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Confused about car seat regulations? Find baby car seat advice here.

Car seats

Moving on from the infant carrier - help!

13 replies

Cydonia · 18/03/2013 16:41

Hi, DS is 9.5 months and around 9kg. I know he's fine to be in his infant carrier ( a Britax Babysafe ) until he's 13kg or when his head starts to stick out over the top, but he is starting to look a bit squashed in it. I've been looking at my options and find the groups a bit confusing. Correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems my options are -

FF seat for 9kg - 18kg. Don't want to go for this as want to keep DS rear facing a bit longer.

*ERF seat. I'm aware this is safest but they seem expensive and hard to get hold of ( am in rural Cumbria so miles away from the places where you can go and try them out )

*Combination seat, such as the Britax First Class. This seems like a good option, but maybe a waste of money as I guess he could just stay RF in his infant carrier for the same amount of time. Or are they more roomy?

*Group 1/2/3 seats. These seem to be the best value as would last him from 13kg to approx 12 years old, but there must be a catch? Are they less safe for toddlers than a seat that only goes up to about 4 years old?

Any other options I've missed? Its a minefield! Any recommendations? Budget is around £100 and seat needs to fit in a 10yr old Astra Estate and also a Ford Mondeo saloon.
I don't want to rush him out of the Babysafe though, and I suppose weight wise he's got quite a long time left ( how long does it take to put on 4kg?!! ) but he might outgrow it before then.

Sorry for the rambling post!

OP posts:

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Oodsigma · 18/03/2013 16:50

Am also in Cumbria!

We used the helpline and bought online. They are v helpful and also got good after sales when I thought there was a problem( but there wasn't!)

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Cydonia · 18/03/2013 17:10

Ah right that's good to know, I thought you had to go and have it fitted there.

OP posts:

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Oodsigma · 18/03/2013 18:01

We have a two way elite and its pretty easy to fit. They've videos online too which really helped.

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Cattiet · 24/03/2013 11:38

I wondered if there was a car seat that faced forward but clipped out.? My baby is 13months old and I hate waking him up.

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BertieBotts · 24/03/2013 14:56

To answer your questions:

Some ERF seats are starting to be stocked in places like Mothercare and John Lewis now - if you have a local store but they don't stock them, ask if they can get one in. Also, if you buy online you always have 7 days to return the item under the distance selling act.

Combination seats are indeed more roomy, but will only take you RF until 13kg. However they tend to be much taller.

Group 1/2/3 seats are really not supportive for a 9 month old - they're really just booster seats with straps. OK for emergency/holiday use or if you need a replacement group 1 seat for an older child, but I wouldn't use it now. Also they are always forward facing - but a lot of ERF seats will take you up to about 8 or 9 where most children are tall enough not to need a car seat at all anyway.

Cattiet No you won't find a Group 1 seat which clips in and out of the car with the child in, but a 13 month old should still fit into a decent Group 0 seat unless he's very big - I used mine for 18 months and I agree, being able to bring them into the house still sleeping is great

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MortifiedAdams · 24/03/2013 14:59

I got a two way elite, even fits in my tiny old.micra. Had it delivered and fotted myself with the aid of Youtube.

By far the safest option.

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Ihateparties · 27/03/2013 22:54

I discovered today when I received my Joie Tilts ordered on t'internet that whilst I expected bog standard 0+/1 so RF to 13kg, ff to 18kg that they are actually approved to rear face to 18kg.

Surprise.

Now.. I am making no comment on the specific safety of them in context with other ERF seats, they are belt fixed with no support leg and no other tethers (which I could see being an issue in some way I don't currently understand and would like to know more). All I am saying is the Joie Tilt AND shortly the Hauck Varioguard, which I was trying to wait for are all suitable rear facing up to 18kg. I don't know anything about the testing but if you look here and select the tilt from the dropdown menu you can see the instruction manual where it states this. I simply did not believe it so I contacted Joie and they confirm that it is true, some models were shipped before testing was completed so are labelled 13kg (when mine arrived they were like that, adding to the confusion) but Joie assure me there is no physical difference and it is purely labelling.

They also told me that their stages 0+/1/2 seat is the same and rear faced up to 18kg but the online manual doesn't currently reflect that. If it is the case then that one would be better for taller children as it is taller and wider overall.

Who knew? Again this is not really a recommendation because I don't know enough and there may be some issues I am unaware of, just something I had no idea currently existed.

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MrsHoarder · 27/03/2013 23:08

My wide-shouldered DS could no longer be wedged into his "baby carrier" carseat at 7 months. We got a Britax first class, he's still got loads of room at 10 months (in 18-24 month clothes) and can rear face until 13kg. His legs are a bit bunched up, but he seems comfy unlike in his old seat.

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EggsMichelle · 30/03/2013 13:10

I have the britax baby safe, and although his head isn't sticking out the top, I have it on the highest setting, but his feet are sticking out the end. This can't be safe for an impact but he's only 4m old, does this mater?

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MortifiedAdams · 30/03/2013 13:28

feet sticking out is totally fine - and way way better than forward facing before a suitable age. To be totally blunt, in an accident, it would be better for him to suffer from broken legs than a broken neck.

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MissieLovelie · 01/04/2013 16:03

Most car accidents are head on collisions, so a baby in a rear facing seat will be pushed back into their own carseat and not flung forward during the impact. Obviously this is not the case when it is a rear or side collision.

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MortifiedAdams · 01/04/2013 16:31

In a rear collision, the impact will still be a lot less as usually the car the baby is in is travelling. So the baby still is forced back into the seat instead of jolted forward.

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Cydonia · 04/04/2013 13:17

Just checked back here, some interesting replies! Hadn't even heard of those car seats Ihateparties, but how strange you can use them RF until 18kg but they don't publicise it. Can they forward face after 18kg as well or are they purely RF seats?
BertieBotts that confirms my suspicions about the 1/2/3 seats. I think it's a toss up between the Britax First class plus and the TWE, depending on how much money I can get together in time and what DP thinks.