Car seat transition

[sunshineandrainbows01]

What age was your baby when you moved them into the next stage car seat?

I'm considering the Joie 360 Spin, does anyone have this?

We have the Joie ispin 360 and it's been an amazing seat for us! It's very heavy though so not good for moving between cars all the time if that's a factor for you. Our eldest used it from 9months-3.5 years and now using it for DS2 so it's been more than worth the money for us

That’s a suitable from newborn seat, you can use it whenever. Mine both had similar styles of seat from birth rather than infant carriers, youngest DS’s was a maxi cosi but can’t remember the model. We did rear facing in that until 2, then forward facing and finally into a high backed booster around 4.

That's a great seat, we've had ours about 4 years, second DC is in it now. We moved them over at about a year but in retrospect earlier might have been better as they both preferred it to the infant carrier. We just liked being able to pop the seat on the buggy frame for quick errands with the first, and then with the second needed to sort a seat for the eldest.

We went for an ERF seat instead; as most children will outgrow the 360 spin seats before they can safely use a HBB, so you end up needing an ERF seat anyway. I got a Maxway Plus and started using it at 16 months, and DS loves it - he can climb in and out himself, and it's lower in the car, so he can see more out of the window and sits really nicely in there.

But it's all personal preference, really. What's legal tends to be really different to what is safe; so it's worth doing some extra research, and then working out what feels right for you.

Infant carriers are designed to last until at least 18 months and are the safest option until then (my eldest was in hers until nearly 2.5 as she’s so small).

After that the safest option is a 25kg+ ERF Swedish Plus Tested seat that will allow your little one to RF until 6/7 (as it’s safest to rear face until at least age 4).

Spin seats are not plus tested, are big and bulky and as your child gets older are more awkward to get them into as well. ERF seats have low sides and are designed so the child can get in themselves.

If you post your budget and child’s percentiles on the Extended Rear Facing (ERF) Car Seat Safety group on Facebook they’ll help you find a suitable seat 😊

My daughter was in her infant carrier until just before her 2nd birthday, and then we moved her onto a extended rear facing Axkid minikid which she is still in now she is 5 and a half. She loves it and is super comfy in it, and sleeps really well on long car journeys. Reckon we get a year or more out of it yet.

In infant seat till it was outgrown at 15 nonetheless then moved into an Axkid Minikid. Still in that at 5.5.

Have joie 360 in grandparents car. Not good if your child is high centile and actually harder to put a child in that a 25kg seat due to high sides. DS climbs into his Axkid himself.

I have a 3.5 year old and he still comfortably fits in the joie 360; I love it and have no idea how I managed so long with my other DC in seats that didn’t spin. He moved into it at just over a year but it can be used from younger. He can climb into it himself but that’s all he’s known so he doesn’t find it hard.

Thanks so much everyone! Lots of research to be done. My lo is only 4 months old so a while off needing one yet, however I can't see us using the infant carrier for months because its SO heavy and only going to get heavier as he grows 🙈 so that's why I want to look at alternatives but one that will last him a good few years.

I used the infant carrier until outgrown all 3 times.

DS1 was 18 months, I think they used to make them bigger back then.

DS2 was having a very tall growth spurt and was 8 months.

DS3 was about 12 months, I forget exactly.

You can always leave the seat in the car if the baby is too heavy to carry in it.

Also worth noting that spin seats are VERY bulky and can leave you with less space in the front than a more compact rear facing seat.

What compact rear facing seat do you recommend @DisgustedOfTidmouth?

The Avionaut Sky and the Britax Maxway/Maxway Plus are the most compact.

They are all heavy I think. That's why we never took the seat out of the car.

What Apple said.

Though even my Minikid is more compact that the Joie spin.

I know someone who had two Minikids in a Nissan Leaf.

Yes, the 360 is bulky - we had an Astra at the time, and when DC2 came along we had to turn DC1 forward facing as DH couldn't get his seat back far enough with it rear facing.

We have a Tucson now and that wouldn't be an issue I don't think (it's on the passenger side now with DC2 so less of an issue).

My DS is 13 months old big for his age and still fits in is baby carrier car seat . Not sure for how much longer though ! They are soooo heavy which means taking the pram base everywhere .

We have the Britex eclipse from DS1 but I have also been looking into the spin car seats .

If there isn’t enough room for him to rear face there also isn’t enough room for him to forward face.

You need a 55cm gap of survival space to prevent injury.

Moot for me now, but might be useful for someone else - could you provide some evidence for this? I've just flicked through the PDF instruction manual online and can't see any such guidance.

Totally crucial to consider your child’s centile (both height and weight) before making any decisions. If above 50th centile forget about the spin seats and look for one of the ones mentioned above. If I had my time again I’d buy an Avionaut Sky.

It is so very, very much safer to leave them rearfacing for as long as possible, and is totally normal in many other countries, particularly Scandinavia where the mortality rates for children in car crashes are significantly lower.

My 91st centile eldest rear faced till 4.5 in a Axkid Minikid 2. Youngest who is 50th centile has absolutely bags of room in it at the age of 3.5 and will leave her there at least until she goes to school.

Surely the Joie 360 is going to be loads heavier than the infant carrier? Can you not just leave it in the car?

Of course it’s not going to be in your car seat manual; they don’t provide general car seat safety advice otherwise they wouldn’t be selling a forward facing seat.

More info here, but it’s pretty much common sense anyway:
https://www.fundacionmapfre.org/en/blog/survival-space/

Sorry, perhaps me being thick but I still don't see any reference to a specific measurement, just advice to keep the seat as far forwards as possible (sensible, but has to be balanced against the ability of the driver to control the car).

Personally, I would only be considering any particular measurement if it was backed up in peer-reviewed research in a reputable journal, or well reasoned guidance from something like a road safety authority. I've never seen anything like that which is why I asked.

The information is out there if you’re interested, I don’t really have time to google it for you.

Considering you forward faced I’m not surprised you have never seen anything like that.

When considering the safety of your child you (the general you) should always do your research to ensure they are as safe as they can be. That’s what ERF seats provide.