Rear facing experts please!

[HoneyIatethekidsdragon]

DD is 10 months and 25th percentile, she is currently in her infant carrier - I want her RF till 4 - however I dont have the funds to buy a new rf car seat - but have the oppurtunity locally to buy a used two way elite.

My quandrey is a second hand rearfacer or new combination that will keep her rear facing till 16 months, then forward facing.

Also she is flopping forward when asleep in her current car seat would you put a child in the britax at just 9k under a year or wait?

The britax two elite just looks so unsturdy - especially side on from the pictures I have seen.


Sorry for the long post.

[TruthSweet]

Do you know the history of the TWE? How old is it? If it is over 3 years (but no more than 5 in which case don't purchase regardless of price) don't buy it unless it is dirty cheap or you are coming into some money in a few years time as you would need to replace it in around 2-3 years time. It's controversial to suggest this here but car seats do expire/degrade (US seats have a life span of 5-8 years depending on model/type of seat).

A TWE will keep a child rear facing till quite old (possibly 7 years). DD1 (4.8 y/o) who is very tall but slim would still fit rfing if it wasn't for the other 2 rear facing seats in our car - she has very long legs so needs to cross them to sit rear facing but DD3's car seat is in the way of her thigh/knee! It may not look sturdy but it is - rock solid install in our car nothing could make that budge.

I have a Britax Nordic Secura as well for DD2 and the TWE will definitely out last the NS (NS is better for shorter and/or heavier children but has an easy to use recline). It has the same size shell as a Britax First Class which is DD3's current seat.

If you have £160ish you could get a Volvo 9-25kg car seat (its the Britax Multitech rebranded) that seat rfs to 25kg but you can also use it forward facing to 18kg and as a high back booster to 25kg. These can be bought from a Volvo dealership but not in shops.

What ever you do wait until your DD reaches 9kg before moving her to group 1 seat. The minimum is there because the seat wouldn't adequately protect a child smaller than 9kg. I know your quandary though DD3 is 8.1kg at 12 m/o.

[castleonthehill]

You should be able to keep your baby in her carrier until 13kg. her legs goes over the edge doesn't matter her head going over the top will.
two thing about buy the next seat. If buying second hand which is not recommended it needs to be from a friend that you know the history of the seat. How old is it and has it been in a accident.

You also need to know that it fit in your car.

[HoneyIatethekidsdragon]

Thanks! I know its not been in a accident - and am getting the person to check the expiry date (it is under 3 years old).

I feel really torn as I definitely want to keep her rear facing as long as I can.... but am concerned about her being able to flop her head forward in her current seat.

If I got the first plus by britax do you think I would be able to keep her in longer than 16 months as long as she is under the 18kg?

I called Volvo about the car seat a few weeks ago and they told me £200!

[TruthSweet]

First Class is 13kg rfing it's not an ext. rf seat. As it can be used up to 18kg forward facing the shell is fairly large so it would be useful for a skinny short child.

A 25th%ile child would hit 13kg at 3 y/o (upper rfing limit for FC) and 25kg at 8+ y/o (upper limit for TWE/NS/MT).

[TruthSweet]

Oh only drawback on FC is that you can only use the most reclined position for rfing not any of the more upright positions.

[HoneyIatethekidsdragon]

oh bugger truth they didn't tell me that in mothercare!

[thisisyesterday]

we have a TWE and love it. we put ds3 in it when he hit 9kg, just before he turned 6 months old!
it's very sturdy

echo what TS said about age of the one you might purchase tho.
if you have any doubts about it then don't do it

if you don't end up getting it then I thjink in your position i would just wait and save up more money for a new RF seat

[castleonthehill]

I have just found this being that it does last at east an extra 2 years maybe four it might be worth saving for and keeping you little one in the carrier a bit longer.

I found the first class anything from £99 to £140 depending on colour and if it was the new design.

I would get a extended rear facing seating as they last longer are safest and are there fore better value

[HoneyIatethekidsdragon]

Right I can't use isofix rear facer as it is going in various cars as I don't drive

So I can get the used twe which is two years old and has never been in an accident and get a further two years use from it?

Or

Dd is 10.2 months and 8.9 kilos so how much longer can I leave her in a mamas and papas infant carrier to save? And possibly buy a multitech. I am very concerned about the way she flops over in it at present, her head lolls right out

[TruthSweet]

You would get another 4 years out of a 2 year old car seat (going on similar seats Britax make in the US having a 6 year shelf life). If you unzip the back of the TWE it should have a clock type dating thingumie (technical me?) imprinted into the plastic. That will have the date of manufacture - just add 6 years to that date.

But don't ask Britax UK about expiry dates according to their customer services you can use any car seat no matter how old if it meets R44.04 or R44.03 (R44.03 came in in 1997! 13 year old car seats!) as long as it hasn't been in an accident. In the US/Canada if you get caught using an expired car seat in some US states/Canadian provinces it can get you a fine and the seat confiscated. In the UK major car seat manufacturers refuse to acknowledge that plastic degrades with time

And breathe......

Is the baby bucket installed with the base or directly with the seat belt? The direct installation may give you a better angle as may having someone put all their weight on the seat part of the bucket whilst you install (if you have retracting seat belts that is). If your DD has 1" of hard shell above her head she is still safe in the M&P.

[arabicabean]

Hi - I have both the Britax Multi-tech and the BeSafe Izi Combi X3 (isofix) seats for my toddler.

I find the Multi-tech very difficult to install, as you need brute strength to do the tethers properly (am slight of build) and the leg can move at times. It is also a big heavy seat and not suited to every car.

Since I can compare with the BeSafe isofix seat, the BeSafe is just so much easier to install and have complete confidence in. It is a superb seat.

I would advise you see the Multi-tech first to assess whether it will work for you.

[nicm]

if she is 10 months could you not keep her in her baby seat longer and save for a new rf seat? got mine for £185 as i was close enough to collect. i have a twe and it is very sturdy. have had ds in it from about 9/10 months and hes now 2 1/2.

i'm not sure about buying second hand seats but i did use a second hand baby carrier from a friend but knew its history etc. the expiry dates on car seats for britax is 10 years from memory, maxi cosi 5 yrs. will try and find the link for you.

:)

[nicm]

here, www.childrestraints.co.nz/manufacture-expiry.php

:)

[HoneyIatethekidsdragon]

Thankyou - I am so tempted to get the second hand to keep her RF and comfortable - I may not get the oppurtunity again.

Or


Leave her as is and try and save £200, although I'm still struggling to raise £100 what with flippin xmas as well, although a decent seat is obviously a priority.

[TruthSweet]

How much is the TWE? If it's any more than £70 I wouldn't bother (it's £196 new). Could you ask for donations to car seat fund for Xmas. That's what we did one year to get the TWE.

[HoneyIatethekidsdragon]

No she's said I can have it for £30.00 and she says she has a tray for it somewhere too - I don't know why I am umming and aahing when dd's current car seat is second hand and given to us by a friend - but that was only 3 months old when we recieved it.

[TruthSweet]

For £30 get it! (If you've got the cash obviously!)

[HoneyIatethekidsdragon]

Do you think so? I've only been odd sice realising that some people on parenting forums think you are a BIG BAD MUM if you get a previously used car seat - I just thought it was to good an oppurtunity .... I will go and inspect it this weekend.

[TruthSweet]

If you know the person and you trust them not to lie to you just to sell the seat then why not? You're a good mum for considering ext. rfing You may now preen

Before you part with the cash, check the straps for wearing/fraying/twisting, are the tethers/instructions/head pad included, is there any holes in the padding/seat cover, have the straps been washed (if they have see if you can get new ones from Britax. The straps should never be emersed in water just sponged off due to the fire retardant chemicals being washed away).

Also check it fits in your car. It way take some time to install it the first time but when it's in, it is ROCK solid. You can have it resting on the seat in front as well.

[lenats31]

Just be aware that TWE is a big seat. The harness starts high up, so just becuse the baby weighs 9 kg doesnt mean the seat will fit at that point. You really need to watch out for harness height too. Not just the kgs.

Headflopping shouldn´t be an issu with the TWE. It reclines to 40 degrees so.....

Personally, I would never buy a used seat.