Question about this car seat?

The Compass True Fit is a great seat - same as First Years True Fit, is great too. 16.5 inch top harness slots, half inch shorter than the Britax Marathon and Evenflo Triumph Advance. Rear faces to 35lbs, forward faces to 65lbs, has built-in lockoffs, and you never have to rethread the harness to change harness height. The headrest is removable to fit better in smaller cars. But it is not an infant carrier - baby would have to be unbuckled each and every time from the seat.

But I would get a convertible and skip the infant carrier stage.

It is really completely up to your preference, but, here's my 2cents. Personally, I'd pick out an awesome stroller (since the ones that come in a travel system often aren't all that great!) b/c the stroller is the part that you will be using for the next 3-4 years. You really need to like it, and have it be quality so you don't find yourself with a busted stroller in a year. Also, you can save money by purchasing a high quality used stroller, whereas if you buy a travel system, you can't get it used b/c it is not safe to get a used car seat. You could however, get a used stroller and check its compatibility, and get a car seat new that would work with it. That's what I did.

All that said - as a single parent on a seriously limited income, I now realize I should've completely skipped the infant carrier stage. Its not a 'needed' stage in car seats, its just a convenience thing, and a recent - as in the last 15 years or so - invention to have a stay in car base and separate carrier. Here's why I think its a waste: doesn't last babies very long at all. You spend $60 and up on this carrier that is only going to last 5-8 months! And then you have to purchase a convertible car seat, and somewhere down the line a booster seat. If you skip the carrier phase, you just eliminated one seat. There is now one carrier on the market that promises to fit 99% of babies up to at least their first birthday - Graco SafeSeat1, goes to 30lbs. However, there are limitations to this awesome seat. It really will fit most kids that long, but that's a catch-22. You really going to carry your 25lbs baby in a carrier?! My son was a BIG baby (still is a BIG kid!) and outgrew his carrier at 4 months. And, after baby gets above 10lbs or so, they are a pain in the butt to carry - quite awkward. So its not as convenient as it may at first seem. And some of the 'convenient' ways people use them aren't good.

Carriers should NEVER be placed on grocery carts. It makes the carts unstable and they can tip over, seriously injuring the baby. Also, not all car seats fit all carts, and they don't lock on, they're just sitting there, posing an obvious threat. And some of the carts are shaped or sized in a way that it puts the carrier at an unsafe/uncomfortable angle for the baby. I've seen babies laying in carriers on carts with their head lower than their feet - not a good idea for digestion or spit up.

The American Academy of Pediatrics says Parents and caregivers should never Place an infant carrier on top of the shopping cart. "Many infant-only car safety seats lock into shopping carts, and many stores have shopping carts with built-in infant seats. This may seem safe, but thousands of children are hurt every year from falling out of shopping carts or from the carts tipping over. Instead of placing your baby's car safety seat on the cart, consider using a stroller or front pack while shopping with your baby. "

Also, we are seeing rampant developmental delays becuase babies are in these carriers (and swings, and bouncy seats...) so much. Look around everywhere you go and instead of holding their babies, people have them in these carriers. When on their back and harnessed (and any time a child is in a carrier, he needs to be harnessed, even though its not in a car!) they can not work the muscles they need to develop to crawl, sit up, and walk. In the manuals for these carriers, it even says specifically 'for use in cars and strollers only'! But we all seem to miss that part.

So I highly recommend skipping the carrier phase. I think they are more a pain than a blessing, and a wasted of money if you don't have a lot to throw around. Instead, get a convertible car seat that will fit a newborn (more on that later) and a sling, pouch, or wrap. Not one of those silly snugli or infantino carriers, but something like a ringsling, moby, or maya wrap. Wearing your baby gives everybody what they need. Babies get much needed closeness to mom (or dad, or anyone else for that matter!) and you get your hands free to do what you need to do, as well as you can even breastfeed in one! They offer many different positions to use them in, too, and go higher than carrier car seat weights (20-22lbs). Most go to at least 35lbs, so you will get much more use out of it for your money.

OK - so if you choose to skip the carrier phase, be careful about the convertible car seat you choose, b/c not all will fit newborns well. You want it to have low bottom slots.

Perfect options:

The Evenflo Triumph Advance (not the original Triumph, make sure it says Advance) is a great seat. $150 version at Babies R Us has padding similar to Britax seats, top slots of 17", harnesses to 35lbs rear facing, and 50lbs forward facing. $120 Walmart version just has little less plush padding. Wide open belt path, easy to install, though it doesn't have built in lockoffs. The harness adjusts at the front of the car seat, you don't have to take the car seat out of the car just to raise/lower the straps. and it has infinite harness adjustment so the harness always fits perfectly until its outgrown. You tighten and loosen the harness using knobs on the side of the seat. It can be used in a recline position even in forward facing mode.

Cosco Scenera - $50 at Walmart/Kmart/Target. Great seat for the price. Goes up to 35lbs rear facing, 40lbs forward facing. Great rear facing seat, but is outgrown very quickly forward facing b/c of short top slots and short shell. You'll still get you're $50 worth out of it, though, as it will last most kids to at least 2 years, quadruple the amount of time of an infant seat!

Britax convertibles (Marathon/Boulevard) are great seats, but they do NOT fit newborns well. Babies don't fit into them until 2-3 months old b/c the bottom slots are too high.

As you're shopping, remember these rules about seats:

1)the BEST seat is the one that fits your child, fits your car, and will be used correctly 100% of the time. (This is why convenience features DO make a difference and ARE worth the money! If its easy to use, you're more likely to use it correctly.

2)Children should stay rear facing AS LNOG AS POSSIBLE!!!! The 20lbs/1 year rule is outdated and provides a bare minimum for turning kids forward facing. The American Academy of Pediatrics and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration both recommend keeping kids rear facing as long as possible, up to the limits of their seat, preferably until at least 2 years of age. For good reason: A forward-facing child under 2 years old is 4 times more likely to be killed or seriously injured in a crash than a rear-facing child of the same age. A child's vertabrae do not fully fuse until 3-6 years old, before then, she is at great risk for internal decapitation. The spinal column can stretch up to 2 inches in a crash BUT the spinal cord can only stretch up to 1/4 inch before it snaps and baby is gone. In other countries, rear facing 2 - 3 - 4 year olds is standard, they understand that its safer.

3)Once you do turn them forward facing, they need to stay in a 5 point harness as long as possible. 4 years/40lbs is the minimum for riding in a booster, and most 4 year olds have no business using one yet. If they can't sit upright for an entire trip, they need the harness of a car seat still. And, even if they do sit properly, a 5 point harness is safer, so you want to keep them in one as long as possible. This is important to consider b/c most car seats only forward face to 40lbs.

If you choose to go with an infant seat I would pick the seat you (stay away from Evenflo infant carriers, too many recalls, crappy recall fixes, overall a very cheap seat) and get a universal car seat stroller like Baby Trend Snap n Go, Combi Flash EX, Kolcraft makes one, too. That way you can spend a little less, sell it when you're done, and get a higher end stroller that will last better.

DANGEROUS ON SHOPPING CARTS:

http://www.aap.org/advocacy/releases/aug06shopping...

http://www.medem.com/search/article_display.cfm?pa...

SLINGS:

http://www.thebabywearer.com/

TOO MUCH TIME IN SEATS:

http://www.oandp.org/jpo/library/2003_03_102.asp

http://www.mothering.com/articles/growing_child/ch...

http://stonyfield.typepad.com/babybabble/2008/02/b...

WHY REAR FACING:

http://www.carseat.org/Resources/633.pdf

In the foreground is a forward facing seat, in the background a rear facing seat. You can see how much trauma the forward facing dummy has to endure. The rear facing child simply rides it out.

http://www.oeamtc.at/netautor/html_seiten/kisitest...

Here's another video. You can see how there is NO trauma to the baby, it simply sits there waiting for it to end.

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v163/jen_nah/car...

The story of a child who suffered severe injuries from being forward facing when he could've been rear facing:

http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=59783

No offence to kckli but if you're trying to save money on things you can use longer, instead of buying all those things (car seat, stroller base and then a new stroller), you may as well just buy a travel system and then get a forward facing car seat when the baby is old enough. If you get a travel system with a Graco SafeSeat, it'll hold the baby up to 30lbs instead of the normal 22lbs that the SnugRides hold. That way you'll already have a stroller you can still use when your child goes to a forward facing car seat. People keep thinking that their baby is "too tall" to face backwards still but as long as they're under the maximum requirements of the seat, you CAN keep them rear facing. My friend kept saying that her son was too tall for rear facing but when that was the only carseat she had avaliable to go in my car, he fit perfectly fine rear facing in my car (and I have a tiny 2 door Honda Civic).

In my OPINION, I would suggest a travel system. My son will be 11 months on Thanksgiving and he's no where near growing out of the car seat yet. He's only 28 inches and 19 pounds 5 ounces. I have the Graco SafeSeat so it'll hold him until he's 30 pounds. Another plus to having the infant seat that you can remove from the car (without having to unbuckle anything) is that if your baby falls asleep in the car (like most babies do), you won't have to wake your baby up by unbuckling them and taking them out. And another suggestion if you do get the infant seat. Instead of using a coat or snow suit, get one of those warm things that goes around the car seat and zips over the baby. That way the baby doesn't over heat because you'll be able to unzip in while you're in the car if he/she gets too hot. (I wish I knew about those things when my son was first born).

What ever you decide, good luck and Congrats!

An easy way to tell if it's a SafeSeat (that holds up to 30lbs) is to look at the base. This is a pic with a SafeSeat base http://www.gracobaby.com/catalog/product.aspx?mode...

This pic is a SnugRide (that only holds up to 22lbs) http://www.gracobaby.com/catalog/product.aspx?mode...

The SafeSeats have that red part on the bottom of the base. The ONLY bad thing about the SafeSeats is that there aren't as many designs to choose from compared to the SnugRides. But they do have some nice ones.

Nope. If you want one that you can carry by a handle and put on shopping carts etc. you will need to buy an infant carrier. I actually really like my infant seat and still use it and my daughter will be 1 on the 21st of December. I bought her one of the really nice pricey convertible seats that holds up to 100 lbs for when she can be forward facing. (at one year old). Another up-side to having the infant seat is that they are smaller and if you drive a smaller vehicle (even a small suv) when you put them rear-facing the convertible seats can block the window. That's why I have waited to move my daughter to her big one until she's a year old. They are less in the way when they are forward facing. We bought my daughter the Baby Trend Flexloc car seat in "Galaxy" it holds up to 22 lbs (she is only 20) and to adjust the straps you just turn a knob. It is also fairly inexpensive and much sturdier than the Graco carseats. Good luck!

Due in March too!

Husband and I had much debate about this. This is what I finally decided:

Britax Marathon convertable car seat- it's got a fantastic safety rating and forward-facing goes up to 65 pounds so it should last quite a while (rear-facing for newborns starts at 5lbs). User reviews were all positive and most said even their (former) fussy babies loved being in it. $279.99 at Target. http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html?asin=B0018Q3U...

Since it's not a "system" we also plan on getting the "Universal Stroller Base" that the Britax will fit on (Maclaren Easy Traveler Stroller). It should fit a variety of brands so in the few months where it's easier to just move the whole carseat and you need a reclining position for an infant, we can use this. $89.99 at Target. http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html?asin=B000ELIY...

For after 6 months (or able to sit upright) I chose the Kolcraft 3-Wheeler Stroller based on user reviews for ease of use, quality, weight, and price. It seemed like a good mid-size option, not too huge and bulky but supportive enough for a still-infant baby. $159.99 at Target. http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html?asin=B001C3WN...

From what I've heard it really depends on what you're looking for. I wanted long-term things that would grow with our baby, but be practical and quality enough to be useful for the whole time. I have heard that if you do go with a "system", test the weight of the carrier alone. I know someone who would never buy the stoller system she has because it's just too heavy (I think it was a gift). I read tons and tons of product reviews (both on retailer sites and manufacturer sites) to get a feel for what people did and did not like about the products. That really helped.

I just knew I really wanted the Britax car seat because it has the best safety rating and converts. Hope that helped!

it is a good car seat. but no you cant take it out to carry your son around in it. you will need to unbuckle him and take him out of the car seat whenever you take him out of the car. trust me though the car seats you can carry are so overrated. we took my son out of his really early on and put him in one similar to the one your looking at. the other seats you can only use till theyre about 20lb and they are so bulky and heavy. we used a convertible seat that goes from 5lbs-80lbs.i would rather take my son out of his seat and carry him than carry him in the seat. now hes 10months old so i would have to do this anyway. but we took him out of the infant carrier at 2mo. i would recommend just going with the convertible seat. you save money that way too because then you only have to buy one seat.

in case you may in elementary terms arise with the money for one motor vehicle seat and don't plan to have yet another baby in the subsequent couple of years, then get a convertible. in case you do plan to have yet another baby, you incredibly could desire to justify the fee of the toddler seat. undergo in recommendations, those issues are no stable after 5 or 6 years, so could desire to be thrown out besides. you will get greater mileage to your money with a convertible. in case you utilize a sling, you do no longer want the service (which hurts your back besides). in case you do no longer plan to spend lots time in department shops, the service/cart equipment heavily isn't well worth the money the two. you would be greater useful off with in elementary terms a widely used stroller (back, the seat could could desire to be thrown away ultimately). a great number of females use in elementary terms convertibles and by no ability get the toddler service, so do no longer tension approximately it. toddler will in good shape effective. If it did no longer help her, they could no longer record it as stable from 5 pounds. i could upload that i did no longer discover it any further durable to adhere the toddler into the vehicle seat in the vehicle vs. sticking toddler into motor vehicle seat and then right into a base in the vehicle. in spite of the undeniable fact that, i've got not got an SUV the two. that could complicate issues in case you will be able to desire to climb out and in. yet another benefit of the toddler seat is in the adventure that your toddler has reflux or a chilly, they breathe greater useful if left to sleep of their carseat (strapped in, of course). won't be able to try this with the convertible using fact it incredibly is put in in the vehicle. This situation would not impact maximum toddlers, nevertheless.

you wont be able to carry him in that. ts best to get an infant car seat. but you can get a stroller with a car seat in it.

I 've read that the best is http://www.amazon.com/Britax-Boulevard-Click-Safe-...