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Car seats

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Original poster

Infant seat for long light baby

20 replies

Daisybell1 · 29/04/2012 16:51

Having read some of your earlier discussions, am I right in thinking that the britax seats have the longest backs?

Our dd is currently 7 months and only 6kg. She's just beneath the 25th centile and so isn't due to hit 9kg until she's 15 months. Problem is she has a long back and is about to grow out of her britax rock a tot car seat.

We tried a britax group 0-1 today but the fitter wasn't satisfied that it was a secure fit in our car (was very impressed by him!) so we're wondering if the answer is to get another infant carrier which will give her a few more months headroom before looking at a group 1 seat.

Dd is 18 inches from bum to top of head when sitting, so does that mean the britax baby safe (recall notwithstanding) is our best option?

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Original poster

Daisybell1 · 30/04/2012 18:12

Anyone?

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mybootsaremuddy · 30/04/2012 21:37

Are you anywhere near Milton Keynes? theses guys are FANTASTIC! Even if you are not near them, give them a ring, they are very knowledgeable on all thing car seat.

I think your best bet would be one of the extended RF seats as these go up to 18kg or some to 25kg and are designed for children up to 4-6 years old so have tall back on them. This way you could also keep you DD RF for as long as possible. Have a little look at the seats on the sight i linked you too. There are quite a few to choose from and if you give them a ring they may have fitted one on in same car as yours and be able to tell you which ones would be likely to fit.

TruthSweet · 30/04/2012 22:34

Baby safe SHR II is 21" so wouldn't give you much growing room bearing in mind you have to move them out of the seat when the head is 1" from the top of the shell and you wouldn't find an infant carrier that has a longer back height on the market now.

I would how ever recommend (if it fits in your car obv.) the Britax Hi-Way II. We got it from the In Car Safety Centre at MK as mentioned above. It's suitable from birth -25kg (I wouldn't put a newborn in it but I would put an older baby in it) and my 4y/110cm/18kg DD2 still has growing room (though it's not her seat it's DD3 who's 2.6y/87.5cm/13kg) so it's a good size for a rfing seat but it's pretty compact.

We have bought the Baby Safe SHR II for DC4 and took it to MK with us when we bought the Hi-Way II (just to make sure it all fitted) the Hi-Way didn't take up any more room than the Baby Safe did. Pretty easy to fit too and it has 'lock offs' (clips that hold the seat belt tight so the seat can be installed rock solid). Very plush seat, supportive and really nice all round.

Original poster

Daisybell1 · 01/05/2012 10:52

Thanks for the recommendations, my head is spinning after this morning's phonecalls.

One shop told me just to buy their mamas and papas one at about 250 but it hasn't been assessed by Which yet.

Another shop told me I didn't need to worry as we had until her eyes were level with the top of the seat so needn't do anything yet.

And Milton Keynes told me that the britax 2 way elite was guaranteed to fit and that that was the car seat for us. However I've checked their website which says that this seat is only suitable from 9kg which doesn't help me at all.

Argh.

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TruthSweet · 01/05/2012 13:43

Eyes level with seat back is for forward facing seats or Group 1/2 rfing seats not for infant carriers but check your manual for the exact rule for your seat.

Which car have you got? I have the Hi-Way II manual here and it has a list of compatible cars in the back (it's not exhaustive though as if you have a new model it may not be in there or you may have to know what your car was based on e.g. our old Mazda Premacy was based on the Mazda Demios).

Original poster

Daisybell1 · 01/05/2012 13:49

Thanks Truth, we have a focus estate and a Mitsubishi L200...

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TruthSweet · 01/05/2012 14:34

Daisybell - The Hi-Way II manual lists the Ford Escort (no mention of Estate though) and the Mitsubishi L200 as fitting front passenger, middle rear and side rear seats.

You would need to get it fitted though as we needed a recline block added (to make the seat less upright) as the seats in our Caddy Maxi Life are quite sloped to the bight which we wouldn't have known about if it hadn't been fitted for us.

Original poster

Daisybell1 · 01/05/2012 22:34

Thanks for this. Am I right thinking that this one is only sold at MK? Problem is we're 4.5hrs away and would have to take both vehicles down...

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PestoPenguin · 01/05/2012 22:37

Klippa Kiss is suitable from birth to around 4 years. There may well be other extended rearfacing seats that are suitable from below 9kg too. There are stockists of various seats listed on this site

PestoPenguin · 01/05/2012 22:37

Klippan

PestoPenguin · 01/05/2012 22:39

Are you anywhere near Essex? The Essex Road Safety people have a vast range of seats and offer a fitting service. I think they try to keep one of every seat on the UK market.

Original poster

Daisybell1 · 02/05/2012 11:49

They sound fab too, but unfortunately they're about 8 hrs away :-(

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TruthSweet · 02/05/2012 11:51

Does this help Daisy?

Original poster

Daisybell1 · 02/05/2012 22:24

That's helpful, thank you. Interestingly I was in a shop today which stocked the be safe combi and a mamas and papas 2 way one too. The sales lady was very keen to push the m+p one but not the be safe. But something about the m+p one made me nervous...

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TruthSweet · 02/05/2012 22:29

Was it the Viaggio or the Contra model (neither look super fantastic to me tbh but better than a tiny baby ffing any road!).

lagoonhaze · 02/05/2012 23:04

Found your thread. Will have a think and reply tomorrow.

Original poster

Daisybell1 · 02/05/2012 23:06

It was the viaggio. I think I was nervous as she was very focused on that one, for no obvious reason.

There's no risk of dd going ff any time soon, that would be illegal!

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notfarmingatthemo · 03/05/2012 09:53

I had a rock a tot carseat and my dd was in the seat until 18mths when she was walking. Children do slow down in how quickly they grow so you may have more time than you think.If this is you first baby and you plan to have more you may end up getting a two way elite as she will properly be to tall for the next stage before she is heavy enough for anything else. But that doesn't solve you problem now. I would take your dd to a shop with a good selection of seats in and try her in a few and go for the one that has the most amount of growing room in it. If it has more room than the one you have I would get it and a base. Mine still fitted in the rock a tot until she was 2 and a bit I just couldn't of strapped her in as she used to push her legs against the seat.

TruthSweet · 03/05/2012 16:31

Daisy - Sorry I didn't mean you putting your baby ffing just babies in general!

Original poster

Daisybell1 · 03/05/2012 19:33

Don't worry Truth, I knew what you meant. What has been worrying is that there have been several sales people who haven't understood the dilemma.

That's interesting Notfarming (btw we're currently farming!!!) she may well slow down a bit height-wise. Which would be good. We had a good try of Group 0 seats today and the britax is the longest. Time to feed her lots of porridge methinks

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