Need Suggestions for a Convertible Car Seat for My 4 Month Old

Look for a seat that will allow you to rearface to 33-35 pounds and forward face over 50 pounds.

Convertibles that I recommend to families include

The Evenflo Triumph Advance (NOT the regular Triumph). Rearfaces to 35 pounds, forward faces 50 pounds, has an infinitely adjustable harness and 17" top harness position

Sunshine Kids Radian65: Rearfaces to 35 pounds, forward faces to 65 pounds. Can be tethered rear facing. 17" top harness position

Britax Marathon/Boulevard: Rearfaces to 35 pounds, forward faces to 65 pounds. Top harness position of 17"/16.5". Can be tethered rearfacing. The Boulevard is infinitely adjustable.

Britax Marathon... it's probably on the more expensive side, but is perfect for big boys - will last for a very long time and looks so comfortable! Try http://www.albeebaby.com/ or http://www.kidsurplus.com/ for great deals.

My husband and I and both sets of grandparents have the Britax Marathon installed in our cars. We had our car seats professionally installed by the Westminster Police department. When I was pregnant I read that 7 out of 10 children were incorrectly buckled in or that the car seats were incorrectly installed. I found a website called www.seatcheck.org. This website lists all of the local places to go where they will install your car seat for you. It is a free service and I thought it was so helpful and educational. The officer that installed my car seat went through every detail of how to install, how tight to pull the straps, etc. He even talked to me about sunshades and the best ones to get. I had my infant seat professionally installed in my car and multiple bases in other cars that my child would be driving in. I never uninstalled the infant car seat bases until I moved my son into his Britax Marathon. Again I haven't unistalled it since it was professionally installed and my son will be in it for years to come.

Here are a few things that Officer Ralph LeBlanc told me when he installed my car seats...

*Always move the infant car seat handle to the back of the car seat while driving. If the Handle is in the upright position it could seriously injure your child in the event of a crash. It is only a plastic handle so it could break.

*Never use the sunshades that have the rod at the top and bottom. These would become missles in a car accident. The sunshades that are just held on by suction cups are a much better choice.

*If possible, have the car seat installed in the middle seat.

I urge all parents and grandparents to use this free service. I think the most important thing in the world is our chilrens safety. It takes about 1/2 an hour to have it installed and to go over all the details and it just may save your child's life.

Hi K.,
I am a mom of 6, soon to be 7, and we've been through a lot of different car seats. But there are a lot of newer guidelines out since I started buying carseats. Check out www.cpsafety.com. There is a lot of great info. on there, as well as a huge list of the different car seats, with weight and height limits, and prices. I've learned that the best option is a convertible seat which is rear-facing to at least 33 lbs, and that no matter what age your child is, they should stay rear-facing until they reach that weight limit -- it's MUCH safer. Also, a seat that keeps your child in a 5 pt. harness as long as possible is better than a belt-positioning booster, esp. when you have a large child, who may not yet have the maturity level to sit still under the shoulder belt. Several of my children fit this category, and I am currently searching for a seat like this. The top ones, I've seen are the Britax Marathon, and the Radian 65 or 80. The Radian is probably what I'll end up with just because it is a couple of inches narrower, and our car is maxed out. But there are also less expensive versions that keep the kids in a harness longer. I found a bunch by searching on Ebay, and on that website I mentioned. Because my kids are tall, I may still end up having to follow these seats with a booster, but it will be worth the price if they can use them for several years, and then pass them down to the younger ones. Good luck.

We just bought the Graco Nautilus for our daughter - she's a big 2 year old who grew out of her car seat with the 40 lb limit. THe Nautilus goes from infant to a backless booster and was only about $150 - and the 5 pt harness is good up to 65 lbs - same as Britax but much cheaper! We've had it for a few weeks and we really like it. Good luck!

Once you've found a carseat you like, I recommend babyage.com to buy it - they tend to be cheaper than stores and ship for free over $100. We have the Eddie Bauer convertible carseats and my kids like them but I've noticed that they don't give good head support for when they are forward facing and fall asleep (backwards facing is great) so I'm not sure I would recommend them.

Hi K.,
Don't buy anything but a Britax! They are pricey- but the weight limit on some of them goes up to 65 lbs- which means you won't have to buy a booster later and can keep your little one in a safer 5-point harness for much longer.
These seats are ALWAYS rated number one- and are the ones that Safe Kids seat installers recommend hands down. They are super easy to install correctly- which means your little one will always be safe. Our neighbor is a police officer and he said he would never use anything else for his kids. I guess when you see car accidents you know what is safest for your own kids!
Good luck!
-S.

I understand how overwhelming this all is. I was in the same situation about 4 years ago. I did TONS of research on what the best car seat was for me, and ended up purchasing the Britax Marathon Convertible Car Seat. They were a little more expensive than others, but worth the price! Since they can be adjusted from an infant on up to a 65 lb. child you never need to buy another one! (acutally, I purchased one more since we had another child). The only downfall I would say is that they are kind of big, so if you have a small vehicle that kind may be out. They have also since then made another one that has more features... so if you want to spend the extra money you can, but it's not necessary. Also, if this is the one you choose to purchase check out prices on the internet. There are always some kind of specials, and you can usually find it somewhere discounted. Hope this helps!

We didn't have a lot of money to spend on a car seat, and I had read that some toddlers are able to unbuckle the Britax seats so we bought an Eddie Bauer Alpha Omega Elite. I really like the seat, the only issue with it is that it's big. Rear facing didn't fit well in our Jetta (passenger's knees to the dashboard) but it fit great in our Hondas. We've been using it for 2 years and I still recommend it. I also bought a $45 car seat at Wal-Mart so we'd have a second seat around and honestly, I really like the seat. It leans back further than the EB forward facing and makes for a more comfortable looking nap in the seat. I've never tried a Britax, but I don't feel like I'm missing out :)

We have a Britax Marathon, and I LOVE it! The seat is very easy to install, which is good since we switch it between cars, and it is also easy to adjust and clean. Plus, it has a 5-point harness for up to (I think) 65 lbs. We decided that the 2 things we would not scrimp on were our daughter's crib and car seat. I did some focus groups and got gift cards to Babies R Us that we used to help pay for it. Do a search online to find sites that might sell the seats more inexpensively, too.

Also check out the Radian by Sunshine Kids. They have one that harnesses up to 65 lbs and one that harnesses up to 80. They fold for easy traveling and are made of metal rather than plastic.

Dear K.,

I got the Evenflo Triumph5 because its is convertible and it is rated safer in crash tests that the Britax carseats by consumer reports. The Britax has a higher overall rating (by a small difference) than the Envenflo Triumph5 because the harness is a bit easier to use on the Britax. It is also about $100 less than the Britax carseats. This carseat will go up to 40 lbs which on an average growth curve is aprox 4 years old.
My son loved the Evenflo when we switched and he napped longer on it during long trips.
If your son keeps on a high growth curve, get a convertible carseat that goes up to 80 Lbs. If money is not a big concern, go with the Britax in that category.

I hope this helps,
A.

Really, with new laws, your child will be in the seat for a long time. You should think of the cost over 7-8 years, and it does not seem that bad for the safty of your child. I would also suggest going to babies r us and asking them if you can take a seat out to your car (before you buy it)and make sure it fits properly, something you can handle by yourself and something that is going to work for you and your child. There are 100's of brands and colors and sizes, so, it is really up to the one you. Good luck.

We have an Eddie Bauer rear facing then foward facing car seat that can be used as a high back booster later i never used it rear facing but its worked great foward facing. I got it at BJ's for 79$ on sale regularly 99$ i think they go for a little over 100$ in Target. I didnt want to get a brand name like that but i just looked more comfortable then the rest. It has back support and the energy absorbing foam and meets all the saftey regulations thats really all that counts.

i would reccommend the Britax - yes it's pricy but well worth it. especially if its going to be you only car seat and you may be putting it in and out of your car to your husbands car etc.... the easiest car seat to take in and out - especially for Latch system (has a seat belt like clip vs. just a hook type clip) - i can do it all by myself and feel confident that i put it in right.

These other 3 i have - the biggest problem is the latch system - the hook is really hard to get on the loop in the car - and the belt has a tendency to twist when trying to tighten the belt - once we've gotten them in the car - they dont come out - the are too hard to reinstall.

Cosco Scenera - in my MIL's car - it's not all that comfy looking - not a whole lot of padding but fine for my daughter to be in it once a week

Graco Downtown - in sitter's car (3 days a week) better on the padding.

Graco Comfort sport - in my husbands car (used all weekend long) - may be a bit big for your son (does say can be used rear facing) but we've only used it since my daughter was 1 forward facing (b/c up until that point he had a pick up truck that she was never in). this once is comfy - and this once can conver to a booster and use a regular seatbelt.

I am having my second in July - once he's out of the carrier - i'll be getting another britax for my car as the primary and another comfort sport for my husbands. I'll be staying home now so - so no more extra seats in inlaws cars - and i'll be getting rid of those.

one thing to note - if your son is already growing out of the infant carrier at 4 mos - he's will probably grow out of a car seat before he's 40 lbs (which most seats go up to) - where the britax marathon is up to 65lbs.

Hi K.,

We have a Britax but I also bought a $40 car seat at Walmart as a second for my husband's car for the rare occassion when our youngest is in it...My son likes the Walmart one better, sleeps better in it, it reclines more.....

Check out Britax car seats on-line. They have large height and weight limits so that you don't have to keep purchasing car seats.

Britax, hands down. Pricey, yes, but in the long run, worth it!

I ended up getting the Alpha Omega Elite at Toys R Us. It was a little on the expensive side but I liked that fact that it went from rear facing to front facing then coverted to a booster. My son will be 5 in a couple months and he is now using it as a booster. It was well worth the expense to not have to purchase a front facing seat when he turned a year & then a seperate booster when he got too big for the restraints on the car seat. Sometimes you can get discounts through the Toys R Us flyer which helps with the expense. One thing you do not want is the type of seat that has the part you have to lift over the childs head to get them in & out. my parents got the Alpha Omega that had the lift part figuring it would be easier to get my son in & out of since it was only one connection. It took anyone who used it about 10 minutes to get it to snap in properly & if he had on a bulkie coat in the winter it was almost impossible to get him in the seat. He was a fairly thin baby - if he had been at all chubby we would have had to buy a new seat.

Yes, the convertible seats are pricey. We use the Britax Roundabout and highly recommend it. Ours is now holding up very well through a second child. Sturdy and comfortable, with a washable soft covering. It also gets high safety rating marks. Good luck making your decision.

Hi K.,
I have the Eddie Bauer 3-in-1 Convertible car seats for both of my girls...they are more expensive (around $150-$180) but they go up to 80 - 100lbs. If you buy a less expensive seat, it may only go up to 40 lbs... so even though it is a higher initial investment, it is well worth not having to buy another seat down the road. I believe they are rear facing to 35 lbs, then forward facing with the 5-point harness until 40 lbs (then a booster until 80 lbs). OH - also, at babies r us, I have seen last year's models marked down to around $100...usually the only difference is that they update the pattern...so you may be able to find a bargain! Good luck shopping!
-M.

I'm surprised your 4 month old has already grown out of his seat. I have a 10 month old that is still in her carrier. She's on the smaller side though.
As far as a car seat, I would recommend getting the seat that goes from 5 to either 80 or 100 lbs. They are a little pricey at probably 150 dollars. However, it will be the only car seat that you will ever need. It can go rear facing which is what you need until 1 years old then it can be turned for front facing. I bought one and my other child is now 5 and is still using it. I bought it at Babies R us. I would also not recommend getting the seat that has the flip over bar. In the winter, it is difficult to get the kids in and out. They get too cramped.
I hope this helps.

K., I loved my Cosco Alpha Omega, also with the Eddie Bauer name. It is rear facing up to 35 lbs, turns around to be forward facing and then in to a booster. I have used it wth all 3 of my kids over the course of 7 1/2 years, my oldest just turned 8, and it has also held up VERY well.

With 3 kids ranging from 3-8, one would think that we have a lot of carseats, but we have only bought 5 carseats. Each time my oldest had to move up, we bought a new seat for him and passed along the seat to the next in line. We also bought a regular 5 point harness booster that you can use with a seatbelt as kids get older, to keep in my husband's car.

But again, I LOVED my Alpha Omega. You can probably find it at Target, Burlington Coat Factory, BJ's (although they might have the Eddie Bauer one) and Babie's R Us.

I can't say enough good things about Britax car seats. We have the Britax Marathon. It seemed really expensive at the time, but my daughter's been riding in it for 3 years and is no where near growing out of it. It is really easy to take apart and wash, so it looks brand new. We have 2 different car seats and always use that one on our 12 hour trips to visit family because it seems to be comfortable for sleeping. Still, they are expensive - but I guess you have to weigh it out with how long the seat can be used. Good luck!

K., I so clearly remember being in your position! After much research, we finally chose the Britax Roundabout for our babies and have been very happy. Our daughter is now 2 and will be comfortable in it for a long time to come, and our now almost 1 year old son has been great in one since he outgrew his infant seat. It seems like a small fortune to spend, but you won't regret spending for the safety and comfort of your son...Good luck!

I bought the Britax Diplomat for my 5 month old son. He seems really comfy in it and it is not so big, like the other Britax models are. It was also reasonably priced. I got it at babies R us. I loved all of the safety features it had plus it fits in my corolla!

We have the Britax Roundabout which is only up to 40lbs, but my almost 5 yo daughter is still in it! Granted she's on the small side, but the Britax marathon is up to 65lbs. Britax is very pricey, but it has been worth it!

I know it is expensive but it was/is worth every penny.
We got the Britax Marathon. It is comfy....safe...easy to use....Used it for my son from age 5 months til 3 years old. Now my daughter will use it when she comes out of her infant car seat. Alot of money but have never heard anything bad about this car seat. Hope this helps.

Hi K.,
Contact my daughter, Kate O'Connell, she owns Baby on the Go and is a certified car seat installer. Her phone is ###-###-####. She's on Mamasource so she may email you too.
regards,
L. Bavota
Pure Romance by L.
www.lbpureromance.com

I really liked the Evenflo Triumph V
It isn't that expensive, and it really is a great carseat, easy to use.

Hi K.-
I would recommend the Evenflo Triumph. I think it runs about $99.00-$119.00-my son had used it up until he was about 3 1/2 then we switched to a a booster. It is wider than most seats and my son was always very comfortable in it. The only con is that it is pretty heavy, but if you're not going to be moving it out of the car (flying, etc.) then I think it's a great choice. Good luck!

Hi K.,

We have the Britax Marathon and the Roundabout because we have 2 girls. I would get the marathon to start if I had to do it all again because my 2 year old is almost grown out of the Roundabout because she is really tall for her age-3 ft. We started with the marathon and traded it in when it seemed so big, but really we should have stuck with it, and ended up getting one when our second child came along anyways. They are expensive, but I think worth it because you can take the covers off and really clean them well- some car seats don't have removable covers which would not have worked for us with diaper accidents, etc.... And they are really comfortable for the girls- oh and the weight limit is much higher, and the buckles go much higher than most. I measured my daughter in just about every brand out there before buying it.

Hope this helps! I bought ours at babies r us and used coupons to get discounts on them.

Good luck!
D.

Hi K., we bought a graco comfort sport for about 60$ when our daughter was 5 months. Shes 2.5 and we still use it. I do like the seat, its comfortable, the cover is easy to remove to wash (though taking the straps out to wash is a nightmare). Its pretty easy to adjust when in the front facing position, the rear facing position is more difficult to get the straps adjusted. Last Christmas we were on our way to visit family a few hours away and our daughter got carsick. We found the closest open store that sold a car seat since we hers was unusable until I could clean it, and I bought a 30$ cosco convertible car seat. My daughter absolutely loves this seat. It doesnt seem as cushy or comfortable as the graco, but given a choice she hands down prefers this seat. After that trip the cosco seat went in my husbands car until she asked for it so much we swapped! I thought at first that it was simply the novelty of a new seat, but 5 months later she still wants just this seat. I dont think I would ever have chosen it when she was an infant, it just seems less sturdy than the others we looked at, but I have no complaints about it at all. Its easy to adjust the straps also easy to get her in and out quickly. Good luck with your choice, I remember agonizing over what convertible seat to buy.

Everything I'd say has already been said. For a lower cost version, try this one, made by Britax under fisher price name. Compares to Marathon model. I have this and Marathon. Both are great.

Fisher Price Safe Voyage Deluxe Convertible Car Seat in Black

http://www.albeebaby.com/fiprsavodeco1.html

We went with a Britax Marathon and a Britax Roundabout for our two kids. Both are convertibles. The Roundabout is a little less but still pricy but unequalled in safety. They both are LARGE and seem ridiculous for an infant but were better when they were 6+ months old. I have a friend that works with car safety and said she'd trust nothing else than a Britax. I hear the Evenflo is also good and a lot more affordable.

Edited to add:
The Britax Marathon is one step up from the Roundabout. We bought the Marathon for my son (goes to 65 lbs) and got the Roundabout for my year old daughter because it was slightly smaller and lighter so that we'd have a bit more room in the backseat. That goes to 40 lbs. The only difference is that the Marathon is a little more plush and has a few additions like pads over the neck straps. Otherwise, they are pretty close and about a $50 savings. And, I heard horror stories about Eddie Bauer and Costco brand seats...

you should go to babies r us they allow you to take the car seats out to your car and try them you can judge how they fit in your car and how comfortable your child is in it when installed.

We bought Evenflo Triumph for my first son and loved it so much that we bought a second set of them for our second son. I researched them on Consumer Reports and for a lot less money, they were just as good as Britax for safety and almost as good for ease of use. You can't readjust them on the fly like you can with the Britax seats but once you get it set, they're very easy to use. We used them rear facing up to one year/30 pounds and up until 4 years 40 pounds forward facing.

We used the evenflo triumph. We have loved it and have had no problems. M.