Polliwogged || Category || Car Seats || P5

Giggle, giggle, shop!

As much fun as it is to read the numerous product reviews and recommendations from popular blogs and sites it can pretty overwhelming when it’s finally time to make a decision. Which products do you really need and which ones are right for your family?

The giggle Guide to Baby Gear helps you navigate the aisles of strollers, cribs, car seats, and diaper bags. The book is written by giggle’s CEO, Ali Wing, and serves as a shopping companion complete with checklists for every stage. The giggle Guide to Baby Gear doesn’t assume there is just one right car seat or one right diaper bag. It helps you choose the right car seat or diaper bag for your lifestyle. You’ll be able to shop for that stroller armed with an explanation of what features to look for and which ones you can do without.

It would have been nice to know which baby items my newborn needed and which ones she and I could have done without or purchased later. I’m a big believer in simplifying, and the giggle Guide to Baby Gear is the perfect tool for simplifying—and demystifying—the sometimes overwhelming world of baby gear. You can purchase your own copy of the giggle Guide to Baby Gear for $14 from Amazon.com. - Emily H.

giggle Guide to Baby Gear

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Those elusive Britax sales? Yep, we have one for you!

A few weeks back we reported to you on the official Britax sale. At that time, models were averaging a discount of 10% with free shipping. If you missed this sale, or are just now in the market for a new car seat -- good news for you! Amazon has some great Britax deals right now.

The Britax Roundabout in Bridgeport is 22% off for $157 and is 18% off for $163 in Latte. The Roundabouts are a more compact, convertible Britax style and are rated up to 35 pounds rear-facing and 40 pounds forward-facing. The Marathon is on sale in three different patterns -- Graystone (23% off, $192), Brooke (20% off, $200), and Ashley (20% off, $200). The Marathon boasts a much higher forward-facing weight limit of 65lbs with the rear-facing weight limit being 33lbs. Lastly, the Britax Decathalon in Cappuccino is on sale for $200, 23% off the regular price. The Decathalon has the same forward-facing and rear-facing weight limits as the Marathon, but the Roundabout also features added side head protection for side-impact crashes. All Britax models feature LATCH connectors, a five point harness, as well as cutting edge safety and comfort design. - Jenn

Freecycle, a love-hate relationship

The best kind of baby gear is safe, clean, and free. That combination is extremely hard to come by, but it is sometimes possible.

If you are newly expecting, you might want to consider joining a local freecycle group. These email lists usually have tons of baby gear, and can flood your inbox if you don't opt for the "digest" version of the mailings.

Unfortunately, the baby gear is frequently snatched up by someone else right before you and if it isn't, it's often really old, slightly broken, dirty or otherwise not desirable. So why do I suggest it? A saavy freecycle member can still get good items for free.

First, remember… it is free. If it takes a $3 buckle to make a $100 infant swing safe again, and you were going to buy a swing anyway, then you saved $97. Just be sure you are confident in your fix. Frankly, the best baby stuff to get off freecycle is clothing and linens. A good washing and they are like new, and you’ve saved a lot of money. A seemingly dirty item might be a great score, so don’t be automatically turned off by a stain or two. Besides, your kid will stain it soon enough.

The most important caution for freecycle is that things may or may not be safe. This is crucial. Here are a couple of basic hints for freecycle safety:

Once you get home, check all items for recalls via the CPSC website. If it was recalled, throw it out immediately.

Never use something that looks older than about 10 years and is painted- lead might lurk beneath the surface.

If it is supposed to go in the baby’s mouth and cannot be washed well, don’t do it.

Do not get car seats from freecycle. You cannot know for sure if a seat was in a crash with the previous owner, or how well it was treated in storage, or anything else. This is your baby’s life we are talking about, so in the case of safety gear like a car seat, freecycle is never worth the savings.

- Leigh G.

Photo by TheTruthAbout..., shared via Flickr.

The Britax Sale: Infant seats

Today is the official first day of the Britax sale. So far, it looks like discounts are averaging around 10% off with free shipping on most sites. Amazon has quite a few in the 12-14% off range, most of which also qualify for Free Super Saver Shipping. Remember, this sale isn't limited only to car seats, but also includes Britax brand strollers and bases. Definitely worth checking out.

A stellar standout deal, the Britax Boulevard I mentioned several days ago is still on sale for $230, 25% off of the original price. The Boulevard is a convertible car seat that can rear face to 35 pounds and forward face to 65 pounds. The Roundabout is on sale for $200 - a great car seat, but the maximum weight and height limits are well under those of the Boulevard. - Jeremiah

The elusive Britax sale(s)

Britax car seats have long been heralded as leaders in safety ratings. Anyone who has ever tried to find one on sale knows that Britax sales are long awaited and much sought after. Internet message boards are abuzz that Britax seats will go on sale on September 15th (stay tuned for more in that development) but if you can’t wait until then, Amazon has one model of the Britax Boulevard already marked down 25% for $230. - Jenn

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