Car Seat Help Mamas

[TeachinAuntie]

Hey Mamas,

My little sister babysits two boys.

Grayson (will be 3 in November) big boy, wears a 3T & size 5 or 6 sposie diapers. (which according to Huggies webpage is 27lbs+ or 35lbs.+) He's probably somewhere between the two weights, I'd say maybe closer to 35, he's a BIG boy.

Spencer (just turned 1 last week), chunky but short. Wears a 12 months in bottoms & 18months in tops. Size 3 sposie diapers (so 16-28 lbs), I'd guess he's probably already about 25 lbs.

These guys are THICK little dudes!

Anyway, right now, Grayson rides FF in a FF only 5 pt. seat. (I don't know what brand or anything.)

Spencer is still in a Graco Snugride w/ maybe an inch to go on the top of the shell before he outgrows it length wise. (This is its last year of life, it exp. in 2010, so he's the last kid to use it & I'm cutting the straps. I gave it to them when their newer Snugride broke.)

My sister wants to buy ONE new carseat. She's got to make the FF seat work for one of the two boys.

I told her to get a convertible that will allow Spencer to stay rearfacing...but don't know which one!

She would like to spend less than $200...so the big name Britax's are out.

Please point me in the right direction. (because I'll be using the same seat when I babysit them!)

[babygirlsmom1005]

There are a lot of options out there. For less than $200.00, she can get some of the following, best to find out though which one is going to fit her car the best and go from there - possiably have her visit a Babies R Us and try some seats out.

First Years True Fit (RF to 35, FF to 65 and has the tall enough shell that it maybe possible to get to the 65 lbs limit) - has a lot of leg room RF'ing - top harness slots are around 17.5 if I remember correctly - getting it at a 45 degree angle is a bit tricky with belts and the lock offs, but for a older child, they don't need to be all the way at that angle, around 35 degree angle RF'ing was a easy install with belts for me

Graco My Ride 65 (RF to 40, FF to 65 - short shell like and like most car seats will be outgrown by height before weight for usual circumstances) - top harness slot of 17 inches - I've installed this one and it is a super easy install, easy to read the indicator for the correct RF'ing angle, etc...

Radian 65 are on sale right now right around 200 or so RF to 40 if their DOM is 8/08 or newer, if before 8/08 RF to 35, FF to 65 lbs) - top harness slots are 18 - some people have complained about the install on it, would be one I would try before buying - I installed one in my suburban RF'ing and didn't have a issue at all, but I think the issue is coming with long belt stocks....which I don't have

Britax Roundabout 50 (RF to 35, FF to 50) IDK too much about this seat - top harness slots are 16.75" - I have always found Britax to be simple installs (except the Frontier, that one took me a bit to figure out due to which belt path to use, but that's a different story, it's easy for me now)

EFTA (Evenflo Triumph Advance) (RF to 35 lbs, FF to 50) again, don't know much about this seat, my neice has one and loves it - I believe the top harness slots are around 17 inches if I remember correctly - have never installed this seat but my neice said it was easy

[jackyl08]

If the younger is 25lbs, he needs to be out of the Snugride now, since it only goes to 20lbs(I am assuming 20, since it is 5yrs old). I would probably do a Scenera if money is tight. If not, then the Roundabout 50 is great(it's basically a pared down Marathon). With a coupon and at some online places, it can be had for $150 or so. The Triumph Advance is readily available, too.

[TeachinAuntie]

I'm just guessing at the 1 year old's weight. I honestly don't know he weighs, but she's buying the seat to get him OUT of the snugride.

[katesmash]

I suggest the True Fit... it's affordable and can keep him RF'ing.

[Tia]

True Fit. We love ours!

[an_aurora]

For $200 I'd get the 3 yo a Nautilus and a Scenera for the baby. The 3 yois probably very close to outgrowing the combo seat he is in.

[jess71903]

Originally Posted by an_aurora For $200 I'd get the 3 yo a Nautilus and a Scenera for the baby. The 3 yois probably very close to outgrowing the combo seat he is in.

Fulfilling my goal .

[TeachinAuntie]

This is the one she went with:

Graco My Ride 65 (RF to 40, FF to 65 - short shell like and like most car seats will be outgrown by height before weight for usual circumstances) - top harness slot of 17 inches - I've installed this one and it is a super easy install, easy to read the indicator for the correct RF'ing angle, etc...

It came yesterday & we both loved it! My 8 1/2 yo niece could fit in the seat height wise, so I don't think it'll be a problem w/ the kids outgrowing it!

For now, the 1 yo is RF in the Graco and she's going to check the 2 yo's weight, b/c if he weighs 35lbs or less, she's going to turn him around in the other seat too! If he weighs 40 or less, she's going to put him in the Graco & put the 1 yo in the other seat RFing. Yay for taking them back RFing!

She'll make due w/ those 2 car seats until both boys weigh more than 40 lbs & then I think she'll end up getting a Nautilus for the bigger child to be 5 pt to 65 as well. She's definitely going to keep them both 5 pt harnessed to 65 lbs.

Oh BTW: I'm pretty sure the "other seat" is a Scenara--it's RFing 5-35 lbs & FF -40 lbs.