Convertible Car Seat for My 7.5 Month Old Daughter

You can't go wrong with the Britax. To save money, I bought the Graco at 4mo when my girl outgrew her infant seat. I ended up buying the Britax Marathon a year later because she again grew too tall for the Graco. Even if you child is on the small side, the Britax may be the last car seat you buy. I just transitioned my girl to a booster seat and sold my Britax for $100 (it helped that my daughter was not allowed to eat in it except for long trips!) so in the long run, it was probably the better buy.

We converted my daughter to a Britax Boulevard when she was about 8 or 9 months old. She was much happier having the room, she got too long for the infant seat. Also, the convertable seats have them up higher so they can see more. It's just a little more involved to get them in and out in reverse. Now at 16 months, we have her forward facing and she loves being able to see out.

I have a 8 weeks old and I am already looking into moving him into a convertible car seat. He is going to out grow the carrier soon. I wanted the Britax at first because they have a harness that goes above 40 lbs. My 3 yr old daughter is already over 40 lbs so I know my son will be too. After doing some research I found a cheaper alterative that we are opting for Evenflo Triumph Advance LX. This seat has gotten great reviews and it goes refacing until 35 lbs. The Evenflo is about 100 bucks cheaper. We have to buy two seat...one for each car...so I am going for the Evenflo over the Britax.

Hi J.! My daughter hated the car seat as well. All I had to do was approach my van and she would start squirming and crying. I had a convertible car seat from my son that I put her in and it seemed to help. She still fought it a little bit, but it wasn't half as bad. I don't even remember what the brand is. It's one of those seats that you can face backwards, and then forward once they are a year old. My nephew is HORRIBLE in his infant seat, and we put him in this one and it was amazing how much better he was. I think they start to get squished up in those infant seats. My daughter just turned one year old and now she faces forward. She doesn't fight me AT ALL anymore! It's amazing. Hope this helps and good luck!

In general, you should change to a convertible only after she has outgrown the infant one. Infant car seats are considered a bit safer. My son is ten months old and hates car seats. He's in a britax now, he hates that as well. It's a matter of being held in place, not the seat itself. I wouldn't bother buying a new one until she outgrows the old one.

My son went into a marathon at 2 months old. He SCREAMED at the top of his lungs every time I put him in the infant seat. Absolutely loved the marathon.

My 2nd and third have gone into a Britax at birth.

If you plan on going out to eat or grogery store, it'd be convenient to keep the infant seat in the trunk, just so she has a place to sit comfortably. Other than that, I find the infant seats useless.

We switched at 4 mos for our daughter, she outgrew the older model graco infant seat by then. It made all the difference. She had never liked her seat, and screamed nonstop until she fell asleep (1/2 hour to an hour) on all car rides. Once we went to a convertible seat, she was fine! She was too heavy to carry around in the infant seat anyway, lol.

Hi J.,

Sounds like your baby is having separation anxiety!

Can you put her facing the front seat when you are driving so she can see you?

Check this web site.
http://answersyahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070827120536...

Hope this helps. Good luck. D.

We moved my daughter to a rear facing convertible when she was 7 months. I couldn't handle carrying the infant carrier everywhere. She was getting heavy & she wasn't a big child, either, she's on the tiny side.

We bought the Evenflo Triumph. It gets the same rating as the Britax but for like half the price.

Both of our boys were out of the snugride by 4 months and Safeseat was just too much for me(we tried it for couple of weeks only). So we got Britax Wizard(new Boulavard) and we love it. Infant cariers are more convinient when baby is asleep, going to the stores.....well generally more convinient:)I do not really see the difference comfort wise, I guess convertible is a bit higher off the seat and you can adjust the recline with top tether. At 7 1/2 months our youngest was very mobile(was walking ar 9), so he too just hated the car seat, hated to be straped in and hated to be rear facing. It got a lot better once we turned him around
and I just love the side impact wings (not just for safety since our boys are next to the doors, but also for comfort while sleeping...no floppy heads:))
PS by the way we got our car seats second hand for 1/3 of the price. Of cource you need to use common sence but after asking a lot of questions, seeing feedback , inspecting the seats we felt at peace that sellers were truthful about it's history.

My son used to hate getting in his infant car seat (we had the Peg Perego) and once we switched him to a "bigger" car seat he was totally fine. So, it might be that that infant car seat is now too small for her. We also switched our son out of his infant car seat before he was 1. Many of our friends got the Britax Marathon. We were also looking at that but looked at Consumer Reports and ended up getting a comparable convertible car seat that was more "user-friendly" & about $100 cheaper -- the Evenflo Titan and he has had no complaints at all. We also took him to BabiesRUs and let him seat in the Evenflo & the Britax and the Evenflo was just a better fit for our son.

Our daughter moved out of it at 6 months, she was just too long/big for it. When they start to hate it, it's too small.
We have the Britax Marathon for our 1 year old and 3 year old :)

Hi -

I put my daughter in a marathon at about the age of your daughter. She always hated the carseat (all three of my children have hated the car -- screamfests galore) but once I got the marathon, it wasn't nearly as bad. She still doesn't like to be so confined, but it does seem to be more comfortable for her and I have not regretted the money for a moment. Good luck. It's always smart to do the research first!

A. T.

J.:

I haven't read the other posts so I don't know if this is a repeat.

Carrier car seats are usually for babies from birth to 4 months, if not 5 months. If her legs are sticking out from the end - she's outgrown it and is EXTREMELY uncomfortable because her legs are pushed up against her while she's in the car seat. To top it off, her straps are probably biting in to her because the straps only go so far.

Not sure who told you to keep her in an infant carrier until one year - if you've been taking her to her monthly checkups with her in it, I'm surprised your pediatrician or the nurse didn't tell you to put her in a convertible car seat.

The one year mark is for turning them around - forward facing - not keeping them in an infant carrier. If she hasn't met the weight requirements, KEEP HER REAR FACING! Even if she's a tank (which is fine!) keep her rear facing unti she's one year old (if I had my way, my boys would still be rear facing!) :)

There are many infant car seats out there that are just as good and safe as Britax. I LOVED my Fisher Price convertible car seat. It was HIGHLY recommened by the Sherrif's Department and actually installed by them (they made me a pro at installing car seats!)

I also put soft toys for my boys to play with as well as a mirror for them to be able to see me.

I hope this information helps.

Take care.

cheryl

hi J.! We had exACTLY the same problems. my daughter HATED her infant seat, and i even tried two different expensive as heck kinds. she just didn't like that position i think. I bought the Britax Roundabout when she was about 8 months old and she is SO much happier. she enjoys riding in it, falls asleep easier, and doesn't seem to mind the buckles at all. it was a great investment.

She may be more confortable in the convertible car seat, but I will tell you from personal experience, she will still probably throw a fit when you put her in the carseat. My daughter is 14 months & still throws a fit & she is in a big carseat that faces forward. I thought once she turned one & we could face her forward she would be happier because she could see everyone, but she still just dislikes be strapped down into a carseat (& she has a big brother & sister to keep her company in the backseat).

Just wanted to let you know this before you shell out a lot of money on a new carseat. Just make sure if you do get a new seat you still face her backwards & that the seat you choose if appropriate for her weight.

Good Luck.
J. H.

We love the Britax Marathon. We transitioned our daughter at about 9 months. She never liked the infant seat. She seemed to like it better, However the real change came when she could be turned around. I have often said that I wish we had the Britax with the older two children, for us it has been worth the money. We got ours new on eBay at a lower price.

My GIANT daughter moved out of her infant seat at 4 months!! I put her in a Britax Decathalon b/c she was/is soooo long.

I also just bought a Nautilus by either Cosco or Graco (can't remember). I'm not sure if its appropriate for a child that young, but I like it b/c it serves as a booster seat for her w/ a 5 point harness until she's about 60 lbs or so. If it works for children as young as your daughter, that's the one I'd recommend.

I love the Britax, but those things are EXPENSIVE! I didn't want to spend that much ($300) for a car seat, but as I said, she was/is long and needed the room to grow.

A Sunshine Kids Radian 80 would be my seat of choice. I have both a Britax Regent and this seat. The Radian 80 will fit her for the rest of her carseat days AND is very small and not bulky. The Regent will last for 2 inches more in height, but for the size of the seat, the Radian is the way to go. You might think you will never have to fit two or three seats side by side, but if you do, a Regent will never be functional. Ask me how I know! Hahahaha

You are SOOO smart to go with Britax... they are the best. The Roundabout is what we have and it has a higher safety rating than the Marathon, but eventually (maybe when he's 3) we'll need a booster. The Marathon would have gotten us all the way through. You might also want to check... I'm not sure if you can do the Marathon as rear facing because it is SOOOO big. The Roundabout was great as rear facing, and my son really seemed to enjoy being out of his infant seat. (When he finally turned one and was front facing things REALLY got easier.) If you're looking for some more expertise and you're in the area "Great Beginnings" in Gaithersburg carries the whole line of Britax and they are always SOOO knowledgeable and helpful. They have a bunch of guys just for that department.

My daughter, who just turned one in June, had no complaints sitting in her older brother's Britax Boulevard whenever I had to take them out in my car (my husband's car had the infant carrier). Sometimes I think she preferred to sit in it because it was roomier and she looked more comfortable in it. She definitely never tried to get out of the Britax like she does in the infant carrier, especially on longer drives. I highly recommend getting the Britax for your little one. We are expecting our third child in October and we are also planning on getting another Britax just for my daughter. I know its pricey, but they do last long. My son has been sitting in his for the past two and a half years and we have no complaints. Just remember to keep the Britax in the middle of the back seat still facing backwards until she's one. Hope this helps!

Hi J.,

I agree with everyone else here - definitely move your daughter to the convertible car seat. Both my kids were in them by 6 months old and were much happier as they were too big for the infant carriers by that time. I too love the Britax (we have 4 of them right now!).

One thing to consider between the Marathon and the Roundabout is the size. I have the Decathalon, which I think is about the same size as the Marathon, and it is BIG and HEAVY. My son was in the Decathalon rear-facing, but had to be on the passenger side of the car, with the passenger seat basically all the way to the front because this car seat is so long. He recently turned 2 and is still in his Roundabout in our other car. He's happy in both, but the Roundabout is so much easier to deal with if you are traveling at all. We fly a few times each year and never bring the Decathalon because it is so big. The Roundabout is easier to carry, then we bring the booster for my 5 year old. FYI, my 5 yr old is still in a Decathalon as well, and happy as can be in it. She prefers it to the booster because she can see out of the car better, and it's so comfy. We'll see if she feels differently this fall if some kindergarten peer pressure kicks in :)

Hi, J.. We have the Britax Marathon for our twin daughters and they love it. They have never, ever cried or tried to get out or anything like that. They just sit back and enjoy the ride. The best thing is that it will grow with them to 65 lbs.

The Britax convertibles are great. Out of the Roundabout and the Marathon definitely go with the Marathon. The Roundabout only harnesses to 40 pounds, but most kids will outgrow it around 3 years old by height b/c it is a smaller seat, which makes them too young/small for a booster and you will end up having to buy another seat to get her to booster age which is minimum 4 years and 40 lbs. The Marathon has a taller shell and goes to 65 lbs. It lasts most kids to 5-6 years old, which is a much more appropriate age for a booster.

For what it's worth my daughter turns 2 in 4 days and is still able to comfortably ride rearfacing in her Marathon with plenty of room and she is super tall at 36 inches. I highly recommend it.

Oh, I also wanted to answer your question about there being a comfort thing with the convertible that makes kids like them better. The convertible can sit more upright than an infant seat so a lot of kids like that better and it makes it so they can see out the window better. My daughter's seat is almost as upright as a forward facing seat and she loves it. She can easily see out the window.

DS has been in the Britax marathon since he was born, and we LOVE it!

I transitioned my son at 4 months. He is big, and was starting to HATE his infant carrier! He's now six months old, and has been in the Britax Marathon ever since. He loves it! He can move his body around a little more, play with toys easier, and can look out the window a little. Convertible carseats are just as safe, as long as they're put in correctly. Some babies need a little neck support with a convertible, but mine didn't.

I definitely recommend the switch- it makes for a much happier baby in the car!

I have the marathon and our now 3 year year old still loves it, grant it she hates it at times just like every child but it made a HUGE difference. One thing to consider when picking a carseat too is if all that extra padding is later adjustable and removable. I researched several and looked at several and realized some of the paddings only moved up or down but later could not be removed. Now I am glad I got this one, she is 3 and tall and big for her age and we have removed some of the outer extra padding and it still has plenty of the extra cushy padding if she fades off to sleep too, this was way worth the money.

I had to do this with both of my boys around 7 months. We had teh Peg Perego infant seat which is so small. We basically couldn't cram their arms in the straps anymore. We got 2 of the Britax Marathon seats which I am very happy with. If you want to save some money, I think the Roundabout is good but just does not go up to as much weight range. If your daughter is on the slimmer side that may work best for you. If she is larger, then I would go for the Marathon. I bought both of ours on sale at Albeebaby.com and they have free shipping, no sales tax, and sometimes great sales. Hope this helps!

We transitioned both of our babies at around 6 months because our infant seat had a height limit that we quickly passed. We went with the Britax Marathon and have been totally pleased with it. Our daughter has just finally graduated from it to a booster. In 5.5 years of constant use the only thing that has worn out is the elastic around the edge of the cover and that hasn't even been much of a problem. It is very cushy and has been the scene of many naps. Once I got the hang of it there wasn't even much of a problem moving it between cars. Now I just need to get it out of my living room.

I did the same thing with my first baby. He hated his infant seat since he was a small baby. By the time he was 7 months old, he would try to twist himself out the seat to the point the belt would wrap around his neck (Yikes!) So I put him in a convertible seat and turned it forward. After that, all of our car rides were quiet and enjoyable. I think it gave him the sense he wasn't alone.

I love our Sunshine Radian 80- its narrower than Britax and keeps them in 5 pt harness as long as possible.

We had Evenflow Triumph after our Graco infant seat, but it hasn't worn well (was recalled b/c cover didnt stay put over foam and baby was eating) and also you can't use as long as the Radian. Radian is sturdier and you don't need to buy booster later. Is more expensive but LOVE, LOVE it.

We switched our son to the Britax Convertible when he was 6 months old. Partly because he didn't want to be in his infant seat (same as you have) and also because he was getting big. We used it in the rear-position until he turned a year (and was more than 20 lbs) and then switched to the front-facing. He loved the switch and it made car rides much better. It got even better when we switched to the front-facing. Make sure your kid also has some toys with him in his seat to keep him happy and try classical music or any music he likes playing while in the car and talk to him a lot while driving. We LOVE the Britax Boulevard and he does too. It is a very well made seat and very safe and really easy to install. It is big though so make sure your can can handle it.

Good Luck

Can I suggest that you check that her shoulder straps are in the correct position? With my first daughter, we didn't think to move them up to a higher spot until much past when we should have. It gave her a lot more room.

At this point it may just be that she associates the car seat with discomfort, whatever it is, and so a change may be needed for the sake of change. Remember that the Britex seats last for a long tiem, so it is not a poorly made investment, and you will be able to leave her rear-facing longer which is safer. We have the Marathon and are super happy with it. My four-year old has been in hers since around 12-13 months and probably has 8 more inches in height to go.

Hi,
We moved our little guy to a convertible car seat around 8-9 months, he's over a year now. It worked great. We bought the Evenflo Triumph Advance from Babies R Us. We have 2, one in each car and our little guy loves them.

to: J. L.
From A.
July 3, '08

I know little about the 21st century car seats.
Back in the '80s the car seat was a new law, thank goodness.My son did the arch the back and crying, no car seat for him. I gave him a cracker, cookie, toy, baby bottle to occupy his hands and then he was busy and forgot about the car seat. I quickly strapped him, in gave him a kiss on the head, and we were off.
Good luck.

Both of my kids hated the carseat, but it was from being strapped in and being rear facing, not able to see Mom. My first son was in the infant carrier for 3 months, when he was too long, I put him in a Marathon. My 2nd son I never even used the infant carrier with, he came home from the hospital in the Marathon. I've liked the Marathons a lot, and with the new carseat law it may be the only one you'll need. That being said, I had to move my 4 year old out of the marathon, because he has broad shoulders and they were at the narrowest part of the carseat due to his height. He couldn't sit with his back straight.

One of my twins was car sick and would hate car rides more than 15 mins. We had the Graco one . Then we bought the Britax Roundabouts and was facing front before she turned one. What a change. My twins haven't complained much since.
So to tell you the truth it was the combination of front facing and the Britax (i am sure roundabout and marathon either would be good).
By the time they turned 2 we got another set of Roundabouts for my husbands cars.
They are 3 and 1/2 and like their car seats and have recently learnt to buckle themselves up. Ofcourse you second test it.
Initially we thought these were way too expensive for car seats. But then, we spend more than this on eating outside, buying clothes etc etc.
I am sure second hand would be great too. They hardly come on craigslist and even if they do they are gone in a jiffy. Just make sure they were never in an accident.

I switched both my boys to the convertible type car seat before their first birthdays and am about to switch my 7 month old daughter. It seems like they sit a little higher up in the convertible car seats and are able to see more interesting things. When I bought the convertible seat I figured we would need it whether we used it right away or waited until after the first birthday. I also think that it may be a little more comfortable than the one I have that is only for over 30lbs, as my two boys tend to fight over who gets to sit in it. I would go ahead an bump her up to the next size, and most likely once she turns one and can sit facing forward she will definantly be happier.

My son started to being placed in his infant seat at about 9 months. We too were using the Graco Safe Seat. He would hang onto the outside of the car making it very difficult to get him in the car. We got the Britax Marathon and he has been happy as a bug. The same thing happened when he was ready to sit forward. Fortunately he was 15 months and 22lbs. so it was fine for him to turn around. I reccommend the Marathon over the Roundabout because the Marathon can accommodate more weight and height then the Roundabout. We plan on using the marathon until our son is too tall for it and then we will transition to a booster seat.

Hi J.

We have both the marathon and the roundabout. They are rated with the highest safety standard and are recommended by many local law enforcement agencies. We changed our first child at around 6 months because he outgrew the length of the Peg Perego we had. The same happened for my second child at around 5 1/2 months. I have long kids and the Peg only went up to 26". That being said, my first never really hated the carseat until recently when he is too busy to do other stuff. The chances of you having less issue with the convertible carseat is slim to none. Some kids just hate the carseat and some kids get motion sickness having to ride backwards. Unfortunately, it is in the childs best interest to stay rear facing until at least 1 year old as their necks are not truly strong enough until around that time which is why rear facing is safer in an accident. Also, as someone esle mentioned, the infant carriers are safer in that in the even of impact, the car seat will cradle the child and protect them much better than the convertible seats. Hope you have enough information to make the right decision for you and you precious cargo:)

Oh yes! My kids were out of their infant carriers probably around 6 months. How much does your daughter weigh? I think the weight limit on most carriers is about 20 pounds. As long as she is strong enough to hold herself up (which it sounds like she is) switching her to the convertible seat should be just fine.

I switched car seats for my daughter when she was about 7 mos. We chose the Evenflo Triumph. She hate be squashed in the infant seat. She loves her new seat. She is now 15 mos and still loves it. She can move (especially kick her feet). The convertible seat is more comfortable and has a lot of extra padding that is removeable for when she gets bigger (well ours did anyway). Ultimately, my daughter is happier and so am I.

Hi J.-
Even when our daughter was first put in her infant carrier/seat, she hated it and let us know. At 6 months, and after consultation with our doctor, we transitioned her to the Britax Decathalon convertible car seat. Even though she was still rear facing, she didn't mind it and purchasing an interactive mirror (lights and music) that I could control by remote from the front seat, car trips became peaceful!

My daughter is 21 months old now and we have two of the Britax car seats. We can only guess that she didn't like feeling confined in the carrier. Bummer was that we bought a full sized stroller earlier than planned (couldn't use the light weight frame the carrier sat in anymore), but an 8 hour car trip last summer was actually enjoyable.

Good luck and I highly recommend Britax!

L. S.

My little boy was very big for his age, and we switched him from his infant seat to a convertible car seat at the age of 6 months. Although he has never minded being in either, he definitely seems more comfortable in his convertible car seat.... it is so much larger (both in length and width), and allows him to sit up a bit taller, which enables him to look out the window.
I did a tremendous amount of research before purchasing a convertible car seat, and wound up going with the Evenflo Triumph Advance. It received the exact same safety ratings as the Britax roundabout, but for about $70 less! We have been extremely happy with the choice, and feel that he is very happy in his seat. Good luck with your decision!

My son had to move to a convertible car seat before his first birthday because he weighed more than the 20 lb max on the infant carrier seat we had. We ended up putting him in a Graco, which I would not recommend. It's been great as a forward-facing seat, but was awful as a rear-facing seat. It claimed to tilt back, but he was still too upright for my liking. A co-worker got the Britax (not sure which model) and I saw it in her car and it was fabulous. It tilted back as much as a carrier, and it was so soft and comfy looking and it supposedly has great safety ratings. It was pricey, but since you can use it facing forward later, I think it would be worth the cost.

usually the reason they fuss is because they are bored looking to he rear of the car...there is really nothing bu the back of the seat to stair at. most will stop when they are put facing forwards. but you have about 5 months left stil until you can do that. baby must be 20 pounds AND 1 year old before they can ride face forward. i hear the britax is the best but here are some things to consider. the rondabout is nice but only goes to i think 40 pounds so you wont be able to use it forever. depending on your little girl that could be next year or could be when she turns 4. and then you will have to shell out another hundred or two to get a bigger m9odel. in that case i would get the marathon or get a cheaper car seat like the roundabout by another manufacturer. rmember a child should be in a 5 point harness til they are 5 regardless of their weight or height. something to think about doing is getting something in the car for baby to look at while you are driving. they have play mats that can hang on the back of the back seat that she can kick mobiles that hang from her car seat handle or even a small car tv with maybe her favorite cartoon dvd to watch in the car. one thing to look for when buying a car seat though is get one with eps foam. good luck!

Hi,
Just like everyone said, I think you should go ahead and move her up. I am about to transition my 4 month old into a convertible seat. I have been doing alot of research to decide on which car seat I want. ome people say buy the Marathon because it can go to 65 pounds. If you look at growth charts, the 95th percentile girls don't even reach that until 6.5 years or so. I don't know of many 6 year olds that are going to ant to sit in a "baby" seat. The roundabout goes to 40 pounds, which is about 3.5 years for the 95th percentile. That is around the age that most booster seats are acceptable. If you live in MD, they just passed a law saying that kids have to be in boosters until 8, I think. So, no matter what, you will probably have to buy a booster....I would say go with the cheaper Britax and put the money to a quality booster that you can use longer. My sister in law has her daughter in the roundabout and we used it for our son on a recent trip. The only thing I didn't like about it was that it doesn't recline too far and there isn't a lot of head support so my 4 month old's head flopped round a little more than I would have liked when he was asleep. But since your daughter is older, she probably wouldn't have that problem.

She might hate being in the infant carrier so much because she has outgrown it. Most babies outgrow their infant carriers by around 6 months. That is when I transitioned both of my daughters to the bigger car seat. It still has to be rear facing until they are one year old though. I have the Britax Marathon car seats - they are WONDERFUL! They are really easy to put them in and take them out of your car and they don't move when you install them into your car - not at all. We went with the Marathon beacuse they can stay in them longer than they can the Roundabout - and since they are so expensive we didn't want to have to buy another one when they outgrew it. My older daughter stayed in hers until she was 3 when she was able to transition into a booster. Hope the info helps!
Jenn W.

We transitioned both of our kids before they were a year old. They were just getting too big and heavy. For my daughter (now 25 months) we first used the Graco Comfort sport convertible seat. It runs about $79.99 at target. I liked that seat and liked the price but she outgrew it (RF) pretty quickly. We just purchased her the Evenflo Triumph Advance DLX seat from Babies R US. It was about $159.00 I LOOOOVVVEE this seat. My sister has the Britax BLVD and I had purchased the Marathon before purchasing the Evenflo seat. I returned because I just didn't like the way she fit in it. The seat seemed very narrow and just didn't look comfortable.

The Evenflo seat is extremely soft and comfy and has an infinite adjust harnes so you can get the perfect fit for your child, no specific slot that the harnes has to go in! I also liked that it has a RF limit of 35lbs and a higher height limit. I don't plan on turning her FF until I absolutely have to. I turned my son FF much much sooner but after doing some research and learning about the differences and how much safer it is, I plan on keeping her in the safest position possible for as long as I can.

I HIGHLY suggest this seat, it is rated just as highly as the Britax seats and passes the safety standards 2X over!

There is a great Carset information group on Myspace. It is called Everything Carseats. There is a ton of valuable information on that group and many people that can answer any questions.

Britax! Britax! Britax!

Hi J.,
I've always used Britax seats because they're the safest (at least according to Consumer Reports). My son weighed 20 pounds before he was 6 months old, so I moved him right into the Britax Roundabout (rear facing) and it's a really comfortable seat. At the time, they weren't making the Marathon and I would have purchased that instead of the Roundabout because you can use the Marathan until your daughter is 65 pounds (only 40 pounds in the Roundabout). They're both rated equally in terms of safety.
My son will be 5 in a month, and he's now in the Britax Regent, which is the only seat with a 5-point harness suitable for kids up to 80 pounds. We actually have a spare seat for him that's a regular high-back booster, and he much prefers the Britax for comfort.
To make a long story short, you'll get your money's worth from the Britax Marathan. My son's on the large end of the "chart" and he isn't near the 65 pound weight limit yet, so you'll be using this seat for a long time!
Oh, and the crying thing...you may just have a kid who hates being in the car seat, no matter what seat you have! My daughter is now 20 months old, and until we turned her seat around after her 1st birthday, she put up a terrible fight every time we strapped her in :)

Britax Marathon all the way!! I transitioned my daughter to it from her infant seat when she was 5 months old and it has made a world of difference. She is sooo much happier and almost never cries because she is more comfy and can see better. It is absolutely worth the money, because chances are you will never have to buy her another one. The weight limit goes up to 65 lbs! We really love it and can't say enough about it. Good luck!

Britax Roundabout all the way. It's rated highest by Consumer Reports and hasn't ever been involved in any recalls (the Marathon was). Plus, I used 2 for years with both my girls and never had any problems installing or using them and the kids spent many long hours in them with no complaints.
Hope it solves the problem!
-MHM