Need New Infant Carseat!

[almostsane]

I found a website that has the Eddie Bauer Designer 22 on sale for DIRT CHEAP!!! It has been 2 1/2 years since DS was in an infant car seat and I need some help. I don't want to spend a whole lot of money on this carseat. DS was out of the infant seat before 5 months old! He was huge and I could not carry it anymore with him in it. I just want to make sure the next ds is safe. I have read some reviews on this seat and they seem to be really good, but since it is so cheap, I just want to be cautious. Any advice? Any really good recommendations?

[Joolsplus2]

That is SO hard to use right and SO hard to install, I'd really skip it (like everyone else did, hence the low price....)
Check for good deals on the Graco Snugride or Graco Safeseat 1... they can be found for under $100, and even if you don't WANT to carry the kiddo around when they get heavier, you can keep using the seat in the car anyway, and of course get a stroller frame so you never have to carry it anywhere ;). Snugride fits most kids to at least a year, Safeseat 1 to at least 18 months... you'll find the infant seat way more convenient now that you have a big kid to chase around :)

[almostsane]

I was afraid of that. Someone just smack me upside the head and remind me that if something sounds too good to be true, then it is. Thanks for the advice. I will start looking for one of the others. I had a Graco with DS#1, but sold it because we weren't sure when we were going to try for #2. It was a great car seat...easy to use, easy to carry, etc. I would get another one, but that one is very expensive.

What is your opinion (anyone) on buying an infant car seat from a children's consignment sale? Part of me is very reluctant, as you just never know what has happened to it. Part of me would like to believe that NO MOTHER would ever put an unsafe car seat in a sale.

[Davids-Coco]

Honestly, i wouldn't do a second hand store. But I would hit up any friends who's car seat history you know. Our companion is not being used for the first time in 17 months. Our DS used it for 6 months and then a friend has used it since. I loaned it out with the understanding something could happen... and that they would tell us if it did. And it still looks great enough to be saved for potentially being used for our next baby.

[babystuffbuff]

Part of me would like to believe that NO MOTHER would ever put an unsafe car seat in a sale.

Part of me would like to believe that, too.....but since there's no way to know absolutely 100% for sure about the history of the seat, it's really not safe to buy a used one.

Albee Baby (and other places, too) are having sales right now since it's about time for new patterns to come out. Here's a Safeseat for $99: http://tinyurl.com/2u93d4 and a Baby Trend for $79 (which is actually a seat I like a lot, though I believe you have to put the handle down while driving, which can be a pain): http://tinyurl.com/243xhp

If you look around, you can probably find a good deal on a good seat.

[codex57]

I'd just go with a Graco. Mainly cuz they likely will fit with a whole ton of other things, like strollers, rockers, shopping carts, etc.