Car seats

Khannie

So our 2 year old (3 next week) is nearly too big for her current car seat. What's next? Just a booster? There's a lot of fancy looking (and expensive!) stuff out there. She's about average height for her age.

eimsRV

Oh My - they grow out of them that quickly? I think my car seat says 9mos to 4 yrs.

I'm prob not much help but how about something like this http://www.kiddicare.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/productdisplayA_36_10751_-1_14568_97598_10001_14568 that has recline feature and head rest, and also you can change it to a booster seat later on. I've seen similar ones on sale in halfords recently.

I wonder is there anything else on the market that is safer for children of that age?

Khannie

Yeah, that looks pretty good. I wouldn't mind spending 40 sterling alright. Some of the ones in argos were over 100 euro. Got a bit of a shock.

I'm not sure if she's officially too big for her current seat, but she's getting there. Also, we just had our 3rd and space is now an issue in the back for us with the babys car seat.

littlebug

I have something similar. You use it like a regular car seat at first ie it is strapped in with the seatbelt permanently and the child is strapped in with a 3 point harness and when the child is bigger you just use the seat belt as per normal.

Moonbeam

Here is the law if it helps - http://www.rsa.ie/childsafetyincars/procontent/KNOW_THE_NEW_LAW/KNOW_THE_NEW_LAW/Navigation.html

Hellrazer

Heres how we worked it.

Rear facing seat up until around 9 months or so or until it gets uncomfortable for them....then a front facing seat with an adjustable back like this one

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/3761346/Trail/searchtext%3ECHILD+CAR+SEAT.htm

The above one is recommended up till 4 years of age but we`ve found that they outgrown them around 3 or so.

So from 3 onwards they`ve all been in booster type seats like this one

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/3763492/Trail/searchtext%3ECHILD+CAR+SEAT.htm


Also dont believe the hype that more expensive means more protection.Once its rated and approved you have the same level of protection.So 2 seats rated bo ISO can differ in price from 50-200 euros.

Heres an example for you--a lad bought 2 Volvo branded seats off me not so long ago for over a grand for both.The exact same seats without the Volvo logo on them cost me 250 for both in Halfords up North.So it makes sense to shop around.

parsi

From around 3/3.5 onwards we used Graco Junior Maxi (or similar) booster seats that also have backs. They were around 60euro in Smyths and have stood the test of time.

CJhaughey

Does your child fall asleep in the car? If so stay with a recliner, we have just moved to the Graco highback type seats and they don't allow kids to fall asleep without falling forward and slumping over.
This kind of seat would be better
Until the child can stay awake throughout a journey.

Edit: Ebay is great for Car seats , I found a place that sold two of the Graco seats brand new delivered for 80 stg.

Wantobe

Our two are now both in booster seats, youngest is 3 and has been in a booster for a while ( both parents are above average height, so maybe they are a little taller too). We bought ours for around 30/40 mark from a normal nursery shop ( it was in Tralee). Only thing I would say is that one of them has a cup holder and is very handy for a bottle of water or a drink with a straw on a long journey.

Orion

we put the twins in boosters when they were 3. 20 quid each from Lidl. There's no point in spending lots of money on what's the equivalent of putting two phone books under them to raise them up. Once the seatbelt goes over her correctly that's all you need.

Khannie

Thanks for the replies everyone.

The most important things with car seats is not the childs age but their weight. People make this mistake alot and by doing so put their child at risk.

Booster seats which only use the cars own seatbelt are not suitable for children under 15kg.

Children should not be put into a forward facing seat until they are at least 9kg.

Khannie the one that littlebug is talking about is the one that you need.

This type is ideal as it can be converted to a regular booster seat when your child reaches 15kg. And then to a booster cushion when the child reaches the correct height.

Edit: Sorry forgot to add link to seat! Here you go

Ickle Magoo

Hiya Khannie,

We had the Britax first-class seats but after an accident we had to replace them and with a 3 & 4yr old we were loath to get another 9-18kg seat. We ended up going for the evolva which changes from 5-point harness in full seat to seat-belt & booster so hopefully they will just grow with the kids now. It's this one:

http://www.kiddicare.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/productdisplay0_10751_-1_50059_10001

They are roomy and very secure & I like keeping with the five-point harness & side impact protection for as long as I can. hth

Sleipnir

Macros42 wrote: »

we put the twins in boosters when they were 3. 20 quid each from Lidl. There's no point in spending lots of money on what's the equivalent of putting two phone books under them to raise them up. Once the seatbelt goes over her correctly that's all you need.

3 Year olds should not have booster seats which do not also adjust the belt so that it's not near the child's throat.

The one's above are okay, e.g. http://www.kiddicare.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/productdisplayA_36_10751_-1_14568_97598_10001_14568

These, certainly are not okay for a 3 year old.
http://www.kiddicare.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/productdisplayA_36_10751_-1_14568_54356_10001_14568

My girlfriend used to work in Mamas & Papa and you wouldn't believe the stories people had about parent's buying child restraints (putting a newborn in a booster seat above because the proper ones "don't match the upholstery", for example)

Always get professional advice.

Ickle Magoo

Ickle Magoo wrote: »

Hiya Khannie,

We had the Britax first-class seats but after an accident we had to replace them and with a 3 & 4yr old we were loath to get another 9-18kg seat. We ended up going for the evolva which changes from 5-point harness in full seat to seat-belt & booster so hopefully they will just grow with the kids now. It's this one:

http://www.kiddicare.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/productdisplay0_10751_-1_50059_10001

They are roomy and very secure & I like keeping with the five-point harness & side impact protection for as long as I can. hth

I will have to +1 for Britax. I think they're the most solid seats (just my opinion)

I know someone mentioned that all car seats are the same as they are approved they offer the same level of protection but I'm not sure that's true. It's like cars. I'd feel safer in a volvo than a micra even though they're both safe to be on the road.

Check out which, or just do a google for car seat ratings.

Macros42

Macros42 wrote: »

we put the twins in boosters when they were 3. 20 quid each from Lidl. There's no point in spending lots of money on what's the equivalent of putting two phone books under them to raise them up. Once the seatbelt goes over her correctly that's all you need.

I missed this reply on to be honest I'm shocked.
I urge you to do some research into what is safe for your children.

The RSA (and the European Law) states that booster cushions are safe from 22kg onwards (approx 6 years old)

Sleipnir wrote: »

3 Year olds should not have booster seats which do not also adjust the belt so that it's not near the child's throat.

The one's above are okay, e.g. http://www.kiddicare.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/productdisplayA_36_10751_-1_14568_97598_10001_14568

.

These are only ok if your 3 year old is over 15kg.

It really upsets me how little people know on this subject. No offence intended to you Sleipnir at all. There isn't enough education out there but I really think that parents should make it their business to ensure they are fully aware of the dangers of choosing the incorrect seat.

Ickle Magoo

Macros42 wrote: »

we put the twins in boosters when they were 3. 20 quid each from Lidl. There's no point in spending lots of money on what's the equivalent of putting two phone books under them to raise them up. Once the seatbelt goes over her correctly that's all you need.

We were in a car accident, a lorry hit us - spun us around and then hit us again, my daughter who is the same age as your kids was in a full seat, it was cracked in three places & she had a very sore neck. If she'd been on a booster seat I dread to think what the outcome would have been.

nesf

Hellrazer wrote: »

Also dont believe the hype that more expensive means more protection.Once its rated and approved you have the same level of protection.So 2 seats rated bo ISO can differ in price from 50-200 euros.

This is not the case. Which? have performed multiple safety tests on car seats and found considerable variation in safety performance among them. Many car seats of a particular rating exceed the rating requirements, in some cases by a long way.