Andy Tang

iTrader: (3)

Our baby is due in April and we've managed to sponge a lot of baby stuff, but the only thing I really need to buy is a baby car seat.

I'm looking for something that will cope from newborn up to say 12 months.

Any recommendations?

Thanks
Andy

Andy Tang

iTrader: (3)

A few people have recommended either the:

Bebe Comfort
Britax Roc-A-Tot

Any comments on either?

Fat Boy

Andy, we've got a britax but dunno if it's a roc a tot - it's just blue and has a handle that locks in 3 positions - vertically up, 45 degrees and on the floor behind.... to stop the rocking ( ah, so maybe it is a roc a tot then).

It's pretty basic, but both kids have used it with no bad experiences. Ours didn't come with a head protector in addition to the integral moveable head rest, and that would probably be a good idea, particularly for the first couple of months.We just used the one from their bouncy chair being cheapskates.

Washes down ok and is pretty easy to put in and take out. Not too heavy so you can walk a fair way with it until the baby's too big, by which time he'll be in a forward facing seat anyway.

Tiggs

we used mamas and papas as the seat clips into the push chair = no waking the baby when getting in and out...thats worth a lot!

stevem2k

You want a 0-12 month ? We used the bebe confort rear facing for 0-6 then switched to a 'proper' car seat ( another bebe confort one ) . Small one is still in the loft if you want it for 6 months... undamaged/unmarked etc etc.

Steve

jonc

From my experience, rear facing seats are easier to get the baby to and from the car will little disturbance, handy on late nights from a long car journey and can double up as a feeding chair and rocker when visiting someone.

Dunk

iTrader: (1)

Both mine have used a Roc a tot, found it to be excellent, very versatile to fitting diff cars & is light. We originally stated off with the Mamas & Papas all in one system thing, but found the car seat is small & consequently Dunk jnr grew out of it very quickly. (Also didn't fit on top of supermarket trolleys were as the Roc a tot does.)

The only reason the all in one system gets sold is that it plays on the first time parents paranoia of waking the baby. Once they're asleep they stay asleep until they've cacked or become hungry, picking them up & dumping them in a buggy doesn't wake them. The buggy will also let them sleep flat rather than curled & crunched up in the car seat.

As with the rest of life, "all in one" combination packages give you mediocre contents, buy each competent individually & you'll get the best.

D

Andy Tang

iTrader: (3)

Thanks for the info guys! And I thought pushchair choice was heavy going!

Steve, I'll speak to you at the rolling road day (if not sooner). It's a very generous offer, so only if you're sure!

Diesel

Dear Daddy!

We used the 'flat bed' car cot from a Jane Matrix pushchair system for a couple of months (baby monsters should be flat for the first few months it seems).

We then got a Maxi Cosy Citi lightweight rear facing baby seat £45 (as the Jane Matrix convertinmg to the sit up mode was too heavy and not that good). When she was strong enough to get some neck muscles and throw large objects we got a Maxi Cosy 'Rally Look' seat - actually it was called Priory Xp or something - its got 'wings' like Didier Auriol's rally car, and is the 'best buy' with SIPS!!! Cheapest we found for these was www.glasgowpramcentre.co.uk

Register with tesco/toys are uz/sainsb/pampers/huggies etc for loads of money off vouchers for all your baby needs!!!! Should pay for the Maxi Cosy City!!!

eddie h

we got a mama' s & papas's primo something or other. rear facing goes straight from the base (fitted in the car) to the pram suitable from birth to about 18 months.

congratulations too.

get ready for the sleepless nights and the many many months without a leg over

Old_Fart

Of course I'm sure only the best is good enough for baby Tang This months Which? magazine has a childseat test (great timing as Chuck Junior is 8 months now and will shortly need a new one) If you haven't sorted it out by Monday I'll post up their findings, I'll PM you my phone number if you wanna call me tonight to find out though..but a Britax model certainly came out top in all the classes
Rgds
Cman

Chrisgr31

Its all down to personal choice, however it is definitely believed that babys should lie flat as much as possible in their first few months of live. This promptly knocks most car seats straight out of the equation! Also young babies can;t hold their head up, which means a baby seat has to hold their head still.

We went for the Jane Travel System, and got the pushchair with carrycot and rebel car seat accessories. The carrycot is fantastic, goes in the car easily, although takes up 2/3rds of the rear seat. The Rebel car seat doesn;t fit in the car so easily, the rear seats in the Impreza appear to be too steeply sloped for it, as it goes in my wifes Almera with no problem. However connecting the seat belt round it is a pain.

Our baby will grow out of her carrycot in about the next month or so (she'll be 4 months by then) and I will be buying a new car seat for the Impreza which will be more or less permamently fitted. Its just too much hassle any other way.

hail-hail

We have a 6 month old and she is still in the Britax Roc-A-Tot. It's light and pretty easy to fit. It fits in my mondeo, the wifes Mini, my dad SAAB, a Vectra and a few others. Basically every car I have tried it in it has fitted.

Just be carefull that the seatbelt is long enough to get round the back over whichever one you choose, although the shops are legaly obliged to show you how to fit them correctly.