Hi, I have a 3.5 year old, a 18month old and a 6month old baby. We currently have 2 booster seats and a rearward facing convertible seat squeezed along the back of our Toyota Aurion sedan. The problem is when we turn the baby’s seat forward facing, it no longer fits. Are there slim line carseats &/or booster seats available in Australia? I would prefer to buy new carseats then having to buy a whole new car! I would also prefer to buy models that would take the them from toddler right up to age 7 if possible… Can anyone help?

I have measured the backseat and it is 1.25m.

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Can someone help me unravel this mystery? From what I understand I need to buy three car seats as my daughter grows up, an infant seat, 2nd stage seat, then a booster seat. Is that right? Or could I have just bought the convertible seat in the first place? I already have the infant seat and my daughter has outgrown it, so now I’m ready for the next one which I believe is the convertible. And how does this one work as far as bases go, do you buy an extra base so you can switch from car to car or does the convertible not work that way? Do you take your kid out of the convertible seat every time or do you take the seat out and carry your kid in it like you do the infant seat?
So confused??!! Thanks so much for any advice!!
EXACTLY WHAT I WAS LOOKING FOR, THANK YOU ALL!!

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We are looking for a booster seat that is has both a 5-point harness and a belt-positioner for when our son turns one in a month. I have been looking at the Safety 1st Summit and the Eddie Bauer Astoria (which turned out to be the EXACT same seat, both made by parent company Cosco), but the user manuals say to use the 5-point harness for children 34-43 inches. The Chicco KeyFit30 rear-facing infant seat we currently use has a maximum height of 30 inches.

I’d really rather not have to buy a lot of intermediate car seats, and I don’t want to have to buy a bulky convertible car seat because we have a compact car (’06 Saturn Ion 2). I have doubts that ANY of the convertibles would actually fit in the car as a rear-facing seat – the Chicco we use now pushes the front seat all the way forward.

Any suggestions on seats would be appreciated.

Thanks!
I called the local fire department – they don’t do car seat checks. They recommended one local hospital’s seat check program and the Red Cross. The Red Cross doesn’t do seat checks either, but they recommended the local SAFE Kids chapter, run through the other local hospital.

The first hospital is holding to new recommendations that the American Academy of Pediatrics is making (although they are not anywhere on the AAP site) that children should be rear-facing through 18 months and 35 pounds, but they offered to help me find a convertible seat at their next seat check event. The other hospital / SAFE Kids program could not think of any products that actually work.

The car seat section manager at Babies R Us flat out told me that no seats are currently made like that – that you MUST go from and infant seat to a convertible to a harness/booster seat. (But I wonder if he’s just trying to sell me more seats.) And the pediatrician has not product recommendations.

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Generally, convertible car seats allow rear facing up to 35 pounds, yet booster seats that use just the seat belt allow use from 30 pounds and 34 inches tall. Hypothetically, I could put my toddler in a belt-positioning booster seat sooner than he would outgrow the rear facing limits of his convertible seat. Why is there such an overlap in acceptable use limits? (Our state child restraint laws just say that a 5 point harness is recommended up to 40 pounds but not required, for what that’s worth.)

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I really want a car seat that just comes out and hooks right on the stroller….so I don’t have to take the baby out of the car seat & put her in another seat, wake her up, etc. But I think the convertible car seat is a good idea so I don’t have to buy a new car seat every few months. They have ones now that are 5 point car seats that go from infant, to toddler, to booster seats. What did you use for your infant/toddler? What would you reccomend? I was thinking of getting the travel system and the convertible seat too.
WI MOM- Wow…..I was asking about what the best stroller and car seats are for infants. Who said anything about not holding my child!? I said I was thinking about the travel system because if I have the baby in a seperate car seat, I will have to unbuckle & move her to another seat which will wake her up etc. If I’m going some where it’s a lot easier to just pick the car seat up and attach it to the stroller without having to disturb my newborn child! Please stay off of the parenting posts because you’re obviously a psycho, judgemental person. All I asked was what the best stroller is…….I will be a good mom!

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A new baby is coming and we are trying to avoid buying a new car for the first little while! So we will have one infant seat (for new baby), one booster/5-point combo seat (for 3.5 year old) and the regular convertible seat (for 1.5 year old). Thanks!!!

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I have a 3 year old who is in the 90th percentile for his height. He is HUGE. We were looking into getting him a booster (one with a back of course) because it seemed he was too big for his carseat. We mentioned this to his pedi at his last checkup, and we were informed that in the state of CO where we live a child has to be 4 before moving into a booster. Since then he has of course gotten even bigger. He has a convertible seat that goes up to 50 pounds, but his shoulders are above the highest setting, and he is close to 40 pounds. He won’t be 4 until next April. Is it dangerous for him to remain in the seat if he is too tall for it? What should we do here???

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As I have mentioned in previous questions, I have a large son. He is 9 months now, and is 30" and 32lbs. We have him in a Costco Convertible seat, but the weight limit is 40lbs. My husband and I are on a fixed budget, not a ton of spending money, and I was wondering if we should get a bigger convertible seat with a higher weight, or juts move him to a high back booster seat when he outgrows the convertible?
I have an appt with his doctor next week for shots and well baby check up, and am going to ask him while there, but wanted some mommies and daddies opinions.
I know I need to do what is best and safest for my son, which is why I am trying to figure out what is best. I was hoping that when he started crawling he wouldn’t gain as much weight, or even lose a few pounds being mobile, and now that he is almost walking, he seems to want more food now then ever!

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Ok, so I have noticed 3 types of booster seats

1. It looks like a convertible car seat with a 5 point harness, but doesn’t rear face.

2. Has a back, but uses the car seat belt.
3. Has no back.

What is the difference?
What should be used and why?
How do I know what is best?

My son is only 6 months, but I am just curious for the future, even though it is some years, but I just want to know.

Thanks
ALso, the first one, I think can use the car seat belt too, so when though?
To Lena, thank you for your answer. It was very helpful. I do have a convertible seat, The Fisher Price Voyager Deluxe and plan to keep my son rear facing for well after he is one, since is is already 20 pounds. Thanks again.

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My 5 year old sits in a booster seat (no back). My 3 year old sits in a convertible seat but I’m looking to buy a high back booster that will fit with both the infant car seat (new baby) and the no back booster of my 5 year old. Can you help? Brands that may fit?

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