Recommendations for car seats

Cooper is 3.5 months old and currently in a hire capsule. I believe he'll reach the maximum weight before reaching 6 months old. So we've started looking at car seats.

Many people seem to recommend Safe-n-Sound. I've seen so many different SNS ones - which ones do you have?

We looked at some car seats yesterday and were shown the two different sorts:

1) Carseat for 6 months to 6 years (can only face forwards)
2) Carseat for newborn to 4 years (rear facing and forward facing)

I was hoping Cooper could go from the hire capsule to the carseat for 6 months plus. But it looks like Cooper will outgrow the capsule before he reaches 6 months so the sales lady said we'll have to buy a capsule which is rear facing and use that for 2-3 months and then we can turn it around. So really, we should have just bought one of those from the beginning ... but, I am glad we got the capsule I guess. It was very handy to take out of the car when Cooper was little (he's now getting too heavy!).

Anyway if you can recommend any car seats that would be a great help. Thanks!

The safe and sound ones are great. I've been happy with my convertible. They are pretty big though, so just make sure you have the space in the car.
I would recommend you go to one of the big stores that has a large range and ask for what was rated the safest in the recent tests.
The only thing I can say is that there is very little point getting the ones with all the fancy things on them as pretty soon when they reach toddlerdom everything is covered with food and sticky fingers all the time!!

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2) Carseat for newborn to 4 years (rear facing and forward facing)

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these are the safest - many you can rear-face up to 12kg - which is the safest way to travel.:)

ours is a baby love brand - they have side impact protection aswell??

Hi Fee,

We have a safe n sound royale - its being used for DD#2 at the moment. I still have it rear facing (shes 8 months).
I dont know what model is out thesedays, but we got one with a detachable sun visor (which proved pretty pointless, it kinda got in the way if you ask me)and one with side pockets to stash small toys, dummies, bibs etc. Ive found this the best feature of this car seat. Ive had other mothers comment too on how handy it is to have a little side pocket attached to the seat. We spent over $400 and that was 3 years ago. It still looks new after 2 children !!

Good luck.

The sun visors that are on some of the baby seats are not actually recomended to use because the trap the heat around the baby & they can get rather warm under there. I never bothered with the visor from my seat as I found it to be a PIA. Then I read about them carrying the risk of overheating the baby & was glad it was a PIA & I didn't use it.
I like the new HIpod range that Target have. I have the booster seat for Evan & if I needed to get a new baby seat I would get the reversable seat that Hipod do. I am pretty sure if you google HIpod you will find the seats I am talking about.

Fee - we have the Safe and Sound Meridien (I'm sure thats what its called) its suitable from birth until 4 years. I figured that by the time Allegra is 4 we will have another baby so I can buy her another booster seat and the baby can have this one.
Its really plush and matches our car nicely!

I have 2 IGC brand car seats.. I am happy with them.. Only problem I had was with the 1st seat my son got to tall for it. but then 2nd we bought is a slightly different height..

also the IGC are for compact cars.. I have a landcruiser so it fits nicely

From what I've read and heard from other people the Platinum and Meridian are the top of the range and have some special head impact thing (AHR?). Otherwise the Royale seems very popular too.

FionaJill – I did see the Hipod brand in Target and was going to look up their website. And thanks for the point about the sun visors – that's very interesting.

Hi ..
We have safe and sound, and so far we are happy with the way it holds Joshua. We are yet to turn it around! (what age do you turn them around?)

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We are yet to turn it around! (what age do you turn them around?)

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I think it's something like 6 months / 9 kgs / 70 cm.

They need to have good head control I believe.

Alot of seats say you can leave baby rearfacing till 12 kgs.. You would need to check with the manufacturer.. In saying that I turned my children around when I felt thier neck control was up to it...

sophie is 8kg, i feel funny turning her around, even though the carseat manufacturers says iys ok to do so. im going to wait till she reaches the 12kg......

Ooohhh...thankyou for this thread! We have been umming and aahing b/w a safe'n'sound and a babylove - i may be leaning toward the safe'n'sound after reading this thread. ta.

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these are the safest - many you can rear-face up to 12kg - which is the safest way to travel.:)

ours is a baby love brand - they have side impact protection aswell??

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love my baby love!!
you can rear face up to 12kg:)

I think as long as it meets Australian standards its fine. We have a capsule as well as a Mother's Choice car seat which is from birth to 4 years. After the 4 years we'll just get him a booster seat.. i know my nephew was embarrassed and was teased a little when he started school at the age of 5 to be in a booster, i think keeping him in a "baby" car seat would be worse.
They say to be careful when purchasing second hand car seats, unless you know the person, as to whether theyve been in an accident or tampered with.. the car seat is something i wanted to definitely buy new for that reason.

We'll definitely be buying new and I've also seen that many convertible car seats are now able to take up to 12 kgs rear facing which is good for young babies who are big!

Something that may be important to you (or not!!)...... when were at the baby expo I was looking at the safe and sound display. They are now offering an accident replacement warranty programme on their AHR (Active Head Restraint) models. I think this means that if the car is ever in an accidnet they will replace the straps free of charge, cos we all know that when we are in an accident we are supposed to get the seatbelts replaced (yeah right, I never have). Just a nice little incentive they have I thought. plus the ahr models don't actually meet the Australian standards they exceed them and are the only company to do this.

yeah, i think this is what the car seat warranty programme is all about....you get a replacement if you have an accident...like having insurance for you car seat. I meant I have never had the seatbelts replaced for myself....I don't have kids yet so havent had the worry of replacing seats....then again I have only ever been in one accident and that was a rear ender while I was stationary.

Well I weighed and measured Cooper last night. So at 3.5 months he is 7.3 kgs and 64 cm long.

Maybe he will fit in his capsule until 6 months of age? If so I guess we'd buy a convertible booster such as the SNS Maxi Rider which is for 6 months to 6 years and is only forward facing.

I will only buy a convertible carseat if it looks like he won't fit in his capsule in the next couple of months.

Hmmm I'm not sure what to do!

its safest to keep them rearward facing as long as possible....
the seats that convert are usually up to 18kg (my babylove one is)- my 4yo still fits in hers (18kg) - but we have just switched her to a booster seat with a lapsash belt.
why would you want to restain an older child (above 18kg) in the safest thing you can get (such as the maxi-rider instead of a booster) - but then put a 6month old forward facing? sorry doesn't make sense to me:p

Hey Fee,

We've just put Charlie into a Safe'n'Sound Premier.

He loves it - I didn't realise how squashed up in his capsule he was. Charlie is 8.9 kilos and 67 cm long - he fit ok in it, but he was squashed at the sides - he used to scream his head off when I put him in the capsule, but now he happily sits in is car seat without tears. He is a big boy though

It is rear facing and slightly reclined put when he can hold his head up better it can be turned around to be a normal car seat.

It is difficult though not having the capsule to carry him around in, if he falls asleep in the car you basically wake him up getting him out - well you do if you're a klutz like I am and bang him around a bit!

Hi Fee,

To add my 2 cents worth in I have a Hipod from Target and I love it. It's the green one (I can't remember the name of it exactly). But I think all car seats are the same when they are in the reverse position - they are big - that's why I got rid of my old car and got my new one. If you are interested in this one it's on special in Target this week for $199 instead of $260.

Safe and Sound Platinum here....LOVE IT!!!

I also love that it has speakers, so later on I can plug in an i-pod and she can listen to hi-5 etc through her car seat, and I can have my SANITY.

johT – Sorry I was a bit confused by your post? Maybe it's too early in the morning for me?! I thought once a baby was around 6 months or 9 kgs and could hold their head up, they usually switch to forward facing?

Fraser – The lady in the store told me that Cooper would let me know when he's reading to move out of his capsule. I guess like how you said Charlie would scream in his. Gosh he's such a big boy!!!

And thanks for all the other replies. :)

Just for something different we have the Fisher Price seat which is great too.

I have the new Platinum SNS - it has built in speakers - i love it to death! i plug his eyepod intohis seat put some music on and off he goes to sleep - i found this especially useful when he was facing the rearwards - coz the noise kept his amused for a while

Fee - i turned charlie around at 5 months - he was 10kilos by then and the health nurse said he had great head control so i was right to turn him around

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johT – Sorry I was a bit confused by your post? Maybe it's too early in the morning for me?! I thought once a baby was around 6 months or 9 kgs and could hold their head up, they usually switch to forward facing?

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its safest to keep them rearward facing as long as possible....
the seats that convert are usually up to 18kg (my babylove one is)- my 4yo still fits in hers (18kg) - but we have just switched her to a booster seat with a lapsash belt.
why would you want to restain an older child (above 18kg) in the safest thing you can get (such as the maxi-rider instead of a booster) - but then put a 6month old forward facing? sorry doesn't make sense to me:p

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yes you CAN turn them at roughly 6 months/9kg/good head control (check the seats instruction manual for recommendations) - BUT most of them recommend that you wait until your child is 12kg before you turn them if you get a seat that is reversible. it is SAFER to leave them rearward facing for as long as possible - most seats (babylove or safe'n'sound) let you keep them rearward facing until 12kg (check the manual). it is so much safer if you are involved in a crash. (and sidenote - great for if they fall asleep in the car - they flop about everywhere forward facing no matter what age:(!)
here in SA you got to the Redcross and they give you the current advice and can correctly install seats. other states i think one is called kidsafe??
i went recently and now my 4 yo has a H harness with her booster on their recommendation - alot safer...i had thought we couldn't use one with the lapsash belt but i was wrong:eek: oops.

now i am going to admit to being a hypocrite *blush* - my DD was turned at 10 kg/1 year, i would have liked to delay it until 12kg but the front seat was too close to the windscreen and i had to also consider the safety of my elder stepchildren.a compromise;)

i was also trying to say that if you got a convertabe seat - it should last until atleast 4 years old/18kg anyways - then you could use a booster with a H harness ....

Thanks Joh... I understand now.

I believe most of the SNS convertible seats are from newborn to 18 kgs but they say "Baby can stay in rearward-facing position up to 12kg". I guess after that they won't fit in the rearward position and you have to turn it around?

yes correct:)
they might still fit size wise - but you do need to go by the weight, not 100% sure why...
i know its important not to exceed the weight limit forward facing (18kg) as it puts stress on the car seat straps???:confused:

i love my babylove too!

me too:) but apparently they are the biggest seats you can get.
now we are thinking about bub 3 - and have a tiny car - we would need to swap to a safe'n'sound compaq for them all to fit...