Q: I'm pregnant with my second child who is due (exactly) four years after the birth of my first. Do I need to buy a new infant carseat, or is it safe to use the one I used for my first daughter? I know that carseats don't expire for seven years, but have there been major advances in carseats over the past four years that I'm missing out on? What do other people do? More

We've tried many different ways to organize the back seat of our car. With young ones in car seats, it's a struggle to keep their books, toys, snacks, and other items neat and tidy. More

Car seats have to meet high government standards for functional safety, but are they healthy? The non-profit Ecology Center at HealthyStufff.org tested over 150-2011 model car seats and found that 60% contained bromine, lead, chlorine and other chemicals with "known toxicity, persistence, and tendency to build up in people and the environment." Believe it or not, this is an improvement over the 64% found three years ago. More

I'm skeptical by nature so when a parent on a local listserv inquired about an inflatable car seat she had heard of I thought she was surely mistaken. An inflatable car seat? That's crazy talk if I ever heard it. It turns out she's not crazy - such a product exists. More

Q: We're moving up a stage in car seats and while we were able to share one with a relative who wanted it and could use it, we don't have a home for the other. I completely understand that many charitable organizations don't accept car seats for liability reasons, and appreciate that many parents would prefer to buy new seats, but it's still a huge plastic-y thing to just park with your curbside trash. Do you have suggestions for readers as to how we can recycle our car seats? (continued below)

Sent by Susannah
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There is usually one purchasing decision expectant parents get hung up on. For some it's the stroller, for others the crib. For us, it was the car seat. Specifically, did we - non car owners - need to buy an infant car seat only to replace it with a forward-facing seat a year later or could we skip it and go straight to a convertible car seat?

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Q: Our 5-month old son has outgrown his car seat and his stroller is really rickety. We've been using his Graco Snug Ride since he was born, but at this point he's outgrown it. He's really tall for his age and is just under the maximum weight for the Snug Ride. The problem is, he can't sit unsupported yet so I'm unsure as to whether I should move on to a real car seat. I also have the Graco Passage stroller which I cannot stand. Aside from the fact that he slides around when I seat him in it, it doesn't fully recline and the ride is uncomfortable & incredibly bumpy for him. Considering the fact that he's just over 20 lbs and close to 30 inches tall, what would be some good choices for a tall, big baby that still has a LONG way to grow? I'd like to keep costs under $350 for both carseat & stroller if possible.

Sent by Pasc
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Maria Eckersley, mother of 5, has been around the proverbial block when it comes to diapers, diaper bags, trips, outings and messy mis-haps that can occur along the way. She recently shared with us a great solution for lightening your load when you just need to make a quick run to the store, but need to be prepared for anything. More

We're living in smaller apartments and homes with children and we're also beginning to drive smaller cars (those of us who have cars anyway) which can make fitting in car seats, especially for multiple children, more difficult. Combi, already known for bringing some style to the car seat realm, has designed the Coccoro specifically aimed at owners of smaller, compact, more fuel efficient cars. More