Car Seat to Grow with 2 Year Old

Updated on January 28, 2011
S.A. asks from Clinton, IL
16 answers

My 7 month old is now too heavy for his infant car seat and I am trying to decide what to do. I am thinking of putting him in my 2 year old's convertible seat and am hoping to get my 2 year old a new seat. I am wondering if there is a seat that changes to some sort of booster or backless booster after he reaches the height/weight max for it in the forward facing position (which I think is generally around age 4?) I would like it to have a 5 point harness though instead of just using the seat belt which I have read is safer. Any recommendations? Is there such a seat that will grow with him until he is done with seats and boosters?

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E.P.

answers from Chicago on

Britax frontier and buy it online at albeebaby.com. $209 and free shipping/no tax! It has built in cup holders. Most importantly it also has side impact protection and 5 point harness. I haven't used mine yet but my sister has this one and says her kids fall asleep easily in it since it's so comfortable. It will also transition to booster.

1 mom found this helpful
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K.P.

answers from Chicago on

My 3 year old has a Graco Nautilus. It has the 5-point harness, converts to a booster and then a backless booster. It also has a cup holder and in the arm rests there are little cubbies where she keeps small toys to play with in the car. We've had her in the seat since she was around 2 years old and will be able to use it for as long as she needs a car seat I'd imagine.

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C.K.

answers from Chicago on

We love our Britax Frontier which has a high safety rating and great comfort reviews. It is a large seat so depending on your car, you would need to check whether it would fit. It is not a seat you would want to take in and out of the car, but once you read tips on how to install it, it is a snap! Obviously price wise it is at the higher end, but it's a life investment and your second child would still be able to use it - if the older one will give it up! Five-point harness use for older children then you use it with the car seat belt. Definitely check it out. Good luck.

1 mom found this helpful
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T.J.

answers from Seattle on

We love our britax frontier 85 but I'm not sure of the minimum age or height/weights. It harnesses to 85 lbs then a booster to 120. Our three year old was moved into the britax marathon at age 9 months, which harnesses to 65 lbs. High safety ratings, and proven to me after a fatality accident!

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M.W.

answers from St. Cloud on

Britax Frontier85! 5 point harness till 85 # and then a booster!

This seat is great. It's comfortable. Has arm rests. Cup holders. AND THE BEST THING IS: NO THREAD HARNESS! So you just slide the back up instead of having to remove the straps!

Our almost 6 year old and 3 1/2 year old have this and LOVE it!

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T.S.

answers from Sacramento on

We love our Nautilus. My son is 5 now and is still happily riding in a 5 point harness. It is harnessed to 65lbs, then it becomes a belt positioning high back and then a backless booster, but honestly, but the time he's 65 lbs he'll probably be like ten... he only weighs 40lbs even right now.

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A.O.

answers from Sherman on

Check into the Graco Nautilus

S.M.

answers from Columbus on

My son just turned 3 and I researched booster seats to death! We ended up going with the Graco Nautilus and we love it. My son loves it too. The booster has different levels that are more comfortable as they grow. The headrest can pull up as they get taller. Then you can take the harness straps out and use it as a seatbelt positioner, then it becomes a backless booster. My son says it's comfortable, and he loves that it has "hidey holes" and a drink holder. It was a litter more expensive than other ones I considered, but it had better safety reports, and the only negative thing I ever read about it was that it can be hard to unbuckle - but that's a plus in my book! His little sister will inherit his convertible seat, and by the time she outgrows that, we can just buy him a regular backless booster.

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J.V.

answers from Raleigh on

I did a lot of research before buying a convertible carseat for my 15 month old daughter. I went to several stores and read ALL the comments for ALL the carseats! This one was by far the best. It doesn't convert but you can use it up until 65 lbs which is pretty good and it does have a 5 pt. harness. Not only were there no negative comments on it...and if there was it wasn't about anything major...it was CRASH TESTED & REASONABLY PRICED at $120!!! It comes in I think black/blue/grey AND purple. It's cute and safe! It holds a baby anywhere from 0 - 65 lbs and you can also use it rear facing I think up to 40 or 45 lbs. You can also have it shipped from site to the nearest Walmart store for free. Here is the link if you would like to check it out....GOOD LUCK!!!

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Graco-MyRide-65-Convertible-Car...

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M.S.

answers from San Francisco on

We have two of the Graco Nautilus' and we LOVE them.

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K.A.

answers from Little Rock on

You can get booster type seats with a 5 point harness that is removable when the child is too tall for the harness. It can then be fastened across the front with a shoulder type seat belt after the harness is removed.

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E.B.

answers from Chicago on

The graco nautilus 3 in 1. Has a 5 point harness until 65 pounds and will go up to 100 pounds. We just got one for our almost 3 yr old and she loves it because it's easier for her to get into and out of and she has her own cupholder. We like it because it will be the last car seat we have to buy her!

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L.W.

answers from Portland on

We have a Graco Nautilus 3 in 1. Love it! Plus it has a built-in cupholder and little cubbies to hide car toys and sunglasses in. My daughter thinks it is the coolest (she's almost 4). Also it's super easy to convert and the 5 point harness is approved up to 80 lbs, which is great!

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K.C.

answers from Wichita on

Only put your 7 mo. old in a convertable that can be rear facing. Otherwise it is too dangerous.
The Graco Nautilus 3 in 1 carseat is awesome! The 5 point harness goes up to 65# & the belt slots go higher than any seat I checked out. You can get them at Walmart for about $150, but it will last & changes to a high back belt positioner booster or a no back booster. Keep him in the harness as long as possible. My youngest was in the harness until he was 5 y/o & 50# before he was tired of the belts & refused to ride with them (he has an older brother he likes to copy). You will be able to keep him in a 5 point long after 4 y/o if he will allow it (plus boosters are made for children 5 y/o or older).

God bless!

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A.S.

answers from Chicago on

There are alot of them now. Graco MyRide 65, Nautilus, Britax Marathon, Boulevard, Advocate (these don't covert but do keep the 5 pt harness to 65 lbs), Britax Frontier (which does convert to a booster), Evenflo Symphony 65, Generations, Sunshine Kids Radian, First Years True Fit, Safety First Apex 65. Would not recommend an alpha omega as the harness weight is low and it doesn' t make a good booster.

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