Booster or car seat?

Hi
My little darling son is 16mth and is in the car seat which he has had since bith as its one of the ones which turned round to face forwards, bith to 18KGS I think. I'm expecting our second little bundle of joy early December by which time Aaron will be 20mth. Today we went out shopping and bought another car seat for the new arrival but then thought should we have bought a booster seat for Aaron to use in December and let the new baby use Aarons old seat as have seen that the booster seats go from 14KGS and I think Aaron could be about 12KGS now. Also if anyone else has put two car seats in the back where have they put them...should I put Aaron to the side and the new baby in the middle and if you did move your eldest did you do it a month or so before hand to get them used to the differnt view of the back of the chair instead of the road in front?

Thanks
xx

hi there

i don't know what you are meant to do, but i thought i'd tell you my plan, might help might not....

we are ttc bub no 2. With DS we used a second hand convertible carseat from birth (like you have your son in) but a month ago we went out and bought a new Safe n sound MaxiRider seat that he can stay in til hes 7-8 apparently once they grow out of the harness you just use the normal car seat belt with it. My plan for next bub is to hire a safe n sound capsule, then when bub outgrows it we will buy another maxirider. This is what we are doing as we believe it to be the safest option. We will put DS behing drivers seat and new baby behind passenger seat. I don't want a carseat in the middle as i worry about the older one annoying or hurting the baby.

HTH, goodluck with bub no2

NO NO NO booster seats! Aaron needs to be in a carseat, attached to the car, five point harness until he is about 6 years old. Boosters do not give enough protection, they just raise the height of the child in the car. I put each child next to a window - it was easier access wise.

OK, so what I have done as I need 3 carseats in the back of my car is... Tehya is in her safe and sound Royale, she has been in this since birth and I think it goes up to 18 kg, 12 kgs rear facing.

As bub will be needing that seat I have recently brought Tehya the Safe and Sound Maxi Rider, this goes from 8kgs (I think) until 26kgs, it can also recline alittle which I like for when she sleeps.

Noah, who is 5 and around 20kgs still needs a booster, so I have bought him the Hipod Barcelona booster seat, you can use the H harness if you want with this or just the normal seat belt.

So, at the moment, I still have Tehya in her Royale until it get's closer to baby time, Noah is behind the drivers seat, Tehya behind the passenger and the baby, when she is born will be in the middle spot. Atleast I think that's what we're doing. Sure is going to be hard to get bub in and out though.

Oh, and in answer to your question, definately a carseat or atleast a booster that resembles one like the Highpod, the best you can get though is the Maxirider. Both the maxi and the highpod Barcelona anchor to the car and can be used with a H harness.

Our DS will also be 20 months old when his little sister arrives in November and we have just bought the Safe and Sound Maxi Rider as well. He will go into this and the new bub will go into his old seat rear facing of course. The Maxi Rider is a great seat, very safe and they can stay in it till they're about 7 or 8. So when bub is about 2 we'll get rid of the baby seat and get another Maxi Rider for her and keep both children in them for as long as possible. Definitely don't get one of the cheaper booster seats, they just aren't safe!!!

Thanks for all the info on the seats....we were in two minds whether or not to buy the one we have just incase we should be putting new bub in Aarons old seat but couldnt see anything like what yous have mentioned, all we saw was the booster seats which both my hubby and I thought Aaron was way to small for and looked more for a 8yr old. I will keep hold of the one we have just bought and go and have a look for the ones in between(maxi rider) and see how they compare.
Just for interest....what is the average age for a child to come out of the birth to 18KGs car seat as did try looking on the net but only found info on the huggies site which said about 3 or 4 but thought they may be too tall by then?

Thanks very much for everyones replies xxx

I guess it depends on how big your toddler is and of course how big your car seat it. The more "compact" ones I think your kiddy will grow out of sooner. I know that my DP has cheaper brand can seat in his car and Tehya's head is at the top, whereas in the safe and sound Royale she still has heaps of room until her head is at the top, and weight wise she will have ages, shes still only 12 kgs now, Noah who is 5 is only just 20kgs. So theorectically he could have only just came out of a carseat even though he's way to tall for one.

If you have a look on the NRMA website I think they have stuff on there about recommended carseats etc. Or google a few of the seat names we have given you on here that way you can see and compare them.

I had a booster seat with a harness which attached to the anchor point for Matilda & have just bought a maxi rider due to the fact that she is an escape artist and can get out of the harness. Its a H-harness and antisubmarining booster seat but she is 3 and 17kg and able to climb in & out of the harness. I just don't feel like its safe enough. We bought the maxi rider and will have Jovie go into that when she is outgrowing the car seat she is in & by then Matilda will be 6 and we will put her in the booster seat... thats out plan. Jovie is still rear facing & will be for a long time.

Thanks, the seat he is in at the mo has about 1-2inches before his head will be level with the top and know its once they are eye level with the top that its then unsafe for them to be in there. I think Aaron is about average in hight and weight, but would have to check as have not had him weighed properly since 4mth. Our friends have the same seat we have just bought and I think it may be higher than ours...so today when we see then I have asked if we can put Aaron in it and see if it is higher(dont ant to take ours out of the box incase we do end up taking it back). I will check out that website to, thanks Trish.
Do you think we should move Aaron over to the side in a few month or so so he can get used to it?

Thanks
Sus xx

Antisubmarining booster seat?? Where can you buy the H harness from?

quick post - yelling children....

You can get the H harness from Target, Kmart, Big W, Babies Galore. There are loads of places that see them now. I'm guessing the car seat fitting station would also stock them.

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Anti-Submarine Clip acts to prevent the child from sliding under the lap seat belt on impact (Submarining). It also improves the overall performance of the seat by restraining the lower torso, reducing the likelihood of damage to vital organs.

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Go to the Britax website, it's the proper one for safe and sound. Australian site. You find plenty of info on there.

Thanks Trish :)

Hi
Thanks to everyone for the feedback....we have decided to keep the car seat we bought and put Aaron in that(as lots of room to grow) and wash Aarons car seat so its nice and new(looking) for the bub!

Sus
xx

Just jumping in to say the maxi rider goes to 32 kg!

I think once they get to big for the 5 point harness you can use it as a booster with a harness or a normal seatbelt..

I have one for Isaac and a normal 0-4 yrs car seat for Jacob and I have another 0-4yrs car seat for this baby..

We have the SnS Royale Comvertible for the new bub (was used for DD too), and a Maxi Rider for DD (2.5 years).

When I found out I was pregnant I walked into the store asking for a car seat for my 2.5 year old that had an anchor point and a 5-pt harness, and the Maxi Rider was the only one on the market. I REFUSE to put my child in anything less. I got a lecture on cost from my SIL, but can you really out a price on your child's life? I will buy another Maxi Rider when bub #2 is too big for the Royale, as I am intending on keeping DD in hers until she's 6 or 7 (whenever she grows out of it).

I drive a Commodore and have DD behind the driver and the capsule behind the passenger. If we take DH's car somewhere (Landcruiser), they are put in the same places.

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I REFUSE to put my child in anything less. I got a lecture on cost from my SIL, but can you really out a price on your child's life?

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Couldn't agree more, we have had the same arguement with MIL who is frugal to the point of madness.

Moving to baby & toddler general discussion forum.