Need advice please

[peanut2017]

Hi looking for some wisdom from MN as I'm a bit clueless and confused 🤷‍♀️

We have the maxi cosi pebble for 8 month old and am pregnant with second baby due in August so early days but trying to think ahead.

It's currently used in a Volkswagen Golf with an isofix and looking at what is the best next stage car seat to get for the 8 month old. He's big for his age.

Would love a swivel car seat as the current one breaks my back taking it in and out of car and getting baby in and out of it. Also does anyone else do this or am I mad? We don't have a drive so car is parked outside so is clearly visible.

Want to stay rear facing as long as possible and we both will be sharing pick up and drop offs so will need to get two seats but only one needs to be swivel.

Any thoughts are very welcome 🙏 thanks

The axiss fix swivels but I’ve read that it can tip baby’s head forwards when they’re sleeping if they’re smaller. I’ve just bought the 2way Pearl because I have the family fix base already from using pebble plus with dd1. To be honest all iSize seats are equally safe so I would look at features you like (for example swivel) then go to the biggest shop I could find and try them out.

I've just bought a GB Vaya for DD (8 months), chosen for being rear facing until 4, with a good recline and swivels. Like all group 1 seats it's heavy (these next stage car seats are not designed to be regularly taken out of the car).

If you already have the pebble then you either have the family fix base or 2way fix base. If family fix you won’t be able to put the pearl rear facing and will also need to purchase a new base as well as the pearl. Whatever you do don’t buy a joie I-anchor. Bought one for my husband car as it’s only used for nursery drop off and is a lot cheaper than Maxi Cosi but I absolutely hate it. So tricky getting dd in and out when used to the pearl

Thanks for the replies. Will look into this a bit more based on your comments. Thanks

Also does it matter what buggy you have? I have the uppa baby vista which I know can adapt for 2 children but do other car seats fit into the travel system if that makes sense? Sometimes I would use the maxi cosi pebble car seat in the uppa baby?

Just out of curiosity do you just leave the car seat in your car? Not sure where I got the idea to take it out all the time especially as he is getting bigger? But it is easier having it in the house and putting him it in from there.

Assume with the swivel as they are heavier you just leave it in car?

Think my mother had it drummed into is to leave nothing visible in a car as people could break the window to get it

As far as I'm aware it's only infant carriers (Group 0+ which go up to 13kg) that can attach to a pram chassis.

Because Group 1 seats go up to 4 years old they are bigger and a lot heavier so there's no way you'd be wanting to take it in and out of the car on a daily basis.

By August your DC1 will be outgrowing infant carriers so it'll have to be a Group 1 seat (9kg to 18kg) or a 'Group 0+ and 1' seat (birth to 18kg) and these are bigger seats.

If you have a branch nearby I'd recommend a visit to an In Car Safety Centre shop as they are very knowledgeable about the seats available and also take fitting car seats properly in your car very seriously so you'll be sure to get good advice for your needs as well as compatibility with your car.

Thanks a million INeed that makes sense. Yeah you are right I need to go somewhere to get advice and see what works for our requirements. Thanks again

If you've got a bigger than 50th centile child and want to rear face for as long as possible, track his weight in his red book at 4years because it is likely that he will be 18kg before 4 when he can safely go into a high back booster (both mine will be!). If that's the case, you need a 25kg seat like the Axkid Minikid or Britax Two way elite otherwise you'll be buying another harnessed seat in a couple of years.

And you can't put any of these seats on the Vista, they stay fitted in the car. (I love the Vista though and also have it as a tandem 😍)

Check out the Facebook group 'car seat advice for mummies and daddies'. Their advice is excellent!

Thanks a million teaandbiscuits for your advice. My son is definitely bigger so that's great to know. I'm in Ireland so we don't have a red book like you mentioned that tracks weight. I do have a booklet but think it's just tracking immunizations. Anyway from the get go he's been in the higher percentile. And has a big head they keep telling me. It's all the brains

Going to head out on Saturday and start looking - will need to get two of them as husband will be doing drop off and I will be doing pick up.

I have a cybex Sirona which we love, it can be rear or forward facing, easy to adjust size wise, my daughter is comfy in it. Lasts to 4 or 18kg.

In my other car I hve a joie stages Which does not swivel but is fab. Both seats can be used from birth but I used a cabriofix baby seat when dd was tiny so it could clip onto the buggy.

I also worry about car seats being left in my car when they cost so much! There is virtually no market for second hand car seats though so they don't seem to be a target here. If your car gets stolen they should be insured. Good luck with it all!

peanut If you're really interested in tracking weight at 4 years ( I would so you know whether to rule out 18kg seats) you can find the WHO growth trackers online which are the ones the NHS ones are based on.

You might struggle to find any 25kg seats in shops unless you've got a car seat specialist place nearby. I've had to order mine online and watch YouTube fitting videos because we weren't able to get to a specialist. If you join the car seat Facebook group they'll be able to tell you if there's a good retailer nearby to visit.

The Britax two way elite would be the most economical if you need two seats. Most people order them from a Finnish website for about €200 I think. If you don't mind spending a bit more, I got our minikids for about €330 and I think they're brilliant.

Happy shopping!

There is no sense in taking a fixed car seat out of the car, nobody (in the UK at least) is going to break in to steal one anyway.

Thanks for the additional points - going to do some research on the brands you mentioned.

The current car seat is not fixed hence why I currently don't leave it in the car. It's easier to get him in from the beginning when it's in the house. Part of the reason I'm looking for the next seat to swivel as he's a big baby and I'm pregnant.

From what I gather from the great posts it's when you go to the next stage of seat that they are way too heavy to take in and out.

Yep the ones with handle can come in and out easy, we used to - it's the next stage up it becomes impractical. Plus if it's belt fit they are a bit of a pain to take in and out because you have to properly kneel in the seat to get it tight enough. Imagine having two kids in car seats - it would be impossible! It's not the same as leaving things like handbags or satnavs on show - thieves tend to nick those things and leave the car seats.

Swivel does seem the way to go for ease of getting child in. Just check safety ratings as some are not v good, and as mentioned if DC are bigger and you don't want it outgrown too early, check reviews for older toddlers. Once they get to about 3 they can often climb in themselves so you only have to do straps.

@peanut2017 I'm going to shamelessly placemark as this info is just what I need! I'm pregnant with DC2, due in August, and currently have a 6mth old. Are you on the August antenatal thread? If not, pop on over and join us.

@gizzymum thanks a million - will join up now on the thread. Had an early scan yesterday so all is ok so far which is great