February 8, 2012

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Bubblebum: a portable, foldable booster seat for on the go!

February 4, 2012 By Jen Leave a Comment

We are a big family on the go. With three kids we have countless activities, playdates, carpooling, and all of that involves driving around in the car. Add to that trips to the shore during the summer and vacations during the year, and we are pretty much non-stop. I am lucky enough to drive a mini-van (yes, I am serious!) and typically have an open car seat for someone who needs it, but there are occasions here and there when I find myself lacking in a seat for someone.

Enter The Bubblebum booster seat!

This neat, colorful, and fun booster seat is totally portable and perfect for those times when a bigger traditional booster isn’t available or an option. These times may include going on vacation, riding in a taxi, rental car, or bus, or just keeping one in your back seat or trunk for emergencies or for a spare. We love keeping ours in my husband’s car, which has a much smaller backseat. He keeps one traditional car seat installed at all times, and then can bring out the Bubble Bum when he needs it if two of my children ride in his car. Some people use three Bubblebum’s in a row in a very small backseat because of its narrow profile.

The Bubblebum is small and light, so you can easily pack it on an airplane or in a school bag. It is easily inflated and is held securely in place with the car seat belt restraints. My kids enjoy sitting on it as it is cushioned and soft. And the best part is that The Bubblebum meets ALL US Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards and also has been tested and approved to European Standards as well! Please note The Bubblebum is suitable for children ages 4-11 years who weigh 40-80lbs and should be used only with a 3 point car seat belt. Learn more here about safety and see The Bubblebum in action! (This is a great video that has some helpful info about why using a booster is important.)

At an affordable $39.99, it’s so worthwhile to keep one (or two!) in your car for emergencies, vacations, and more.

Filed Under: Carseats and Boosters, On The Go Tagged With: ,

Britax Boulevard 70 CS: Keeping Your Child Safe

July 21, 2011 By afterthealter Leave a Comment

The day has finally come where my son no longer fits in his infant seat. I put it off as long as possible, but since we are coming dangerously close to the maximum weight limit, I had to bite the bullet and find the right convertible car seat for my son. Normally, I go back and forth for days trying to figure out exactly what I want, but this time the decision was easy. There really was no other car seat brand for me to consider. I always knew that I wanted a Britax , and that was exactly what I was going to get.

If the Britax brand decision was so easy, the decision as to WHICH Britax Car Seat to choose was extremely hard. My son will be riding in this seat for years to come, and therefore I felt a lot of pressure to make the right decision for us. With all of the Britax car seats having so many great safety features I knew I couldn’t go wrong, but I still was looking for the perfect fit. In the end I chose the Britax Boulevard 70 CS (MSRP $339.99).

The Britax Boulevard 70 CS is a member of the Next Generation of Britax convertible car seats. The major difference between the next generation and the classic is that the new ones now can hold a child up to 70 lbs vs. the previous 65 lbs. What makes the Boulevard different than some of the other models is the True Side Impact Protection which offers a head restraint creating an extra layer of energy-absorbing EPP foam, keeping the head, neck and spine “in true” or aligned, and deep side walls lined with EPP foam to distribute crash forces, shield from vehicle intrusion, and contain the head, neck and body. That is what drew me to the Boulevard. I felt that I needed to protect my son as much as possible, and when so many crashes involve side impact I knew I had to choose the extra protection. My son was in his new seat for just a few minutes and right away enjoyed his new “winged” headrest to nap. A little added bonus of the side impact protection!

Britax offers a car seat for your child at any age (well at least any age that requires you to sit in a car seat!)

  • Infant Seats:  can be used rear facing only from 4 to 30 pounds, and are compatible with the BRITAX CHAPERONE and B-READY strollers and other major brands with the BRITAX adapter strap.
  • Next Generation Convertible seats:  can be used rear facing from 5 to 40 pounds and forward facing from 1 year and 20 pounds, up to 70 pounds, depending on the seat. High-capacity convertibles allow your child to stay in a five-point harness through the toddler years.
  • Classic Convertibles: can be used rear facing from 5 to 35 pounds and forward facing from 1 year and 20 pounds, up to 50 or 65 pounds, depending on the seat.
  • Combination Harness 2  Booster:  can accommodate children forward facing only in harness mode from at least 2 years and 25 pounds, up to 85 pounds. The seats can then convert to a belt-positioning booster and accommodate a child to 120 pounds.

I am very happy to be a part of the Britax family of car seats. We all spend so much time in our cars, and it is so important that we protect our child any way we can. Especially when we can’t always control what other drivers do. At least with my Britax Boulevard I can go about my day knowing my son is protected in a car seat I trust.

I was provided with a Britax Boulevard for the purposes of this review. As always all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Filed Under: Carseats and Boosters, Infant Car Seats Tagged With: ,

Safety and Style: Britax Parkway Booster Seat

July 5, 2011 By kate 1 Comment

While the weight limit for moving out of a booster seat varies greatly from state to state  – over 40 lbs in some states; over 80 lbs in others – at some point your 5, 6, or 7 year old will likely outgrow their 5-point harness carseat and need to move to a booster seat. (See a complete list of state-by state seat belt laws here.)

Britax has consistently made a name for themselves as a manufacturer that goes above and beyond in regards to safety features. From infant seats to booster seats, their car seats have won awards and gathered the praise of numerous publications and parents alike.

The Britax Parkway SG is a belt-positioning booster for those final years your child spends in a car seat. These forward-facing boosters are suited for kids weighing in between 40-120 lbs and come equipped with Britax’s True Side Impact Protection, Energy-Absorbing Foam Liner and SecureGuard which helps to prevent your child from sliding out under the lap belt during impact. You can also choose the Parkway SGL which includes ISOFLEX Flexible Lower LATCH Connection System to secure the booster to the car with LATCH connectors – useful for keeping the booster from flying around your car when not in use by a child.

Kids will like the mostly mature color options (pink, grey, blue and cow print), armrests and retractable cup holders while you’ll appreciate the washable fabric (they might be older, but they’re still messy), space-saving narrow footprint and color-coded seat belt guides to make it easy to use correctly.

The Britax Parkway SG also has a quick-adjust headrest and a detachable back which easily converts it into a backless booster without losing the cupholders or armrests or diminishing the SecureGuard feature.

So far, my favorite features are the narrow footprint (with three across the backseat, any extra room is welcome), the True Impact Side Protection wings (which also give some added support for backseat snoozers) and the detachable back option. My 5-year-old , however, insists the seat’s high honors should be awarded due to its dual cup holders (his previous seat had none). And hey, if that makes him happier to sit in a booster, then let’s load ‘em up with a water bottle and snack cup and hit the road.

Currently 20% off at Amazon and Diapers.com.

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Kate Bayless is a writer, editor and mom of three boys. Visit her at www.katebayless.com or @katebayless.  Britax provided a sample of this booster seat for review.

Filed Under: Carseats and Boosters Tagged With: , , ,

Diapers.com Releases Top 10 Car Seat & Stroller List

March 11, 2011 By Whitney 1 Comment

Having a new baby in the house can be daunting for about a zillion reasons, just two of which are picking the right stroller and car seat.

Diapers.com has made it easy on a new Mom by releasing a list of their top 10 Car Seats and top 10 Strollers from 2010 based on sales on their website.

The neat thing too is that the Car Seat list is broken down into categories.  They’ve got infant car seats, convertible car seats, toddler seats and boosters so you can see based on the age of your child.  The Britax Marathon was the #1 for convertible car seats, which I noticed is currently 20% off on the site if you’re in the market. (All Britax are 20% off, use coupon code 20BRITAX)

Strollers are broken down into the following categories:  lightweight, standard-size, jogging strollers, double & triple strollers and travel systems.   I was thrilled to see that my favorite stroller with my last son, the Baby Jogger City Mini made #1 for Lightweight strollers.

New Moms, be sure to check out the lists and find what’s right for you.  There are some wonderful suggestions on all of the lists and it can be tough to navigate the decision with all of the information out there – here you see what ranks top repeatedly over the course of a year and I think it’s invaluable information.

You can also have a Baby Registry on Diapers.com to list some of these great car seats and strollers!

This post is sponsored by BabyCenter in conjunction with the BabyCenter Blog Network.

Filed Under: Babies, Carseats and Boosters, Infant Car Seats, Kids, Nursery

Exclusive to Babies R Us: Safety 1st’s S1. Safety Meets Trendy Design.

March 4, 2011 By Whitney Leave a Comment

Introducing a new line of baby products from Safety1st, the S1.  Pictured above, don’t you just love the great colors and designs?

The S1 Series from Safety 1st is the first collection designed to meet exceptional standards of safety and style, providing parents with high quality products for travel, meal time, and play. With S1, parents can trust they’ll find the beautiful and feature-rich products they’re looking for from the company they’ve come to trust with their family’s safety.

Here are the products in the S1 line:

  • The S1 Aerolite™ LX Premier Travel System combines fashion-forward styling, innovative safety technology, and all of the convenience features parents come to expect when traveling with baby. The travel system comes with the S1 onBoard™ 35 Air infant car seat, featuring Air Protect® Side Impact Technology the best protection available for children in side impact crashes. The AeroLite LX Premier Stroller features a one-hand fold and stand that’s ultra-compact, as well as a multi-position canopy and recline for comfort. (Approximate retail price: $279.99)
  • The S1 Satellite Premier™ Play Yard comes complete with all of the comforts of a nursery that can be used anywhere, including a washable hamper, the Twinkling Starry Night mobile to calm or entertain baby, a comfortable bassinet for naptime, and an elevated changing table. The innovative, visible SecureTech™ lock lets parents know the play yard is in the properly locked position. (Approximate retail price: $149.99)

  • The S1 Comfy Seat Premier™ High Chair combines modern fabrics with trusted safety features including a SlideGuard® safety restraint and a five point safety harness. The high chair has multiple height adjustments and an easy reclining feature making it convenient for parents to ensure baby is safe and comfortable. (Approximate retail price: $119.99)

Check out this great video of the S1 line that features my good friend Audrey from MomGenerations!

Giveaway: Also totally awesome, Safety1st is giving away the entire S1 travel line on their Facebook page.  Like them on Facebook and then follow details on how you can enter to win!

Disclosure:  Safety1st is a sponsor of the GiftGuideGirls.com, a website I am a partner in.

Filed Under: Babies, Carseats and Boosters, Child Safety, Giveaways, Kids, Nursery, On The Go, Strollers Tagged With: , , ,

Diapers.com: Beyond Baby Care & a #Giveaway for $200 Gift Certificate

December 8, 2010 By Whitney 49 Comments

My youngest child has been out of diapers for over a year now so buying diapers and shopping somewhere like Diapers.com has not been on my radar. Until recently, when I received a note about participating in a campaign for Diapers.com to purchase and use the site for more than diapers.

More than diapers at Diapers.com?  I was curious to see how the site had grown since my last child potty trained and was pleasantly surprised at how much their offering had expanded since the last time I ordered.

I placed a big order for several products, none of which was diapers!  I got toys for my kids for Christmas, clothes and skin care products for my kids.  In searching for various products, I was able to find everything I was looking for.  Check out the array of Legos they offer!  (My kids are so into Legos right now, I was impressed with their selection.)

I also ordered this adorable Tea Collection Lion Double Decker Tee.  Then I was out of hand soap so I hopped over to body care and ordered several bottles of Burts Beeds Hand Soap.  Bottom line being that their offering has moved beyond diapers and their prices are competitive.  (Free shipping over $49!)

Just to give you an example the vast assortment of products you can buy for your family’s needs, check out this random assortment of products you can buy on Diapers.com:

Bravado Designs Nursing Tank - $49

Fisher Price IxL Learning System - $89.99

Basq Cucumber Tea Eye Gel - $24

3-pack of EPT Pregnancy Stick Tests - $13.99

Lego City Seaplane - $9.49

Shipping is free when your order is over $49 and no joke, my order came in a day and a half. They promise 1-2 day shipping and I placed my order late one night. It came not the next day but early the following morning; roughly 36 hours.

Giveaway: One lucky reader from Mommies with Style will win a $200 gift certificate to Diapers.com!  Comment below to enter.

This giveaway ends after Sunday, December 12th – one winner will be selected at random after that time.

Disclosure:  I was given compensated and given a credit to spend at Diapers.com to facilitate this post.

Filed Under: Babies, Baby Bedding, Bath & Body, Bath & Body, Breastfeeding, Carseats and Boosters, Clothes, Clothing, Diaper Bags & Totes, Diapering, Family Travel, Feeding & Mealtime, Feeding Baby, For the Home, Giveaways, Housewares, Infant Car Seats, Kids, Misc, Mommy Time, Nursery, On The Go, Shoes, Strollers, Toys Tagged With: ,

Great Trade-In Event at Babies R Us & Toys R Us

September 6, 2010 By debbie 4 Comments

Through Sunday, September 19th, Babies R Us and Toys R ť Us stores are holding their Great Trade-In event providing their customers with the opportunity to trade-in any used car seats, strollers, cribs, bassinets, travel systems, play yards, toddler beds or high chairs in exchange for a 25% off savings on the purchase of a new baby item, in any of the product categories from select manufacturers. Participating brands are: Britax, Babi Italia, Baby Cache, Baby Trend, Bergamo, Bertini, Carter, Chicco, Contours by Kolcraft, Cosco, Delta, Eddie Bauer, Evenflo, Graco, Jeep, Little Tikes, Safety 1st, Sorelle and Step2.

The Great Trade-Inť event places an emphasis on specific baby products, that due to safety concerns, may not be the best candidates to be handed down or resold. Beyond recalls, certain older and used baby items can be potentially unsafe for a variety of reasons, including damage or lack of compliance with recent advances in product safety standards.

You don’t need to have purchased the item you want to trade-in from TRU or BRU and no receipt is required. You can bring in multiple items and you will be given one 25% off discount for each item traded in. The discount must be used that day on another item from the participating categories and manufacturers. Trade-In items and purchased items can be from different categories.

Filed Under: Babies, Carseats and Boosters, Child Safety, Coupon Codes & Sales, Family Travel, Infant Car Seats, Kids, Nursery, On The Go, Play Time, Recalls, Strollers Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Britax’s Next Generation Line Coming This August

July 7, 2010 By nancy 3 Comments

Image and video hosting by TinyPicBritax has just redesigned and are relaunching their convertible car seat line. Called Next Generation (Next Gen), the car seats offer 360 Degree Protection with Head Safety Technology – designed to reduce the risk of head injury and provides protection from all sides in the event of a vehicle crash. While it’s tough to hear, head injury is the leading cause of death for children up to 12 years old involved in vehicle crashes and makes up 65 % of injuries in both frontal and side impact crashes, according to Child Injury Led Design and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Britax designed its new line to help prevent this. I recommend checking out Britax’s video about the Next Gen Car Seats on YouTube (the video will make you a little emotional, but is not scary)

This new line incorporates features that lower the child’s center of gravity, strengthen the child seat and manage crash energy. Together, they reduce head excursion (which means how far the head travels in a crash) and offer the most advanced protection to children.

Specifically, the new features include:

  • A re-engineered lower center of gravity that allows the child to sit lower and creates stability in the event of a crash.
  • Integrated steel bars that strengthen the connection to the vehicle and reduce forward flexing of the child seat during a crash.  
  • Patent-pending Britax SafeCell Technology with SafeCells® that are designed to compress in a crash. This significantly lowers the center of gravity and counteracts the forward rotation of the child seat, which normally propels the child toward the front seat.
  • Energy-Absorbing Versa-Tether® with a two-point attachment and staged-release tether webbing to anchor the top of the car seat. This minimizes forward-rotation and reduces crash forces reaching the child.

[Read more...]

Filed Under: Carseats and Boosters, Child Safety, Family Travel, Kids, On The Go Tagged With:

Safety 1st Nature Next Bio-Plastic Booster Seat

June 11, 2010 By nancy Leave a Comment

Safety 1st® Nature Next™ Bio-Plastic Booster Seat ($11) is just perfect for my 4 1/2 year old son – who still needs a booster seat. We were using a soft booster seat for him, but it kept falling off the chair (with him) when my son would fidget. This eco-friendly seat now also comes in a bright blue.

Safety 1st® Nature Next™ Bio-Plastic Booster Seat is made from 50% bio-plastic, which is developed from renewable plant resources.

I like it because the the booster seat includes adjustable chair straps and non-slip rubber feet to help keep the seat steady. While it’s not adjustable, it is perfect for children who need a smaller boost to reach the table.

You’ll have to thread the chair straps in the back and bottom of the chair, but it was pretty simple. It also has a 3-point harness, which my 2 1/2 year old can use (when she sits in his seat). Add in a low price and this feeding booster seat is a bargain!   Get it on Amazon for $10.99 with free shipping.

Thank you to Safety 1st for providing a sample for review.

Filed Under: Carseats and Boosters, Child Safety, Eco-friendly, Feeding & Mealtime Tagged With: , ,

Britax Frontier 85 & a Giveaway!

May 19, 2010 By kate 95 Comments

I’m always impressed with the safety lengths that Britax goes to with their car seats and their newest release – the updated Frontier 85 – is no exception. The Frontier 85 is a combination forward-facing, 5-point harness car seat from 25 up to 85 lbs. as well as a belt-positioning, high-back booster seat up to 120 lbs. This new Frontier 85 car seat includes the following updates:

  • 5-point harness weight limit increased from 80 to 85 lbs
  • harness height increased from 18″ to 20″
  • 2 additional harness height position for a total of 10
  • fixed cup holders and armrests
  • new fabrics
  • redesigned belt paths to make installation easier

While some parents are too eager to do away with the 5-point harness and move their kids into belt-positioning booster seats, the National Highway Traffic Safety Commission recommends:

“Most toddlers and preschoolers (up to age 4) are not big enough or old enough for a belt-positioning booster seat. They need a full harness for upper body protection and to hold them in their seats. A full harness should be used as long as possible.” (http://www.nhtsa.gov/people/injury/childps/newtips/pages/Tip2.htm)

The Frontier 85 allows the longest use of the 5-point harness on the market and at 120 lbs, also offers one of the highest booster weight limits. Once your child hits the 2 yrs/25 lbs lower limit, the Frontier 85 could be the only car seat you ever buy again – welcomed news to parents who have bought 3 and 4 car seats to find the right fit, style and size for their growing kids.

Some of my favorite features on this seat include the no-re-threading harness, the easy installation (Britax has an incredibly clear and thorough manual), the dual cup holders, the subdued color schemes (which means older kids will be less likely to balk at sitting in one) and the plethora of safety features.

Safety Features

* True Side Impact Protection – Britax’s patented design that distributes the force of the crash, and protects the head, neck and body by keeping the body aligned to reduce injury

* EPS Foam Liner – absorbs and distributes the impact from a crash

* energy-absorbing base – helps to absorb the crash force

* Versa-Tether – anchors the back of the car seat at two different points, minimizing the forward movement of the seat in a collision

* HUGS (Harness Ultra Guard System) – prevents forward head movement in a crash

* simplified and secure installation with either the LATCH connectors or the color-coded vehicle belt guides

Comfort Features

* plush yet durable material and padding provide comfort and keep passenger cool

* easily adjust between 10 harness height positions with the no-re-threading harness

* 3 seat buckle positions to ensure a snug fit

* 2 built-in cup holders easily fit sippy cups, snack containers and 20-oz. water bottles

* built-in, fixed armrests

* soft shoulder and crotch pads

At 19.5″ wide, the seat isn’t especially narrow, but if you’re planning on using it up to 120 lbs, you need room for a growing child. Available in four colors – tan, pink, red and grey all with black accents – the Frontier 85 retails for about $250. But special for MWS readers….

WIN A BRITAX FRONTIER 85! Britax is generously giving away one of their new Frontier 85 seats in the color of your choice to one lucky MWS reader! How to enter: leave a comment here telling us where you’ll be traveling with your new Britax Frontier 85 this summer. Get an extra entry by friending MWS and Britax on Facebook (leave us another comment here telling us you did and we’ll follow up and double check).

U.S. or Canadian residents only. Only two possible entries per person. Entries must be received by Friday, May 25th at 11:59pm PST. One winner will be chosen at random to receive a Frontier 85 car seat in the color of their choice.

Filed Under: Carseats and Boosters, Giveaways, Kids Tagged With: , , , ,

Car seat review: Evenflo Symphony 65

February 17, 2010 By Whitney 4 Comments

Looking for a new car seat?  Evenflo’s Symphony 65 has been getting great reviews for both safety and ease-of-use.

Some of the specs:
-Evenflo’s SureLatch system, making install incredibly easy
-the Infiniate Slide Harness Adjustment System makes for easy height adjustment without having to rethread the whole strap
-Rear facing 5-35 pounds, forward facing from 20-65 pounds – and you can use it as a booster up to 100 pounds!

Other random notes:  while it has all of the necessary features, it seems a little bit smaller than some of the other 5-point car seats we’ve had in the past – which is really nice when you’re looking for a little extra room in the car. 

The straps also tighten/loosen very easily (a pet peeve of mine when I’m having to dig around to adjust)

Get Evenflo’s Symphony 65 on Amazon for $189 (retails for $199) plus free shipping.

Also – a little bonus for Toyota owners:  launched today from Evenflo, enjoy a $10 discount on Serenade, Triumph Advance, and Generations65 car seats at www.evenflo.com/safecarseat because the last thing you want to be concerned about during all of these crazy car recalls is whether your car seat is safe!
 
To take advantage of the $10 discount offer, Toyota owners should visit Evenflo.com/safecarseat through the end of March and input the model and year of their vehicle. They will then be offered a coupon in order to receive the discount on their purchase at retail. Offer is valid on Evenflo’s line of car seats including: Serenade, Triumph Advance, and Generations65.

A sample of the Evenflo Symphony 65 was provided to assist in this review.

Filed Under: Carseats and Boosters, Child Safety, Infant Car Seats Tagged With: , , ,

The Great Trade-In Event at Babies “R” Us

February 2, 2010 By debbie 3 Comments

greattradeinbruHave a used car seat/stroller/bassinet, etc. lying around? I have a few old car seats that are from my daughter and I don’t think they are safe to use for my 2-year old son. So when I heard about the “Great Trade-In” event, I was thrilled!

Through Saturday, February 20th, Babies “R” Us and Toys “R” Us stores are holding the “Great Trade-In” event providing their customers with the opportunity to trade-in any used car seats, strollers, cribs, bassinets, travel systems, play yards, toddler beds or high chairs in exchange for a 25% off savings on the purchase of a new baby item, in any of the product categories from select manufacturers. Participating brands are: Britax, Babi Italia, Baby Cache, Baby Trend, Bergamo, Bertini, Carter’s, Chicco, Contours by Kolcraft, Cosco, Delta, Eddie Bauer, Evenflo, Graco, Jeep, Little Tikes, Safety 1st, Sorelle and Step2.

The “Great Trade-In” event places an emphasis on specific baby products, that due to safety concerns, may not be the best candidates to be handed down or resold. Beyond recalls, certain older and used baby items can be potentially unsafe for a variety of reasons, including damage or lack of compliance with recent advances in product safety standards.

You don’t need to have purchased the item you want to “trade-in” from TRU or BRU. You can bring in multiple items and you will be given one 25% off discount for each item traded in. The discount must be used that day on another item from the participating categories and manufacturers. Trade-In items and purchased items can be from different categories.

Filed Under: Babies, Carseats and Boosters, Child Safety, Family Travel, Feeding & Mealtime, Feeding Baby, Infant Car Seats, Kids, Nursery, On The Go, Strollers Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Britax Advocate: The carseats just keep getting safer, plus a Britax Giveaway

September 17, 2009 By julie 46 Comments

advoFirst, a giveaway!  Britax has generously donated a Roundabout 50 car seat to one lucky winner from Mommies with Style.

To enter, visit the Mommies with Style Message Boards and leave a comment in the Britax Giveaway discussion which asks: what car seat are you currently using? (Doesn’t have to be a Britax to enter, just let us know what you use for your kids – we’re curious!)

If you aren’t registered for our boards, you’ll have to register to enter.  One winner will be selected at random from the responses after September 25th.

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And now, onto Julie’s review:
A few months ago, Britax quietly unveiled a new carseat: The Advocate. I’m not sure why it was so quiet, and I haven’t seen or heard much about it. So I’m going to shout out how awesome this seat is. Because I’m extremely impressed, and am very much looking forward to my littlest switching to this pink and brown floral carseat in a few months. (Also available in gray, onyx and tan).

While the seat is all new and great, I really wanted to know why Britax keeps coming out with new options. The company is known to make only the safest caresets. The cream of the crop. They go above and beyond all safety laws. So, why keep creating new ones? Even with the Roundabout nothing was “broke”, so why fix it, right?

So I chatted with Dr. Laura Jana, physician, author and Carseat Protection Technician, a spokesperson for Britax as well as the AAP. I asked Dr. Jana why parents should consider these “better” seats? Afterall, they’ve all passed carseat safety tests, why should we keep upgrading?

Her response put it all in perspective: Is there anything that’s more important than your child’s safety? Probably not. And while all the carseats available may have passed tests, why not go for the one that surpasses tests. A seat that adds safety elements that the carseat techs hadn’t even thought of. For example, the Advocate doesn’t just have padding on the inside of the seat to protect the child riding in it, this is the one seat with padding on the outside as well, to protect the passenger who, in an accident, slams her head against the side.

And why not make life easier for you, the parent? When you consider that you use this seat daily, several times each day, for several years, why not look for amenities like a No Re-thread Adjustment Harness? (If you haven’t had to re-thread, then you don’t realize the value of this. Re-threading is a major PITA).

The Britax Advocate has all the elements of other Britax seats. And as one of the newest in their collection, it features a Flexible Mount System which allows the side impact cushions to move multi-directionally for easy access to the installation and height adjustment.

A convertible seat, the Advocate has been approved for children 5 pounds through 65; and up to 49 inches tall. Parents often wonder, though, which is more important, height or weight when it comes to searching for a carseat. These statistics, according to Dr. Jana, refer to the maximum the seat has been tested for (and passed).  As a parent you’ll need to use your judgement, but generally get a new seat whichever he outgrows first.

The Advocate, with its 5-point harness (check out you-tube if you aren’t convinced your child needs a 5-point harness, I don’t care how hip it is to use a booster with a regular strap, the 5-point harness is so much safer!), and push-button LATCH Connectors and Tethers for easy installation, this carseat is safe, secure, and simple. Whether you’re shopping for a seat for your newborn or a replacement for a soon-to-expire seat (seats expire 6 years after date of manufacture), the Britax Advocate is one worth the money.

Filed Under: Carseats and Boosters, Giveaways, Infant Car Seats Tagged With: , , , ,

Easy to store, comfy for the kids: the B540 Booster from The First Years

September 5, 2009 By Whitney Leave a Comment

The First Years’ latest booster, the B540, is a somewhat new and reasonable choice on the booster seat market.

For starters, it folds in half, making it appealing from a storage perspective.  With a quick fold, you can have it in the trunk of your car for those days you’re carpooling or taking an extra kid home with you.  (I only have two kids but I always have seating for at least three kids in my car at any given time with an extra booster in my third row.)

The B540 has a color-coded seat belt that eases installation worries and according to my son it’s “really comfy!”  When I asked him what else he likes about the booster, he reminded me of the “cool cupholders” on either side of the booster that allow the kids to have easy access to a sippy cup or other extras they may be carrying with them in the car.  (We’ve used it for the traditional cup, but also as a McDonald’s French Fries holder, toy holder and as a convenient spot to pop a Nintendo DS when not in use.)

This booster is intended to fit kids from 30-100 lbs who are 38″-57″ tall (around ages 3-10).  Retails for $99.99 but it’s currently on sale on Amazon for  $83-$87 depending on the color you pick and ships for free.

Filed Under: Carseats and Boosters, Child Safety, Kids Tagged With: , , ,

Booster seat review: Evenflo Big Kid LX & Big Kid Amp

August 6, 2009 By Whitney 1 Comment

Evenflo's Big Kid DLX

So we took the dreaded minivan plunge earlier this summer.  My husband’s older car got swapped out a Honda Odyssey, while he now drives my old car – the Honda Pilot. During the process of this family car-shuffling, I decided we needed to update both car seats and boosters – at least one of our car seats was just over five years old and over the expiration.

One of the boosters we swapped in was the Evenflo Big Kid LX. I’m all about finding a combination of convenience, comfort and safety in a booster or car seat these days. Safety’s obviously our main concern but as we’re also on the road a ton (especially in the summer), I wanted something that my tall five-year-old would also be comfortable in for long stretches of time on the road.

Straight from the Evenflo site, here of the basics about this booster:

  • designed for kids forward-facing, 30-100 lbs.
  • Full body adjustment with easy one-hand pull handle adjusts height and seat depth quickly
  • Pivoting arm rests allow for ease of entry and buckling
  • Drink, snack and activity area are retractable for quick access to drinks, snacks, and games
  • 2 boosters in 1 – removable back for easy conversion to a no-back booster for 40 – 100 lb child
  • Deep head supports for napping child
  • 6-position height and seat depth adjustment
  • Removable, washable full wrap cloth pad
  • Meets or exceeds all applicable U.S. safety standards
Evenflos Big Kid Amp

Evenflo's Big Kid Amp

We’re not yet using the removable back feature, although we could at his age and weight.  But the snack/activity area is key – especially on a longer drive when I’m the only adult in the car.  The price is right for a booster – it retails for $59.99 (currently, you can get it on Amazon for $10 off at $49.99)

And if you’re looking for backless or something for an older child, they also have the Evenflo Big Kid Amp. It’s $29.99 on Amazon and is great for storage (it’s small) or to have for carpooling. The older my kids get, the more kids seem to pile into my car at any given times – it’s always good to have an extra booster on hand so having one of these in the back of the car can be handy.

Filed Under: Carseats and Boosters, Infant Car Seats Tagged With: , , , , ,

Bertini B5: A hot new choice amongst travel systems

July 8, 2009 By julie 49 Comments

bertiniMy infant carseat expires in about 3 months… not quite enough time to use the old seat for my new baby. So I’ve been surveying the aisles of Babies R Us, Target, and the like for a new seat.

And, really, if I’m going to get a new seat, I might as well get a travel system to make life easier, right? The Bertini B5 catches my eye time and again at BRU, and not just because its also in my garage. With its sharp-looking fabric of black and white with yellow piping, its certain to be a set you give a second look to as well. (Please, go to the store and take a look yourself, or see my image of the stroller here. Its so much a sharper look in person.)

We’ve tested out the B5 carseat in 3 cars, making sure it fits with ease. (According to Car Passenger Seat Tech Dr. Laura Jana, this is extremely important when selecting a carseat. Always ask to take it outside to your car(s) and make sure its a comfortable fit.) Surprisingly, I could fit the Bertini, a Britax Roundabout and a Britax Marathon 3-across in the second row of my Honda Pilot. The squeeze was extremely tight, but it was doable.  In the VW Routan (image here) which I recently tested, I found it difficult to install, but not so much because of the B5′s LATCHs, more because the LATCHes are difficult to access in the Routan. It also fit nicely in our Honda Accord, though only 2 seats will fit in there.

A feature I love in the B5 is the ability to keep the handle in the upright position. This isn’t something all seats do (read your instruction guide because all seats are different) and with 3 kids any little step you can avoid (like clicking the handle down) is a bonus.

The seat features EPP ProTech foam (energy absorbing) and adjustable stay in car base which uses either LATCH and tether. As well you can strap the seat directly into the car. And while it provides more legroom than the average seat (allowing for longer babies and longer use than many seats), it also comes with an insert for smaller babies. The seat has been tested and approved for babies 4 to 35 pounds.

The stroller, which is approved up to 50 pounds, offers a large seat base, huge basket, and an easy-to-collapse one handed release. The highlight to the stroller? It stands upright and clips in the baby seat simply by placing the carrier onto the stroller.

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Filed Under: Carseats and Boosters, Child Safety, Infant Car Seats, Strollers Tagged With: , , ,