other chair type ones that last longer until about 3 years old or something. The only reason I have 2 though is because I ordered the larger one first and it sits very upright and babies need to be 40 degrees reclined to stop their heads flopping around so had to buy another smaller one that has more of a recline, also he chair one weighs a flipping tonne! Best thing to do is go into mothercare and have a look and a play with the chair ones, i ordered mine online so im stuck with it now! (also not sure what punto you have but I have the square 2001 shape one and they both fit in nicely ) x

 

[katekatekate]

The 0 - 3years car seats seem very economical budget wise, but kind of impractical when you're just getting used to having a baby don't you think?
We have the old sx punto. It's my OH's first car (we're only 19 and 20) but his dad is a mechanic so it's always in good shape. Will Mothercare/Toys R Us/wherever be alright with me just going in and asking a million questions about car seats? I really dont want to spend a fortune and get the wrong one. x

 

[thechaosismex]

The 0 - 3years car seats seem very economical budget wise, but kind of impractical when you're just getting used to having a baby don't you think?
We have the old sx punto. It's my OH's first car (we're only 19 and 20) but his dad is a mechanic so it's always in good shape. Will Mothercare/Toys R Us/wherever be alright with me just going in and asking a million questions about car seats? I really dont want to spend a fortune and get the wrong one. x

Ah that should fit, they are so similar inside! They are economical thats why I bought it first but I got it from Kiddicare, said it was suitable from birth-3 years but it reallllyyyy isnt unless I strap beanies head in I think if you get a good one by Britax they recline back for the different stages! and yeah I would totally go into mothercare/babies r us and ask all the questions you can, they dont know you possibly wont buy it from them in the end But dont just buy one without having a look first, Im kicking myself now! x

 

[sobersadie]

Get the carrier type - you will use it loads and if u get the maxi cosi (ive got that one) u can buy converters that will make it fit on practically any pram chassis (great for nipping in and out of car at the shops without waking baby up!). Then the next size up from that is the type u leave in the car and u can now get them in a version that does from 9 -12 months practically up to 12 years old (as a booster) so u r still only buying 2 car seats in total. Also if u r an ebayer maxi cosi car seats have a good resale value on there so u can get some of ur money back.

 

[katekatekate]

Thanks you two. I think I will get a carrying one for when she's little and then a big one. I'm gonna go bug the staff at mothercare too. x

 

[lynnikins]

id try halfords as they can fit them to your car to make sure they fit and show you how to get them in and out etc.. if you want a base ( if one fits ) or not etc... then you can go wherever your chosen seat is cheapest. we got the M&P viaggo with DS as we got their travel system pram and we will use it for this baby too

 

[thechaosismex]

id try halfords as they can fit them to your car to make sure they fit and show you how to get them in and out etc.. if you want a base ( if one fits ) or not etc... then you can go wherever your chosen seat is cheapest. we got the M&P viaggo with DS as we got their travel system pram and we will use it for this baby too

I have the same car seat.. do you have the base too?! I have no idea how to fit the base

 

[lesleyann]

be carefull about just buying without it being fitted it... we went into kiddie care and was looking at new carseats and the ones that an online website said would fit our car do infact not fit at all.. no 9month-4year car seats that kiddie care had in would fit in our car despite britax website saying there a perfect fit it can depend of something as simple as the claps on your seat belts the leanth(sp?) ect.. so always make sure you get a pro to atlest fit it to make sure its right in your care because if its not its almost pointless since it wont do a proper job...


p.s not trying to scaremonger or anything just saying since i went to kiddie care and found this out im sooo glad i did not just buy a new seat

 

[lynnikins]

id try halfords as they can fit them to your car to make sure they fit and show you how to get them in and out etc.. if you want a base ( if one fits ) or not etc... then you can go wherever your chosen seat is cheapest. we got the M&P viaggo with DS as we got their travel system pram and we will use it for this baby too

I have the same car seat.. do you have the base too?! I have no idea how to fit the base

i have the surefix/easy fix base that secures with the seatbelt, cant remember how to do it atm lol not used it since ds outgrew the carset at 5 1/2months and we put him in a maxi-cosi, but from what i do remember it didnt seem hard to fit just got to watch that with the base fitted that the seat isnt touching the back of the front seats

 

[katekatekate]

be carefull about just buying without it being fitted it... we went into kiddie care and was looking at new carseats and the ones that an online website said would fit our car do infact not fit at all.. no 9month-4year car seats that kiddie care had in would fit in our car despite britax website saying there a perfect fit it can depend of something as simple as the claps on your seat belts the leanth(sp?) ect.. so always make sure you get a pro to atlest fit it to make sure its right in your care because if its not its almost pointless since it wont do a proper job...


p.s not trying to scaremonger or anything just saying since i went to kiddie care and found this out im sooo glad i did not just buy a new seat

Halfords is actually the closest place to us so that would be a good idea. x

 

[BabyHaines]

Hi honey,
i got the Jane Slalom Pro pram, as was desperate to get a lay flat car seat (for long journeys) and hate seeing babies in car seats all scrunched up for ages whilst out in town etc.
Ended up going to an 'In car safety centre' (an un-biased place run by local council) where they really are professionals and fitting seats is all they do.
Well.......My 'super dooper' Matrix cup is no good for my car at all, so I have the Maxi Cosi Cabriofix which is a perfect fit, and will stay in my car and I will take bubs out and put him/her in pram.

Try searching here:
https://www.southend.gov.uk/content.asp?content=10254 for info and seeing if there is somewhere local to you. HTH?? xxxx

 

[soup]

thechaosismex are you sur the seat you have is fitted correctly, i have a britax one that is newborn to 3 and it has an insert bit for little babies, which you can take it out and then you turn it round to forward facing at around 15 months. it is fitted rearward facing right?

to op i have had both a infant seat and a fitted combination one and both have benifits, have you chosen your pushchair cos a seat that fits to make a travel system is really usefull