Car seats: tearing my hair out!!!

[MrsTittleMouse]

I'm 33 weeks pregnant, and after my little scare at the hospital this week I've realised that I really need to get things in order ready for my LO. I obviously need a car seat, preferably a combination rear and forward facing, as she's been really tall in all her measurements (just like her Dad), so we'd risk her out-growing an infant carrier before she was really ready for a forward facing seat.
OK, here's the problem. We don't have a car at the mo. So LO will be transported in Grampa's car (Ford Focus), Granny's car (Toyota Yaris) and whatever we end up getting (might well inherit a Peugot 405). All the info I can find online says to go to the store with the car to fit the carseat, but we can't do that with 3 cars, one of which we don't own! The Britax website was the only exception, but their combination won't fit the cars when rear-facing, so that's no good.
Is there any database that gives compatible cars for car seats? Why isn't this info easily available?!?!?!
AAARRRRRRGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Mothercare have NO info at all on their website, and won't answer the bloody phone either.
Please help!

go to halfords

talk to them there, they will have info to hand, you wont need all 3 cars

good luck

if you go to the britax website you can type in the cars and they'll tell you the model. only britax ones, though, unfortunately.

Britax Fit finder will give you an idea as to what positions each of their seats fits in. However the type you describe which can reverse like the First Class are notorious for being awkward to fit. There is also a BebeConfort which can face either way iirc. Your local RoSPA office may be able to advise you.

I know you don't want to have to change it again early on but a standard infant carrier is likely to be the most compatible and you'd then get a feel as to which car you travel in most for the next. It isn't height that determines when they outgrow it but weight.

the problem we had with incompatibility in both the stage 1 and stage 2 three years ago was with the length of the seatbelts. (I'm not sure what the other reasons why some models won't fit certain cars) but after trying several in Mothercare we bought a Britax both times. Our stage 2 is a Britax First Class which is also rear facing for newborns. This was pretty much the only one that would fit our Ford Escort at the time and will shortly be used in our Focus.
p.s. buy from Kiddicare.com they are cheaper!

maybe you could buy 2 if thats the only way you can go

and get the grandparents to chip in, its for their cars after all

but honestly, i would go to halfords and have a chat with them

they will give you loads of advice and it wont be biased to one make

We had a similar problem with ds's length. He was really tall and his head reached the top of the Mamas and Papas carrier seat by 5 months. In the end we bought a Britax Babysure which is dirt cheap (under £40) but so much longer than most of the ordinary carriers. The weight guidelines on it are up to 29lbs or 13 months - dd was in it until 11 months when she got fed up facing backwards. It also has alternative seatbelt routings so it's quite likely to fit all 3 cars. Might be worth a look.

There is a height limit on a lot of infant carriers. I know as ds hit his at 4 months old.

We bought a rear & forward facing seat called a triple play from the US but this was because we wanted to use it for travel too and it comes with drop down wheels. It fit all the cars we have used it in and that is a lot (Nissan Micra, Ford Mondeo lease in the U.S and four other hire cars in various countries) but you have to strap it in with the seat belt each time which is a bit of a pain.

When Ds went forward facing at 16 months (he is tall but very light) we bought a Britax forward facing one so we now have a spare which is useful.

The Britax babysure is discontinued. Bum! It looked as though it would have fitted the cars too. The Britax First class will only fit forward-facing, which isn't much use.
It isn't the cost of getting two seats that bothers me, my ILs have given us cash for it anyway, it's the height issue. Does anyone know how dangerous it is to put a tall-but-young baby in a forward facer? I know that we can't keep her in a new-born seat once her head reaches the top of the seat...
Blimey, and I thought that I was going to spend this time with my feet up, picking out cute little outfits.

Argos and Mothercare still sell the Babysure. It might be worth going on line and checking if anywhere has them in stock. I'm sure places will still be selling them if they're in.

You may still be able to get the Babysure - it just isn't being manufactured any longer - such as here . Alternatviely look for a Rockatot which si similar. Thought they were still technically safe until their ears were level with the top of the back rest.

It is very dangerous to move them forward facing early, their head still outweighs the strength of the neck for a good while. In some countries you don't turn them forwards even at 9kg or before a year but perhaps there are larger rear/combination facing seats on offer.

The concord ultimax will fit most cars I've tried (excepy my micra) - as long as it doesn't have long buckles (my problem) and it doesn't need a huge amount of seat belt. From your post you've mentioned that you may be thinking about having to go forward facing before 9 months - this is really not a good idea if you can avoid it. My son was very long and I felt pressured to move him early, he was in a graco. I'm 36 wks and this time I've gone for a 0+ car seat - the creatis - it's longer than most infant carriers so should last longer - it's also got a snuggly lie flat newborn insert

I would call the Britax Customer Service number and talk to the person on the end of the phone as they are, in my experience, very knowledgeable about their products and makes of car. britax customer car This isn't a plug for britax but i have bought 5 of their seats so far and been very happy with them.