Big Boy Car Seat

I have the Britax Marathon for my 18 month old and I would highly recommend it:
http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2934997
Good luck!!

Britax marathon/any other Britax are excellent, very safe seats. They also will hold child until at least 45 #,Marathon until 65#

I LOVE my Britax Marathon. It got us through two kids and a wreck and we're still happy and healthy.

You are going to need a convertible car seat, not a front facing. The convertibles rear face and foward face. THe american Academy of pediatrics now recommends keeping children rear facing as long as possible for safety purposes. Here's a good messageboard to go to and ask questions http://messageboards.ivillage.com/iv-ppcarseats and they can also tell you about all the benefits of extended rear facing and show videos, etc. 1 year and 20 lbs is the absolute minimum to turn a child foward facing. However, the laws of physics don't change just because baby is 1 year old. :-)

As far as highly recommended convertible seats:
Britax Marathon, Boulevard, or Decathalon
Sunshine Kids Radian 65
Evenflo Triumph Advanced (make sure it is advanced)

I'm with Kimberly -- we have the Eddie Bauer/Cosco model that rear faces and forward faces and goes from 5-80 pounds. We will never need another seat unless we decide to switch to a booster. I've heard wonderful things about Britax, so I'm sure that's a good choice as well.

I would encourage you to think about continuing to rear-face your child even past 1 year or 20 pounds. We kept our daughter rear-facing until about 18 months. It's safer, and she was comfortable even though she was a bigger baby (at 18 months she was probably close to 28 pounds).

Give this a read if you have a chance:
http://babyproducts.about.com/od/carseats/qt/rear_facing.htm

"A forward-facing car seat is safe after one year AND 20 pounds, but a rear-facing car seat is safer. According to NHTSA, a rear-facing car seat is 71 percent safer than no restraint at all, and a forward-facing car seat is 54 percent safer than no restraint at all."

Off my soapbox now. :)

HI Renee,
Please visit this site....cpsafety.com and keep your little one rear facing for as long as possible! As far as a great seat... I use the Britax Boulavard and we LOVE it! I cant rave over it enough! It is pricey but if you purchased it as your next seat (he would fit in it now) he could use it until 6yrs or so depending on his size. It saves from having to buy other seats and its well worth it. Good luck:)

I just wanted to add... Some people are suggesting that there are minor differences b/w the Eddie Bauer and others vs. the Britax. The major differences are that even though the Eddie Bauer has a higher weight limit, what is in the fine print is you cant keep your child harnesed past 40lbs in it... so you can then use the shell as a booster with a seat beat! The
Britax allows you to keep your child HARNESSED until 65lbs. This is why the safety rating is so much higher and thus the price.

Keep your son Rear Facing as long as possible. The bones in a childs neck do not form until the age of 6-7yrs of age. A child is safer rear facing then a forward facing 4yr old. It is okay that a childs legs touch the back of the seat. Your child my not look confortable, but a childs legs are more flexibal then adults. I would rather have a broken leg then my child paralized. The safest seat is one that is installed correctly and used correctly every single time. Here are some seats to consider:
1)Britax Marathon $280 this will RF until 35lbs and FF 65lbs harnessed.
2)Britax Boulvard CS $330 RF 35lb FF 65lb harnessed. This car seat is new and lets a parents know by clicking when the harness is snug.
3)Britax Boulvard $309 RF 35lb FF 65lb Price difference is there is no clicking when the harness is snug.
4)Britax Roundabout $230 Rf 35lb FF 40lb
ALL Britax Seats may be teetherd while Rear Facing. If you go to a car seat check they will say you can not because it is not in the car manual. Britax recomends that you do. The seats have been crash tested with and with out the seat being teetherd RF. Call Britax they will tell you it is okay to teether RF. You may also brace the front seat to the back of the britax seat. Also all britax seats have energy absorbing foam. The customer service is great. I have friends who have had issues with britax car seat covers or the seat recline will not work, and they send them a new seat no charge. I have 2 britax seat and I get a great install in my pilot and passat using seat belt and LATCH. Not at the same time though. They seats I have mentioned have lock offs. So if your seat belts when they retract do not automical lock when retracting, thats okay because the locks offs lock the seat belt in place. You may also need to use a lock off clip which britax includes.
Other seats
5)Radian 80 by Sunshine kids $280 RF 33lb FF 80lb harnessed. They also have Radian 65 for I think $250. I would get the 65 because the harness slots are the same height in both seats. This is a very slim seat. You are able to do 3 across, and this seat sits between many other car seats. This seat may also be teethered RF.
6)Recaro Signo $290 RF 35lb FF 70lb There is no need to re-thread the hanress when it is time to raise the harness to the next height. There are knobes to raise it. Side Impact protection in the head wings, mid section and hip and thigh area.
7)First Year True Fit by Learning Curve $190 RF35lb FF65lb Has removable head rest while using in RF. When your child hits 22lb, you need to put head rest on. This seat has built in lock offs for use with set belt. No re-threading, pull the yellow knobs out on both sides, raise the bar to the height your child fits, lock it. Full energy absorbing foam.
8)Evenflo Triumph Advance LX $140. RF 35lb FF 50lb. Slide harness adjuster. When your child hits 50lbs you will need another car seat, like the Graco Nautilus. that will harness to 65lbs. Also converts to HBB then to a boster. hanress is good for 6yrs and boster seat is good for 9years.
9) Graco Confort Sport $99 RF 30lb FF 40lb
All the prices came form Babies R us. Britax is also having there once a year sale going on now. Please Please for the safty of your child, keep him rear facing to the seats limit. It is much much safer. Go to Kyledavidmiller.org to see why to keep your child harnessed longer. Also for any car seat question on how to install your seat go to
car-seat.org you can ask what seat is best for your child, what seat will fit your car, any car seat question you think of you can ask it there.

Olivia 4.26.04 Britax Regant/GN
Makayla 9.16.06 Rf Britax Wizard

we have the evenflo triumph. very cushy! my 3 year old misses it...

Hi Renee. We have a Britax, and we love it! We also have another one (whose brand name I cannot remember right now) that was recommended very highly by consumer reports. They are both very easy to use and very comfortable. We signed up for consumer reports online as soon as we found out we were pregnant, and it made checking out reports/recalls on thes items so much easier! As a side note: My Dad is an accident investigator who works on fatality and serious injury accidents, and he is required to remain certified in carseat safety. He said most fatal accidents are caused due to incorrect installation, but you can have your local police station show you how to install the carseat. (I know it seems like a no-brainer, but, if it was, then why are so many installed incorrectly, you know?) Plus, he also told me that, since carseats are tested by weight versus age, your baby should be in the carseat forward facing once he/she reaches over 21 lbs. and can hold his/her head up independently. (Of course, you want to keep the seat rear-facing as long as you can up to this point.) I hope this helps! Good luck on choosing a carseat!

Britax and Recaro are the best and safest. I have a Britax Roundabout (wish I'd gotten the marathon, though only b/c it has a higher weight limit). I put my daughter in it at 3 months because she hated her Graco infant seat. After seeing the difference in quality between the two, I can't believe I put my brand new baby girl in a flimsy graco seat, but I didn't know any better. Spend the extra money--your child's safety is so worth it:)

I have 3 different front facing car seats. By far my favorite and worth every penny was my safe guard go car seat. It was a little pricey at $200. Like I said though worth every penny. The only problem with it is that you have to have a new enough vehicle that has a back tether hook. Other than that this car seat has a 5 point harness, the easiest latch system, and it is very portable. It even comes with a travel bag. It folds up to about the size of a book bag. It does not weigh very much either. I wish I had 1 of those and 1 that does not require a back strap. Which I do have. I like 2 of my 3 car seats. What ever you do do not get the Eddie Bower. I hate it. We had to cut the latch straps on it. A good thing to do is go to the baby store and see which one is the easiest one for you to put in YOUR car. Different seats make certain car seats very hard to install ie... bucket seats. Also a nice thing to have is the ratchet thing. It really helps get your car seat in tight. I use it when my husband is not around to tighten it enough. Hope this helps.

I love our Evenflo Triumph Advance. I find it to be more convenient than the Britax and very easy to use in terms of adjusting the straps, cleaning, etc. My son loves it and does great in it. It is so soft and comfy!

I love the Evenflo Triumph series. I purchased one for each of my sons. They are very easy to use and the newer models will hold children that are taller and heavier and have great adjustable shoulder straps. You can use this seat rear facing and forward facing. Both of my boys are very comfortable in their seats. My favorite feature is that you tighten and loosen the straps with a wheel on the side of the seat so you aren't having to dig around for a strap in the front of the seat like my pumpkin seat. Check them out at Babies R Us or online. These seats got great reviews and were recommended by the book Baby Bargains.

Call the Cobb county DFACS office. If your child is on medicaid or PeachCare they have a program that can get you one really cheap, or they can probably recomend one(we got a baby seat,toddler seat and booster seat BRAND NEW for $10.00!). When we had to get one for our 7yr old when he outgrew his baby seat, we just went with a Graco that we could aford. Check your child's weight and height and stick with the lables on the seat and also check out what the laws are for rear and front facing child car seats. The extra money you spend is well worth the safty of your child and it will last the few yeas that they have to stay in it.

Britax by far, and I would go for the Marathon. The round-a-bout will not last until they are 4, unless your child is small (on the short side). I have used the Marathon for all 4 of my children, and love it. It can be used rear and forward facing.

The Britax Marathon is a great carseat. I researched carseats with my 1st child and had never heard of Britax and happened to find it online. After reading all the safety elements that the carseat had, I purchased one for her. Since then, I have purchased 3 more so that my husband and I both had 2 in our cars for our 2 girls. They are a little pricey, but worth the money. Also, with some other carseats when the child goes to sleep the carseat really doesn't have much of an area for the child to rest their head and they end up bobbing around while they sleep...this has happened in carseats that their grandparents have for them. In the Britax, the sides come out a good bit and they are tall and deep enough that their head rests on the side and doesn't bob around. They go up to 60 lbs. so in some cases, it should be the only carseat that you will have to buy. When buying a carseat safety should be the most important thing and cost of the carseat should be second. Good luck in your search.

I agree about looking at Britax. We have the Diplomat, which has a smaller weight range, but has extra side-impact proctection. I would suggest going to a store and test fitting them in your car before you buy one. I wanted the Marathon, but it blocked the rear-view in the rear-facing position, so I opted for the smaller one. My boy absolutely loves it!

i would reccommend any of the Britax. i also have an Evenflo Triumph and don't like it because when my daughter falls asleep her poor head has NO support and hangs like a rag doll. it did the same for my son when he was younger no matter how far i reclined it. Now i have a Britax Regent for my 4 year old and i love it. that one starts at 22lbs though for forward facing only and goes upto 80 lbs in a 5 point harness. the Britax are definately worth the value.

Hi my name is R. working mother of five ages 26,15,13,11,9 and grandmother of one age 15 months. I got a rear and front facing car seat all in one from bj's warehouse it is called the omega (the beginning and the end)..i got it when my grandson was about 8 months...it works like a charm and it was priced at $75.

We just got the Cosco Summit high back booster car seat for our 13 month old. it was about $80 with shipping on line. but it is only forward facing and the child has to be 34 inches tall to sit in it. but it goes from 22 pounds-80 pounds, so we shouldn't need another car seat for her.

The Graco Nautilus is the one that I know lots of carseat techs are raving about these days.

I can't say enough about Britax car seats. There safety is top notch and they are very comfortable for your child. They also have support so when you child falls asleep there head isn't hanging. I've had several car seats and Britax can't compare to other brands!
Hope this helps. And don't worry, my kids have been big kids so they had to be out of there infant seats before a year!

We have the boulevard, but are still rear facing my two year old daughter. Do some research on them and also about when to forward face, I know some people start at a year, but we're waiting until she has to be turned forward.

I have an Eddie Bauer 3-in-1. It is great. It goes from 5lb. to 100lb. It is fully convertable. There are other brands that have one very similar. I would definilty recommend one that is a convertable from a 5 point harness to a highback booster. Get more use for your money. The main thing I like about the one I have is that the back actually rises up as they get taller. This is very important to us since my son is very tall. Also look at closeout stores. We found our Eddie Bauer at Big Lots for $100. The exact seat they were selling at Target and Babies R us for $170. The only difference is the one we got was a discontinued pattern. That is why it was cheaper. I personally love the pattern. Shop around and I am sure you will find what you need, just remember to think long term.

We purchased the Britax Marathon when our son was at that age. It is actually a convertible car seat that should last until he is ready for just a booster. He was getting too big for his infant seat so we put him in it immediately in the rear facing mode. When he turned one we turned the seat around. He seems to be very comfortable in it and we love it. It's a bit pricey, but I think it is worth it. We found ours online at Babies R Us. I hope that helps

Britax beats all the rest for safety. They cost quite a bit more than the ones you can buy at WalMart or other discount houses, but hopefully we all put our children's safety before price. I see someone recommended Graco. If all you care about is how much money it costs you, then go with Graco. But I get the impression you are more concerned about safety of your child than how much it costs. Therefore, go for Britax. It provides safety from all sides, not just from the back or front.

Love my britax seats. I have two of them (one for our 3 year old and another for our 1 year old). We bought the Marathon first then bought the Boulevard for our little one. They work sitting backward or forward so you can start using it now. They are pricey but in my opinion so worth it.

It is nice that you can purchase a new seat for your child. However, you are missing out on some great FREE advice. Call the Health Department. They have the best, most current information on child safety restraints.

When my daughter was about the same age the Health Department had a safety seat awareness drive in front of the Wal-Mart on Airport Thruway. Not only did I get good advice, but a free seat too.

We have the Recaro Convertible carseat. My son is only 8 months so right now it is rear facing but it is a very substantial carseat and the company that makes it also makes seats for race cars.

It is pricey but I think it's worth the money.

Hi Renee,

I love the Britax Decatholon. My daughter has been in it since she was about 10 months old. We turned to front face when she was a year old. It has plenty of cushioning for her, it was so easy to install in the car and it's been so easy for me to figure out how to adjust the straps and buckly as she has gotten bigger (she's 16 months old now). I plan on using it until she is the 65 lbs that this chair is supposed to be able to accomodate. I know that the Britax can be a bit pricey, I got mine off of Amazon and saved a few bucks. But all of my friends who have children have a Britax and we absolutely love them!!

We have the Britax Marathon and love it. Our 11 month old seems to be very comfortable in it.

My daughter is 10 1/2 months and outgrew her carrier carseat a few months ago! Including the extra seat for Gran, we have 3 convertible carseats. We have a First Years/Cosco True-Fit for our 07 Honda Accord. It's great b/c the headrest detaches so it doesn't take up as much room rear facing. It goes from 5-100 lbs, we bought it through Target.com The other two seats are also Cosco/First Years we have the Alpha Omega, and the Alpha Omega Elite. She really loves both of these seats. The only difference between the 2 models is that the Elite harness straps adjust from the front and it has armrest for her. Both of these seats were purchased at Babies R Us and all 3 were on average $100+ cheaper than the Britax seats everyone raves about.

Could you please send me a compilation of your responses? BTW, I've hear the Britax Marathon & Roundabout are the best even though they are a little pricey.

I have the Britax Decathalon for both of my kids and I love it!!! It goes up to 65 lbs and is tested as one of the safest available. It is a little pricey compared to others, but worth it to me to know my babies are safe AND comfortable. It's very plush and my kids have never complained about being in them. Good LUCK!! It can be used as rear facing too, so you can use it as soon as you get it. Check out baby stores on the internet and you may get it tax free and free shipping. Also look for online coupons to enter on the sites. I saved about $35 dollars buying it online versus Babies-R-Us.

Hey Renee. I have started to research it as well for my eight month old and the Britax Marathon seems to be one of the best. I was actually at Costco yesterday and they are selling them for $225.

We purchased the Britax Marathon for my son when he turned 1. We have been EXTREMELY happy with this car seat and know that he will be in it for several years. It does cost a little more than some of the other brands, but from the research I did, it was rated one of the best. Hope this helps!

We love the Britax Marathon! My 2.5 year old weights 34 lbs and is 38" tall and is still very comfy in it. It's a really durable seat as well.

We have the Costco Alpha Omega Elite. The material is machine washable and it cleans up very nicely. It also has a cup holder, which was WONDERFUL until my son stepped on it and broke it off. :-) We've been very pleased.

My husband drives a Mustang Cobra, which basicly doesn't have any room in the back seat at all. He has an Eddie Bower that he really likes because it takes up much less room. I hate the straps though.

Our third one is . . . i can't remember the brand but it is very wide and gives him room to lean his head when he sleeps. It is very eady to adjust and the material comes right off, but you can not get to the inside to clean it, and when my child threw up in it, some went down in there that i couldn't clean properly. Gross!

I recommend a Britax. They are generally considered the best. A little expensive but worth the money. My oldest daughter gave hers up almost 2 years ago for a booster. We loved it. Now my younger daughter has it. She has been in it since she was 6mo (too fat for the carrier. It worked great rear facing and was easy to turn around when she hit the yr mark. The best thing to do to help you make up your mind is look at the customer reviews. That should help in your decision making, too. Good Luck.

You may want to reconsider flipping your son even when he reaches the 1 yr and weight limit. We bought a Britax because was certified to rear-face with a tether up to a greater weight limitation. Both of our babies rear faced for about 2 years. We've stayed in Britax since; our 7 year old is in one that has a 5 point harness and the support of a real car seat, as opposed to a typical booster. Given the real danger of car accidents, this is not one area where I feel silly being "overprotective".

Hey Renee,
I'll add some more kudos to the Britax Marathon! Consumer reports rated it one of the safest on the market. It's easy to install and comfortable for the kids

:) Steph

we just got a new car seat, and in all my research and reading i found that britax models have the most consistently high safety ratings. they are pricey seats, but you can also get one with a huge weight range (in other words, it will last you a long, long time).

We had the Graco front facer/booster and ended up sending it back to Graco for a refund!! The strap wouldn't pull for the harness, I had to stick my hand back there and pull the harness plate down (if you read consumer reviews on different website, you'll see that this is a very common complaint on this seat) and it was very uncomfortable for our son to sit in for long road trips as well. So we ended up buying the Britax Marathon and love it! He sleeps in it well, it is roomy and easy to strap him in and change it from one vehicle to another. Even the LATCH system is easier than the Graco one!!

Good luck!
S.

Look for a car seat that converts to a booster with the shoulder strap. That will save you from having to buy another car seat when he gets to that stage. If you ask the workers at store like baby's r us. They usually know what is the best. That is how I purchased my sons car seat. The salesman recommended getting one that converted from car seat to booster so we did not have to buy another car seat in a few years.

Has he reached the weight limit? I would keep your precious child rear facing for as long as possible. We kept my daughter rear facing until a couple months ago (she is 25 months). It is the safest place for them anyway.