We’re happy to announce that we’ve updated our list of Recommended Infant Carseats for Preemies & Multiples! Our original list of Best Bets in this category included the original Chicco KeyFit & KeyFit 30, Britax Chaperone & B-Safe, Safety 1st onBoard 35 & onBoard 35 Air. Since we posted that list of recommendations over a year ago we’ve reviewed several new or updated infant seats that we feel comfortable adding to the list.
Please join me in welcoming the Safety 1st Comfy Carry Elite Plus, the new Graco SnugRide 35 (specifically, the newest model rated down to 4 lbs) and the Evenflo Embrace 35. All of these seats have a minimum weight rating of 4 lbs, fit our preemie doll well, are easy to use correctly and are relatively easy to install properly in a variety of vehicles. We have links to the full reviews for each of these seats as well as other important information on our page dedicated to preemies and carseat issues.
Additionally, we’re very pleased that three of the seats on our new expanded list are priced under $100! The Safety 1st Comfy Carry Elite Plus, Safety 1st onBoard 35 and Evenflo Embrace 35 are all what I like to call “budget-friendly”. And let’s face it – price and value are always important but those factors take on special meaning if you’re operating on a tight budget and/or if you’re faced with the reality of having to buy two, three (or more!) of everything.
Here at CarseatBlog we really appreciate the fact that CR manufacturers are paying more attention to the needs of preemies and low birthweight babies. With eight infant carseats now on our list, in all different price ranges, this is a giant leap in the right direction. Hopefully we’ll be able to recommend a few more options (including convertible seats) in the near future!
Hi Beth, please check out the photos in Kecia’s review:
https://carseatblog.com/16957/graco-snugride-35-infant-carseat-review-4th-generation-is-a-homerun/
Even with the two inserts used as directed, were you still finding the 4-pound version to be problematic? The Huggable Images preemie doll is very tiny. Some complain that perhaps it is even smaller for torso height at the shoulders than a typical 4-lb. newborn. Plus, the shoulders are not formed well on the doll, so it can exaggerate harness height issues compared to a real baby. Would you say the photos were similar to what you have seen?
If not, perhaps there are different models shipping now or some other variation that we need to research. Many Snugride 35s are not rated to 4 pounds, of course, and those will not fit preemies as well as they lack the necessary inserts.
Also I note the new KeyFit 30 Magic has updated newborn inserts that may further improve the fit for preemies.
I would like to comment on the Graco Snugride 35. I am a NICU nurse and deal with preemies everyday. The Snugride claims to be approved for infants as small as 4 pounds, however ,I have NEVER seen a 4 pound baby fit well in this seat. The harness straps are always at least an inch to an inch and a half above the infant’s shoulders. This car seat is often brought in by parents and they are always upset when told that it doesn’t fit their baby correctly. I do like the Chico Key Fit and the Cosco Comfy Carry very much for preemies. The key fit is padded well and supports them. The Cosco Comfy Carry fits well but doesn’t have a lot of bells and whistles but it costs is only $59.00
As always, thanks for the thorough reviews – just posted the link to our multiples club web forum 🙂
Also, for the record – this list consists of seats that we have reviewed, or have extensive experience with, and feel comfortable recommending for preemies and LBW babies. While there may be other seats that technically fit the criteria for fitting preemies, the seats listed are seats that we feel comfortable recommending based on our evaluations which include overall ease of use, ease of installation, etc.
Thanks, Kecia! I’d like to add a note that our recommendations are based primarily on the fit to the Huggable Images preemie doll. We realize that this doll is not an ideal “average” size and maybe not even a “typical” size and shape of a 4lb. low birthweight infant. In particular, the shoulders do not hold up well like those on a real baby of this size. We use this doll because it is is commercially available and used by many programs and technicians. That means it is an easy way to compare infant models directly. That also means that models not included on this list may still fit an actual 4-5 pound low birthweight infant. Every baby is a different size and shape, so a real baby might or might not fit well in a product not appearing on our list! On the other hand, while you can be sure that models on our list will fit most babies down to 4 pounds, it’s possible the tiniest babies at this weight may still not fit in some of them. Please read the manual or contact a local special needs trained technician if you have any question before taking baby home!