Help Please!!! (carseats in cabs)

[soontobe]

I am using a graco infant car seat from my friend who just finished using it for her baby. Anyways I just realized I can only use it until 22 pounds and my baby is almost 14 pounds-I get the feeling that I should start looking for a new one, and I have NO IDEA what I am looking at/compairing/deciding Can I pretty please have some help

Also how long do you think it will be until we get to 22 pounds?
Thank you SO MUCH

[SnuggleBuggles]

It depends on where baby is on their growth curve but around 12m is a decent average for getting to 22lbs.

You can either go with another infant only carseat like the Graco Safeseat but I would probably look for a convertible carseat that can be harnessed to 65lbs. Popular seats that meat that criteria are the Britax Marathon, Sunshine Kids Radian or The First Years True Fit.

Set that 65lbs (or more) mark as a deciding factor in your head. If you can find ones that can be used longer rearfacing (like 35lbs vs 33lbs) that might be worth considering.

Beth

[mom2binsd]

Depending on where you live your choices may be limited, but please don't worry about ordering a seat online, if you find one you like, check back here with your vehicle stats, etc and many folks can give you info on how the seat fits in the vehicle. So many people are limited to a few stores and often the best choices (and prices) are not in the stores.

The folks here always know the best prices and places to order online.

[hillview]

Usually I think DC outgrows the SR by height first. Might want to also check that.

I'd go with a Britax Marathon etc.
/hillary

[KrisM]

Most kids will outgrow it by height before weight. To check to see if it is still okay for height, there needs to be at least 1 inch between the top of the head and the top of the plastic shell. So, legs can overhang without a problem, but check the head.

You'll want a convertible - something that rear-faces and then forward-faces. It's safest to keep the baby rear-facing until the limits of the seats are reached, not just the 22lbs and 1 year that you often read about. Most seats rear-face until 30-35lbs.

The Briatax Marathon or Boulevards are great and will let you rear-face for a long time and then forward-face for a few more years.

As for when your baby will hit 22lbs, who knows . How old is she or he now? My DS1 hit 22lbs at about 10 months, but outgrew his 22lbs seat at 7 month by height. My DD hit 22lbs at about 1.5 years and outgrew the seat at about 12 months. Both kids were 14lbs or so at 3.5 months. DS2 was 14lbs at 3 months, but is only 18lbs now at 6 months.

[soontobe]

my DS is almost 3 months and I forgot how long he is (I think 24 or 25 inches). So I guess I will need one in the next few months.

I live in NYC and right now we don't have a car-it is just too hard to have one here. So how do I get a car seat if I will be in and out of different cars all the time?

Also how long should I be using the infant head support for? until he can fully support his head?

thanks!!!

[KrisM]

I'm not in NYC, but I think if I were, I'd get a Safeseat. It's another infant carrier, but goes to 30lbs and 32 inches, which will buy you a LOT more time. My friend used hers until 18 months. It installs easily, too. It's a bit expensive and repetitive, but I think you will find it worth it.

ETA: It's a Graco.

[Swimfreak78]

I'm not in NYC, but I think if I were, I'd get a Safeseat. It's another infant carrier, but goes to 30lbs and 32 inches, which will buy you a LOT more time. My friend used hers until 18 months. It installs easily, too. It's a bit expensive and repetitive, but I think you will find it worth it.

ETA: It's a Graco.

FYI - now they are also called Snugride 32 as well.

[KrisM]

FYI - now they are also called Snugride 32 as well.

Ah, didn't know that. Thanks!

[soontobe]

and what would I do about taking cabs after he grows out the 32 pound carseat?

TIA