Travel system car seats how long do they last

[Babyontheway21]

Hi
I think my 8 month old is starting to look a bit big for his seat, I’m sure when I bought it they said it would last up until 18 months I really think he needs one now, can that be the case they can grow out of it this quickly?

What car seats are best for the next stage? Can you give me some suggestions to research ?

I just don’t know where to start, thank you.

Why do you think they're growing out of it? Mine was a big baby and didn't get near to growing out of her first baby seat until around 14 months old?
It's safer for them to rear face until 4 years old. We switched to a Joie Stages after the first seat, but only because our car didn't have ISOFIX. You have more choice if your car has this.

www.goodeggcarsafety.com/blog/when-is-the-infant-car-seat-outgrown.html

Depending on the seat it goes by height or weight. Our baby carrier is meant to last until approximately 15 months but that's based on the average for it's height and weight limit. Have you taken out all the inserts and/or raised the headrest to the fullest? We switched to the next seat before our LB outgrew it, purely because he was nosy and wanted to see out the windows which the carrier didn't allow. The next seat we got (which he's still in) has a weight limit of 18kg which is approx 4 years old. He's not long turned 4 and still low 17kg so has a bit of time left yet, although we have the next seat ready as it was on offer!

What car seat is it

Some have a hidden wedge in the bottom like the silver Cross simplicity, unless really tall 8 months seems very early

Next seat wise if he is heavy as well as tall a 25kg rear facing sear would be better as ones like the stages only rear dace for 18kg which cud be grown out of before 4 if on the higher centile, they also don't need isofix so will go in most cars

There are two different ways of measuring car seats. Older seats are based on weight and had group 0,1,2 and 3. The newer ones are iSize and based on height but need isofix. ISize seats also have side impact testing as part of the standard (some older seats still test well for this, it just wasn't a requirement). You can look at ADAC scores for more detailed safety ratings for most seats.

With iSize it is a legal requirement to rear face up to 15 months. With the old weight system it's up to 9kg.

Group 0 is up to 13kg - they say approx 15 months (although my 10 mo is over that). Then group 1 is up to 18kg. Some seats might cover multiple groups.

Isize baby is up to 85cm - unlikely that your 8 month old would be too tall. Isize toddler is up to 105cm.

In terms of your current seat it is probably OK - they should be pretty snug. In terms of what next it depends on what you're looking for. Safety rating, longevity, unusual car, easy to transfer between cars, extended rear facing, rotating...

I found it useful to go to the In Car Safety Centre - they told me about different seats, tried my baby in them and fitted it in my car for me. Otherwise there's a great Facebook group for car seats that will give advice and look at pictures of your baby in the seat etc. They will pretty much always recommend a rear facing seat as they are so much safer.

Lots of people take their baby out too early, my son is tall and he lasted until 14 months in his. Make sure you pull his nappy down towards the buckle.

I would recommend joining the rear facing seat group on Facebook, rear facing for longer is a lot safer than forward facing. We have an axkid minikid which my son loves.

I just have a venicci one so wasn’t expensive. I just feel that he looks large in it, he probably will be fine in it but to me he just looks like he is poking out the top of not. He’s around 19lbs at the moment. Indid think it seemed early to be outgrowing it tbh. I think I I’ll go to the local baby/car seat shop and get some advice.

I’m not wanting to face him forward until safe to do so just looking to give him more space but maybe he is fine in it and I’m stressing over nothing.

Have you took out all the inserts and checked the back doesn't pull up a bit further?

I’ll check in the morning, I have one more insert to take out but it was more the height so I will check that thank you

@Babyontheway21

I just have a venicci one so wasn’t expensive. I just feel that he looks large in it, he probably will be fine in it but to me he just looks like he is poking out the top of not. He’s around 19lbs at the moment. Indid think it seemed early to be outgrowing it tbh. I think I I’ll go to the local baby/car seat shop and get some advice.

I strongly advise you to go to a specialist retailer. There is a list here www.carseatadvice-uk.com/specialist-retailers.html

I’d guess that the inserts coming out will give enough space. But if you still think he needs more room then it wouldn’t hurt to buy an I-size car seat now as it would rear face until 4 years anyway. We had a cybex sirona with DD1 (she’s 91st centile for height) and she fitted it until age 4. DD2 is in it now and she’s also 91st centile and is nearly 2 and has loads of room left. I think the joie safe spin is supposed to be good and passed the Swedish plus test, so one of the safest seats on the market now.

Can't recommend about the age thing but I would highly recommend a 360 spin car seat for the next size up. We have a Joie one and its fantastic - so easy to get them in and out, easy to change from rear to forward facing when you want to do that, or suitable for extended rear facing if you want to do that

I will visit one of those thanks. I did think it wouldn’t do any harm to buy another as I will need it eventually anyway.

There were just so many different choices but I do like the idea of the 360 even if they are a little more expensive as I can only imagine getting him in and out gets more awkward as he gets older :) thank you.

The spin seats don't last all children until age 4; some children on higher centiles for weight will reach the 18kg weight limit before they turn 4.

Also, some spin seats have taller shells that others, the cybex sirona is one of the shorter ones, although a tall child could still be fine in it if they have long legs and a more average torso. Obviously it's the height of the top half that matters!

My son was pretty high on the centiles for both height and weight, and I think we moved him out of the Cybex Sirona when he was about 3.5... I can't remember if he had much room left in it at the time but he was more comfortable in the next seat (Britax Max Way Plus) at that point.

Thank you it’s a bit of a minefield so I will definitely speak with an expert to get my head around it.

It's a long time ago but my son was huge (well over 10lbs at birth at 37 weeks), so I'm sure I moved him up well before the ages stated. Go by the weight/height recommended for your car seat rather than age.

I contacted them and they said 13kg so on paper he’s not too big for it. Still going to research seats for the next stage and get one, won’t do him any harder

Our Cosatto Hold was meant to last till i think 15 months but started looking uncomfortable around 8-9 months, we switched to joie soin at 10 months and wish we'd done it sooner as she's so much happier, she's big for age but still should be well within weight limit but it was narrow for her shoulders.

Our carriers have lasted between 5 & 10 months. Our son was top of growth charts and needed a bigger seat early, girls a bit slower growing. Current baby is 6mth and getting snug in it, she's starting to outgrow some of her 9-12mth clothes (long in the body).