CSFTL, Author at Car Seats For The Littles

Unused seat belt? Buckle it up!

Posted on August 26, 2013 by CSFTL

If your child’s seat is installed using lower anchors and the seat belt is within their reach, it poses the risk of strangulation if the child begins to play with it, particularly if your seat belt has a switchable locking retractor. Remember to buckle the seat belt before or after installation (just tuck it between the vehicle seat back and the car seat, don’t thread it in the belt path) and engage the locking mode by slowly pulling the seat belt all the way out.

RECARO ProRIDE Review

Posted on August 17, 2013 by CSFTL

The ProRIDE allows rear facing from 5-40 lbs, up to 22.5″ seated height or 1″ from the top of the shell – whichever happens first. Although it starts at 5 lbs, the bottom harness slots are 10″ and much too high to fit a newborn, as a rear facing child must have the straps positioned at or below the shoulders.

Evenflo Big Kid/Amp Review

Posted on August 13, 2013 by CSFTL

Evenflo Big Kid Amp: 5 years, 7 months old, 48 pounds, 46 inches tall

Looking for an inexpensive or lightweight booster, or something narrow for your three across? The Evenflo Big Kid (LX or Sport)/Amp may be for you! These boosters function as high back and backless boosters.

Graco Rear Facing Only Car Seats – What’s the Difference?

Posted on August 12, 2013 by CSFTL

Confused by the differences between Graco’s rear facing only seats? You’re not alone. Graco recently changed the names of their rear facing only seats and added 4 new models.

Their current models are the SnugRide Classic Connect (original 22 lb version), SnugRide Classic Connect 30, SnugRide Classic Connect 35, SnugRide Click Connect 30, SnugRide Click Connect 35, SnugRide Click Connect 35 LX, and SnugRide Click Connect 40.

Choosing a Convertible Car Seat for a Newborn

Posted on August 10, 2013 by CSFTL

So you want to skip the rear facing only seat for a new baby? Makes sense; instead of purchasing a car seat that will only be used for the first year, pick one that will be used for four or five years. Seems smart, right? Sure! However, choosing a convertible for a newborn can be tricky; newborns are teeny little creatures with a unique set of needs, and not all convertibles are created equal when it comes to fitting a brand new Little.

Cosco Scenera Review

Posted on August 7, 2013 by CSFTL

*This seat has been replaced with the Cosco Scenera NEXT* The Cosco Scenera is a back to the basics, no frills, convertible car seat. It’s a plastic shell with a fabric cover, and there really isn’t much else to it. But the beauty of this seat is that for $39, it will fit the average 0-3 year old child, and it meets all the same safety standards as a $300 convertible seat does.

Rear Facing Only Car Seats: Where Does the Handle Go?

Posted on August 1, 2013 by CSFTL

The child passenger safety world is full of outdated information that has been spread by well meaning individuals. One of the most common misconceptions is which position the handle on a rear facing only seat must be in while in use in the car.

BubbleBum Review

Posted on July 29, 2013 by CSFTL

Looking for a good booster seat that doesn’t take up much room and comes in a bag? Yup – a bag! The BubbleBum is a FMVSS 213 (Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard) approved booster seat that is inflatable, and small enough to fit in a bag. It is made from durable materials; similar to that used to make life vests and other life saving products. It has even passed standards in its deflated state in case it were to be punctured in a crash. It’s easy to inflate and even self inflates to a certain extent when taken out of the bag.

How-To: Use a pool noodle to adjust the recline of a rear facing car seat

Posted on July 24, 2013 by CSFTL

Cosco Scenera rear facing with pool noodles

Need help adjusting the recline of your rear facing car seat? Some seats allow the use of a pool noodle or tightly rolled towel in the seat bight to achieve proper recline of the seat, here’s how it should look. We suggest cutting the noodle into three 11″ pieces, so they will fit in between the LATCH anchors.

Baby Trend Inertia Review

Posted on July 18, 2013 by CSFTL

*This seat has been discontinued* Recently I had the opportunity to check out the latest offering to the rear facing only seat market by Baby Trend: the Inertia infant car seat in the Horizon fashion. The seat itself has many similarities to Baby Trend’s popular Flex-Loc infant seat, but the base is full of new technology for Baby Trend, featuring an anti rebound bar and rigid lower anchor connectors. This seat has been discontinued.