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Original poster

Best second stage car seat

36 replies

DebL · 09/03/2003 07:44

DD at 9 monnths old is about ready for her next car seat. She has been in a Britax rock a tot, and I like the Britax brand.
My only problem now is which one to choose for the second seat - Which has the best safety record (have Which? done a report?), which one fits best in an Astra and an audi A4 and should I get one that goes up to 4, 6 or 11 years?

I have read mumsnet's guide, but it seems a little out of date when you look at the models on the market now.

I thought I had finished with baby buying dilemas, but this one seems the worst yet!

Any advice gratefully received!!

OP posts:
bundle · 17/03/2003 15:36

just had a look at the Britax Trio car seat (£74.99 on kiddicare website) - wondered if anyone had tried it - it says it's suitable from 9 months to 11 yrs and works as a booster seat too.

eidsvold · 17/03/2003 17:06

tinker - I thought it was all right as long as they are in a safety seat if applicable and there is no passenger airbag. (I think)

bundle · 17/03/2003 17:09

researcher at Philadelphia Children's hospital told me that children under 12 are always safer in the back of a car, even if the airbags have been disabled. I had to put dd in the front in her 1st stage car seat cos our seatbelts in the back of our car weren't long enough and I felt terrible about it.

Corbin · 17/03/2003 18:31

The others are right, the safest place for children is the backseat, preferably in the middle. If that's not possible, the front passenger seat can be acceptable as long as there is no active airbag. The airbags have broken necks of children who were in front of them.

Tinker, about legs. As they get older they tend to cross their legs, almost buddha-style. Not quite that much, but you see what I mean. It could be argued that the legs will be in danger if the seat is pushed up in a collision. Personally, I would rather deal with broken legs from a rear-facing collision than severe whiplash/possibly broken neck, and internal organ injury due to the weight of the child slamming forward onto the restraint. Part of the benefit of rear-facing is that if the carseat is installed properly the body takes the force of the collision down the spine, absorbing shock instead of having the body take the brunt of the impact by flying forward and doing a whip-crack effect with the limbs and head.

I think that on the website I posted before there is a picture of a three year old rear-facing, that demonstrates what they do with their legs. I wish you could post pictures on mumsnet!

Claireandrich · 17/03/2003 19:39

Both of car's manuals says the safest place to put the car seat is behind the passenger seat. That's what we have always done as a result. It also suggests not to use the front seat unles absolutely necessary.

Tinker · 17/03/2003 19:42

Thanks for advice. I put her in the front, next to em so we can chat and pass things to each othr more easliy. No passenger airbag. Just wondered if it was actually illegal as some people have told me. Seems not.

Tinker · 17/03/2003 19:43

Meant to add, at about 9 months or so, my daughte could - and did - twist and wriggle herself out of her car seat so being in the back woudl have been a nightmare. Needed her next to me so I could restrain her!

Corbin · 19/03/2003 04:44

Tinker,

When I was between one and two years old, my parents called my Houdini because of my carseat antics. My father actually resorted to tying me into the carseat with ROPE, only to find me bouncing on the seat five minutes later! My mom had to have my carseat in the front seat as well so that she could hold me down with one hand and drive with the other. I must have been an insane child!

Nome · 15/08/2003 10:50

Hello, read this thread with interest and thought I would resurrect it...

The top of my seven month ds' head is now level with the top of his 0+ Britax Rock-a-Tot. He has been officially heavy enough for a forward facing seat since he was four months old, but after reading this thread, I decided to wait until he could sit. He can now sit unaided for over 30 minutes at a time and weighs a ton (about 24lb we think. HV is a moron, so he hasn't been weighed in a while.) Britax told me their seat is safe until 29lb.

What should I do? Is there a defining monent when I should shift him out into a foward facing seat? How far above the parapet can his head safely be?

Gem13 · 15/08/2003 11:23

Nome - I followed Corbin's advice on her and my DS (13 months and 24 pounds) is in the Britax First Class rearward facing and we're pleased with our decision - it seems to make sense. Britax told me too that in Scandinavia children are kept RF until they are 4.

We will follow Britax's advice and switch him to forward facing at 29 pounds.

24 pounds at 7 months - what are you feeding him on??? My HV said that they really level off after 12 months and may only put on 1 or 2 pounds in a year so hopefully we'll be able to keep DS RF for a while yet.

HTH.

Nome · 15/08/2003 17:34

It's not really the weight that concerns me - it's his little head inexorably rising over the top of the car seat...

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