Car seats

[Handy83]

Apologies if this has already been raised or if that this is the wrong category. We are currently pregnant with our first child and was wondering what car seats people usually go for?. Do people get the isofix base or is the seatbelt fastening enough. We are not trying to spend a fortune (I know impossible right) but want the best we can afford. I'm just not sure the isofix base is worth an extra £200 when that money could be put to better use. All responses are appriciated.

[ginandnappies]

The ISO fix base is expensive but I personally figured it's not something I'd want to hold back on. It's so so easy to use aswell. 3 lights and you know it's secure as can be!

[Kingsclerelass]

I went for isofix too. I knew I was going to motorway commute, 2 door car, and if there was a problem I wanted to be able to get DS out in one click, not struggle with straps.
I hunted on-line for units in last years colours, cost £80 less.
But it depends on your circumstances.

[PeachesandPie]

If you can afford it (and there are cheaper options) then a base is worse every penny. It's so easy and quick to use and saves so much hassle when dealing with all the other stress of a newborn! Couldn't have isofix in my car as it's too old but got a belt in base instead which does the same thing.

[Prusik]

One thing I wish I considered - I paid for an infant car seat to go with my pram. V practical but then had to pay for another seat...which ironically could have been used from birth.

I've found the Joie stages to be good value for money. That comes with isofix

[AndWhat]

We had a maxi cosi cabriofix with ds1 with no isofix as our car didn't have it. On one small journey I got home to realise I hadn't strapped the seat belt in properly, it made me very conscious and paranoid on every journey after.
This time round we've bought the base as our new car has the isofix fitting and I feel it will be much more reliable.
The £200 is expensive but we have a stage 0 and a stage 1 seat that will both fit on the base meaning it will last 4 years (therefore £50 per year)

[Handy83]

Thanks for all the responses. I think we will go for the isofix as its a 2 door car. Glad you all think it's worth the money

[Chaosofcalm]

Isofix means with the younger babies you can click the seat in and out which is convenient as you can put the baby in the seat before you leave the house. If you get something like to Joie every stage (good value and does extended rear facing) then the seat is permanently in place so once fitted properly you don’t have to worry about correctly fitting it each time.

There is a brilliant Facebook page called car seats for mummies and Daddies.

[Handy83]

Chaosofcalm. Thanks for that I will take a look. As a new parent it's a bit mind blowing regarding what you do and don't really need

[user1493413286]

We paid about £90 for isofix base and £100ish for the car seat. Definitely worth the money for safety and ease of just slotting it in.

[Newtothismumthing1]

I appreciate you have already decided but to add my two sense- have a maxi cosi with the seat belt and no problems, easy to move between mine and my husbands car. As long as the same isofix base can be used with the later stage car seats- if just for the first not worth it.

[MoHunter]

Another vote for isofix here - worth it if you can afford, especially great with infant car seats.

For the record we had a besafe Izigo when ours were little, now we have a besafe modular I-size in the “family”/long journeys car and a Joie 360 spin in my “everyday” car (lots of short journeys). Happy with both but I personally love the swivel function for my wriggly 1 year old, and the Joie 360 Spin can be used from birth to 4 years which makes it economical if cost is an issue. (I don’t know how well suited it is for a newborn as I’ve only used it for my 1 year old.)

[welshweasel]

If you’re planning on keeping your 2 door car and want to rear face as long as possible (safer) then I’d go for an isofix spin seat that can be used from birth. Putting a child into a rear facing seat when you only have two doors is v difficult, as is manoeuvring an infant seat into the car.

[Mar15mite]

Isofix base def worth the money, so easy to get a small baby in and out of the car sleeping, esp when doing multiple stops in and out of different shops etc.

I would say Have an ask around friends to see if anyone has one in a loft / garage (someone you know, so you know it hasn’t been in an accident) people don’t throw them away but difficult to sell second hand.

[MoHunter]

I’d be very careful about using secondhand, even if it hasn’t been in an accident most seats are only designed to be used for 5 years or so, the plastic then starts deteriorating so may not be safe.

[Her0utdoors]

c.£35 from Argos. No way I could lift a car seat or pram base after either of my c sections ( or push a pram for that matter). Straight from car seat into sling.

[Handy83]

Never thought about a car seat following an accident. I had a car accident 3 months ago. Luckily I was not pregnant at the time but there was damage to my car. It's made me very nervous now on big roads so want to make sure the baby will be ok should the worse happen