car seat

Real Mom Review by Minnelle K: Maxi-Cosi Coral XP

A special thank you to Minnelle K for reviewing this car seat.

I’ve been using the new Coral XP infant car seat from Maxi-Cosi. In my opinion, this is the most important thing for the baby’s safety. The infant car seat comes in three colors, and I chose cobalt blue. I love taking him around in style and really enjoying the convenience of this seat.

The outer shell of this chair actually is the car seat. It has an inner shell that you can remove to take into stores quickly and conveniently. There’s a button inside the inner shell that you push, and it pops right out. Once the shell is out of the carrying base, baby is on-the-go! The inner shell only weighs about 5 pounds, so even with a baby, it’s still lightweight for carrying.

There’s a couple of ways that you can carry this once it’s out of the shell, either with the side handles or also cross-body. In any of the carrying modes, it’s very convenient and comfortable for mom. If you choose to, you can also carry it traditionally as an entire unit. It’s even compatible with a lot of strollers on the market!

This car seat really amazing and so easy to use. There’s just so many different ways you can use it during the baby’s infant stages. I highly recommend this seat!

Thank you to Maxi-Cosi for making this sponsored post possible.

Real Mom Review: The Super Easy-to-Carry Maxi-Cosi Coral XP!

by Christine Swearingen Leave a Comment

“I’m so happy we upgraded our car seat to the Maxi-Cosi Coral XP – I feel so much more coordinated when I’m carrying Wren! Honestly, felt so awkward previously that it didn’t seem entirely safe. Now I feel so much more confident and comfortable carrying her around. Plus, I always have a completely free second hand!”

Thank you to Liz Elliott for reviewing this product – Liz is a home & style guru and blogger of Franc and Eli.

Thank you to Maxi-Cosi for sponsoring this video!

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Changing the Car Seat Game Completely – The Super Easy-to-Carry Maxi-Cosi Coral XP!

by Christine Swearingen Leave a Comment

Thank you to Liz Elliott for reviewing this product – Liz is a home & style guru and blogger of Franc and Eli.

We recently upgraded our car seat to the Maxi-Cosi Coral XP and I wish we’d done it sooner!

The Maxi-Cosi Coral XP is a new type of car seat that is totally changing the car seat game by making it so much easier to carry your baby. Even though a lot of traditional car seats are “light weight,” they’re still pretty bulky and awkward to carry and can get heavy once you add a baby!

I was struggling to carry our old car seat – I often found myself carrying it using some weird arm positions and essentially holding one arm with the other and still struggling. In one of our first outings with Wren, we took her to the beach. I was carrying Wren in her old car seat by the big handle, and some drinks in the other. I only made it about halfway down the walkway to the beach before I couldn’t carry everything anymore! I needed my other hand to hold up the arm that was carrying the car seat, so I had to stop and wait for my husband to come back and grab the rest of the stuff from me! I remember thinking “I thought this thing was supposed to be lightweird / easy to carry?”

And then we got the Coral XP and now carrying Wren is a breeze!

The Coral XP has 3 parts, an inner carrier, an outer carrier shell, and a base. When you’re carrying your baby in the car seat, you can carry just the super lightweight inner carrier! It only weighs about five pounds. There are two ways to carry the inner carrier (and both are so much easier than wrangling the handle of a traditional car seat):

First, you can carry it using the two side handles. Second, you can carry it across your body using the cross-body strap. This is my favorite way – it distributes the weight to your back and is really comfortable to wear! You can also carry the outer carrier shell (with the inner carrier inside) like a “traditional” car seat.

When you’re taking it in and out of your car, you can pop out just the inner carrier (leaving the outer carrier shell and base in the car), or you can pop out the inner carrier and outer carrier shell together as one unit. Both are super simple!

I’m so happy we upgraded our car seat to the Maxi-Cosi Coral XP – I feel so much more coordinated when I’m carrying Wren! Honestly, felt so awkward previously that it didn’t seem entirely safe. Now I feel so much more confident and comfortable carrying her around. Plus, I always have a completely free second hand!

The Coral XP is made using Maxi-Cosi’s “Pure-Cosi” fabrics, made without wool or added fire retardant treatment, that are machine washable and dryer safe! Wren loves it too – and it’s easy to get her in and out of it.

Thank you to Maxi-Cosi for making this sponsored post possible.

The Scoop: The NEW Maxi-Cosi Coral XP

by Christine Swearingen 2 Comments

When we were preparing for our baby’s arrival, we tried to keep in mind what we did on a daily basis. We live in the city, but frequently visit family in the suburbs, and wanted baby gear that could work well in both locations. The Maxi-Cosi Coral XP has been a perfect fit for our lifestyle.

The four different carrying options allow me to keep my baby close to me no matter where I’m going. When I make quick stops to pick up take out, grab a few things at the market, or run errands, I only have to take the lightweight inner carrier of the Coral XP and carry my baby using either the handles or cross-body strap. I’ve found these to be way more comfortable than the traditional handle found on other infant car seats, too.

When we visit our family, we simply attach the Maxi-Cosi Coral XP to our stroller and take long walks. At home, we have to climb a few flights of stairs to get to our apartment, so being able to wear the lightweight carrier while having another hand free to bring up our bags or groceries is super helpful. I really appreciate the super soft PureCosi fabrics the Coral XP has since I prefer not to have added flame retardant chemicals on my baby gear. In general, the fabrics are easy to clean and retain their original color and softness even after a couple post-blow out washes. The canopy is a breathable material and provides ample sun protection.

The base is easy to install: the retractable LATCH connectors hooked right onto the anchors in my Jeep Grand Cherokee. I love how you can hear the LATCH tighten as you push the base down! We’ve installed the base using the seatbelt instead, and it was simple to do. The Coral XP’s belt path feature has been especially convenient for when we use a rideshare service to get around. The color-changing safety indicators around the base make me feel confident that it’s installed properly every time. There’s plenty of room between the passenger seat and the Coral XP and we’ll be able to comfortably fit another car seat when the time comes for baby #2. The load leg is an added safety feature that we’ve used from the start: we really wanted an infant car seat that offered this!

Overall, the Maxi-Cosi Coral XP has been the perfect choice for our family and has made our day-to-day life so much easier. We absolutely love it and will definitely recommend it to our family and friends!

Thank you to Maxi-Cosi for making this sponsored post possible.

Our Best Travel Tips

by Christine Swearingen Leave a Comment

Traveling with a babe or kiddo can be stressful and overwhelming. Read through our best tips to make sure traveling is stress-free and enjoyable for all.

Tip #1: For any type of car seat, make sure your car seat is FAA certified; we recommend bringing your seat’s FAA documentation (typically a sticker on the seat or manual) and having the FAA and airline rules printed or bookmarked on your phone.

Tip #2: If you’re concerned about your car seat getting damaged and have the budget for it, consider purchasing an additional inexpensive, lightweight, FAA certified seat specifically for air travel.

Tip #3: A travel bag protects your car seat from both physical and environmental damage: some brands offer straps or wheels for easy transportation. I have loved this car set travel bag from Britax.

Tip #4: Whenever your baby is in his seat, make sure to properly fasten all straps to provide a safe and secure environment.

Tip #5: Babies & Kids feed off of your energy; so if you are calm and confident during travel, they will be too! If possible, try and book flights around nap or bedtime so that if all else fails, everyone can sleep.

Check out this post with our favorite car seat picks for travel: Our Fav Picks: Travel Car Seats

Our Fav Picks: Travel Car Seats

by Christine Swearingen 1 Comment

Traveling with babies and toddlers can be overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be! I went from a mom who swore she would never bring an infant on a plane to flying across the country every 8-12 weeks with a growing newborn (and big sister) in tow! Whether your little one is rear-facing or forward-facing, needs a 5 point harness, or just a booster seat, we have our favorite travel car seat picks for you!

The first question to ask yourself is do you need to bring a car seat? What parts of your trip will be in the air vs. on the road? Most airlines do offer an option for a “Lap Infant”, and you should check with each for their definition and guidelines on what that means. This option is there to save you money, and promote families to fly. However, both the FAA and the NTSB recommend children under 40 lbs to fly in an approved restraint. Once you land, how are you getting to your destination? In some areas, you can find a car service (or even Uber) with a child seat option or upgrade. Will you be traveling around while you are there? This was the defining factor for me (along with the 6-hour flight) to start purchasing a ticket for my child and bringing a car seat along with us. Whether you decide to check one at the ticket counter or curbside, gate check, or buckle up on board, the next step is to select the right type of seat for your child’s height and weight.

Infant Car Seats

Infant Car Seats are already designed to be portable; they are lighter and smaller and most configure to snap directly onto your stroller (which will allow you to push it through the airport and remain hands-free!). When selecting my infant seat, it was important to me to choose an infant car seat with a European belt path feature (which enables you to wrap the shoulder belt around the back of the carrier) to allow you to easily install the car seat without the base.

The Cybex Aton 2 car seat offers outstanding safety and convenience. At 9.5lbs, it is lightweight for easy carrying and installation. It features a linear side-impact protection system (a little piece that extends on the door facing side of the installed car seat) that offers increased safety (it absorbs up to 25% more impact) during a side-impact collision. The extra-large sun canopy can be extended incrementally, offering not only UPF 50+ sun protection but also shield against wind and rain. The largest cons about this seat are that the price is on the higher side compared to other infant car seats and it does not feature a no-rethread adjustment for the harness.

Rear Facing, 5 Point Harness

Once babe exceeds the height and/or weight limit of an infant car seat, it is time to move up to a convertible car seat. The CDC recommends that a rear-facing car seat be used from birth until ages 2–4. They continue, that for the best possible protection, infants and toddlers should be buckled in a rear-facing car seat, in the back seat, until they reach the maximum weight and height limits of their car seat. The bummer about this for travel is that for the most part, convertible car seats are enormous, heavy, and not easily transferred from car to plane to car. So it became my mission to find one that was the exception to this rule.

At just under $50 and 7 lbs the Cosco Scenera Next is the perfect, affordable solution to the convertible car seat travel blues. While it doesn’t attach to a stroller, it is so compact that we were able to use ours (sans baby) to maneuver around the airport with ease. The seat pad doesn’t offer a ton of cushion, but it is easy to remove, machine washable, and dryer safe which was a huge comfort for those airplane ickies. The largest con about this seat is that the top harness slots are low, so babe might outgrow the straps before they reach the weight/height limits. It is also rather large, so if you are using it as an extra travel seat, make sure you have a place to stow it in the offseason.

Forward Facing, 5 Point Harness

The AAP advises that all children who have outgrown the rear-facing weight or height limit for their car seat should use a forward-facing seat with a harness for as long as possible, up to the highest weight or height allowed by their manufacturer. While some children may reach the minimum weight for a booster seat or high back booster, they are still safest in a 5 point harness.

I cannot say enough good things about the WAYB Pico car seat. We were initially planning on only bringing one with us, but immediately went and purchased a second. Made from aerospace-grade aluminum alloy, it is light (just 8 lbs), strong (it absorbs energy forces in a crash), and foldable (making it super easy to carry and store). Their ASTROKNIT™ fabric is breathable and ergonomic, keeping little travelers comfortable and it can be installed either with a one-click LATCH connection or a car/airplane belt. The price point is high, and it can only be used forward-facing, but if you are a frequent traveler or in/out of taxis often this is an excellent choice for you.

High Back Boosters

When babe is mature enough to move on from their 5 point harness, but not yet tall enough that the vehicle seat belt fits properly, they should use a belt-positioning booster seat (typically until they have reached 4 feet 9 inches in height and are 8 to 12 years of age). Previously, there was a gap in the travel market to support kids in this size range (there are many options for your day in and day out use), which is what makes the “the world’s most portable booster” so smart.

The mifold hifold fit-and-fold booster is an adjustable highback booster with unique “multi-fit” technology that can be adjusted to 243 individual settings. This means that it grows with the child to ensure optimal seat belt fit and comfort. Weighing just under 10 pounds, its lightweight design and handy carry strap make the hifold great for travel or moving from car to car. The hifold is not suited for use on aircraft (as it requires the use of both a lap and a shoulder belt system), however, it folds small enough to fit underneath an airplane seat (resulting in 1 less thing to check!). At the absolute smallest settings, my petite 4.5-year-old felt comfortable and confident and her only complaint was that she couldn’t see out the window! My last note is that this seat cannot be attached with a Latch system, so remember to buckle it in (or fold it up!) when your child is not with you.

Whether your travels are by land or air, these travel car seats have you covered! These car seats are our favorite picks for traveling safely.

Real Mom Review: Clek Foonf

by Christine Swearingen Leave a Comment

Sleek. Simple. Modern. Minimal. All that and more can be found in the Clek Foonf car seat. One of our Gugu Guru team members tried this car seat with her 16-month-old-daughter and quickly fell in love. Read what she has to say about it below.

We love the super soft material of this car seat. It’s cushioned in all the right places to hug baby and keep her comfortable. We live in Alaska and the seat material is perfect. It doesn’t get super cold when our cars sit outside like her infant car seat would. The material would be great for warm states too because it won’t get warm sitting in the sun in a hot car either.

It’s not as bulky and wide as some of the other car seats on the market and fits nicely in both of our cars, a Ford Escape and a Ford F-150 Super Crew Cab. Bonus: it was also super easy to install properly!

Two of the most important things I looked for in a car seat were a solid frame build and a nice headrest. The headrest in this seat is amazing and really supports her head when she falls asleep on car rides. Clek says the Foonf is “built like a tank” and it truly is! It’s engineered with a steel and magnesium substructure, energy-absorbing crumple technology, and a rebound bar. The safety of this seat really can’t be beaten.

I would highly recommend this car seat to any family with littles. My only regret? Not buying one sooner! She would have loved it as an infant and will be able to use this car seat for years!

Thanks to Clek for sending a Foonf for testing. The thoughts mentioned in this article are my own.

Learn more or purchase the Clek Foonf on Amazon here.

Britax One4Life ClickTight All-in-One Car Seat

by Gugu Guru Leave a Comment

Installing a car seat can be a frustrating task but not with the new Britax One4Life ClickTight All-in-One Car Seat. Britax’s One4Life ClickTight All-in-One Car Seat has changed car seat installation forever. Gone are the days of blindly threading the seat belt through a car seat and hoping the installation was correct. Click Tight technology allows you to easily pinch open the seat, insert the seatbelt through the seat and click the seat closed. It is as easy as buckling a seatbelt!

At Gugu Guru we love the long lifespan of the One4Life. It can be used from birth (5 pounds) to 120 pounds. The One4Life can be used both rear and forward-facing and has a 10-year expiration, eliminating the need to purchase multiple car seats.

In addition to a long list of the great safety features, Britax has kept your child’s comfort a top priority. The One4Life has nine different recline positions, stay-put comfort pads to prevent neck rub and ventilated mesh for maximum happiness during car trips.

If you are registering for your little one or want easier car seat installation, consider the Britax One4Life ClickTight All-in-One Car Seat. Thanks to Britax for sending a One4Life for testing. The thoughts mentioned in this article are my own.

Learn more or purchase the Britax One4Life ClickTight All-in-One Car Seat on Amazon here.

Like this review? Check out the Larktale Strollers Review by The Gugu Village.

What’s New on Gugu: November 6, 2019

by Abby Ludwig Leave a Comment

We have found some excellent new products this week, including a limited edition car seat stroller and a fun feeding accessory. These items will all make great gifts for any new parents-to-be. As we get closer to the end of the year, look out for many new products coming for 2020!

For a number of our other favorites, please check out our Explore page!

Doona Dusk Limited Edition: Exclusive to PishPoshBaby.com, Doona has released their sleekest stroller car seat. Go straight from car to strolling in elegance! Complete with leatherette detailing, a complimentary rain cover and essentials bag, we love the upgraded details!

Grabease All Over Bib: This bib is the solution to one of life’s biggest messes – feeding time with a toddler! This oversized bib has an elastic hem, which will easily fit over nearly any highchair. Plus the stain-resistant fabric is easy to pop in the washing machine (or even to rinse in the sink!).

Woven Nook: One of our favorite ways to accent any nursery is a fun pillow sitting on your glider/rocking chair. Woven Nook has our favorite new collection of high-quality neutral pillow covers and blankets, that will find a great place in any nursery or playroom. Plus they are affordable so you can buy multiple and refresh your décor as needed!

bökee: You’re holding a screaming baby and all she wants to do is eat. You rush to make the bottle, but as you reach for the lid you knock it over causing a big spill and instant frustration. Insert the bökee- the first feeding accessory to turn this whole process into a one-handed job! The bökee suctions to any countertop, grips the bottle (or sippy cup/pump products/etc) and allows you the freedom to hold and soothe your little one.

Bella Mama: Invested in helping all moms-to-be have a healthy pregnancy, Bella Mama is created from evidence-based nutrition info in a month-by-month guide. There are also coaching options, where you can work one-on-one to ensure you’re filling your body with healthy choices.

Please note that these opinions are 100% my own and I have not received any products in exchange for placement in What’s New on Gugu!

Like what you see? Check out some other What’s New on Gugu posts:

What’s New on Gugu: Chicago Baby Show Edition

What’s New on Gugu: September 12, 2019

What’s New on Gugu: October 25, 2019

What’s New on Gugu: October 30, 2019

3 Reasons Why You’ll Love the Maxi-Cosi Coral Infant Car Seat

by Christine Swearingen Leave a Comment

Car seats have evolved a lot over the years, but nothing has ever been made quite like the Maxi-Cosi Coral Infant Car Seat. The innovative new design of this car seat makes the Coral the first-ever integrated car seat and carrier system. If this exciting new design isn’t enough to hook you on the new Maxi-Cosi car seat, below are three more reasons you’ll love this car seat.

1. It will keep your baby safe
The most important aspect of a car seat is safety. You need a brand and product you can trust to keep your precious child safe and secure. The Maxi-Cosi car seat base is designed to the highest safety standards, with anti-rotation stability leg, self-retracting latch connectors, integrated belt lock-off, and indicators to provide visual confirmation of accurate installation.

2. It can easily transition from car to street
The car seat comes with a removable inner shell so you can easily transition from the car to the street. No more attempting to carefully remove your baby’s arms from the seat straps so you can put them in the stroller. The Maxi-Cosi Coral Infant Car Seat helps you smoothly remove your baby from the car already in a convenient carrier.

3. It has four carrying modes
Not only can you remove the seat’s inner shell to carry your child, but you have four different carrying options. You can choose from over the shoulder, handle carry, standard carry, or even stroller style. The carrier is compatible with Maxi-Cosi strollers and a few other premium strollers so you can move your baby from the car to the stroller with ease.

Thank you to Maxi-Cosi for making this sponsored post possible.

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