Deals.Woot

Congratulations! Perhaps I could suggest a good method on how to sleep better.

We had Graco brand carseats. We went through 2 sets and had no complaints about either. If you are looking for a stroller, you can get the Graco Travel System (stroller, car seat, base). They have all different sizes and the strollers are actually fairly nice as well. I particularly like that collapsing the stroller only requires one hand.

Either way, don't beat yourself up over it too much. With today's safety standards, one brand is pretty much the same as another when it comes to car seats. The price really does become the factor that turns most people's heads (unless you're like my wife and find a "Pretty blue pattern" that you just HAVE to have).

@capguncowboy: Thank you! We are very excited. Thank you so much for the input

Congrats as well! We started with a Graco, then after the Consumer Reports debacle a few years ago, we switched to a Britax. We've been super happy with them, and they are highly rated. They were recommended by my sister, who also wound up using them.

My recollection is that they tend to be a bit on the pricey side. I got at least one on Craigslist - basically a brand new seat that didn't fit someone's car. "They" (whoever they are) recommend against used car seats; if you do go that route, know that car seats generally have a 6 year service life. Yes, they come with a mfg date, and an implied expiration date.

Some other things to consider:
1) Most seats have a minimum weight/height, and maximum weight/height. Depending on your situation, you may want to plan your purchase accordingly. If you are almost at full term, go with the biggest capacity you can get. Our daughters were both premature, and we had to use rolled-up towels to hold them in place.

@75grandville: Thank you sooo much for the detailed response. My wife is going to be happy with all her research and your input, its greatly appreciated!

@capguncowboy I'll second that. The rule of thumb I heard/use is that if you pull on the car seat, the car should move, not the seat. I go beyond a knee and climb on up while installing. Both knees & entire body weight. At 6' & 200+ lbs, it's pretty darn awkward, but afterward I know the seat isn't going anywhere!

We have loved our Maxi-Cosi Priori seats we got at Target. Not sure if they still carry them or not, but we have a one-year-old and four-year-old still in them. After some practice, I've gotten pretty adept at taking the cover off, which isn't too painful, and adjusting the strap height, which I can do in the dark now. I feel comfortable recommending these.

@matthalbig Looks like Diapers.com is having a labor day sale on Britax car seats. Promo e-mail says 25% off, website shows 20% off, so that needs some clarification. There's a $10 off for new customers as well, not sure if you can stack that or not. They also do free shipping over $49.

Used them for diapers until Amazon undercut them with their "Amazon Mom" program, which give you 30% off.

...also, do not buy a carseat from a garage sale or any other "used" site. There are so many recalled items, that you are best off getting new, and a model that has been around with great (not just good) ratings.

@mellielou: Thank you! Added the travelmate to our registery!