One of my favourite things to do is look around for bargains when it comes to baby products; but there are certain areas where I'm as equally interested in safety as I am in price. One of those products is the trusty car seat. With the Target focus being on all things baby this April, there were plenty of fun options for me to choose from; but I decided to be practical & smart with my shopping choices & focus on travel + transport.

So; let's talk car seats. For me, there are a few things that are of utmost importance: safety, comfort, size & durability. I remember being completely overwhelmed by the choices out there back when I was pregnant with Georgia - for a newbie parent, it's hard not to let the selections get the better of you.

When she was a littl'un, we decided to forgo the stroller/capsule scenario & head straight into the convertible car seat. For us, the reasons were pretty simple: we wanted to get the most use out of it as possible. Most capsules only last until bubs are 6 months old, or they outgrow them in length. The convertible car seats can be used from birth until approximately 4 years of age; for us, that made more sense in the long run. Car seats that are rear facing {which is recommended for a minimum of 6 months in Australia} are safe and well padded, and the reclined feature certainly made it easy for bub to get comfy & settle in.

Funnily enough, we chose a Target-branded car seat way back in those early days, long before I became a Target blog-hubber. We ended up with the Mother's Choice 'Mystique' Convertible Car Seat. I still remember how tiny she looked the first time she was in it; she looks a good bit different in there now! {Nom... feet.}

For safety reasons, we plan on keeping her rear-facing for as long as possible. She's also a bit of a shorty, so her shoulders still fall behind the warning levels. That said, we'll be turning her around in the next few months, so I wanted to make sure she was in the best possible seat when that happens. And while there is nothing on the cards as yet, we'd love to start planning ahead for Baby #2; so it seemed like the perfect time to look at our options for getting a second seat; with a focus on forward facing comfort. After looking at several options at Target, including the Safe and Sound, Mother's Choice & Hipod brands, today we purchased the Hipod 'Cairo' Convertible Car Seat.

This seat looks wonderfully comfortable; it's well padded, and can similarly be used from birth as a rear facing seat, or later on a forward facing seat. The reason we chose the Hipod came down to a few features that I liked;

• It has the opportunity to be used as both a rear or forward facing seat - so we can use it for Georgia now, and for a future sibling further down the line
• It has more seatbelt slots; meaning it will last longer than our current car seat as Georgia gets taller. 
• It has wing-like cushioning, which will shield children well in either mode; piece of mind for bumpy trips.
• It's not too big; it's quite a narrow seat, and should fit nicely in my small hatchback car.
• It is able to be reclined slightly in forward facing mode; this will assist Georgia when she adjusts to being turned around, as well as providing slightly more comfort by not sitting completely upright.
• It's made of wipeable material; NOT velour or suede. Babies are messy and sweaty creatures. Having a car seat that can be easily cleaned, and wouldn't cause bub to be sweaty, was VERY important.

I'm pretty sure hubby was expecting me to come home armed to the teeth with baby outfits - he already gives me grief about the size of Georgia's wardrobe. In actual fact, I did well & only splurged on a sweet summer outfit {in a larger size} to put away for next season. Aren't the polka dots divine? I also found a classic pair of shoes for Georgia - My First Volleys! Nearly everyone I know grew up with a pair of good ol' Dunlops, so I just couldn't resist.
The baby department is one of my first places to hit when I shop at Target these days. Georgia spent her first three months wearing little other than wondersuits & footed onesies from there! The first thing I discovered while wandering the aisles was a lonely little elephant plush toy - it was so cute, but looked a little out of place just sitting on a shelf on its own. I took it to a price check scanner & discovered that it was part of a set, so off I went, on a mission to find the other half. There was a whole wall of these beauties - as well as the elephant toy, the bundle contains a quilted reversible play-mat. There is also an owl & a fox option, but what can I say? The elephant caught my eye! In similar colours, the waffle knit blankets are great when we're out and about, so I popped those in the trolley too.
And finally, a somewhat related baby purchase that caught my eye as I was headed for the check-outs. You might be wondering why these paper dinnerware sets feature in this post, but I'm planning ahead. You see, Georgia is turning 1 in a few short months - and the loose 'theme' we've decided to go with is BRIGHT rainbow colours! Since it'll likely be a backyard bbq party, these paper sets will do the job well! Loving these cheerful patterns.
All in all, I'd say this was a pretty productive shopping trip - Georgia's a very lucky girl & I'm a very happy mama.

What have you been shopping for lately?

Disclosure: This post is part of a collaboration between Target Australia & Breathe Gently. I have been provided vouchers to purchase goods & have been compensated for my time spent on the project. If you're interested in finding out more, or would like to partner with Breathe Gently in the future, please email me.