droolicious : car seats

Amazon Deal Alert: Save Up To 20% On Britax Car Seats

Chris Ford — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 20:30:00 GMT

Right now through February 15th, Amazon is having a massive sale on almost all of their Britax car seats. If you've got a baby on the way, or you're just now realizing your infant isn't going to be an infant much longer and will need a proper car seat soon, then you definitely want to check this out.

I've had a Britax Marathon car seat in my car for over four years now, and the thing is a workhorse. This sale doesn't happen often, so take advantage of it while you can.

Check out all of the seats from Britax on sale (some seats are $60 off) at Amazon.com.

Bringing Home a Baby? Win Big!

editors — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 17:32:00 GMT

They won't let you leave the hospital with your bundle of joy without one of these, so why not secure your newest addition in a Britax Boulevard CS? The latest from the car seat company known for its stellar safety record, the Boulevard reassures parents with a loud "click" when the harness is secured properly. And Babble is giving away the brand new Britax Boulevard CS as part of The Babble Playground January Photo Contest: Baby New Year! What else can you win in the Baby New Year contest?

Join the Playground, post the first pic of your newborn and you will be automatically entered to win a prize package worth over $800 from Britax and Medela. Medela is sending you home with the new, super small, efficient and cute Medela Freestyle breast pump. It's hands-free, weighs less than a pound and has 2-phase expression technology that requires less time at the pump.

Medela is also giving you a 4oz glass bottle set to get you up and running, and a drop-cup bamboo and cotton nursing Cami so you can look good while pumping away. Really, what else do you need for your new babe? Enter today and show us your stuff! - April Peveteaux

Get the Britax Boulevard CS at Amazon.

Get the Medela Freestyle at Amazon.

Get the Medela Nursing Cami at GAP.

Get the Medela glass bottles at Medela.

Droolicious Shopping Guide: Britax Car Seats

Nicole Feliciano — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 02:56:00 GMT

Though we fondly remember rolling around in the back seat of our mom’s 1970’s family truckster, nowadays safety is taken more seriously. In fact, it’s the law. You’ve simply got to strap the munchkins in before you hit the open road.

Experts suggest kids be fastened in until they grow to at least 60” and 100 lbs. But matching the right model to a family’s needs can be tricky. Britax just introduced a new contender, the Boulevard CS ($329.99). This incarnation includes the “Click & Safe” harness indicator. We all know how hard it is to get a struggling tot safely belted in. Weary parents can listen for an audible “CLICK” to make sure they’ve done it right. This seat also has excellent head and neck support.

Best for: Parents who only want one car seat for the first few years.
Pros: Enhanced safety options, such as "True Side Impact Protection."
Cons: It’s incredibly heavy—you won’t want to move this from car to car.

Britax Diplomat Convertible Car Seat: Smaller frame with plenty of safety features. ($259.99)

Best for: Cars loaded up with multiple car seats.
Pros: Adjustable headrest and cushy seat.
Cons: Narrower than the Boulevard, this may be a squeeze for larger kids.

Britax Roundabout Convertible Car Seat: Combines form and function. ($229.99)

Best For: Smaller cars, and smaller kids (only works up to 40 inches and 40 lbs).
Pros: Fun cover choices (floral or cow print) are easy to clean.
Cons: Hard to install.

Britax Boulevard Convertible Car Seat: Converts with ease from rear facing to front facing. ($309.99)

Best For: Parents looking to avoid the hassles of multiple car seat purchases.
Pros: HUGS (Harness Ultra Guard) pads and protects head and neck.
Cons: Large frame takes up a lot of seat space, missing special clicking mechanism of CS version.

Britax Marathon Convertible Car Seat: Workhorse designed to last. $279.99

Best for: Taller kids (accommodates up to 49 inches).
Pros: Reportedly this is an extremely comfortable seat.
Cons: Pricey and heavy.

Britax Frontier Booster Car Seat: Combination harness-to-booster seat. ($279.99)

Best For: Families who don’t want to spring for a separate booster seat.
Pros: Accommodates children from 40 to over 100 pounds.
Cons: Britax is voluntarily recalling 30,000 Frontier model seats (the harness straps can come off the yoke located on the seat's back). Britax is shipping repair kits to all registered owners.

Amazon Deal Alert: Save 20% On Closeout Britax Car Seats

Chris Ford — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 21:00:00 GMT

It had to happen. My favorite car seat is finally being replaced by a newer model, but that doesn't mean that there is anything wrong with the older models. And now you can pick up some sweet deals. There are six car seats from Britax on sale, including my favorite Britax Marathon for $50 off.

The Marathon is 20% off, the Roundabout 15% off and one version of the Decathlon is 23% off. Oh, and you'll also get free "super saver" shipping.

Check it out at the sale page on Amazon.com.

The Sensible Stroller Purchased By The Scranton Branch On The Office

Chris Ford — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 21:01:00 GMT

A lot of people have commented on my post about the Orbit stroller Dwight Schrute punished unmercifully on last week's episode of the Office, and a lot of them agree with Dwight that a $900 stroller is way too expensive. This led me to think, "If the Orbit was so expensive, what kind of sensible stroller did the Dunder Mifflin Scranton office get for Jan and her new baby?" The answer - a much less expensive option, but by no means a cheap stroller at all.

The Scranton branch pooled their money together and purchased a stroller frame and infant car seat from Graco. The Graco SnugRider Infant Carseat Frame folds up nicely, has two parent cupholders and a basket underneath. More importantly, it only costs $59.99. The car seat they purchased is the Graco SnugRide Infant Car Seat in the Sterling pattern. It has all the typical car seat stuff (five point harness, a base, a handle etc.) and is (according to Graco) "America's favorite infant car seat."

The car seat costs $99.99 bringing the total price tag on the gift to $159.98. Which is a pretty good gift for the baby shower of your bosses ex-girlfriend's baby (that isn't even your boss's baby in the first place).

Huh? You kind of have to watch the show.

You can buy stroller and the car seat from Babies R Us.

And check out the Office on NBC.

Also on Babble.com - The Office's Dwight Schrute Crash "Tests" An Orbit Stroller

The Office's Dwight Schrute Crash "Tests" An Orbit Stroller

Chris Ford — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 06:52:00 GMT

Wondering what kind of stroller Dwight K. Schrute abused so unmercifully on tonight's episode of The Office? Well, for one it's not just a stroller, it's a total "Infant System." And it's actually a little cheaper than the $1,200 price tag that set him off on the show. At least the part he was running over with his car.

The Orbit Infant System is a modular stroller/car seat system, designed to adapt and grow as your baby grows. With the infant system (the part Dwight was "testing" on the show) you get an infant car seat, a base and a stroller, all for about $900.

The Orbit Bassinet and Cradle was also shown on the show (in the conference room while Dwight was in the parking lot running over the stroller with his car). The Bassinet attaches to the stroller, as well as a Rocker base that can swivel and lock, allowing your baby to rock either front to back or side to side. That part sells for around $280. And eventually as your children grow up, you can buy a regular stroller seat and a regular car seat from Orbit as well.

The Orbit is definitely one of the top stroller/car seat systems out there, and it was cool to see it featured so prominently on The Office tonight. And for $900 (minus the bassinet), it's still cheaper than Dwight's bomb shelter.

Check out the Orbit Infant System at OrbitBaby.com (and find a local or online retailer here).

Or check out the official web site for The Office at NBC.com (and don't miss Dwight's official blog, Schrute-Space).

Also on Babble.com - The Sensible Stroller Purchased By The Scranton Branch On The Office

Star Baby: Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie’s Twins Get Carried Away

SunnyChanel — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 22:20:00 GMT

Many people dress their twins in matching outfits. Here Angelina and Brad show that they take it one step further, and opt to carry their kids in matching car seats. The Pitt / Jolie brood was photographed at the Nice airport after a whirlwind trip to New York City and New Orleans. How do little Viv and Knox ride? In good old Graco SafeSeat Infant Car Seats style. Angelina and Brad went with the comforting coffee brown hues of the French Roast collection. You can get your own here from BabiesRUs here $139.99 (each).

Very Big Toys: Build Your Own Custom Teutonia Stroller

Chris Ford — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 21:01:00 GMT

"Teutonia." To me the name just screams "German engineering, but really a kind of friendly and gentle German engineering." Regardless, these German engineers have developed an all-inclusive, customizable get-your-baby-around-town solution that will grow as your child grows. The Teutonia Stroller lets you customize the chassis, seats and even the types of rims on the wheels. And why shouldn't buying a new stroller be like buying a new car?

Teutonia lets you pick out everything so you can customize it for your family and lifestyle. You can pick from three different chassis (one that has three wheels) and all kinds of colors and "fashions" for the seat covers. In fact, the different seats include an infant car seat option so you won't have to figure out how that Peg Perego seat work with the stroller you bought. And did I mention you can pick which kind of wheels you want solely based on how the rims look?

The other cool thing is all of this can be done right in the retail store.

Check it out (and find a retailer) at TeutoniaUSA.com

Star Baby: What 12 Celebrities Stroll with the Orbit?

SunnyChanel — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 14:40:00 GMT

The Bugaboo is soooo last year. So what are the celebrity spawn elite being transported in this season (and well the last couple seasons, for those stars ahead of the curve)? Why the Orbit Infant System of course. With the car seat, carrier and stroller, this system makes transferring a baby from auto to the outdoors easy and also, more importantly, safe. But it comes at a price, $900, you'll need that star salary to buy this one.

See what other eleven celebs besides the Mommy Halle Berry above, use the Orbit below:

2. Jessica Alba (above left)

3. Matthew McConaughey (above right)

4. Jaime Pressly

5. Melisa Joan Hart

6. Jack Black (shown, his wife and baby)

7. Fred Savage

8. Tori Spelling

9. Marcia Cross

10. Nicole Richie

11. Chris Noth (right ) 12. Heidi Klum (Left)

Bugaboo Car Seat ... at Least for the Europeans

Erin Behan — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 12:24:00 GMT

I don't own a Bugaboo, but I know enough about the cult of the Bugaboo to know that when the brand releases a car seat, it's big news, even if it's in Europe. Designed by Takata, the car seat is on sale for 189 euros at BabyTrader and comes in red, sand, yellow, blue and black (but gawking is free!). You can also see it on the Bugaboo website by choosing a European country at the home page. Of course, you can't exactly use the seat in the U.S. since there are different safety standards, but you can certainly bask in its Bugaboo aura. I have to admit the matching canopy is kinda cute ...

7 Days of Car Seats: Graco Nautilus 3-in-1

Chris Ford — Sat, 10 May 2008 12:06:00 GMT

When I'm thinking about what makes the perfect car seat, I'm thinking about three things. How safe is it? How many years will I be able to use it (reasonably)? And does the color match my car? Since Erin already took my favorite Britax car seat for toddlers, I'll tell you about my other favorite - the Graco Nautilus 3-in-1 Car Seat.

So for the first criterion, I'm convinced it's very safe. The five point harness works up to 65 pounds, it's steel reinforced. and has a high back. It also lets the child sit more upright than a lot of toddler-only car seats out there which I like too.

As for how long it will last, the cool thing about this seat is that it's a convertible seat. It converts from a toddler seat (with the 5 point harness) to a high-back booster to a backless booster. You'll be getting use out of this one until your kid is old enough to sit up front, which is pretty cool.

And the colors are happily neutral. In my world, kid-stuff like car seats shouldn't match the kid, they should match the car. So if you're looking for ducks and bunnies this might not be for you, but for my car it's perfect.

Check out the Nautilus 3-in-1 Car Seat (it retails for around $150) at GracoBaby.com

7 Days of Car Seats: Créatis.Fix by Bébé Confort

Aaron Burgess — Fri, 09 May 2008 15:03:00 GMT

If you're determined to find a car seat that's designed to pass the most rigorous safety standards, you might want to look to Japan or Europe, both of which are more hardcore about car-seat safety than the U.S. And if you're looking for a safe, cozy seat that can pass tough EU standards without breaking your diminished American bank account, the Créatis.Fix from French company Bébé Confort (which landed four stars in European safety testing last year) makes a great starting point.

Suitable for birth to 12 months (0-13 kg, if you're weighing your kid on the metric system), the Créatis.Fix keeps baby cocooned and nestled in its soft padded interior, while a cushioned headrest offers head support and a removable booster-seat cushion allows you to situate smaller babies in a more ergonomic position. The seat's design and 3D mesh back also provide continuous air circulation to help keep baby dry, and when the interior and hood get too funky, you can remove both for machine-washing.

As for the seat's safety, its egg-like shell and dual plastic/polystyrene frame are designed to absorb significant impact, and it also packs additional reinforcement via supports on either side at head level. The seat also doubles as a carrier -- the unique handle even allows two people to carry it, if you and yours are so inclined -- and with the permanently installed Créatis.Base, snapping the seat in and out of your car can be done in a few quick moves.

Priced at £99.99 (a hair under $196 U.S.), Créatis.Fix is available for worldwide delivery from Babyworld.

7 Days of Car Seats: All Hail Clek’s Olli Booster Seat

Heather Kuldell — Thu, 08 May 2008 14:45:00 GMT

Travels systems and car seats, no matter how well designed or streamlined, still take up major real estate in the car. When your kid gets big enough, get a backless booster seat like clek’s olli booster seat.

After a couple years of fumbling with 5-point harnesses and struggling to make sure baby car seats were secure, I was ready for the relative ease of the booster. They’re small enough for an adult to comfortably sit next to and you can quickly switch it from car to car.

Droolicious has written about the olli before, but I gotta rave again. At $89, you can find cheaper boosters, but the olli’s LATCH compatibility makes it worth the extra dough. It basically plugs into your car and can be released by pulling a loop on the front. It keeps both the seat and your kid snuggly in place. (Read: extra safe.) If your car doesn’t have LATCH, the olli can be buckled in like any other booster: seat belt goes over kid, under the booster’s arms, and click.

Ready to leave the big ol’ car seat behind? It varies according to state law, but most consider kids who are 4 years old, weigh 40 pounds and stand at least 40 inches tall are ready for backless boosters. Oh, and by the way, kids have to ride in boosters till they’re 8, so the cushy, washable, replaceable seat pads will come in handy. In case camo isn’t your thing, you can purchase various colors and patterns of clekjackets for $29.

7 Days of Car Seats: The Maxi-Cosi Mico Gives Us a Splash of Color

SunnyChanel — Wed, 07 May 2008 15:47:00 GMT

I love color. So it’s really nice to see car seats hitting the market that are not the usual safe colors like gray, black, and beige. The Maxi-Cosi Mico Infant Car Seat not only makes a nice splash of stylish color in a dull hued baby gear world but it has all the safety features you want to cradle your loved ones like impact absorbing EPP foam lining, deep side wings, padded, adjustable 5 point harness, a rotating canopy for sun protection and for you, a ergonomic handle for comfty carrying.

The one pictured above is in a color palette called “Juice”. But if black is still the new black in your book, then you can get it “Penguin”. The Maxi Cosi Mico, or what I’ll just call MCM is compatible with the European Quinny strollers (check out April’s post about them here). It’s designed for babies from 5 to 22 pounds and clocks in at $170 (but the stroller will set you back $550…you’ve been warned).

7 Days of Car Seats: First Ever Toddler Travel System

Lisa Mulcahy — Tue, 06 May 2008 12:28:00 GMT

It’s not until your infant outgrows a "snap and go" type travel system that you realize how easy you had it. I milked it for as long as I could with my son, now that he’s 20 months old, boy do I miss those days of popping out the car seat and snapping it into the stroller. But don’t mourn the loss yet, there’s a new toddler travel system in town.

Orbit Baby’s Toddler Car Seat is the latest evolution of the infant travel system you saw here on Droolicious. Like all of Orbit’s seats, the Toddler Car Seat docks onto the SmartHub Base in your car, on the Orbit Stroller, or on the Orbit Rocker. It can be used both rear facing for children 15-35 lbs. or forward-facing for toddlers from 20-50 lbs. The concept is even more brilliant for toddlers, because unlike the infant versions of themselves, they tend to put up more of a fight during the transfer from car seat to stroller.

At Stroller Depot they’re offering free shipping for the $300 Orbit Baby Toddler Car Seat.

7 Days of Car Seats: Britax Marathon

Erin Behan — Mon, 05 May 2008 19:22:00 GMT

Life does start to seem like a never-ending marathon with kids (and I just have one, a newbie who sleeps a lot!), so this high-end car seat is well-named. A workhorse, the Britax Marathon ($214.43 on Amazon) fits children five- to 35-pounds rear-facing and 1-year-old and up from 20 to 65 pounds forward-facing. Most parents I know get this for their older toddler and love the comfort it gives larger children. And if you like your car seat with a splash of pattern, you can get it in cowmooflage.

Baby Gap Home: Start Shopping

Erin Behan — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 20:27:00 GMT

Though you'll have to wait until mid-April to shop the bricks-and-mortar Baby Gap Home stores (check out the list of where they'll be), the online store is open for business. Categories include mix and match bedding, skincare, toys and more.

Combi Car Seat Recall

Chris Ford — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 21:45:00 GMT

Combi USA just announced a "Voluntary Safety Recall" for three types of child car seats they make, the Centre, Centre ARB and Shuttle. Apparently in frontal crash tests the "seat of the restraint could potentially separate from its base."

The seats were produced from October 2005 to December 2007. Apparently you can use the car seat without the base, which is what they are recommending until you receive your free retrofit kit (which takes 6-8 weeks).

More information about the car seat recall can be found on this .pdf file from their official web site.

Big Deal: Britax Car Seats On Sale at Amazon.com

Chris Ford — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 21:39:00 GMT

This is a pretty good deal. If you're shopping for a car seat, check out the Britax sale going on now at Amazon.com. Britax car seats, strollers and other gear are discounted up to 20%, which is a pretty good deal for a brand that rarely goes on sale.

Check out the sale (one week only - February 24 through March 2) at Amazon.com

Car Seat Covers Cuter Than A Duck's Butt

Chris Ford — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 18:03:00 GMT

Car seats are a necessity that we as parents all have to deal with, and like a lot of baby stuff they can be kind of an eyesore. Cuter Than A Duck's Butt makes reversible car seat covers in all sorts of patterns to match your car, child, or both.

At $119.99 for a seat cover they're probably more than they should be, but for something you'll probably look at every day for the next four years, it might be worth it. I'm partial to the black skull and crossbones pattern (detail pictured below) but they've got all other sorts of choices from pink camo to furry flowers. They're designed to go over your existing car seat cover, and supposedly work with all brands of car seats.

Cuter Than A Duck's Butt Car Seat Covers, $119.99 for Toddler or Infant from ctadbgear.com.

First Look: Nestt Car Seat for Your Little Chickadee

Aaron Burgess — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 16:03:00 GMT

Odds are good that you've never seen a car seat like the Nestt, and until the design geniuses at Think/Thing get their prototype into production, you won't. But this novel-looking seat is far more than a pie-in-the-sky concept, and perhaps more importantly, it's the handiwork of designers with the necessary breeding experience to incorporate function into their form. Tired, as many of us are, of "wrestling and lifting a struggling 30 lb. baby into and out of a car seat several times a day" (as they note in the Nestt's accompanying video), team Think/Thing created a seat that, with just six moving parts, can tilt and swivel on its base (below) toward your waiting arms in a single Zen-like move.

Safety, of course, is also a major concern, if not the major concern, and according to Think/Thing, the Nestt has Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards 209, 213 and 225 (i.e., the ones all parents should have memorized) in the bag. The egg's shell has an embedded steel safety cage for side-impact protection, and in addition to its retractable and indexed belts, the seat features an air suspension system. And with its washable memory-foam cover -- available, at least in theory, in various colors to match your aesthetic sensibilities -- it looks to be as cozy as it is safe.

Think/Thing claims the Nestt is the best car seat in the world, but you tell us: Would you buy one?

(Thanks to DVICE for the tip-off.)

Recall: Evenflo Yanks 1,000,000 Car Seats

Aaron Burgess — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 02:16:00 GMT

A year after Consumer Reports urged it to do just that (and then curiously retracted its findings), Evenflo has recalled 1 million of its Discovery car seats (models 390, 391, 534 and 552) made between April 2005 and January 29, 2008, because of a potential safety hazard that causes the seat to dislodge from its base during a crash. To find out if your seat is affected, flip over the seat and check the white label for one of the aforementioned model numbers.

If you're affected by the recall, report it ASAP with Evenflo either at 1-800-356-2229 or through the company's website: You'll receive a free dual-hook fastener that will anchor the seat to its base. The National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration, which tested the seats in conjunction with Evenflo, says it's okay to continue using your seat despite the recall. No, that's not a typo.

Evenflo isn't alone: Generally speaking, car seats are plagued by safety issues. Have you found a seat that you trust implicitly -- one that secures your precious cargo and lets you get through a trip without having one eye fixed on the rear-view mirror? Let us know in the comments.

UPDATE: Dial in Your Kids' Seatbelts with CG-Lock

Aaron Burgess — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 13:32:00 GMT

CG-Lock, a $39.95 seatbelt add-on that's already had success in performance-racing and first-responder vehicles, can also help improve safety and comfort in booster seats -- although the company notes that CG-Lock is designed for seats that use cars' factory-installed seatbelts to secure children. Easily attached with a few screws and a clip, the CG-Lock helps to stabilize your car's lap belt while leaving the shoulder harness unaffected, "preventing tipping, reducing rocking and bouncing, increasing safety, improving comfort, and reducing the potential for motion sickness," according to the manufacturer.

If you're looking for more detailed information, CG-Lock's site offers a number of videos of the product in action, including this one specific to the booster-seat application. ~~Don't know about you, but to me, the kid seems to be having more fun in the "before" frame -- although there's no denying the improved ride in the "after" shots:~~

UPDATE 10/4/2007: We received a note from Lap Belt Cinch, Inc. CEO Charles M. Carter noting that the video previously linked to "had a flaw in it because in the one scene the child had his arm out of the shoulder strap. We recognized this flaw and have since re-shot the video to correct the flaw." New video is below:

Design with David Netto: Orbit Car Seat

davidnetto — Wed, 01 Aug 2007 13:00:00 GMT

If you've ever wondered how they make orthopedic shoes cool, look at Hush Puppies. If you've ever wondered how they make a child's car seat cool, look at this one by Orbit ($899). It's a whole system that comes complete with a stroller (the seat comes out of the submarine airlock-style base and plugs in to the equally stylish wheel carriage), which IS a great idea, but it's the seat I love. There are many cool strollers out there, but this is the iPhone of car seats. I've met the people who make it and they are very nice Northern California-style low-key tech geniuses, young parents who were fed up with the options and the commitment of this particular and necessary item (you thought baby FURNITURE was bad?) to the lowest possible taste level. For me, this product is iconic.

Droolworthy: Lilly Gold Sit 'n' Stroll Does it All

Mir — Sun, 29 Jul 2007 13:02:00 GMT

Lilly Gold is known for products that do double- and even triple-duty; their Sit 'n' Stroll ($229.95 on the manufacturer's website) arguably goes beyond to encompassing even more functions, and all at a price point well below what you could spend on just a stroller.

It's a car seat -- suitable for children 5 to 40 pounds, use forward or rear-facing -- with stroller parts that easily release to convert and make you mobile in a flash. It's also FAA certified for use on airplanes, and given its ultra-portability would work just fine as a dining booster as well. If you do a lot of traveling, this is the contraption for you. Er, for Junior.