Prams/Car Seats/Kids/ISOfix???

[joestifff]

Afternoon all.

It is with great delight that my wife is 22 weeks pregnant. Apart from the fact I appear to be a nervous wreck in the hope that all is going to be OK etc etc as we have wanted this for years and it's finally happened, although thanks is down to some awesome doctors/embryologists etc.

Anyway, I am told we have to start buying things, holy st baby stuff is a lot. All her friends who have had kids have all given much different advice. So we went into Mothercare, and I am not sure if this hindered or helped!

The one thing I do know, is that she wants a Silver Cross Pioneer pram, after many hours wandering around Mothercare, this is the one she wants. It doesn't easily fit in her Polo, but we will cross that bridge later!

So, baby seats... they only last 9 months I am told, I am also told the odd time a free one comes with the pram it's not that good (Silver Cross Simplicity). I am also told to plan for the future, and that rear facing for as long as possible is the way. I am then told to look at Maxi Cosy as these are compatible with Silver Cross, is nothing else?

A mine field it is!! Anyone with actual knowledge on all this available. I am not massively concerned about cost, but don't want to waste money. We both WANT ISOfix. is this new ISize something we should be looking at also?

help appreciated...

[SlimRick]

I'll be of no help to you, but I'm in the same boat. Wife is 21 weeks pregnant, just ordered the Silver Cross Wayfarer and have no idea about baby seats.

Edit: I was told a pretty emphatic NO to this:

http://www.silvercrossbaby.com/aston-martin/

Edited by SlimRick on Tuesday 22 March 15:50

[944fan]

joestifff said:

I am also told to plan for the future, and that rear facing for as long as possible is the way.
.

Proper long term rear facing seats are by far and away the safest option. For some reason they are not that popular in the UK and only a few places stock them. In some countries they are mandatory. I believe in Australia they are nicknamed the "orphan makers" as the baby survives where others don't.

We had two of these for ours:

http://incarsafetycentre.co.uk/product/2-Way-Elite...

They went in them after they grew out of the baby carrier type and the lasted until about 5 years old (you make them forward facing when they get too big).

If you have two cars it is worth getting an extra set of the seat belt tethers as they are a right pain to swap.

ETA - just seen the bottom bit of your post. These aren't isofix, but much more safe and you only lose a little convenience.

[Chris Type R]

My advice would be to buy as much as is sensible to second-hand. Also, try and buy gender neutral.

What we found useful was the Maxi-Cosi base for the initial car-seat. This is really useful for transporting a sleeping child.

EDIT : We had/have the Bugaboo Cameleon, which is reasonably good at what it does. However, I think that we only managed 12 to 14 months of use from it.

Edited by Chris Type R on Tuesday 22 March 16:16

[Mr E]

We bought a decent rear facing seat on an isofix base and a second hand pram. The pram was ditched as soon as possible, and a cheap lightweight buggy used for a year or so.

Frankly, when he was small a sling or other wearable baby carrier was preferable to the pram.

[944fan]

Chris Type R said:

My advice would be to buy as much as is sensible to second-hand.

Never buy second hand car seats. You don't know for sure how old they are (they degrade) and you don't know if they have ever been in an accident.

However small the risk maybe just don't risk it with a babies safety. You might be the best driver in the world but that wont stop some tt ploughing into you

[HughG]

BabyG is 3 months now and we had a similar dilemma. We ended up with an uppababy vista pram/pushchair, and maxi cosi car seat and base. We went with maxi cosi as they had the best rear facing seat from 9months - 4yrs (I think), so have the 2way fix base and pebble plus at the moment.

We have also bought a second hand pebble (which also fits on the 2way fit base) to take abroad so that we don't have to worry about our good one being thrown around by baggage handlers.

[Chris Type R]

944fan said:

Never buy second hand car seats. You don't know for sure how old they are (they degrade) and you don't know if they have ever been in an accident.

However small the risk maybe just don't risk it with a babies safety. You might be the best driver in the world but that wont stop some tt ploughing into you

Agreed re. the seats themselves.

Safety concerns aside they get pretty disgusting.

[944fan]

Chris Type R said:

Agreed re. the seats themselves.

Safety concerns aside they get pretty disgusting.

The covers on the one I linked to are removable (massive faff though) and can be washed. Ours went through the machine a few times. Grubby little buggers.

[Jasandjules]

We got a Nuno Rebl. It is suitable from birth to a good 2-3 years and even better, it swivels around so you don't bump baby's head off the door frame. I can say from short experience that it is far, far easier to put him in the car when the seat faces you...

http://www.carseatcompare.co.uk/product/nuna-rebl/...

[Sargeant Orange]

OH is 23 weeks here so in the same situation. So far I've purchased:

Maxi cosi cabriofix
Easyfix base
Silvercross pioneer with maxi cosi adapters


I considered an extended rear facing seat from birth but they don't tend to be removable (or are usually super heavy if they are). The OH won't be too impressed having to unstrap & unsettling the baby on a rainy day etc, so far easier just to lift the maxi cosi out with baby in place.

The maxi cosi stuff is also easy to shift on after 12 months when you replace with an ERF

Ps don't forget the hood & apron set for the pioneer pram, what a bloody racket this baby stuff is!

Edited by Sargeant Orange on Tuesday 22 March 19:20

[DoubleSix]

OP read up on extended rear facing.