My head is going to implode with all this...please help

[SwivelHips]

Hi there, I'm 26wks pregnant and this weekend is the weekend to buy a car seat. I'm reading so much conflicting information I'm now really confused, I used to be able to make decisions but with all this baby stuff I am totally lost.
We don't have a lot of money however safety is paramount. From what I understand I need rear facing as long as possible. To keep costs down I think I want one that will do for a number of years. I thought I wanted one that I could use in a travel system but from what I can see these are generally group 0+ and I'd need to replace within the first year.

I dont have the best back, will I struggle getting LO in and out of a 3 door hatchback so should I look for a 0+ that I can lift in and out? In which case if I'm looking for a second hand travel system I could look for a package that comes with a car seat? Although I've seen one on John Lewis for 103. maxi cosi that seems fairly reasonable.
What do others recommend before I panic buy something that I'll end up having to replace?

If you have a bad back and a three door car, I would definitely go for a 0+ car seat at first. They are ok-ish to lift and slot into the base (buy a base, it will be a nightmare to lean in and fiddle with the seatbelt). By the time they are big enough for the next stage car seat, they can take more robust manhandling in.

Take it from someone who had a bad back and a three door car with no. 1!

Infant car seats are for one year only, there's not much you can do about that. Maxi Cosi Priori is one of the best. You can also get a base for it - it's not essential but if you have a three door it might make life easier

Sorry - not Priori - Cabriofix!

the maxi cosi infant seat is the cabrio

x post :)
I know because I am currently fighting to get the cover back on my priorifix, while my independent little DD is off in the park with her GPs

Fantastic
A base, blimey I didn't think about a base. Yip the state I'm in I'll need a base.
Strangely John Lewis is cheaper than Mothercare for the cabrio, although I'm guessing the base is separate so that's more cash.
Maybe we should buy a new blinking 4 door car [spendthrift emotion] make my life easier...

glasgow pram centre tends to be good too - if you're only 6m pregnant may be worth wwaiting a month or two and keeping an eye out for when these places have sales.
Plus - look on Boots, and (assuming you'd use them) don't forget to factor in your boots points

you basically have 2 options:

An infant carrier style - which as you have said will need replacing once baby is around 1 year old only ever goes rearward facing.
Pro's of this are that when baby is younger, they are fab for transporting baby round for short trips, eg. nipping into the docs/supermarket/mates house and saves waking baby up if they fall asleep in the car, you can carry them into the house without disturbing him/her.
Many are also compatible with various prams.
Have you chosen a pram yet? The Cabriofix is compatible with quite a few different models
This means you can attach the cabriofix to the pram easily, again to save disturbing baby (although baby should only be in car seat for 2 hours at a time before a break)

option 2 is to buy a combination seat which is much bigger and stays fitted in the car all the time, ie you would have to take baby out every time.

However, these last from approx birth - 4 years and cost about the same as a second stage seat that you would have to fork out for after the Cabriofix. so much better value for money in the long run.

It all depends on your lifestyle - do you imagine you will be walking most places with the pram and not using the car (and therefore car seat) much?
in which case you could probably manage with a combination seat staying in the car all the time.
or will you be nipping out for short trips to the supermarket/shopping centre/doctors etc that will involve taking baby in and out of car regularly? if so, an infant carrier is probably more practical.

You can get pretty cheap infant carriers if you are not bothered about it being compatible with your pram.

if you do decide to go for an infant carrier and you have a 3 door car, it will make your life alot easier to get a base as well! But bear in mind that although there are lots of infant carriers available out there, not all of them have compatible bases.

I would vote for the Maxi Cosi Cabriofix too.
In my experience, the easiest and simplest to use, base compatible and lots of prams compatible as I mentioned.

I think just about everyone I know has a cabriofix and I dont know anyone who has regretted their purchase - they are just so user friendly!

HTH xx

I suppose there is time to wait for the sales, I'm just in panic mode with everything. Boots have them for about 130 plus £10 points back, so similar to Mothercare. I will check out Glasgow Pram Centre, I used to live in Glasgow so perhaps that's a good omen.
My intention is to walk everywhere and become really healthy and fit but in reality I'll probably be jumping around in the car doing short trips as I do now.
Travel system I dont know, whatever I can afford, I've been looking at second hand on ebay. Couldn't justify paying full price as there will be no more pregnancies at my age. DSD says she's only pushing a bugaboo but then she's a snob
I feel so much better now its becoming clearer. The cabrio infant carrier is definately the clear favourite now, I'll just check compatibility with the car and its a job done.

I have a cabriofix and it is very easy to use with and without the base. You should check on the maxi-cosi website that it will definately fit your make of car first though.
Some of the group 0+ seats can be used up to 13kg providing your baby's head doesn't come over the top of the seat so it could last longer than 12 months, my DC3 is 14 months and just over 11kg.

As others have said the cabriofix does give plenty of options for use with a pram, so you could buy a new carseat and a second hand travel system.
I wouldn't buy a second hand carseat unless you know it's history for definate.

There often seem to be reductions and money off codes around over Easter so maybe hang on for one of those as you still have plenty of time.

I never use the infant carriers out of the car much, I find them too cumbersome to carry and babies never seem to loook comfy in them. I don't use a car during the week really either though, my driving friends use their travel systems much more than me.