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Cordy in the Britax Marathon

Just over a week ago, there was a Parent Expo held in my city. Part of the free event was a car seat check provided by the local police to make sure your car seat was installed properly. This reminded me that it was time to get the infant car seat out again and get it ready for our new addition.

When I was pregnant with Cordy, I did a lot of research into car seats. I wanted to make sure we had the best car seat available to make her as safe as possible in the car. It's not that I didn't trust my driving ability - I didn't trust all the other crazy drivers out there. After pouring through safety ratings, consumer reports, and pages of reviews by parents, we chose the Graco Snugride car seat. I loved that the seat was detachable from the base, so it was easy to transport the baby from car to house without waking her.

However, she quickly outgrew the infant seat (giant child, remember?), and we realized that we needed something that would serve us for a longer term. I started my research again into convertible car seats that could be positioned rear or forward facing. The consistent recommendation from every source I went to was Britax. Their car seats were considered some of the best out there. I looked over the available choices, and in the end we bought a Marathon for my husband's car and a Roundabout for my car.

Yes, these are expensive car seats. But the protection they provide makes it worth the price. Both seats have EPS protective foam, both feature a 5-point harness, both have straps that are designed to not twist, and both feature LATCH connectors. They are easy to install and, once installed, feel very secure. I also liked the comfort features, like Velcro on the sides to hold the straps in place when putting a child in the seat (no digging the straps out from under a squirmy child), and a belly pad around the buckle to prevent burns on a hot day. The Marathon has one benefit over the Roundabout: it safely holds children up to 65 lbs, which is more than most car seats, and a true benefit to those of us with large children. Cordy's not eligible for a booster seat until she turns three, but may outgrow her Roundabout, which has a standard 40 lb. weight limit, before September.

We love our Britax car seats, and as I pulled the Graco Snugride cover off to wash it, I remembered how much I liked it as well. When choosing a car seat, my best advice is to try not to think about the price of the seat, but instead focus on safety ratings and reviews from other parents. Because when it comes to something like car safety, price should be low on the list of considerations when choosing the best car seat.