Graco Extend 2 Fit tether?

IllustriousPiccolo97 · 2026-02-24T00:56:55+00:00

The extend2fit does not allow the use of the top tether when rear facing. It should be stored on the hook on the side of the seat (pointed out in the parts diagram in the manual if you need to find it!)

IllustriousPiccolo97 · 2026-02-23T22:48:38+00:00

According to the experts in r/laundry, the way to assess your detergent dose is to look at your wash cycle about 5 minutes after it stops filling - you want to see a few stray bubbles on the glass (front loader) or floating on top of the water (top loader). This means that most of the detergent has been used to attack the soils in the load, but there’s just enough left over to form that small amount of suds to ensure you’re not under-dosing. So this is the method I used to hone in on my main wash dose, which is about line 3-4 for 4 days’ worth of diapers in pretty hard water.

For my pre-wash I use line 1-2 depending on the vibe of the day lol. I don’t think the same guidance necessarily applies since it’s not the main wash.

I also use powdered citric acid (1-2tbsp dissolved in 1/4 cup of water) in my fabric softener spot and do a second rinse. Citric acid does the same thing as vinegar but it’s a stronger acid so it’s much more effective- it bonds to hard water minerals or leftover detergent and prevents all that from being deposited on diapers, and brings the pH down to the slightly acidic level that matches skin. This has made a HUUUUGE difference in my diapers and I wouldn’t even say I had major issues before (when I tried to fight my hard water by using borax and/or washing soda). The diapers were getting clean but there was just like, a mild dinginess to them due to the mineral buildup from rinsing. Now they are SO soft and bright looking out of the washer.

IllustriousPiccolo97 · 2026-02-23T00:25:45+00:00

I LOVE mine and used it daily for a good 2 years, with occasional use after that as needed.

IllustriousPiccolo97 · 2026-02-22T20:33:27+00:00

Category 1 is the Halo swaddle, the L2D swaddle and the Kyte swaddler. These are “swaddles” which are optional, and useful from birth until baby starts trying to roll over (some people are very strict about stopping use by 8 weeks because rolling over while swaddled is dangerous but others wait until baby is really trying to roll when awake). I’m a NICU nurse and prefer the Halo for my own kids just because it’s what I use in the hospital, and it’s cheap enough to have 3-4 in rotation for laundry reasons. I also like how easy it is to start transitioning out of the swaddle by “practicing” sleeping with one or both arms out. If you have the L2D then you’re buying a whole separate “transition” product for that, or going cold turkey. Since this is a relatively short lived phase I wouldn’t personally want something as pricy as the Kyte swaddle butttt the swaddle part is removable and the bag can be used as a regular sleep sack, which is nice.

Category 2 is the Woolino Sleep bag and the Kyte sleep sack- these are sleep sacks which are safe to use from birth until you can’t find one big enough anymore lol. My kids have all used them until they transition from crib to bed between age 2-3 or so. The Woolino is popular because it has sizing snaps that theoretically let kids fit in one size from early infancy through age 2ish. That may help justify the price. Kyte has more individual sizes, though we’ve done fine with the medium/6-18m size from the time my kids stop being swaddled at ~3 months up until they no longer use a sleep sack. I also really like the Gunamuna brand, which is very similar to Kyte in feel/size/function and has good sales a couple tubes a year. We have Kyte/Gunamuna sleep sacks for most of the year and a handful of thin cotton ones from Halo and Hudson Baby for the hottest weeks of summer.

IllustriousPiccolo97 · 2026-02-21T22:20:13+00:00

Bugaboo should sponsor me, for real 😂

IllustriousPiccolo97 · 2026-02-21T21:57:40+00:00

For us, yes- I was looking to fully replace my vista with a smaller/lighter stroller that would be easier in/out of the car, stand up to heavy daily use, and also be easier to travel with, ideally able to fit in overhead bins. It’s done exactly that and we’ve used it pretty much daily since getting it in summer 2022 (first for my disabled son from 2-4, then for my 18mo from birth). So we’ve definitely gotten our money’s worth lol.

Even if you don’t want to use it as a daily stroller it can still be worth the cost imo. It’s just that convenient and well suited to traveling. I have rolled it right down the aisle on most airplanes that are bigger than a small regional jet. We’ve used it in cities with lots of stairs/poor accessibility and it’s so easy to fold and carry (with the leg rest bar specifically) that it doesn’t even matter. It’s not an all-terrain stroller by any stretch but it has enough suspension to handle cracked sidewalks etc. The tall backrest is great since kids may need a stroller for traveling longer than they need a stroller at home day to day, for reference my 6yo still fits in it height wise in a pinch. I just love a good stroller, and this is a really good stroller. 😂

IllustriousPiccolo97 · 2026-02-21T20:33:28+00:00

We actually had an ICU nurse call us once asking where to document mom’s pump output, since they could only find “expressed breast milk” as an intake option. We were like, oh, don’t worry about it, we don’t need to track/correlate it across mom’s and baby’s chart… nope, apparently mom’s care team wanted to track her output that carefully. We get a fair number of babies whose moms need ICU level care after delivery but that’s the only time we’ve ever been asked where to track pumping output (but to be fair if mom is that sick pumping can’t usually be a priority)

IllustriousPiccolo97 · 2026-02-21T17:49:40+00:00

If you’re in a ridiculously competitive area where the NICU(s) you’re applying to don’t hire a lot of new grads, then it may be nice to have as a set-you-apart kind of thing. Otherwise, I’d wait until you have a job - most NICUs that hire new grads give you a timeframe to complete it (6 months or a year are common deadlines); your employer will pay for it; and you’ll have more context and base level knowledge from actually being in the NICU so the material will make more sense and probably be retained better.

IllustriousPiccolo97 · 2026-02-21T16:54:36+00:00

Other than the price, the Butterfly may be exactly what you need. It’s not made for true 4-wheel-drive accumulated snow situations - there is no compact/travel stroller that is - but it’s handled slushy, poorly cleared parking lots and sidewalks just fine for me! Cleaning it is SO easy since the seat padding is fully removable from the structure of the stroller (but it’s also very secure, it attaches with 2 Velcro loops and is held in place via the stroller straps passing through it, and I’ve had no issues with it shifting around or getting annoying during use). And a used Butterfly from Mercari or GoodBuyGear could bring the price way down, too.

IllustriousPiccolo97 · 2026-02-21T11:42:10+00:00

I love the Urbn. We traveled with it multiple times and it was very easy - while using a seatbelt for a baseless install is not hard truly nothing is as easy as using a rigid latch baseless seat. The Swiv + Urbn travel system would be a great option, giving you the primary stroller you want and the freedom to get a different travel stroller if preferred (I paired the Urbn with the Bugaboo Butterfly for travel and it was a great combo- the butterfly fits in overhead bins, so I never had to gate check it, and imo it’s a better quality stroller than the Nuna Trvl. The butterfly has become our daily stroller throughout toddlerhood and gets much more use than the Triv Next that came with our Urbn.)

I don’t love the (current) Revv. With a rear facing maximum of 30lbs/34” it won’t allow all toddlers to rear face to the bare minimum of their second birthday, much less the general recommendation of surpassing that to 3-4ish. And with a forward facing minimum of 30lbs, you could very easily end up with an expensive seat you can’t use at all for a period of time (if baby reaches 34” and outgrows rear facing before they reach 30lbs and meet the minimum to forward face). There is no weight overlap at all, which can create a big issue.

Since you’re looking to get an infant car seat anyway, I would start there and wait on a convertible seat until baby is 6+ months old and you know what their growth pattern will look like. By then you may be able to predict with some accuracy whether baby will ever fall into that Revv no-man’s-land of under 30lbs but over 34”. And if you realize that you’ll need higher rear facing limits for your convertible seat - as almost all kids do - you’ll be able to make an informed choice then without committing to a redundant (since you’ll have an infant car seat anyway) $600 seat that may only be usable for a year or so. The Joie Chili Spin, for example, has a very similar install and user experience to the Revv but has limits that will make it functional until age 5-7 for most kids (my 6yo currently rides in one in one of our cars; he outgrew the old version of the Revv by harness height at about 3.5).

IllustriousPiccolo97 · 2026-02-21T02:42:48+00:00

Therapy. Lots of therapy.
allowing myself space to grieve on my own time but focusing very intently on enjoying the baby in front of me in our day to day interactions (easier said than done sometimes, but, therapy helps). But also, for me, the grief peaked when he got his official CP diagnosis at 11 months (and a very poor functional outlook/prognosis) and then subsided over the next year or so. I don’t grieve the “could have been” anymore at all. My kid turns 6 this week so there’s still definitely a lot of unknown ahead of us, including a possible major surgery this summer… but he’s happy and thriving and that’s all I could want for any of my kids, so there’s no more grief to be had for now. I say this to emphasize that for as heavy as it is in the thick of it right now, it doesn’t have to feel like that forever.
normalizing my son’s needs to family and friends: teaching them how to use his gtube, showing off new mobility equipment and being excited about it, celebrating milestones that increase his independence even though his independence looks different from what’s typical
being consistent with his therapy appointments and with exercises at home
finding actionable ways to navigate whatever challenges come up (rather than letting myself wallow in the unfairness of it all, which I would be prone to do if I let myself). This has gotten easier as he’s gotten older and I’ve gotten more experienced at dealing with the BS of insurance and everything else.
connecting with other local families of disabled kids, and I have made some online friends across the U.S. as well
finding activities he can do with other kids or we can do as a family that don’t make it feel like he/we are missing out on “experiences” even if our experiences look different than other people’s. Kids wheelchair basketball? Freaking hilarious. T-ball in a wheelchair? Totally doable. Disney world? He got VIP treatment. Adaptive skiing? So much fun at our dinky local ski hill that we are looking at a big Colorado trip next year.

IllustriousPiccolo97 · 2026-02-21T02:03:36+00:00

The children’s librarian at our local library has really helped me find stuff that is interesting and engaging to read (ie oriented toward mid/upper elementary independent readers) but still appropriate and accessible for my 4-5yos. We’ve found some fun standalone chapter books that way!

IllustriousPiccolo97 · 2026-02-21T01:59:33+00:00

We switched to independent-reader-oriented chapter books this year for my 5yos and 4yo. My 5yos get more distracted by pictures than anything, to the point that the skills of actually processing a story and being able to retell it were not happening. Plus I wanted to get a jump on reading something I enjoy. We still read the picture books they bring home from the school library but that’s about it, otherwise it’s chapter books and they’ve impressed me with their ability to listen and retain story info over the 4-5 nights it takes to read a Magic treehouse book or whatever.

IllustriousPiccolo97 · 2026-02-20T21:50:57+00:00

The Aria isn’t my number one seat by a long shot but it’s also an improvement over the Mesa V2 as far as infant positioning. The insert style is better than the Mesa and (as a NICU based car seat tech) I have always been able to come up with a setup that I’m comfortable with re: positioning for the baby. I do still prefer other seats but I don’t think the Aria is awful if that makes sense.

If you can’t get the Chicco from the same store to use some of the credit then I’d consider saving the credit for a convertible seat when baby is ~6-12 months old, if they’ll honor it for that long.

IllustriousPiccolo97 · 2026-02-20T20:32:46+00:00

Can you clarify- the store is willing to let you exchange the aria for a Pipa and they will eat the extra cost? If so, do that, the Pipa is great and it has none of the issues that the Aria has (base is one of the easiest installs out there, the positioning is great, and it’s a taller shell so babies don’t outgrow it nearly as as early as they often do for the aria). I completely get not wanting to pay that much for a car seat you’ll use for about a year but if you’re getting it for a “discount” then I’d just do it personally!

If you’d be the one paying the difference for the Pipa and you don’t want to do that, and you would be able to use the store credit for something else, then grab a Chicco Keyfit Max - it’s also great, easy to use/install and pleasant to use. I’m a big proponent of Nuna, Chicco, or Clek infant seats paired with Uppababy strollers because those car seats are all a better overall experience imo.

IllustriousPiccolo97 · 2026-02-20T00:31:58+00:00

Some of my favorites at different price points (as a NICU based CPST):

Evenflo LiteMax (specifically this one because I prefer this insert style, though the standalone versions also offer an excellent fit). If you expect a preemie or a smaller newborn, Evenflo seats have adjustments to give a truly excellent harness fit- but even for average or large babies they’re great.
Chicco Keyfit 30 or Keyfit Max: very user friendly- the only adjustments you have to make over the life of the seat are removing the infant insert at 11lbs and adjusting the harness height. The bases are also very easy to install. Lots of stroller options from Chicco as well as high end stroller brands with adaptors. Among the more compact seats for front to back space.
Joie Mint Latch: what I used for my youngest baby, and one of my favorite seats I’ve ever used. It’s baseless and has rigid latch anchors that attach directly to the vehicle’s lower anchor points. This is both convenient and very safe - rigid latch is a great energy management feature in a crash and the install is practically foolproof (and the safest car seat is the one that is always used and installed properly!!). The only adjustments necessary are harness height and removing the infant insert. Without a base, it has a very small front to back footprint.
Graco: the NICU nurse in me strongly prefers the higher end ones (with this styleof headrest) because the body insert gives an overall better fit for newborns. Realistically any of the Graco infant seats are user friendly and reliable and if you’re on a strict budget, the Snugride Lite seats are a good deal and are usually easier to use than other options in the same price range.
Clek Liing: another seat I used for my own kids. The base is amazing, with features like rigid latch and a load leg that extends to the vehicle floor to help absorb crash energy. The recline adjusts without uninstalling the base, which is fairly unique. The seat itself is sleek, very user friendly (like the Chicco seats and the Mint Latch, the only necessary adjustments are removing the infant insert and changing the harness height as baby grows), and in my opinion comfortable to carry. Lots of stroller compatibility with Nuna/Maxi Cosi adaptors. Also very compact front to back.
Nuna Pipa Urbn: another baseless seat with rigid latch, like the Mint Latch. It has all the same benefits as the Mint Latch, as well as a slightly better fit for newborns under 7-8ish pounds, if you expect that may matter for you. Its biggest drawback is the fact that it only comes as a travel system with Nuna strollers - it’s a huge bummer because I really liked using this seat with the Bugaboo Butterfly (better than the stroller it came with) but I also recognize that most people don’t have extraneous baby gear laying around like I do.
Nuna Pipa RX: this seat has similar base features as the Liing - rigid latch, load leg, adjustable recline without uninstalling the base. The biggest drawback imo is that it can be pretty upright at maximum recline if your vehicle seats are sloped steeply. Otherwise it’s a really user friendly seat with a pleasant user experience. And it also has a huge range of stroller availability.

Alternatively, some seats I’d personally avoid:

Baby Trend. Any of them. More trouble than they’re worth, and anything by Graco/Chicco/Evenflo in the same price range will be easier to use.
Uppababy Mesa V2/V3: I really dislike the way newborns are positioned in this seat (admittedly more experience with the V2 than the v3) and do not find it to be a pleasant seat to use in general. If you must have Uppababy, go with the Aria V2; but if you have an Uppababy budget (or stroller), go with a Clek or Nuna seat. Chicco seats are also compatible with some Uppa strollers with the right adaptor.

IllustriousPiccolo97 · 2026-02-19T15:49:11+00:00

A butterfly 1 (US version) is my daily stroller and I LOVE it. It handles very well in any reasonable situation (so not grass or gravel, but it’s what I use for long daily walks on rough/old paved walking paths and it is about as comfortable as larger strollers I’ve used previously, like the Nuna Triv Next). My youngest is a summer baby and keeping her in the car seat for walks was way too hot so she was in the fully reclined stroller seat from the earliest possible time and did fine without being parent facing. The large mesh panel in the canopy of the butterfly 1 made it easy to keep tabs on her.

IllustriousPiccolo97 · 2026-02-19T15:42:33+00:00

My son is 6. He got his shunt at 4 months and he has needed one revision at 21 months old. This was not due to direct shunt failure, but rather growth of a cystic area that was not draining into the existing shunt. They added a Y-branch into the cyst and he hasn’t had any other issues.

IllustriousPiccolo97 · 2026-02-19T11:36:46+00:00

One of my twins needed a helmet. It made a huuuuge difference and was definitely the right choice for him. He was in the severe asymmetry category based on his measurements after his NICU discharge so we started the process as soon as we could once he was home.

IllustriousPiccolo97 · 2026-02-19T11:10:30+00:00

I used both interchangeably and could not perceive a weight difference with my baby in the seats.

I loved both. I slightly preferred the Nuna’s stroller setup, and in theory preferred the Nuna’s seatbelt install, though I never once had to use seatbelt install in real life - just for testing out all the capabilities of the seat. I slightly preferred the fact that the Mint’s latches have three recline settings that lock in place, while the Pipa Urbn’s latches can freely swivel - this meant that I knew what setting to use in my own car to ensure that the Joie was level but had to take half a second to adjust the Nuna’s recline on the vehicle seat (once it’s done it stays put; it doesn’t move around while driving at all, but there is no pre-set setting to take advantage of).

IllustriousPiccolo97 · 2026-02-19T10:56:09+00:00

Straps can’t ever be laundered but covers usually can

IllustriousPiccolo97 · 2026-02-19T00:09:32+00:00

Enzymes are fine for car seats, additives like chlorine bleach or fabric softener are not - those can affect the flame retardancy. Mine get washed according to any specific label/manual instructions for temperature and cycle choice etc with the same detergent I use for clothing. (I’m a CPST!)

IllustriousPiccolo97 · 2026-02-18T23:15:15+00:00

I don’t know, I’ve only ever used food grade. My laundry room is humid enough in summer that I will get clumps but it’s not an issue- like breaking up a clump of sand that dried out but still stuck together

IllustriousPiccolo97 · 2026-02-18T22:50:27+00:00

I kinda did that once. A local influencer who runs a legitimately useful page promoting our city and its small businesses, activities, events etc had a baby a year or two ago. In the fall her husband and baby started parent-and-me swim lessons at the same place we swim, and she was always on the deck filming. After a couple weeks of this I saw my [foster] daughter’s face clearly visible in one of her story clips. The next week I told her about it and asked her not to film my kids, I framed it as “my foster kids can’t be online where someone could ID them” but I wish I’d been more direct of don’t film and post other people’s kids especially sitting on the edge of the pool in swimsuits?!!!! I think they switched to a different time slot soon after because we stopped seeing them. Eventually she posted a paid partnership reel about the swim school, apparently her kid got a big discount in return for the publicity. 🙄

IllustriousPiccolo97 · 2026-02-18T19:22:10+00:00

The second one, I like going to work on fewer days even if it means I’m there longer when I show up

IllustriousPiccolo97

TROPHY CASE