[SkyBaby]

Hi!

I am mom to a 14 month old baby girl who is quickly outgrowing her car seat. I'm pretty good at researching things, but I'm not finding anything addressing our dilemma. I really want to keep her rear facing as I believe that's best for my LO. Here's the issue, my car is a two door SUV with a back seat that is kind of small for the type of car it is. The issue is her current car seat barely fits on the seat as it is and as far as DH and I can see the only car seat that would fit her and fit in my car is forward facing. We can't afford a new car right now, so short of that, are there any rear facing seats that fit 14 months+ (she is average for her height and weight) and with a smaller base that can fit in my car?

[amylynne01]

What seat is she in now?
What vehicle do you have?
What is her height and weight?
What size onesie does she wear?
What is your budget?

[SkyBaby]

1. Car seat: Eddie Bauer Trailmaker Travel System - Sinclair : Target
2. 1999 two door Food Explorer sport
3. ~21 inches and ~22 pounds (last check up weight and measurements are old- over a month since last check up)
4. 12 month onesie
5. Preferably under $100? Not real sure what all they cost and I've only looked at a couple models

[amylynne01]

Seats range from $40 to $500! Under $100, I would recommend Cosco Scenera, Cosco APT, and the Safety 1st Guide 65. The Guide 65 installs really upright, so it fits well in small cars. I have one now as a back up for my 10 month old, and it gets the job done!

Avoid any seat that markets itself as a 3-in-1. They are outgrown far too early in RFing mode as you want to get as close to age 4 as possible RFing. They also make deadly boosters by positioning the belt high across the soft belly when it should be low on the hips. They are jack of all trades, master of none. They are never recommended, and there are always better options!

[SkyBaby]

I'll look into those models. Thanks so much!

My daughter likes to sleep during car rides though. Will either of these models allow her to sleep without her head drooped forward? I'm afraid that's bad for her neck and it looks so uncomfortable when I see other kids doing it.

[amylynne01]

If she's uncomfortable, she wouldn't fall asleep. To avoid that from happening while RFing, just make sure the seat is reclined while installed. Most RFing seats are already reclined and can be anywhere from 30-45 degrees installed. At 14 months, she can be closer to the 30 degree mark, but you can get it a little closer to 35-40 so her head doesn't fall. TBH, my older 2 are FFing and never complain about the head droop when they sleep. Like I said, if they were in pain, they wouldn't sleep!

[SkyBaby]

That's true. Thanks for your help!! Time to try to find a new car seat and read return policies of retail chains near by. Hopefully they won't mind us exchanging once or twice to find the seat with the best fit for our car.