Carseats - Forest Hills,NY

just about any car seat safety expert will tell you to go with the chicco keyfit 30. i absolutely HATE all graco carseats, straps twist, they are not as user friendly with installation, etc. peg perego is "okay", but you ARE paying for the name, and installation can also be a problem. you really can't go wrong with the chicco for an infant seat, and move on to a rear facing britax boulevard when it's time for the a larger seat. congrats and enjoy that new baby!

S.,
I'm not recommending a particular car seat but especially since this is your FIRST baby, please go to www.seatcheck.org and find an inspector (FREE!) in your area. It's scary that most car seats are installed or used incorrectly. So, unless it's properly used and installed, even the most fancy and expensive car seat will be unsafe and useless.
Good luck and congratulations on your bundle!!!

It's been over 8 years since I bought a newborn carseat so by all means look at reviews and consumer reports, but back then when we attended a class for soon to be parents the safety officer said that from a safety standpoint the make and model of carseat meant nothing. Installation was the key regardless of carseat. Get the one that seems the most comfortable to you for carrying and that will fit your stroller and car the best and then make sure you have it inspected to insure that it is installed correctly.

Good luck,
K.

In 2008 I got the Chicco KeyFit 30. I did a lot of research and found this one to be best for my family. I knew I was going to have a preemie and this one had a start weight of 4 pounds which is one main reason I bought it. It was fantastic and I loved it as did my daughter. She was a preemie and we used it beyond a year because she is little. We moved to a Britax convertable just a couple of months ago.

Updated

In 2008 I got the Chicco KeyFit 30. I did a lot of research and found this one to be best for my family. I knew I was going to have a preemie and this one had a start weight of 4 pounds which is one main reason I bought it. It was fantastic and I loved it as did my daughter. She was a preemie and we used it beyond a year because she is little. We moved to a Britax convertable just a couple of months ago.

I liked the Graco infant seat, although I'm sure their all nice. See which one you like holding in your hand or on your arm. Be sure to get a base for the primary car, but make sure the seat can also be used w/o base in case you go in another car and don't have a base.

Some babies will grow out of it in 6 months, others not till 13+ months.
(For the next seat, i recommend the First years--True Fit convertible seat.)

They're all good brands in terms of safety, and your baby won't be in it for all that long. (My girls lasted less than 6 months before they were too tall!) Just get the cheapest one and be done with it, I think. Your big investment will be in your convertible carseat once baby outgrows the baby carrier carseat. I've always loved Britax car seats. Super comfy, and SAFE.

Carseats have an expiration date, so do not get one that you expect to use from birth until forever. Usually car seats last a few years at most. They also get very worn very quickly with high usage and during the messy toddler stage! :) Graco has been great for us and we've felt comfortable with the quality and safety. We used a carrier until she was front-facing. It was nice to have the carrier for when she was an itty-bitty and for when we were out shopping since it fit nicely into the shopping carts. We now have a Graco for 20 lbs-40lbs. It will most likely expire before she reaches 40 lbs, but it wasn't too expensive and it will have served its time well.
I do agree to get the seat checked and inspected once installed before you deliver. We went to a local fire company and they did it for us. Was reassuring to have someone say that it was done right! Can never be too safe with our kids!

britax is the cadillac of carseats. the roundabout is good from birth to 40 inches and 40 pouns..(probably age 4)

but the roundabout will not fit in your stroller and it is not a "baby bucket" with a carry handle it is a carseat that stays in the car.

the graco has several nice carseats taht will last till 8 - 12 months..

Hi S.,

We have the Graco Infant Safeseat. It holds babies up to 30 lbs. and 32 inches. We don't like that it is so heavy! When our son was newborn, it wasn't a big deal, but now that he is 23 lbs, it's impossible to use this seat as a carrier, as it weighs 10 lbs. by itself. Other than that, it's a pretty solid seat, and it has served us well. Congrats on your first baby. You must be so excited!

K.

Chicco Key Fit 30. I love it, love it, love it. We also have a Graco infant seat for dad's car and the Chicco is much easier to use.
Congrats on your new baby!

We have the Graco Snugride carseats for our twins and we like them. I don't think its too heavy or bulky. It only goes up to 22lbs... but i think for the seats in this price range that's kind of standard, and i've heard the ones that last into the higher weight ranges are a bit bulkier and heavier.

Like someone mentioned, its nice because you can use it with the base that it easily snaps in and out of, but also can be used without a base and just strapped into a car if needed.

Congrats on your first baby! They're an adventure! :)

I had the peg perego and loved it! A lot of my friends have the chicco and like it a lot. And definitely britax after that, we have the marathon which goes up to 60 lbs and the frontier which is a high back booster that keeps them in a five point harness to 80 lbs. I believe. Congrats on your first baby!

Graco Snugride was great for us, we used it with a base in my car and when we need to but it in my husband's we just used the seatbet. I was able to pop it in and out of shopping carts and carry it into church without a problem (of course it was always easier when my husband carried :)) I was also pelase with the quality of it. On a number of occaisons I had to pull out and wash the lining, and it stood up wonderfully.

After my daughter grew out of it, we wer so happy with Graco we baught their Nautilis 3-in-1 which has a 5 point harness until 100 pounds (grea safety feature!).

Anyway CONGRATULATIONS!!! Enjoy your pregnancy and when your baby comes remember - have fun!

Any thing with a 5 point harness!

God bless!

When it comes to the baby bucket, I think you will find little difference. Check out reviews on Target.com, BabiesRUs.com, etc. But, Graco, Chicco are probably the most commonly purchased.

We moved our kids around 8-9 months to their standard car seats - both of our kids had well-outgrown their infant carriers.

We chose Britax for their first "real" car seats and have moved to a Graco convertible car seat for our son as he transitions into a booster.