This is the carseat we bought for our son, Samuel. It's an Eddie Bauer Deluxe 3-in-1 that will work as a rear-facing seat up to 35lbs and front facing from 22-50lbs. At which point it will convert into a booster seat that works up until 100lbs. All of these are great attributes, but none of them is the *real* reason we bought this seat. I had no experience at all with babies until I had one. I knew that a) children sat in car seats when they were little and then at some point in the future no longer sat in them and b) that when I was a little girl I had to sit on a booster seat that looked like a stepstool with a brown velvet cover (it was very 80's).
When we were expecting our son we went to Walmart and bought this:
Or at least something very similar to it. It was a crummy stroller and a terrible infant bucket seat that took forever to do up with a squirmy baby in it. I detested it, and Samuel grew quickly anyway, and so we knew we needed another seat and I was darned if I was going to buy something that would frustrate me as much as the Safety 1st bucket seat had frustrated me. The only carseat I'd ever seen in action was for my nephew, and so I went to Sears and purchased the exact same model (same fabric and everything) that my sister and brother in law had for their son. It cost around $250, which made me confident that it wasn't a cheaply made seat, and that was that, I thought.
But I feel as though I've had nothing but problems with this seat. To start with, it has a level on the side that, to be level with the ground, requires the seat to be practically lying down in the car. I've actually been in cars where I couldn't install the seat rear-facing and had to install it front facing simply because the front seat wouldn't move up far enough. I've had to start carrying a towel with me in case the seats of the car are overly sloped when I install my carseat. The level drives me crazy. And then there's the tightening belt, which requires my full weight on it to make it tighten. And the seat is so large that it takes up half of the back seat of a car, making anyone who shares the back seat with my son very squeezed.
So. Anyway. The seat works, and it was expensive and I have no intention of replacing it for the reasons listed above. But I also don't want to buy the same seat for baby #2. I'm exhausted by the prospect of having to research and choose another car seat, and yet that seems to be what's going to have to happen.
Tell me, what car seats do you use and why? I already know the answers for a few friends, but strangers? Romans? Countrywomen? Ahem, speak to me.
3 comments:
I loved the graco infant seat they have a bubble that moves to tell if they are level , also look for one that has the pull string to tighten, that I would go with a radiant xl for when she gets bigger I love everything about them but i haven't gotten to ever use one so i don't really know if they are very comfortable for the little ones :)
The best infant seats we used were the graco, they go to 32lbs now,and has a bubble that moves to tell once it's level also get the one that has an adjuster for the straps on the front,much much faster, and you can adjust each time you go out, so its always a perfect fit. When you came home they can still sleep while you put the groceries away or grab you toddler their snack, Instead of waking up when you bring them in because the whole seat comes right in the house, I always felt safer with them in their seats once you have more than one little one you don't always have as many hands as you need and the baby is safe in the seat, sitting there on the floor or in the stroller, especial when you are out and everyone wants to touch them. You can have the cover over the seat and most ppl stay away.
Trying to keep a a busy toddler happy and hold ur baby while out shopping or walking can get stressful, so having the seat or a carrier like an ergo for ur new one might be easier on the nerves :) you don't have to worry about where to set the baby if the other needs changed or feed.
I would love to try out the radiant xl for the boys, it would be on my list if we could afford new ones but they are expansive.
We have baby, Ken goes to Walmart and picks out cheapest infant seat, I spend the next 4 months cursing both it and Ken every time I put the baby in it, infant seat is joyfully pitched ASAP, existing children demolish it, I get pregnant, repeat.
That's how it goes around here.
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