Celebrity Baby Blog Reviews

Sunshine Kids Monterey Booster Seat: Fit for a king

Our 4-year-old has a bit of a superiority complex.  It's Owen's world -- and we're all just living in it.  His sense of self hit a frightening new high recently when he saw an episode of the Backyardigans that featured Pablo (his favorite character) as a king, and now -- you guessed it -- he wants to be addressed as 'the king.'  King Owen has been barking orders left and right, and among his many requests was a throne.  While we resisted the urge to tell what we really thought, we recently received the Monterey Booster Seat from Sunshine Kids, and thought it just might do the trick.  Transitioning Owen to a booster seat from the convertible seat has been no small task and we've struck out on more than one occasion for various reasons, but not so with the Monterey.  King Owen has been holding court in it daily.  It is so big and comfy, with lots of convenient touches, that it looks and feels as though it was fit for a (toddler) king.

Britax Boulevard: Take a seat

I love Britax car seats, and I'm not sure I'll ever use another brand. I recently got the chance to check out the Britax Boulevard cat seat and I am happy to say it's fabulous! Click here to read my review of the Boulevard's "little" sister the Diplomat.

My biggest concern with the Boulevard (and even the Diplomat) was that the deep side wings that cushion the child's head would block my child's view and in turn make her cranky. But, my concerns went out the window when I read what they do: "The Britax Boulevard car seat features True Side Impact Protection™ with deep side walls and head support to provide advanced protection in side impact collisions." And I'm even happier to report that my child doesn't mind them one bit. She simply leans a bit farther forward to see around them!

Click continue reading for the entire Britax Boulevard review.

Graco AirBooster: More car seat cushy for your big kid's tushie

I saw the new Graco AirBooster Car Seat last year and wanted to test it with Anya but I knew that it would be quite a while before she was ready for a booster. I asked our next door neighbors, who have a four year old son, to test it for us.

The coolest thing about the AirBooster is that the seat is just like one of those awesome Herman Miller Aeron chairs that retail for upwards of $700, though their name for it is the "FLEX-comfort suspension seat." It is made of a flexible material that adapts to your child's weight and size, reduces uncomfortable pressure points, lets air circulate underneath, and wipes clean easily with a damp cloth. It also has an adjustable headrest, deep side wings made with EPS energy absorbing foam, molded arm rests, and dual cup-holders. The back may also be removed. It accommodates children up to 57 inches and 100 pounds -- approximately 10 years old. The AirBooster is an improvement on their previous TurboBooster SafeSeat (still available); the main difference is the seat and about $40.
 
Click Continue for Thomas' daddy's review of the Graco AirBooster Car Seat.

Britax Diplomat: Compact, cute and perfectly safe

When it came to choosing a car seat for my child I made the choice to go with a Britax long ago. Britax carseats come with excellent safety ratings and are extremely easy to install and use. My first Britax seat was a beautiful Ashley Floral print Marathon that made me smile every time I looked at the soft yellow, floral fabric cover! The Marathon fit perfectly in my large SUV and I never gave it a second thought. But when my husband got a new car, we needed another carseat. We wanted a more compact carseat, in a stylish print that wouldn't take up the whole backseat. We found our answer in the Britax Diplomat!

Matt Damon, Jennie Garth, Britney Spears, Michelle Williams, Jennifer Garner and Brooke Shields have all been spotted using Britax carseats.

Click continue reading for the entire Britax Diplomat review.

Maxi Cosi Rodi: Versatility down the road

Nothing has made me realize how fast time flies than when it became time to transition our Owen to a booster seat in the car. It seemed like just yesterday that we were strapping all 7-pounds of him into his infant car seat to leave the hospital for the first time ... 35 pounds later, we have a full-blown kid on our hands. And he's a very important kid, to us at least! So that booster seat he's riding in? Every bit as important.

We recently tested the Maxi-Cosi Rodi booster seat ($99.99), designed for children 30-100 pounds and 34-57 inches, in the 'Bijan' fabric and were thrilled with the results. Like so many in Europe already know, Maxi-Cosi is a great brand making great products, and now the United States is finally able to get in on the fun. We loved so many things about the Rodi, I'm not sure where to start, so I'll start at the beginning. 

Click 'continue reading" for the complete Maxi-Cosi Rodi review.

Maxi-Cosi Priori Convertible Car Seat: A La-Z-Boy for your car and toddler

Maxi-Cosi, already a huge brand in Europe, is taking over our shores -- thanks to the Dorel Juvenile Group (who also imported the fab Quinny strollers, click here to read my recent review of the Buzz). Their Mico Infant Car Seat is becoming very popular (if I didn't already own an infant car seat from my toddler, I would have bought one!) I was so excited to review their new Priori Convertible Car Seat ($199). Designed to support your child from birth to 4 years (up to 40 lbs) this convertible car seat has a RECLINE feature (actually 4 settings for the seat).

Click continue reading below for the entire Maxi-Cosi Priori Convertible Car Seat review.

Orbit Baby to launch first Toddler Car Seat that goes from car to stroller

I'm sure I'm not the only parent who was bummed when her kid outgrew their infant car seat and moved into the convertible car seat because it meant a less convenient car to stroller to home transfer.  No longer could we tote Anya around in her car seat so we've since cut down our trips in and out of the car.  Orbit Baby, stroller and car seat innovators, has announced that its Toddler Car Seat will be released at long last at the end of February 2008 after much research, development and testing.

The first to market, it's the only toddler car seat that can also be docked onto a stroller.  Available in the same colors as the Orbit Infant System, Black/Slate and Mocha/Khaki, it docks easily onto the Orbit Base (which installs easily in the car), Stroller, and Rocker. Though the seat doesn't recline, it does include a removable UPF50+ UV sunshade.  The seat will rotate in 4 positions like their Infant Car Seat, Toddler Stroller Seat, and Bassinet Cradle.

Like the Infant Car Seat, it rotates on their trademark SmartHub Base for back-saving convenience- you can put it in at any direction and turn it until it locks.  It can be installed rear-facing from 15-35 lbs or forward-facing from 20-50 lbs (with the included braces), up to 49 inches tall. As a toddler car seat, it should rank highly in safety tests as it offers superior true side-impact protection areas made with EPP foam- higher grade, softer and more durable than the brittle Styrofoam EPS found in most other car seats. The company tells me that their testing standards exceed the federal standards.

The company is committed to sustainability and using environmentally safe materials and practices. The company has stopped producing products that contain PVC (read why this is a good thing). All of the fabrics used in the Toddler Car Seat are tested to ensure they're free of PBB (polybrominated biphenyl), PBDE (polybrominated diphenyl ethers), and brominated chemicals, and most are Oeko-Tex Standard 100 Certified.  The company is also committed to being the first baby gear company to rid its supply chain of PVC, chrome-plating, and oil-based packaging inks.

The Toddler Car Seat will retail for $300.

Sunshine Kids: Radian 80 Car Seat

I'd heard about the Radian 80 Convertible Car Seat ($249) by Sunshine Kids for a while and was lucky enough to test it out recently. You can use it rear-facing from 5- 33 pounds and forward facing until your child reaches 80 pounds. Since we are having a baby girl soon, I knew we would have to find another car seat we liked. And we really like the Radian 80.

I couldn't believe how easy it was to install (okay, my husband did it - but it took him no time! We used the seat belt method). Several readers have commented that it is a good idea to get this seat's installation checked by a certified car seat technician (which is a great idea). It folds flat (when not in use), which is terrific for traveling or storing this car seat. This is the first company to make a folding car seat (and there is a padded strap you can get to make it easier for carrying). As any parent can tell you, carrying a bulky car seat across an airport is not fun. We used to balance ours on the stroller, while wearing or carrying our son. Imagine having one that you can fold up and balance on your luggage or even carry with a strap? At this point, I'm about to give birth, so I can't test it out at the airport (no traveling for a while).

It was so easy to get my 23 lb toddler,Ben, in and out of it - something I wasn't used it with my current car seat. He loved it and was very comfortable in it.  I liked how secure the harness was. My little houndini, who can now get in and out of his Fisher Price Healthy Care booster seat harness, could not unsnap this one! The width of the seat was a little narrower than Ben's other car seat (so you could fit three of them in the backseat of your car).

Features and Benefits:

• For children from 5 lbs to 80 lbs in 5-point harness. Use rear-facing from 5 - 33 pounds.
• Steel alloy frame
• SafeStop harness system 
• 4-panel system EPS safety foam which gives total side-impact protection, more than any other seat
• 5 shoulder and 3 buckle positions- this proper harness fit for all ages and weights
• Infant body support which converts to pillow cushions for older child
• Folds to 7 (17.8 cm) thick   
• Low profile -  Easier to get child in and out, plus safer positioning for child.
• Comes in Princess (pictured above), Manhattan (grey/black) - which we actually tested, Monaco (tan), and SuperCool (grey) - pictured below.

Technical Specifications:

• Weight: 20.5 pounds
• Materials: 100% polyester Ultra Suede cover
• Dimensions: Open: 28.5"H x 17"W x 16"D (724mm x 432mm x 406mm), Closed: 28.5"H x 17"W x 7"D (724mm x 432mm x 165mm)

Sunshine Kids' products are available in the US, Canada and Europe. Click here to find a retailer or shop online here.

Red Castle's Fabulous Footmuffs for Babies and Toddlers

Stroller bunting is a required item for my child. We walk outside a lot, in all kinds of weather, here in NYC. I love putting taking him outside, snuggly and warm in his stroller blanket (and skipping the uncomfortable winter jacket when I can). The cuddlier the stroller bunting, the better.

Red Castle, brought to the US by the very smart Euro-Baby brand, makes the fab Red Castle Whizz Stroller and the new Red Castle Sport Multi-Position Carrier.  Did you know they also make stroller accessories that will fit on practically every type of stroller? They recently sent me one of their Red Castle footmuffs for stroller use and the Topsit Plus Footmuff for an infant car seat.

We tested out the Footmuff in Frosted Brown with the Turquoise lining. Ben loved snuggling in it (and it fit several of our strollers perfectly). You can also use this in a carrycot before your baby can sit up as cozy, warm bedding. The two-way zippers makes it easier to take your child in and out of it. Just zip off the top blanket layer off if the weather requires it. This footmuff is stain repellent, breathable, wind and waterproof.  It was long enough to ensure that he could use this next year also.

For infant carseats, Red Castle's Topsit Plus is a intelligent idea. Simply place this waterproof, warm, fleece lined outer cover over your child's infant car seat. No need for complicated snowsuits or tugging a jacket onto a sleeping or cranky, wriggling baby.  The fitted hood keeps baby's head warm too. I love that the Topsit Plus is warm, stain-proof, zips up or down easily and is machine washable (always a plus). We will be taking this to the hospital with us in January (when I give birth) to take the new baby girl home in. I didn't really want to put a snowsuit on a newborn - too huge anyway and its hard to keep a child swaddled in a car seat. This way, I know she'll be safe and warm and we won't have to worry about a jacket. Since this product easily slips over the infant car seat, it does not interfere with straps, buckles or safety requirements. We're loving it!

Click here to find a Red Castle retailer.

Indy Plus: One ride for all in a fabulous carseat from Jane USA

On any given day, running errands, going to school pickups, dropping off pals after a playdate or for soccer practice, I have a half dozen children between the ages of 2 and 10 in and out my car. Which is why I have quite a collection of carseats in the back - ranging from a covertible infant to toddler seat, backless boosters and a one piece booster/harness seat. The infant/toddler seat is fixed in place with the latch system but the rest all use belts and are juggled from the third row to the second, to the trunk space depending on the size and age of the passengers involved. It is, quite frankly, a pain in the butt.

But there is an end to my constant carseat shuffle with my new INDYPLUS carseat from Jane USA. I am thrilled to report that this one brilliant carseat quickly and easily adjusts (without unbuckling) to seat my 3 yr old, my 7 yr old, and even my 10 yr old. This carseat is not only rated for kids 30-80 lbs, it is truly fitted for them. Adjustments are quick and easy to accomplish, without removing the seat. There are multiple height and width adjustments, making for the safest ride for all sizes. If your car has reclining rear seats as ours does, you'll be glad that the Jane carseat also has multiple recline positions. Which makes for the glorious sounds of snoozing silence from the backseat, on longer trips.

Although my 70 lb 10 yr old is technically out of a carseat by law she found the Jane so comfortable that she actually asks to sit in it for longer trips. The head and back support and raised vantage point are all motivating for her to sit in what she used to disdainfully refer to as a "baby seat". All three of my children/testers confirmed that the seat was extremely comfy for them to sit in. Which means we will have to get at least one more!

The thing that I loved the most about the Jane car seat is that it is the first booster/lap belt seat I have tried that latches into my car's latch system. Other boosters seem flimsy and unsafe by comparison, sliding all over the rear seat. It is difficult with these types of seats, to be sure that your booster will remain in the right position. This can be of critical importance, particularly in a side impact. Adding the rigid latch connectors makes the carseat outperform non-fixed seats in these types of crashes. And finally, there is the additional danger of the seat becoming a projectile object when you are driving around without a child buckled in to the seat. Ever slam on the brakes and feel an empty carseat slam into the back of your seat? Ummm... I have. It's sobering, and is what made me start putting the boosters that were not in use, into the trunk. But with the Indy Plus I am able to leave this one carseat safely latched in place, knowing I will be able to accomodate any of my kids (or their pals) in it. No more booster juggling!

The Jane USA Indy Plus carseat has exceeded US safety standards and is a seat I would recommend to anyone who's child is aging out of their toddler carseat, or anyone who needs to keep a versatile second carseat in the car. You cannot go wrong. Check out the Jane USA website for information on dealers.

Magna Clek: A great booster seat

By Guest Reviewer Jill

We recently tried out the Magna Clek Booster Seat. My son Tyler immediately commented on how comfy & soft the clek booster seat felt when he sat in it. The seat is designed with "comfort -cube construction," which provides an extra layer of padding. Why not have our kids be as comfy as possible? I even like the chic bag it comes in.

The Clek Seat features the first rigid LATCH system-which means the seat fastens to the vehicle. The seat is so convenient. It only weighs 5 lbs. so transferring it from car to car is effortless. Whether it is carpools, out with grandparents, or switching cars with my husband it is a pleasure to have. It is also so simple to install and remove. Just line up the latch anchors on the vehicle seat, apply pressure, and when you hear a click you know it is locked in. I am not mechanical at all and I did it in seconds. To remove just press the release buttons at the back of the seat. Very easy!! The seat can be used in cars that don't have the latch system too. The seat is also convenient in the way that you can remove the seat cover and wash it! Kids can choose from 8 fun designs to customize their very own seat. My son chose the "clek blue." I like the "treehouse camo" for a boy and the "bubblegum camo" for a girl. All the patterns are very fresh and stylish looking. You can even add an additional clek jacket to your purchase- also machine washable, very comfy, and offer the same fun designs as the seat covers. If you don't get to the wash right away, you still have the clean seat that is underneath the clek jacket. I did find the storage pocket on the seat a little small, but it held my son's juice box perfectly.

Most of all, the seat is safe. Since the seat is fastened to your vehicle(when you use the latch system) the seat can't slide around when your child is in it. Also, in case of a collision the seat is that much more stable then it would be without the latch system. This is a big plus. Since the seat is so secure, I feel even more secure using it!

This seat is comfortable, convenient, and safe. We love using it! Even my 4 year old is anxious to have one of his own. He already knows what design he wants - the olli green!

The Clek Booster Seat, which won a JPMA Innovation Award in February, sells for $89.99. The Clek Jackets sell for 29.99. Both are available to purchase online at www.magnaclek.com.

Simply Ella: Cute car seat covers

When my little girl was a baby I couldn’t stand to have the same car seat cover as everyone else so I got her a car seat cover like this one from Simply Ella. It certainly drew a lot of attention and moms everywhere from the super market to the OB’s office were always asking me where they could get their own.

These covers are super-cute, especially if you like to stand out among the crowd and carry your baby in style! All Simply Ella products are made with breathable fabric that can stand up to the rough and tumble use they are sure to encounter. They withstand exposure to the harshest sunlight, are soil and stain resistant and can be easily cleaned with soap and water.

Isabella Damon was gifted with a Simply Ella car seat cover.

Simply Ella covers are available for sale in children's specialty stores nationwide and online at www.simplyella.com. 

Cold Seat: Cools off hot cars

In really hot weather it’s almost impossible to get a kid to sit still in the car seat and who can blame them? I’m not sure what it is about those seats but my kid sweats in them even in the dead of winter, not to mention when the hot sun has been hitting it while the car is parked. That’s why I think Cold Seat is such a great product.

Made by a mom (what cool product isn’t?!) from Phoenix, Cold Seat is a safety seat cover made of durable cotton fabric with sleeves that hold ice packs.  It’s simple. You freeze the Cold Seat at home and then take it in the car and place it in the seat when you are running errands, keeping the seat, harnesses, buckles and attachments cool and comfortable. When you’re ready to put the child back in the seat, Cold Seat folds up and stores easily. It also stays cool for up to nine hours so it allows you plenty of time to get your errands done while still doing its job.

Considering that on a typical summer day the internal temperature of a car can reach 170 degrees within 15 minutes I think this is one item that you can call necessary, especially if you live in a climate where it’s hot all year round.

Cold Seat has been gifted to numerous celebrities including Denise Richards, Debra Messing and Heidi Klum. It retails for $49.95 and comes in a variety of fabric patterns. 

You can purchase Cold Seat online at www.coldseat.com.

Disney's Cars - now in your car!

by Baby Chic 101 contributor Patty

Graco has inked a deal with Disney to feature a pattern based on Disney's hit movie, Cars. The TurboBooster above is now available exclusivly at Toys"R"Us stores and toyrus.com's online store. The car seat's pretty padding is removable and machine washable too, which is great if you have a messy Disney fan in your family.

Child Seat Choices for Your Ride

Courtesy of AskPatty.com, Automotive Advice for Women

With the holidays around the corner and likely a lot of driving ahead of you, child safety should be in the forefront of your mind. But what, with all the holiday preparations and crazy shopping to do, it might be the last thing you are thinking about. We’ve put together some great tips – with the help of The Car Seat Lady - for you to keep in mind this season when you are buckling in your kids.

There are two basic types of car seats; rear facing and front facing. But which do you use and when is it best to use each type? We’ve got some straightforward answers for you here.

Rear-Facing Basics
•Rear-facing kids are 4-5 times safer than those riding forward-facing.
•In a perfect world everyone should ride rear facing – since it is so much safer – but especially infants and toddlers.
What type of seat should the rear-facing child use and where should I put it?
•Infant seats typically accommodate babies up to 20-22 pounds (a few go to 30-35 pounds).
•Convertible car seats accommodate rear-facing children up to 30-35 pounds and forward-facing children up to 40 or more pounds.
•The center of the back seat is statistically the safest place of the vehicle, as you can not take a direct impact.
•If the car seat does not fit securely in the center, and/or there are other children riding in the back seat, it is often necessary for the rear-facing child to ride on one of the side seats.
•Rear-facing children MUST ride in the back seat if there is a passenger airbag in the front.

When should a child switch from rear-facing to forward-facing?
•When they are too big for rear-facing in their convertible (not infant-only) car seat
* i.e. they are 30-35 pounds OR their head is within 1 inch of the top of the car seat.  It is perfectly OK for the rear-facing child’s feet to touch the back of the vehicle seat * it is NOT a source of discomfort or injury.
•The baby must be at least 1 year old and at least 20-22 pounds before going forward-facing.
   
Forward-Facing Basics
•Older kids who have outgrown the rear-facing capacity of their convertible car seats must ride forward-facing.
•These children should be not only at least 1 year old AND at least 20 pounds, but actually should be around 30-35 pounds or tall enough so that their heads are within 1 inch of the top of their convertible seats. Children should not turn forward-facing until they outgrow their convertible seat's rear-facing height and/or weight limits.

Where should I put a forward-facing seat?
•The center of the back seat is statistically the safest place in the car, as you can never take a direct hit there.
•If you have only one child, it is safer to place the car seat in the center as long as the car seat can be properly secured in this position. Please note that the center rear seat of most vehicles does not use the LATCH system.

When should a forward-facing child switch to using a booster seat?
•A child should be both at least 3-4 years old and at least 40 pounds before starting to use a booster seat.
•If your over 40-pound child is not mature enough to sit still while using a booster seat (i.e. he leans over to fight with a sibling, picks up dropped toys, hangs out the window, etc.,), then he his not ready for a booster seat. In this case you should look for a safety seat that has a 5-point harness and can accommodate a child weighing more than 40 pounds.

Remember to keep safety first and foremost in your mind this holiday season and buckle up your family! Ask Patty always says, "When you're driving with your loved one remember you are carrying precious cargo!"