Britax for chunky thighs?

[SentimentalDemon]

Everyone I know has said choose Britax, consider no other brand. That's fine, and I was willing to buy their top-of-the-line Boulevard, until I tried it on Baby Girl and sadly found some truth to the online reviews: the crotch strap is not adjustable and sits too low, so the plastic around the insert buckles cuts into her chubby thighs---if it does that at 16.5lbs, I can't imagine how this car seat could possibly grow with her. However, the Decathlon with its adjustable crotch strap seemed the logical choice until I read online reviews and heard many times over that the straps are ridiculously hard to adjust. I feel a seat is only safe if it's easy to install and adjust, so I have a real problem with plunking down that kind of money and then having adjustment issues.

The Roundabout gets rave reviews everywhere I look---maybe I should give up on focusing on seats with high weight limits (despite Baby Girl's 97th percentile height/weight, many people have pointed out to me that there are factors other than weight causing a car seat to be outgrown---shoulder height, no leg room RF, getting old enough to demand a booster, etc).

I am willing to look at brands other than Britax, but whenever people suggest other brands they inevitably have advantages I don't need---the Sunshine looks nice, but I doubt I'll be flying, won't be moving it between cars, don't need to maximize backseat space, etc. The new combi zeus seemed so cool, you can swivel it to ease getting the child in and out of the seat...the only reason I'm not considering it is the low rear-facing weight limit.

All I really care about is safety (middle seat rear-facing as long as possible, straps that don't twist) and comfort (the latter because baby girl HATES to go in the car and I'd really love to change that; it would also be nice if her head had some support while sleeping and if we could find a fabric that is comfy and yet withstands DC summer heat well, extra bonus if it cleans nicely), and to a lesser extent my own convenience (velcro to get the straps out of the way when I'm putting her in---this drives me nuts on the infant carrier---and general ease of getting the child in and out of the seat, plus installation and ease of adjustment). I have a Saturn SL2, no one else rides in the car but us and I'm short so I can have the seat up quite a bit...but it is hard to get her in and out of that middle seat without smacking heads on that low roof.

	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.

	Infant Car Seats Infant-only rear-facing seats are for babies up to about 22 to 30 pounds, depending on the specific car seat. You will need a new seat when your child gets bigger. Infant-only seats have handles that allow you to move the seat from the car to the house or other locations. Some have a base that you can leave installed in the car, so you can just click the car seat into place each time you use it.

	Booster Seat A booster seat raises your child up so that the car's lap and shoulder belts fit correctly. The lap belt should fall across the upper thighs. The shoulder belt should go across the middle of the shoulder and chest. A booster seat is used for older children up to about 80 pounds. Some states have passed laws requiring booster seats for children up to age 8 or 80 pounds. Check your state's law.

	Britax Roundabout - Click for more info With the introduction of the new LATCH laws, Britax has improved even further upon their famously popular Roundabout Convertible Car Seat. This car seat has been praised by just about every consumer safety organization and mom and dad out there - and for good reason. It is easy to install, compatible in just about every car, super comfortable for baby, stylish and most importantly safe! Ask around and you will see that everyone raves about this car seat.

	Britax Boulevard - Click for more info It is all about the wings with the Britax Boulevard convertible car seat - head and torso safety wings help keep your child from harm in a side-impact crash. And this matters - side-impact crashes are the leading cause of death for 6 - 14 year-old children. Of course, the safety wings are only one of the many safety features that the Britax Boulevard offers: built-in lock-offs, 5-point harness with front adjuster, tangle-free webbing, a push button release LATCH system with Versa-Tether®, and a sculpted base, ensuring an easy installation with a secure fit.

	Britax Decathlon - Click for more info Like its predecessors the Britax Roundabout and the Britax Marathon, the Britax Decathlon is built around two core ideals: safety and comfort. Its easy to see that the Decathlon is comfortable: it's loaded with a 3-position crotch strap, patented HUGS harness system, plush (and washable!) seat cover, belly pad, removable toddler head pillow, and an infant positioning system for newborn babies. These features provide a comfortable, adjustable fit as your child grows - all the way from 5 to 65 pounds.

	Combi - Click for more info Established in 1954, Combi quickly became Japan's premier supplier of Juvenile products. Their design philosophy is actually behind their name - COMBI is a contraction of the word "combination," which denotes "combination of parent and child." Combi has been supplying the US with innovative light weight strollers for 15 years. In 2003 they entered the US market with car seats built with the same design philosophy that has guided their company for years.

	Combi Zeus Turn - Click for more info The Combi Zeus is the only convertible car seat that rotates from rear to forward facing without ever having to re-install. The Combi Zeus' "Z-Turn" feature makes buckling a child in much, much easier, as you can turn the seat to face you and then rotate and lock it into either the forward or rear facing position. There are many convertible car seats available, but the Zeus from Combi is the only car seat for infants and toddlers that does not require re-installation when switching from the rear to forward facing positions.

[Papooses]

Brand name isn't the most important thing. An expensive, fancy, fully loaded seat that is used incorrectly is not going to offer optimal protection. A "cheap", "bare bones" seat that is used correctly will offer optimal protection. It's all about correct use.

If kiddo is uncomfortable or even in pain, then I don't blame you for wanting to shop around.

Have you actually tried any other seats in your vehicle? That's where to start -- visit a Babies R Us & test out the seats....

Good luck!

P.S. my kid could demand a booster 'til she's blue in the face, but *I* am the mama: life or death decisions are *my* domain (I would do all in my power, however, to find a creative/fun way to inspire her to appreciate my rules since they do have her utmost well being at heart )

	Booster Seat A booster seat raises your child up so that the car's lap and shoulder belts fit correctly. The lap belt should fall across the upper thighs. The shoulder belt should go across the middle of the shoulder and chest. A booster seat is used for older children up to about 80 pounds. Some states have passed laws requiring booster seats for children up to age 8 or 80 pounds. Check your state's law.

[SusanMae]

I absolutely agree with Tiffany that the best seat is what works for you guys, as long as you are using it correctly. One that is well liked is the Evenflo Trimuph Advance. One thing to check with it is that you can adjust the harness while rear facing. It doesn't have the typical pull strap, you turn a knob. Sometimes the knobs get pushed into the seat back making them hard to access RF.

Susan

	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.