Iman Martins

If your bristles are flaring after a couple months that’s often a sign you’re pressing too hard - lighten up and you’ll usually get closer to the three‑month mark. Rinse, shake, and let the head air dry upright; keeping a wet cap on it can trap gunk and shorten its life. Also and indicator dyes can fade early with whitening toothpastes, so judge mainly by bristle shape and feel.

If front seat legroom is your worry, I would go with Evenflo. It is one of the few convertibles that stays compact front to back when rear-facing, so you can put it behind the passenger and still keep some slide and a little recline on the front seat in most small sedans. It is about 16.75 inches wide and has an adjustable recline that lets you set a more upright rear-facing angle once your baby has good head control, which buys the front passenger extra inches. Install is straightforward with either LATCH or the seat belt. As long as you snug it down well and set the allowed angle using the indicator, you should get a solid fit without the car seat pressing into the front seat. For a newborn you will need the deeper recline, but for an older baby or toddler you can go more upright to reclaim space.