Car Restraint for Holden Astra

[rebecca]

Good Morning everyone,

Hope that you all had a great christmas...not too sure how many of you are going to be around to offer some advice...but here goes.
I have layby'd a Baby love car seat that converts as the baby grows older and bigger and decided to try it out in my Holden Astra CD over the weekend to see if it fit, prior to taking it off layby...Guess what...it is way too big! I was very upset by this as I really liked the padding, side impact and design of the car seat. It now seems that I have to buy a capsule then a seat once bub reaches 9kg. Or i can buy a compaq convertible car seat from safe n sound which I am a little concerned about the padding and safety...
May I please have some ideas from any mum's out there with a car similar to mine and what they have used for their little ones...

Thanks
Bec & Peanut

[xkwzit]

Hi Rebecca
I also had an Astra (great car, isn't it :D ) and I had no trouble with my convertible car seat. I bought a Safe n Sound brand baby seat (I think the model was Royale). Its been a really great car seat with plenty of padding for baby's back, head and neck.

Where are you trying to put it? I orginally wanted my baby seat in the middle of the back seat (I thought that it was the safest place :o ), but because of the Astra's seat contours, there wasn't enough room - and it wasn't really very stable anyway. I installed the baby seat on the left hand rear seat - and this is much better for getting baby in and out of the car anyway. You do have to move the front passenger seat forward, but my 6 ft husband could still sit in the front passenger seat. (If you have the car seat in the middle, both front seats need to come forward, so that's not a great idea).

We actually have more leg room in the Astra than in our Subaru forester with the car seat in the baby position. So I don't think that you need to buy a special compact car seat or a baby capsule as well - the Astra should have plenty of room - I can't imagine that the Safe n Sound is the only convertible car seat that will fit. And I only say "had an Astra" in the opening sentence above, because now I have two girls, I can't use our Astra hatch anymore, as the two car seat tie-down straps don't leave any room for getting a pram into and out of the back. So now my husband drives my sporty car :mad: (but only until we don't need a pram anymore :D !)

Cheers

[cait]

Hi Bec,

I have an Astra too and my MIL bought us a Turn-a-Tot seat. Ours fits the car but like Samantha, mine had to go on the left side, which means I couldn't use the 'turn' feature. I also had to put a rolled towel under the seat because of the contour.

My bub came a bit early so my DP had the car seat fitted by the Ambulance service while I was in hospital and they recommended the towel for Astra's. It is worth while getting them to do it as then you know it is done properly and it is free. I also had them re-fit mine when Zach was big enough to face forwards just to be safe...glad they did because it is so much harder than I expected!!

Samantha, it is a pity you can't use your Astra anymore! I love mine so much that my DP isn't allowed to drive it!! :D

Good luck with everything!

Caitlin

[rebecca]

Thanks ladies,

I think I will check it out again this weekend....
Mine is not a hatch back and this may also have something to do with it...but will check it out again....I heard about that towel thing too over the weekend...and I will get it fitted properly I think...just to be safe!


By the way, I just found this great new product...it is called a Bumbo Baby Seat...anyone used them???

[H&B'sMum]

Hi Bec,
Hope you, Dh and Peanut had a great Christmas. We have a Pulsar which is about the same size as your Astra. We also had to put Harry's seat on the passenger side with the front seat pulled up, Harry's seat was also on a towel under it because of the seat shape. It gives more stability to the seat. My friend has an Astra and the same seat as yours and she had to have the seat up as well.
We were able to get ours fitted at the Hospital where Harry was born. So find out from your local Hospital or wherever you are having Peanut and they might have a department that does it as well. It cost us $25.00 but we didn't care for the piece of mind it gave.

[rebecca]

What type of car seat do you have in the pulsar??

I spke with Babies Galore last night and they have been fantastic (in warrawong) and think that I should be able to use a safe n sound royale car seat..I am going to check it out again this weekend.

I hope that you all have a great NYE and for me and our family we are surely looking forward to the New Year together.

Bec & Peanut

[xkwzit]

Hi Girls
Just been reading about getting the car seat fitted. In QLD the RACQ (equiv. to NRMA or RACV) sell and fit baby seats - so I bought mine from them and they fitted it for free. Check it out - they might still fit them for you - even if you don't buy from them.

Hope everyone has a great NYE (even if you can't stay up - celebrate on NZ time, then you can still be in bed by 9pm AEST :D )

Cheers

[H&B'sMum]

Bec,
I have a Safe and Sound Deluxe model in my Pulsar. It fits great now that Harry is turned around and is facing forward. Hope you can fix your problem. I agree try the NRMA.

[emmaandhayleysmum]

Hiya Bec and Peanut,

I too have a Holden Astra, and the car seat I have my 4 mth old DD in, is a brand named 'Destiny' that I bought in BIG W for $118 (cheap as chips!), and that fits my car perfectly. This car seat is suited from birth til 18kgs. Cheap as it is, I didn't have to really compromise on any features either. The car seat had to sit behind the passenger seat, with that pulled forward a bit as everyone has said.

Anyway good luck with the rest of your pregnancy, hope all goes well.

Anna 26
DH - Jason 31
DD - Emma 2 + 4mths
DD - Hayley 4 mths

[Mumoffour]

hi there,
i have a holden torana which arent known for their familiy frienliness. I bought a fisher price convertible car seat ( also marketed as IGC in Kmart). It has a grey velour seat and all the extra padding and is really good for a compact car. They arent that expensive also. I also had a look at the 'turn a tot' car seat mentioned above and it looks like a really good idea- i just couldnt afford the 300 odd dollars from a specialty toy store baby department.
Cheers

[dblmum]

Hi Bec & Peanut,

We own a carolla and have twins so needed to fit 2 seats in my little back seat! We also bought the safe'nsound compaq convertible seats and were a little unsure at first, just remember that safe'nsound seats all EXCEED the minimum australian standards by quite a lot. Our two are still on the way but have a few girlfriends that also have this seat and they love it.

[Taylor & Lachlans Mummy]

Sounds like the problem we had with our Clubsport, the seats wouldnt sit properly, but the funny thing is, its not only the safe & sound, & its all Holdens. Because the base of the holden is slanted by so much. The same seats will sit fine in a mitsubishi, mazda & ford with out a problem. The only way to fix it is to go to a rubber supplier like clark rubber & get them to cut a wedge to makt the seat sit flush.
I hope this is some help