Car Seat Confusion - What do I need?

[SPR1107]

There are some many products and options out there, I'm getting confused about what I need! So hoping someone can help me!

I'm currently pregnant, and when baby is born, DS will be 2.8 years.

DS currently travels in the Cybex Sirona Swivel. This time, I would like new baby to have a car seat that I can take in and out of the car (an isofix one).

My thoughts are then that when baby outgrows newborn car seat, they'll use DS's current seat, and I will buy a new one for DS, to fix to the isofix base that was for the newborn car seat.

Hope that makes sense?

But there's so many isofix bases I'm getting confused.

I would ideally like maxi cosi, as we have pram adapters already for that brand. But do I need a '2wayfix' or a 'familyfix' or an 'easy fix'?! I have no clue!

Any help appreciated

It's all going to depend on your eldest's height and weight. If he's going to have outgrown the Sirona by the time the youngest needs to go into it, you would be better to buy a 25kg seat. Rear facing is obviously still far safer so the Britax Two Way Elite and Axkid Minikid are good choices. There are also forward facing 25kg seats (Joie Bold).

High back boosters are not advised by some until at least 4, preferably 4.5yrs so it's basically about filling the gap between the Sirona and a HBB. I think the base for the infant carrier is a red herring - none of those seats are going to be any good if your DS has outgrown the Sirona and they're very expensive for a seat that won't last long. A 25kg seat would last for a few years and then you would buy a HBB. Your youngest could go into the Sirona and then into the 25kg seat (preferably rear facing!) once your eldest is into the HBB so they would all be used.

My eldest is currently 2.4 and is 94cm and weighs 15kg.

I need an isofix base because I have a chest condition, which would make climbing in to fit a seat belt every time I take the car seat in and out, near on impossible.

So unfortunately, I am going to have to get two car seats, which although a waste, is my only option I think.

That's why I'm hoping to find an isofix base that would suit both a newborn carry car seat, plus an older child down the line.

The current cybex, will fit new baby in at any point up to 4 years old.

The previous poster has a good idea with the Britax two way elite. It's fitted with seat belt and tethers so you don't have to move it at all. It keeps the elder child rear facing to 25kg.
Pop the baby in the cybex sirona so you can swivel it. The toddler can climb into his seat.

If you have a condition which makes leaning over to fit a seat belt difficult, you might struggle with an infant carrier which clips in and out of an isofix base. They're really heavy and difficult to lift once baby is a couple of months old.

At 2.4 and 15kg, your DS is likely to outgrow either the Sirona or any of the Maxi Cosi seats before 4 years old as they all have an 18kg weight limit.

How often do you remove the car seat? The Sirona is a really heavy one, is it manageable with your chest condition? (Not trying to be nosy, just trying to think what might work! )

Do you live near a branch of the In Car Safety Centre? It would definitely be worth a visit to see what they suggest. Otherwise join 'Car Seat Advice UK' on Facebook and see what they would recommend. It's run by ERF car seat specialist so one of the best sources of car seat information.

I will have a look thanks @teaandbiscuitsforme, haven't heard of that though.

The cybex is hefty, and doesn't have a handle to carry it with.

I just wanted something for the first 6 months at least that I could just hook on my arm, and put on the floor when I take/collect DS from nursery.

But the isofix bases are so expensive, I was hoping to be able to use the same base for the next size car seat when I needed to. If it's not possible, it isn't the end of the world, I just didn't want to have to buy a separate base.

Wait, once the car seats are for the 18kg + range, so they even go on an isofix base?!

No, isofix only goes to 18kg. If it's used after that, it just keeps the seat in place when child is climbing up. It has little safety value.

You're unlikely to find a base which fits an infant carrier and a bigger seat, even of the same brand. I've noticed a lot of seats now have isofix inbuilt too.

Have you considered using a sling for the baby (once out of seat).? I know those portable car seats look convenient, but they really are flipping heavy and you'll soon be hauling it with both hands.

Op I'd go for the maxi Cosi family fix and pebble seat.

Once your LO has outgrown it. You can see then if DS needs a HBB or another harnessed seat.

Both my babies were in the pebble to at least 18mths. That would take your DS to 3 and half maybe closer to 4 in his existing seat.
At that point, you can decide on FF in a Pearl on the Familyfix base or buying one of the specialist RFing 25kg seats or a HBB.

I wouldn't class any group 1 / toddler seats as removable.

Personally I wouldn't get a Maxi Cosi base, they're horrendously expensive. The other Maxi Cosi seats are also some of the most expensive available and as they only go to 18kg, they're not even that good.

I'd really consider how long you're likely to be able to carry the infant car seat around. It's only really the early weeks/months that you can carry one under your arm. They get very heavy very quickly. You can still carry them into nursery etc but it's very much two hands needed.

In your situation I would get an infant carrier and base if it will make life easier for you but I wouldn't spend ridiculous money on one. Something like the Joie Juva with a base would be worth looking at it. It also fits on Maxi Cosi adapters for the pram. I would use that for 6 months, or until it gets too heavy, then put the baby into the Sirona.

For your DS, I would get an Axkid Minikid. It's a 25kg belt fitted seat (no ERF 25kg seat uses isofix) but it has features like self adjusting tethers so it's very easy to install. It would be a false economy to buy another 18kg seat like a Maxi Cosi Group 1 because he's going to outgrow it before 4 so you'd still need to buy a 25kg seat before buying a HBB. Even if you kept the baby in the infant carrier until he/she was at the maximum weight, it's likely your DS will outgrow the Sirona before 4 as he will be too heavy. He's also possibly going to get too tall, depending on how he carries his height.

A Joie Juva plus base and an Axkid Minikid would be a lot less than a Maxi Cosi infant carrier plus base plus group 1 seat. But more importantly it would be a much better option for your DS and the baby would be able to get use out of both the Sirona and the Minikid when the time comes.

Assuming
New isofix seat for baby + ds in Sirona
Then
Baby in Sirona + new seat for DS

Surely you’re looking for 2 seats - 1 for the baby from birth until it goes into the Sirona and one for your DS once he outgrows the Sirona/baby moves into the Sirona? As pointed out you won’t be able to reuse the isofix base for the next seat for your DS so you don’t need to worry about use beyond the baby seat. (If you are looking at maxi cosi that means you can get the cheapest base for the pebble as you won’t need the family fix/two way fix elements that allow you to use the pearl or other next stage seats on it). And then as pp have said consider something like an Axkid minikid for your DS - we have two and they’re truly excellent seats

I have no health conditions and am pretty fit and strong and really can't carry my infant carrier with DS in it. He's 6 weeks. No way could DH have hooked the thing over my arm even when DS was a newborn.

I would shift DS to a 25kg seat (2 way elite fits into similar/less space than cybex and isn't too horrible to carry and then put baby in Cybex using a sling (probably see a sling consultant for help) for nursery trips.

SS I've got the Vista 2015 and used it as a tandem. If you want to put the car seat on the upper adapters, you'd have to buy the additional seat. The cheapest way to do it is to buy the lower car seat adapters (£40?) then put the baby in the car seat on the those. Then your toddler can go in the seat as normal parent facing.

I had this combination for the first couple of months to see how we used it as a tandem and then I decided to get the upper adapters and the lower seat because I thought we got enough use out of it.

The doona is a removable car seat with wheels attached so you can take it out and just put the wheels down to make a pram, ideal for doing drop off and pick up. Quite expensive, though and depends if you can pick it up with your chest condition. I doubt you'll find one base for two differently sized seats anyway.