Next car seat after larger Graco Safeseat?

[mnfish]

We have a Graco Safeseat that fits a child up to 32" and 30 lbs. My daughter will be a year in a couple of weeks and is 31-1/2" now. I am not sure what to do about the next seat. Do I get a convertible seat or a regular seat? She is 22 lbs. now. We are hoping to have another child too, so I don't know if that should play into my decision about the seat or not. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

	Convertible Car Seats Convertible seats are for infants and toddlers. The seat can be used as a rear-facing seats for younger children, and switched to a forward-facing seat on the child's first birthday if the child weighs at least 20 pounds. However, experts recommend keeping the child in a rear-facing position until he or she outgrows the weight or height allowed by the safety seat.

	Graco - Click for more info Graco is one of the world's best known and most trusted juvenile products companies. They started the entire juvenile products industry with an invention called the Graco Swyngomatic. Since then they have invented products that have changed the way that parents travel with their children such as the travel system, which has made it so parents can lock an infant car seat into a stroller easily, without waking their sleeping baby. Their Graco SnugRide Infant Car Seat is pretty much synonymous with the term “infant car seat” because of its safety and design features coupled with its affordability. Today Graco continues designing and developing top-quality products that inspire parents and keeps children safe. Check out the new Infant Safe Seat Step 1 and Toddler Safe Seat Step 2 for proof of Graco’s continued commitment to child safety.

	Graco Safe Seat Step 1 - Click for more info The Graco Safe Seat (Step 1)—if you couldn't gather from the name— is intended to be the first of a three-seat process. The Step 1 is for infants in a rear-facing position; the Step 2 is for bigger, older kids in the forward-position; the Step 3 is a belt-positioning booster seat without the safety harness of the previous two.

[Jewels]

The Safeseat 1 is outgrown when the weight limit is reached which is 30lbs or there is less then 1" of hard shell above the head; the 32" height limit is just a guideline.

It is best to keep children rearfacing (RF) for as long as possible and it's recommended to RF until the max. RF limit of your seat. So at 22lbs I would be looking for a convertable.

In the US the Cosco seats RF to 35lbs (and FF (forward face) to 40lbs) and would keep her RF the longest.
The Scenera and Uptown are quite poplular. The Scenera can often be found for $35-$40 and the Uptown is around $100.

Other seats that would last you longer in the long run would be:
The Fisher Price Safe Voyage Deluxe (FPSVD)- It RF's to 33lbs and FF to 55lbs. It is made by Britax and is similar to the Marathon (MA) but doesn't have built-in lock-offs and the RF tether. Can be found for around $140.
Marathon- it is RF to 33lbs and FF to 65lbs. It has built-in lock-offs and it can be tethered RF. Can be found for about $230.
Radian by Sunshine Kids- RF to 33lbs and will FF to 65lbs, can tether RF. This seat can sometimes be hard to install. Can be found for around $180.

	Forward Facing Car Seats A forward-facing car seat is one in which the child sits facing the front of the car. The seat should be installed in the back seat of your vehicle. Most forward-facing only seats are for children above 20 pounds.

	Britax - Click for more info Britax International has been producing reliable child safety products for over 30 years. Not only does Britax have decades of experience creating car seats and other children's safety equipment, Britax has a long standing reputation as an industry leader and innovator. Britax International is headquartered in the United Kingdom, but Britax car seats are designed and manufactured at facilities in Germany, Austria, and the United States. In the summer of 2002, Britax strengthened their commitment to creating the safest car seats with the opening of a brand new, state-of-the-art crash testing facility in North Carolina. Britax car seats have a reputation around the world for being some of the safest, most reliable, and best designed child safety seats ever made.

	Rear Facing Car Seats A rear-facing seat is one in which the infant faces the back of the car. Always install a rear-facing seat in the back seat of your car. This is the safest position for an infant. NEVER place a rear-facing seat in the front seat of a vehicle with passenger airbags.

	Britax Marathon - Click for more info Increasing the time a child can safely stay in their convertible car seat is a big issue and Britax engineers have come through in a big way with the introduction of the Britax Marathon with LATCH. A LATCH Compatible Convertible Child Seat, the Britax Marathon can be used rear facing 5 to 33 pounds and forward facing from 20 to 65 pounds. Compare the numbers and you will see it is hard to find a seat with these weight limits that is safe and functional.

	Graco Safe Seat Step 1 - Click for more info The Graco Safe Seat (Step 1)—if you couldn't gather from the name— is intended to be the first of a three-seat process. The Step 1 is for infants in a rear-facing position; the Step 2 is for bigger, older kids in the forward-position; the Step 3 is a belt-positioning booster seat without the safety harness of the previous two.