Flexible car seat

[JennyBlueWren]

We don't drive but still need a car seat for any trips in taxis, grandparents cars or out with friends.
Any recommendations for a car seat that is easy to fit into any car? My parents would be hiring a car when visiting so don't have a particular type in mind.

What age is your baby/child? The Joie Stages is an affordable seat that covers birth to about 7 years, so it's very good value for money. It also has the big advantage that you can use it rear facing right up to your child reaching 18kgs in weight (on average about 4 years old) which is the safest way for under 4's to travel.

It's best to use it rear facing if your child is under 18kgs, but sometimes people have had trouble with the seatbelts not being long enough (the seatbelt has to go right round the back of the seat, like it does round an infant carrier). If that was the case, which would not be that often, you can fit it forward facing for a child over 9kgs. Forward facing the harness can be used up to 18kgs, after that you use it as a high backed booster. I think there is an upper weight limit for using it as a high backed booster, but I'm not sure what that is.

Otherwise, if you are not wanting a rear facing one, the Britax Prince is also good value and quite light (just thinking about taxi use and you having to carry the seat around). The really cheap seats from Kiddicare (Nania, Team Tex, Kiddicare own brand) are very lightweight, but they only pass the minimum safety requirements so I personally wouldn't touch them with a barge pole, even if they were the most 'portable'!

Thanks.
No baby yet -I'm 20 weeks pregnant. Just beginning to get serious about thinking of what to buy.

Ah, congratulations!

I'm now wondering whether you'd be better off buying an infant carrier that can be used with a pram to start with. Although of course a car seat is primarily for the car, you shouldn't really be using it as a pram for a newborn as it's better for them to lie flat. You'd have to think about how often you'd go out to walk somewhere and then want to get a taxi back. Having the car seat you could use in the pram wheels would be easier than carrying a big seat with you.

It all depends on the size of the baby too. If you have one like my petite DD2 you many well be able to use an infant carrier until they are well past 2! The weight limit for an infant carrier is 13kgs, which most girls won't reach until they are two, boys a little earlier. If you get one with a long back it will give you the height to acommodate the baby for as long as possible (most babies grow out of their infant carriers by height rather than weight). I have a Britax BabySafe, my DD2 is 2 1/2 and weighs 10.5kgs (which is on the 9th centile, ie. 91% of 2 1/2 year olds are heavier than her) and is just about growing out of it by height - the infant carrier is outgrown at 13kgs or when the baby's head becomes level with the top of the seat. Legs dangling over the end is perfectly fine.

Definitely have a look at the Britax BabySafe, it is a really decent seat and like I said one of the longest up the back so you will be able to use it for a long time hopefully. It's simple to belt into the car without having to buy a separate base (optional - bases are for convenience only, it doesn't make the seat any safer) and is a rock solid fit in my car. I imagine it would fit most cars, the only ones I've found where the seatbelts were too short were an old Peugeot 406 and an old Ford Ka.

Thanks. I'll look into that one.

I probably wouldn't be needing taxi back after walking so much as needing a taxi to get to hospital urgently (as one friend had to do a lot with baby).

Yes, get an infant carrier to start with. They are very portable. You will probably need it anyway for your journey home from the hospital. Maxi cosi cabriofix is a popular model that is compatible with a lot of pushchairs. Britax babysafe too, many pushchairs have britax adaptors available or you could get a britax pushchair. I would get whatever one works with your pram. That way if you do have to make a taxi journey you are not stuck carrying the seat at the other end. They are heavy with a baby in. Infant carriers tend to fit easily in pretty much any car.
An infant carrier should last over a year. My quite tall DS moved out of his at 13 months and he could have fitted in it a bit longer. Once you get to that age you will have a better idea of how often you will need a car seat. The joie range seem to be good value for money, you can get something like the steadi or tilt. These next stage car seats are not easily portable like an infant carrier. Most people just keep them installed in their car. Taxis are a bit of a headache at that age once they have outgrown the baby seat.

We don't drive either so were in the same position as you.

We had the Maxi Cosi cabriofix from birth and just stopped using it at 18 months as my daughters head was level with the top. I would definitely recomend getting an infant carrier to start as its much more portable than other seats.

I'm not a fan of travel systems as its nor good for them to be hunched up in a car seat for too long but I did buy adapters for our pushchair so that we could transport it easily if required and it did come in handy if I needed to go somewhere and needed a taxi at either end so would definately recommend doing this.

The cabriofix is very easy to fit using a normal belt and its one of the lightest seats if you need to lug it into doctors from taxi or something.

Now we're into the next stage we've gone for the Joie Steadi which can be rear facing until 18kg instead of 13kg and again its very easy to fit and its quite compact so ideal for our needs.

I second the britax babysafe it has the longest back so will last the longest. It is also safe to use for ten years maxi cosy is either five or six can't remember which so you are more likely to be able to use it for a second child.