Nautilus Crotch Strap...with pics...

[daycaremom2002]

Ok. Here are pics of the crotch strap on my class mates Nautilus. Is it ok like this? The strap is in the second slot. The first one is underneath the child.


http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i313/moms_pics1/Pea2ns6y.jpg

http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i313/moms_pics1/Pea2nnz2.jpg

He is worried about how hight the buckle is on her tummy. He also said that the next harness slot is below her shoulders. What do you all think?

[SusanMae]

Honestly---It looks like she should still be RF. She looks too small for the seat.

The old Trimuph had an insanely long crotch strap...and I don't think I have ever heard of injury associated with it...and it was on the market for how long?

Susan

[NannyMae]

Yep, I've read a lot about this lately, and she's fine with it being that high. What do you mean by "the next harness slot is below her shoulders"? for FF the harness must be RIGHT at, or ABOVE the shoulders (the straps should NOT "arc" over the shoulders...)

I also agree that she could probably still RF, but I guess you can't tell by pictures, but she still looks little...

[SusanMae]

I think she was saying that Dad reports that the next lower slots are below her shoulders, so the straps can't be lowered.

Susan

[NannyMae]

I just saw your a tech, so you probably know all I just said :o.

[daycaremom2002]

Yah, I may not have worded it right. The harness is in the second slots up from the bottom. The child is close to 2 years 9 months IIRC. He has chosen to leave her FF. I don't know how much she weighs. Her dad was in my tech class last week, and picked up the Nautilus for her when he realized the seat he was using had expired a couple of months ago. He was concerned about the buckle being so high, and I told him that I would post it here to see what other techs said about it, but I thought it was fine. I was asked for pictures, so I started this thread with the pictures.

So, would you use this seat with the way the harness fits this child?


ETA: I just got an email. She is 30 pounds and 36 inches.

[NannyMae]

I think she's fine, yes, but you may not be comfortable with me saying so, just because I'm not a tech. There were a few threads that had this concern in it over the past couple weeks, and someone said it was fine because in a harnessed seat, the child would have no internal injuries because the force of the crash is spread over the body, therefore it is not putting direct forces onto the abdomen where in this case, her crotch strap is resting. So in a nutshell, shes fine! :)

[daycaremom2002]

That is what I thought too. And I do take all opinions. I had a lot of information before I finally was able to say I am a tech(just this last week was my class) I know that techs don't know everything, and just because you aren't a tech, doesn't mean you don't know anything!!!

Thanks, I called him and I think he is ok with this now. His DD loves the seat, and it will fit her for a long time. Much better than the expired Safety 1st seat with the fraying harness adjuster that he took her out of!!

[SusanMae]

Well Graco has said that it's safe for 20 pound 1 yr old, so I don't see a problem with using it. I just don't want to even think about what the fit would be on a child smaller than her.

Sounds like she's a string bean!

To add to what was said above...in a crash she won't be folding in half like she would with just a lap belt. The buckle doesn't concern me at all. Like I said before the old Trimuph one was like that...and it didn't even have a pad behind it.

Susan

Susan

[Defrost]

It's been adjusted between the two pictures, right? The headrest is taller in the first pic. Which one is he using? The headrest has to be even with the slots that are being used.

That second picture looks like the lowest setting - but he says the harness is too low that way? It looks like she's got plenty of room.

The buckle looks fine to me, too. I'm more worried about which harness slots he's using and the headrest adjustment. :)

[Ice Princess]

Well Graco has said that it's safe for 20 pound 1 yr old, so I don't see a problem with using it. I just don't want to even think about what the fit would be on a child smaller than her.

Sounds like she's a string bean!

To add to what was said above...in a crash she won't be folding in half like she would with just a lap belt. The buckle doesn't concern me at all. Like I said before the old Trimuph one was like that...and it didn't even have a pad behind it.

Susan

Susan

have you seen the box it comes in? they have a child who is probably 14-18 mos on it and the seat swallows them.

[daycaremom2002]

It's been adjusted between the two pictures, right? The headrest is taller in the first pic. Which one is he using? The headrest has to be even with the slots that are being used.

That second picture looks like the lowest setting - but he says the harness is too low that way? It looks like she's got plenty of room.

The buckle looks fine to me, too. I'm more worried about which harness slots he's using and the headrest adjustment. :)


I will verify with him tomorrow that he is using the headrest in the right position. It looks to me like he just had the headrest up to high in the first, but I think they were both the same harness height. I can repost the first in a larger size if needed.

Thanks for all the opinions. I think he feels better about it now.

[flipper68]

Well Graco has said that it's safe for 20 pound 1 yr old, so I don't see a problem with using it. I just don't want to even think about what the fit would be on a child smaller than her.

Sounds like she's a string bean!

To add to what was said above...in a crash she won't be folding in half like she would with just a lap belt. The buckle doesn't concern me at all. Like I said before the old Trimuph one was like that...and it didn't even have a pad behind it.

Susan

Susan

Next question: Are the belly pad and harness covers optional?
I did a quick read through the manual but didn't see anything. I haven't actually transported anyone in mine but the pad made it hard for my "test cases" to buckle themselves (ages 4 & 6). For the 40+ lbs 2 yr old, it just seemed awkward/bulky (not to mention I didn't like having to "dig" around "there" to get it to lay flat).

[Mattkarn]

I have removed the harness covers and belly pad so I hope you can. I also seem to have lost one of the harness covers. :mad:

As for the OP I now see the problem he is having. I was watching this 3 year old girl (she needed the top slots!) today and I had the buckle in farthest position. The buckle was on her stomach, but when I tried moving to the first position it was practically between her legs. So I think it is fine in the farthest position.