# newborn in a boulevard.



## Cinder (Feb 4, 2003)

I said in another thread (can't remember which now







) I'd post pictures of River in a boulevard to show how ridiculously big it is for a newborn. Now, he's not exactly a newborn anymore, he is 5 weeks (and 1 day) old, but he's still newborn sized. He was 6lbs 6ounces on thursday, and 19.5" long (also on thursday). Obviously, he's not happy with these pictures, but the span of time it took to take all of them was under a minute, and he was immediately happy as soon as we took him out. It's also in our living room, not actually installed in a car.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3301/...b02906.jpg?v=0

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3559/...00244f.jpg?v=0

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3417/...14a0b1.jpg?v=0

Seriously, we put Travis, who is also really short, into a boulevard at 7 months, and he needed the lowest strap setting possible...he was about 22" at 7 months....so if your newborn is 22" (Kincaid, my second kid, actually was) at birth, then they would probably fit...though, of course, torso height matters more than actual height, I have no clue how long River's torso is...and no clue how to measure it in a newborn who can't even come close to sitting up yet.

ohh, and proof that not all kids hate the seat. It was sitting in our living room, Travis (21 months old) climbed into it, tried to strap himself (then Janelle, 6 year old dd, helped him) and promptly went to sleep...which is what happens in the car as well. It was just like he thought "hmm, carseat! I think I'll take a nap!" and so he did.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3658/...7074e1.jpg?v=0


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## allisonrose (Oct 22, 2004)

Wow and I thought my 7 lb 2 oz guy looked itty-bitty coming home in his infant seat! How tiny!


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## gretelmom (Jun 22, 2005)

Although I totally agree that it seems too big, and my kids were in buckets before they were in the RF Boulevard, there is an infant insert that makes a big difference helping them fill it out. Do you have yours? I don't mind sending you mine since my kids will be in that seat until it expires and then we'll toss it, so I don't need that insert for resale.


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## an_aurora (Jun 2, 2006)

The infant insert just takes up space next to them, it doesn't help with the harness height issue.

OP, thank you for posting pictures! It really does show how poorly most newborns fit into the Marathon/Boulevard!


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## UberMama (Feb 27, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *gretelmom* 
Although I totally agree that it seems too big, and my kids were in buckets before they were in the RF Boulevard, there is an infant insert that makes a big difference helping them fill it out. Do you have yours? I don't mind sending you mine since my kids will be in that seat until it expires and then we'll toss it, so I don't need that insert for resale.

If the OP doesn't want it, keep in mind that you can take the cover/inserts and resell them and then destroy the seat itself once expired.


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## Cinder (Feb 4, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *gretelmom* 
Although I totally agree that it seems too big, and my kids were in buckets before they were in the RF Boulevard, there is an infant insert that makes a big difference helping them fill it out. Do you have yours? I don't mind sending you mine since my kids will be in that seat until it expires and then we'll toss it, so I don't need that insert for resale.

No, we still have it, it's just in a closet, River won't actually be going into this seat, Travis is in it, and he's too big for the newborn insert, and Travis will be in the seat till it expires.


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## sunnymw (Feb 28, 2007)

Mikah at 6 weeks and 14ish lbs
http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/m...ts/2ebv016.jpg
http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/m...ts/2ebv015.jpg
(ETA: right AT the slots, with a big cloth diaper)

Closer to 8 weeks, maybe 10? 16-18lbs.
http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/m...s/back1146.jpg
http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/m...s/back1138.jpg


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## indie (Jun 16, 2003)

My son went right into a Roundabout at birth, but he had a very long torso.


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## MichelleAnnette (Aug 20, 2006)

My son fit in a Blvd at birth.


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## Peony (Nov 27, 2003)

I don't have pics on this computer but DS was born at 8lbs 12ozs so no tiny little thing, he certainly didn't fit into our MA. He is 6 weeks now and still not close to the slots.


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## chickabiddy (Jan 30, 2004)

I have never seen a newborn who fit into a Britax convertible. The bottom straps are 10", and the straps must be below the shoulders, and it's very rare for even a 23"-24" baby to have a 10" torso (buttocks to shoulders) -- babies have legs and heads!


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## sapphire_chan (May 2, 2005)

That's the lowest strap setting?







that's sooo high.


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## runnerbrit (May 24, 2006)

Mine fit from about 1 week. I had her at home so there were no prior car trips.


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## bandgeek (Sep 12, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *sapphire_chan* 
That's the lowest strap setting?







that's sooo high.

That's what I was thinking. I can't imagine this baby fits properly in most infant seats either. There are a couple that have super low slots, but most are only 2-3 inches or so lower than a blvd. This baby looks like he easily has 4" above his shoulder. I wouldn't consider these pics indicative of how most newborns fit. Not saying most newborns DO, just saying most don't fit that horribly.

DD was very large and would have most likely fit in a britax at birth. But she was in the NICU so I didn't get a chance to try. I measured her when she was a few days old and her torso was 11.5" (I think). She was 21" long. And she went straight into 3-6 month outfits. 6-9 months by 4 weeks. Because of her torso. And that was in disposable, not cloth.







Thank goodness she's more proportional now.


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## Drummer's Wife (Jun 5, 2005)

I'd love to see pics of these newborns that actually do fit into a Britax convertible at birth. Just because I am curious and have pretty tall babies, yet there was no way they would have safely fit in our marathon.


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## aja-belly (Oct 7, 2004)

fox fit very well in our como at 8 lbs (he was born at 5 lbs 11 oz though).

once his torso was long enough he fit in it much much better than his snugride (where the friggin crotch strap practically leaves room for two babies!). it is way snuggly for a newbie.

cash was not quite long enough for the como at 8 lbs, but would probably fit in it now.

_cassius_ in the como at under 6 lbs (still about an inch of torso growth before it fits)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/andreas...nd/3380552059/

and fox about 8 lbs (action shot of spitting up - yuck!)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/andreas...7616793831237/

and fox now like 10 lbs
http://www.flickr.com/photos/andreas...nd/3599735746/


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## Drummer's Wife (Jun 5, 2005)

cute pics, Aja!

Recaro must have a lower bottom harness than britax? I'm just guessing since I am not familar with that make.


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## aja-belly (Oct 7, 2004)

i thought they were pretty close to britax? my boys have all had very long torsoes though.


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## sapphire_chan (May 2, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *bandgeek* 
That's what I was thinking. I can't imagine this baby fits properly in most infant seats either.

No, I meant the seat itself. Lina was 20.5" so I'd expect a 19.5" baby to have a similar torso height and she fit just fine in our EFTA and could've been a couple inches shorter in the torso and still fit. (http://www.flickr.com/photos/sapphir...7604391881071/ 3 days old in a sposie)

If infant seats have straps only a bit lower than the Britax convertibles, I'm even more glad we didn't bother getting an infant seat.


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## aja-belly (Oct 7, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *sapphire_chan* 
No, I meant the seat itself. Lina was 20.5" so I'd expect a 19.5" baby to have a similar torso height and she fit just fine in our EFTA and could've been a couple inches shorter in the torso and still fit. (http://www.flickr.com/photos/sapphir...7604391881071/ 3 days old in a sposie)

If infant seats have straps only a bit lower than the Britax convertibles, I'm even more glad we didn't bother getting an infant seat.

the triumphs have strap heights similar to infant seats i believe. both of my older kids fit in our triumph from birth with no problem (and marvel doesn't even have the freak long torso that my boys have).


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## mbhf (Jan 8, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Drummer's Wife* 
I'd love to see pics of these newborns that actually do fit into a Britax convertible at birth. Just because I am curious and have pretty tall babies, yet there was no way they would have safely fit in our marathon.

Me too. All of my boys were over 21" at birth, and none of them would have been close to fitting in a britax convertible at birth. I put #3 in his brothers MA just to test when he was a month or so and the straps were up at the tops of his ears. #2 was a big baby, height and weight wise, and his shoulders were just even with the bottom slots when he moved to his MA at 4 months.


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## hipmummy (May 25, 2007)

Ds was 20 inches at birth and had along torso. We had planned on using the deacthalon but the NICU would not let us leave without an infant carrier. He outgrew his carrier by 11 weeks (height wise) and he just barely fit the Decathalon. At that point he was 27 inches and he just barely fit with the cushions and a cloth diaper.


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## Peony (Nov 27, 2003)

I was mistaken. I just plopped DS in an MA and he *just* barely fits, his shoulders are right at the bottom slot. He is 6 weeks old, not sure of weight but like I said before was born at 8lbs 12ozs and is wearing a 6/9m outfit in this pic. He is all torso though. The MA is adjusted for DD2 and he wasn't a willing subject so I didn't bother changing the straps.

http://picasaweb.google.com/PeonyMam...88881547924722

http://picasaweb.google.com/PeonyMam...88885959276050


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## bigteamug (Sep 29, 2008)

My girlie had an ok fit in her Blvd when she was little, but she did have a long torso and grew like a weed at that age. And we didn't take the car much at all when she was tiny, anyways. I popped her in the carrier and we bussed most places, since she HATED any carseat, anyways.

I have noticed though, that while you can get a general idea of carseat fit by setting a kid in the seat in the house, every single car seat I've had has "shrunk" when you put it in the car - when I installed it, I had less room in the straps/slot height than in the house on the floor. Found this out the hard way when I sized our girly in her backup seat for a trip to Europe, installed it in the rental there, and found that she had NO extra room like she did at home. Same thing with her little sis's Blvd - tried big sis in the house, and wow, she has some room to grow, even - and when I installed it in the car, she was over the top slot.

YMMV, but definitely something to keep in mind. Not sure if it is just convertibles - we've only had one infant seat, long gone...


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## thepeach80 (Mar 16, 2004)

http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f1...arseats007.jpg

That's Ilana at 3 mos, 9# and 22". She straps are about an inch above her shoulders then. Here she is even w/ the bottom slots of the MA at 10 mos.

http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f1...arathon002.jpg


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## an_aurora (Jun 2, 2006)

DD2 in a Marathon, 3 weeks old, 9 pounds, 23 inches She technically fit according to the old manual, but not with the (retroactive) manual change, and the fit around her legs made me very uncomfortable.

At 11 weeks she was still about 1/2" below the bottom slot.

At 4 months she was just even with the lowest strap setting.

ETA: her infant seat had a lowest strap setting that was 5". She was on the second strap slot at birth. She also fit into the Triumph at birth torso wise (straps below shoulders) but otherwise the fit was horrible. She was narrow and the straps are set really wide, so every time she fell asleep and tipped a bit to one side, the opposite shoulder would come out of the harness.


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## ChristyH (Dec 10, 2003)

Lizzie can barely fit into her Marathon at almost 14 months old. Of course she is small for her age (16lbs and just 27" long) but there is no way she would have come even close as a newborn.

Here is Lizzie at 12 months old and not fitting in her Marathon, the harness slot is still an inch above her shoulders
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...yboy/002-6.jpg
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...yboy/005-4.jpg

At almost 14 months her shoulders are now "just" even with the slots and I still don't let her ride in it. We're letting my niece use it and we are going to get Lizzie a True Fit because she fits so well in that.


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## ashleyhaugh (Jun 23, 2005)

we put tristan in his marathon right at about 5 months. the slots were still a little over his shoulders in the house, but he was right at even with them in the car. he was about 25.5" and 14.5lbs at the time


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## runnerbrit (May 24, 2006)

I am looking for pics of my lo in her Britax at 1 week. If I find them I will post. The straps on my Boulevard drop down to 9.5 inches. Is this the same as the Marathon?


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## thepeach80 (Mar 16, 2004)

The MA is about 10".


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## Cinder (Feb 4, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *bandgeek* 
That's what I was thinking. I can't imagine this baby fits properly in most infant seats either.

For what it's worth, we had a chico-keyfit, cause it was supposed to fit really small babies, and no, he didn't fit in it at birth, we got an evenflo something or other, cause the strap heights are actually shorter, and he fit in that seat, just barely, but now, at 5 weeks (same day I took those above pictures) he fits in both seats perfectly fine.

here he is coming home from the hospital.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3634/...92f0c4.jpg?v=0

And here he is at not quite 4 weeks.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3341/...b37ace.jpg?v=0

I do freely admit that my kids are tiny...at 1 year old Travis was 14lbs 14oz and 24" now at almost 2 he is 20lbs and 30"... My other kids are River, who is 6 1/2lbs and 19.5" at 5 weeks, Kincaid who is 40lbs exactly and 45 or 46" depending on who measures him at 5 years old (he's my normal sized kid!), and Janelle who is 34lbs and 46" or 47" depending on who is measuring at almost 7.

For what it's worth Janelle did not fit into ANY infant seat on the market at that time except the preemie bed seats, when we brought her home from the hospital at 4 1/2lbs and 17"...we just didn't drive unless necessary with her till she finally fit.


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## sunnymw (Feb 28, 2007)

Doesn't the Scenera have some of the lowest slots on the market?


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## lexbeach (Mar 6, 2002)

I really don't understand HOW Britax feels they can say that their seats are acceptable for use from 5 lbs. ??!! No 5-lb. baby would actually fit well. I work as a CPS tech for a local baby gear shop, and I'm having to explain that newborns don't really fit in these seats like 10 times a day. Sometimes I feel like customers think I'm just trying to sell them a bucket seat since "the car seats SAYS it works from 5 lbs." It is very misleading (FWIW, if people are insistent on not using a bucket, I just steer them in the direction of the Radian or the Maxi Cosi Priori, the only two convertibles the store sells that have acceptable shoulder-strap heights for little babies . . . I don't actually push buckets on people







).

Our third baby was 10-10 at birth and 21.5 inches, and gained 2 pounds a week for the first month. He moved into the boulevard at 3 weeks and fit very well, but he was HUGE (already wearing size medium cloth diapers by that point).

Lex


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## Cinder (Feb 4, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *sunnymw* 
Doesn't the Scenera have some of the lowest slots on the market?

Yea, I actually think we could possibly fit River in a scenera now...I have one in the garage, but I HATED that seat.


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## an_aurora (Jun 2, 2006)

Yes, the Scenera has very low straps. I put a 3 pound 14 ounce baby in one, and her shoulders were well above the bottom slots. Of course, she was below the minimum weight, and she was so teeny that the straps wouldn't tighten enough on her, but she was well above those slots!


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