[blParent] Car seat

[Alysha Hiller]

Hi Osman,
You can either choose to get an infant seat Or a convertible seat. An infant seat has useful features like a carrying handle, the ability to snap it into a stroller, and a smaller size, but it will only last around a year. Convertible seats tend to be much bulkier and do not have handles, but there are some great light weight options that will last longer than an infant seat.
Infant seats are designed with a base that you permanently installed into your vehicle and a carrier which can be snapped in and out of the base. However, you can install the carrier with a seatbelt only for all infant seats allowing you to use them in an Uber. If you choose to go with an infant seat, I would definitely recommend looking at onesthat allow for a European belt path when installing without the base. The standard installation only uses the lap portion of the belt over the child’s legs, but the European belt path also uses the shoulder belt around the back of the car seat behind the child’s head and seems much more secure. there are a few notable infant seat models I would recommend checking out.

First is the Doona. The seat has built in wheels, so you can transform it into a stroller very easily when you get out of your Uber. I really wish I had bought this one. The combination of car seat and baby gets heavy very fast, so the wheels would have been a lifesaver and don’t require you to carry a separate stroller or frame. One con is that the seat itself is heavier, so if you live in an upstairs apartment or something, it could be a problem. Also, when it transforms into a stroller, it doesn’t have a storage basket like other strollers do to help you carry things.

The second model worth mentioning is the Chicco Fit2. This one is designed with a higher height and weight limit so should fit most children until they are two years old. If you like the infant seat idea and want to use it as long as possible, this one is definitely worth looking into. I have this seat, and I will warn you that I do not think most children will be comfortable in the seat up to age 2, even if they officially meet the height and weight limits. it is still a good, long lasting seat though.

If you are looking for a seat that is more budget friendly, Graco has a few models that allow for European belt path installation. I found a list of all car seats that allow for this type of installation here:

https://carseatblog.com/48271/rear-facing-carseats-with-european-belt-path-routing/

If you decide to go for a convertible seat, one very budget friendly and lightweight option is the Cosco Scenera Next. The seat is somewhat bulky like all convertibles, but it is lighter than any infant seat I have seen. It doesn’t have as high of weight and height limits as some other convertible seats though, so it might only last your child two or three years. There are a couple other cheap, lightweight convertible seats as well you can find. They don’t have all the bells and whistle‘s of their more expensive counterparts, but that helps keep the weight down for portability. I would just try to avoid seats with a liquid level indicator since you will not be able to see whether the seat is properly level.

Hope this helps, and congratulations on your baby coming soon!

Best,
Alysha

Sent from my iPhone

> On Sep 9, 2020, at 3:30 AM, Osman Koroma via BlParent <blparent at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> Hello all,
> 
> My name is Osman. We are expecting our first child in Feburary. Our
> hearts is full of joy and we are looking forward to being parents. We
> are creating our baby registry and are trying to figger out what is
> important in a car seat; the model and the logistics when taking uber. Thoughts
> and ideas? Thanks for helping out! 
> 
> Rest in His grace and operate in His ways
> Osman Koroma
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