Car seat advice?

[NaatQ968]

Hi all!

First time parent, daughter is now in need of a new bigger car seat.

I have a Citroen C1 with three doors (can't get a bigger car as we can't afford it) , partner has a Nissan Leaf.

Seen this as I feel it might be helpful with me having only 3 doors, I can spin her round.

Anyone have this?

ICKLE BUBBA SPIN.

https://www.online4baby.com/ickle-bubba-rotator-360-spin-group-0123-car-seat-black?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIKKcnOXDgQMVbDsGAB071RD4EAQYASABEgLQ2vDBwE

If not, anyone else recommend any that spin?
Would need to be easy install as we'd need to change cars etc and can't afford two.

Any recommendations welcome 🥰

This one will be a pain in a 3 door I think because you have to unlatch the top tether every time and it will get dropped and you'll have to fish for it in the car and it will just be a pain. It's unsafe to use it without the top tether. It is also one that needs to be reclined when rear facing, so takes up more space in the car than most spin type seats.

All the spin seats are a pain to swap between cars because they are heavy and bulky. Actually, all of the second stage seats are a pain to swap between cars really. Would it be possible to leave the car seat in one car and you swap which car you use based on whether you're going to have DD with you or not? If this is not possible, it it likely that there is one car you'll use 90% of the time that you could invest more in a nicer to use seat and then just get a cheaper, basic seat for the other car which is used less often? If they both need to be used around 50/50 then it might be that you'll need two seats.

There are two other issues with spin seats in 3 door cars - you have to be able to access the button to spin it from the front, which rules out some other of the cheaper models, and you have to try it out physically in the car to find out if it will actually spin - the back of these seats sticks out quite a lot, so when you spin it, it can bash against the car wall and not spin any further. You can spin it the other way around so the child faces the wall, but then their legs will poke out the end after a while and you'll have the same issue. You will also want to check that it will actually fit rear facing and be able to fit the driver/passenger in front. So definitely check in the car before you buy anything, rather than buying blind online.

How old/big/heavy is LO at the moment? Has she actually outgrown her baby seat? They can last longer than people usually expect and it might benefit you to keep her in it for now to give you a bit of time.

I had the Joie 360 Spin for DGS and recently got the Graco Turn 2 Me, which is pretty much identical, for another DGS.

They both have ISOFIX and a support leg instead of a top tether. The support leg takes up space in the footwell so it’s hard to fit eg a big bag in there too, or a dog - and certainly not a buggy.

The swivel is brilliant and essential to save my back, but the harnesses on both these seats are a blasted nuisance. There are tiny fabric loops on the sides of the seat to hook the shoulder straps out of the way, magnets would be very much better, but the crotch strap sticks up and I can’t place a child in the seat and hold the crotch strap down flat at the same time. The child has to initially sit on the crotch strap while I then try to lift them enough to fish it out from between their legs. It’s inelegant, uncomfortable, bloody annoying, I’d hate to have to try it while leaning into the back of a 3-door car. Avoid!

Definitely try before you buy, eg the In Car Safety Centre, John Lewis… Halfords?