Mini Folding
Mini Folding
Newborn car seat for a mini cooper?
Does any one own a mini cooper that has a newborn? I really really love my car and I don't want to sell it, but I cant find a car seat that will fit in the back. Also whats the best way to get it in? Fold one of the back seats down and take them in and out from the back?
Here's some links on a car seat forum, with input from car seat techs, about car seats in mini coopers.
http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=40989
http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=23050
http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=5349
http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=1309
http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=798
You ought to be able to fit any seat you want, the problem will actually be toting a passenger in the front passenger seat. Especially while the child requires a fully reclined (45 degree angle) seat, the passenger front seat will have to be very far forward. Once the child has good head control and can sit up by himself the child seat can be put at less of a recline (a convertible seat can, anyways, and then it will take up a little less room. Yes, it will be a pain sometimes. I have a 2 door Civic and have had it since before my now 3 year old was born. But, it is doable and with gas as expensive as it is, I consider it a more than fair trade-off. The MiniCooper gets excellent safety ratings, so please do not trade the car in b/c you think its not safe for your little one. No, it may not stand up as well as a Chevy Suburban in a crash, but in its class, it got very good ratings. In fact, when Car And Driver listed the top 10 safest new vehicles under $25k, the Mini Cooper made the list, along with other expected vehicles like Honda Accord and Toyota Camry.
Looks like the Snugrides worked well, and those are great seats for the price. All infant carriers are pretty similar, so just pick one you like as long as it has a 5 point harness and a front adjuster. Someone's suggestion of a Radian65 is NOT a good choice. The seat is a great one, but it takes up more room front to back (rear facing) than any other seat on the market. So, not a good choice rear facing for small cars.
If you'd rather start with a convertible seat rear facing instead of an infant carrier seat (which would be my choice, I hate those infant seats and their overuse.), a Cosco Scenera or Evenflo Triumph Advance would both be great choices. A rear facing convertible seat can actually take up less room than an infant seat, b/c it has no handle that has to be placed in the down position while in the car. Also, it saves money since it cuts out the purchase of an infant seat. See my other answers for more info on these 2 seats.
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. Here, we turn them as soon as we get to, seeing it as a right of passage thing or something. Ridiculous. Most convertible seats have a 30lbs rear facing limit, Cosco/Dorel/Safety1st/Eddie Bauer seats rear face to 35lbs, Britax rear faces to 33lbs.
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. My son just turned 3, and is in the 95th% for height and weight - 40" tall and weighs 41lbs. He outgrew the 40lbs seats shortly after his 2nd birthday. It was a total waste of money. He now has a Britax Marathon, which goes to 65lbs, and will be able to fit it for some time yet. If I'd have bought it when he was born, I could have had one car seat this whole time instead of the 3 I wasted money on. They are more expensive for many reasons, this is one.
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