For fun... worse misuses before YOU knew better

[sunnymw]

I've seen several threads about the horrible things we see other people doing, but I KNOW that all of us have had oopses in our pasts, right? I know I've had a few stupid/dangerous/insane moments before I knew better.

So, 'fess up. What mistakes did YOU make?

I'll go first. No flames. I know we were incredibly lucky, and we know better now :thumbsup:

Number 1: Stupid
After consumer reports thing came out last year, I was in toys R us looking at car seats, thinking it would be totally stupid to buy another Snugride just to have one with EPS. So I looked at convertibles. My brain said "Well, Graco did best on those crash tests, so I'll get a ComfortSport." :rolleyes:

Number 2: Brain fart... dangerous one!
This is the reason I don't suggest bucket seats personally, even in winter. I went to my 6 week postpartum checkup. DS cried, so DH took him out of the bucket to comfort him. Then put him back in, but didn't buckle him, since we were STILL in the waiting room at that point. He fell asleep, put the blanket over him. Later we left, and we were 2 minutes from home (which was 35 minutes away) before DS woke up, I took the blanket off, and realized he wasn't buckled at all :eek:

Number 3: Stupid & Dangerous & Insane
In my husband's FOUR seater Chevy Blazer... a bunch of us young stupid kids wanted to go to the Macon Mall (1.5hrs away, interstate). So we rode all that way, DH driving, one friend in the passenger seat, one friend in the very back cargo area, and ME, sitting on a pillow that was on top of the two buckles (so, I was unbuckled obviously) between two rear-facing car seats (properly installed though!!). With my head touching the ceiling. Yeah, we were VERY lucky there, and I'd never do THAT again.

Number 4: Small yet seemingly common mistake
When installing that ComfortSport, I put the locking clip on the door side of the seat rather than the buckle side. And the seat belt locked anyway :rolleyes: (I was doing it to avoid The Tilt).


Okay, now that I've laid myself bare, time for someone else to come along and make me feel not-so-horrible. :D Hopefully this will be humbling for all of us LOL

[featherhead]

When my dd was only maybe 3 weeks old we went out for breakfast with ILs, and she needed to sleep, so we put her in the bucket and covered her with a blanket. We left the restaurant and drove down the highway to the next town, and then back (7 minute drive). Once we were home we realized dd wasn't buckled!

We took our nephew and some friends to the zoo (nephew was maybe 16 months). I installed his car seat (what I now know was a Cosco Comfort Ride, way expired) and wrapped the tether strap around the headrest in my parents van. There were no tether hooks, and that's how our nephew's grandparents (his caregivers) did it.

[christineka]

I don't think I could list them all... I went to a seat check when number 4 was 18 months old. Here's what I can think of:

Not buckling the infant in the seat. (Complete accident)

Loose installs

Locking clip on the non-buckle side and just because I thought the shoulder strap needed to be out of the way.

Too tall babies in the infant seat.

Bought an overhead convertible.

Bought that convertible because dd was under 20 pounds. It started out rfing, but was a pain in the pattootie, so we turned it before 20 pounds. (She was over a year old.)

I had no clue about shoulder straps. I have one picture where they are below a child's shoulders.

Loose harness straps.

Low chest clips.

Puffy clothing. We had a big eskimo suit for the baby.

Buckling with twisty straps. (Dh was more the culprit than myself. Same with the chest clip.)

Once I drove with ds buckled in the seat, but seat not installed. I made a sudden stop and he crashed into my seat. I pulled over immediately to install the seat.

The shield seat was 6.5 years old when I went to the seat check. It had a 7 year expiration date on it, but it was confiscated anyway. Oh, and it was missing the shield pad by that point. Also 18 month old dd was only 19 pounds and forward facing because the seat was a pain.

Took first baby home in a second hand fisher price t-shield with a broken off handle. I had no clue what the history of it was. (Dh went out and bought a new evenflo bucket before we went anywhere else.)

We used the aftermarket head support thing.

Even worse (I think), quit using it too soon and dd had no head support by 6 weeks.

Used the combo boosters in booster mode at ages 5 and 4. (Not the worst.)

Routing the belt over the arm rests on the turboboosters.

Not buckling boosters when kid not in vehicle.

I hope that's all...

[An Aurora]

I have done the same thing with DD1 in her infant seat. I almost did it with DD2, as well. I had a routine when DD2 was a newborn that I would carry both kids to the car, set DD2 in her bucket, take DD1 to the other side and buckle her in, then go back and buckle DD1. Once I forgot to go back and buckle DD1, and I got in the car and put it in reverse and DD1 started screaming "Mama! Baby buckle!"

We bought a Triumph since it was 'just as good' as a MA...this was when I picked carseats by poking them and seeing which one had more padding. When you are a FTM and your baby is 2 months old 40 pounds seems SO far away.

I had the Triumph installed correctly in my car, but we sold it and drove to Alaska in DH's Jeep, without locking seatbelts. I didn't use a locking clip :eek:. Then for the drive home when DD was 11.5 months old and 19 pounds I turned her FF because she was 'close enough.' We also had a huge thick cover over the seat.

[sunnymw]

We used the aftermarket head support thing.



Us too... and the shoulder-pad things, too. I had a winnie the pooh matching set and they were SO plush, SO thick... which I thought was a good thing at the time!

[clmchrissy]

hmm... I have a couple bad ones

w/ DS1 I had an 03 Taurus & a SR that I used center latch & seatbelt (figured the more the better).
I thought my AO was the best & most expensive car seat out there ( I figured anything w/ EB on it was the best).
I even ff DS1 too young, like 10 months (I think) using RF belt path & latch in my then 04 Corolla. Yikes! Oh yeah, I never changed the harness height just kept pulling it out more.

[Shanora]

*sigh* I'm much like the ones above...although I have always been Car seat Conscience. But DS#1 was in a bucket that the crotch strap was SO far away from his groin I could have put 2 of him in it. It was Second hand...from my grandparents....they picked it up at a yard sale I think. NO idea if it was expired though...lol.

the second seat for him, was a Fisher Price T-Bar, that was WAY expired. I also used it as a booster seat at the kitchen table (Didn't have a car, or a highchair, so I figured this worked...LOL)

On a trip north (about 26 hours) I let Josh come out of his seat to stand up an play cause that seat had NO padding. I'm also pretty sure I put a small pillow or blanket in the bottom of the seat for his poor bum :eek:. He was also only 7 months old when I turned him FF in the same seat.

When we left BC and move to the NWT, I left the seat in BC with family I think and had a friend lend me her over head shield seat, which I used for a while...and then either put him into the seat belt or a shield booster.....depending on what was available at the time.

He was then later bought (at age 3 I believe) bought an eddie bower Car seat/Booster, as it was on sale at Canadian tire! lol. That lasted until he was 8....where I took him out of the booster...and even though didn't sit in the seat properly allowed him to sit with out on....although he is NOW in a LBB Turbo...lol

*sigh* I'm surprised he's still alive....

With DS#2, I don't remember how his infant seat was installed, but I'm thinking it was with the latch....but i don't remember....but I was ALOT more concerned about car seat safety this time around.

BUT......lol.....he had a cuddle bag in, and used that for 8 months, until I got sick of fighting with the SHORT straps in the Graco Snuggle ride, and bought him a EFT....I turned him FF at 14 months, only to turn him RF again 2 months later, and we was RF until he was 23 months....in all honestly....he could STILL be RF, cause on a full belly and wearing boots and a coat he weighs 30 pounds.

The worst part with the cuddle bag, is if you weren't careful and didn't pull up the back of it....so that it lined up the strap holes with where the straps actually came out....there was SOOO much slack in the harenss....lol

At any rate now that I've written a book,.....LOL...I'm actually quite glad I've learnt as much as I have!

[Murphy's Law]

I had ds1 in a RA RF with a snow suit on and with the strap height above his shoulders.

Dd had a "bundle me" in her car seat.

I'm sure I've forgotten to buckle them a time or 2. Luckily the last time this happened, dd said to me "Um Mum? Why am I not buckled?" after I had started driving. Good thing she's old enough to say something!

I don't think I've made any errors with my ds2 yet!

[fyrfightermomma]

I was pretty good with my own kids. With my "foster kids" that I had when I was 16-19 years old I:

1. Had an OHS seat (evenflo Trooper) used and expired, child above top straps, head above shell but it was tight!

2. Turned 8 month old FFing in a Cargo because she was "close enough"

3. Didn't have a booster one time and put 3 year old on a phone book. Close enough to a booster for me

4. Put oldest child in shield booster at age 2, HBB at 3, and LBB at 4

My own kids:

1. Bought a Triumph because it was "the best" on Consumer reports. Turned DD1 at 10 months FFing becuase MD said she was "close enough"

2. On carrier-had bundle me, aftermarket head support and plenty of toys and a mirro

3. DD2 still had bundle me and toys even though I was very into car seat stuff at that point. I still thought I knew better :whistle:

When DD2 was about 8 months I got certified and took the bundle me out :)

Still have the mirror though so feel free to beat me now :eek:

[emars002]

Well, what i can think of....
chest clip was always buckled but never even w/ armpits
never paid attaention that the crotch strap had specific positions
had no clue seat belts locked
had no clue what the d-ring was:eek:
and the one i am the least proud of - thought when my kids turned 1 and 20lbs they were supposed to be turned FF

I thought b/c i bought new car seats i was doing good - doens't help much if you don't read the WHOLE manual for the car seat and the car! Now i know better!!!!!!

[christineka]

Oh, I forgot a couple really bad ones.

I got a ride from a lady a couple times without the car seat. Put 1 year old dd in her 2 year old's shield booster.

Got a ride another time. Dh was supposed to come back and pick us up, but we ended up leaving early. 6 month old dd rode in the umbrella stroller in the car.

[*Spoiledinmyhouseofblue*]

Oh this is going to be long. I didn't know better(well, I should of if i read the manuals) until March 2007.

*FF both kids WAY WAY TOO EARLY. My oldest was FF at 8 months :whistle:
*Aftermarket shoulder strap covers
*Aftermarket baby inserts
*Mighty Tight
*Booster way way too early for my oldest(and low back none the less at 3) :whistle:
*Carseats WAY WAY TOO LOOSE install
*Belly clips
*Loose straps
*Riding in a lap belt(my nephew at 5 years old, and 42 pounds) in my vehicle
*Garage sale seats that were expired
*Washed my straps
*Bought an AOE and used it over the FF limit straps above the shoulders
*Coats in the carseat
*Oh I am sure everything you can think of I did :o

There are pics of my misuse at www.myspace.com/carseatsaftey :o

[sunnymw]

LOL no beatings... :D I had toys and mirrors and everything, too.

RIGHT before I found this site, I had DS1, at 17 months, forward facing in my GMIL's 07 Honda Civic. In the center. Borrowing LATCH. Yep. Also did the same rear-facing in my Mazda3 that we had for awhile (06) not sure if it's allowed in there or not. I figured, LATCH = super safe, and center position = super safe... so both = super super safe right?? LOL

Also when DS was 10 months old or so, we took MIL's van somewhere and she had an old OHS seat. I turned it around RF, but still managed to buckle through the FF belt path. Whoops. And by NO means was it anywhere near tight enough. Then until recently I allowed him to ride in it (1 mile, from church to their house, same road) forward-facing. Then it dawned on me, jeez, that thing's GOT to be expired! And she took it out *yay*! It was 7 years old.

[JerseyGirl'sMama]

-I let my DH pick out our infant bucket seat (Britax Companion) based on looks and really nothing else. He liked that the fabric looked like carbon fiber.

-Used a 'bundle me lite' in the Companion.

-Took the head rest out of the Companion when DD was around 6 months old.

-Bought and used a 'grabber mat' underneath the Companion and her Signo.

[Pepse]

when dd #1 was a baby and in her infant seat, i was coming home from somewhere and i guess the seatbelt didn't click properly, i turned the corner and the whole seat when flying to the otherside of hte car and ended up on the floor lol.

[ctbcleveland]

I used to let my classmate's four year-old son ride in my car with just a seatbelt and never thought twice about it. They were from India and used to drive him to daycare on the back of a scooter, so they weren't too concerned about child car safety in the US.

Thank goodness they moved to Indiana, which has a booster law.

[Auntie2Avi]

When Avi was an infant putting strap covers on the harness. We removed them after like 2 days though, they were a PIA. I am also pretty sure I drove him around in his Snugride with the shoulder belt routed incorrectly. Luckily he was out of it when he was 5 months and at that time I did pretty extensive research and got really into carseats. When we needed a spare and just had the DC I got the Comfortsport, since it was only $80 and Graco seemed pretty good. I will say that at that time there was no EFTA and I didn't know about the Britax sales, but after dealing with the annoying installation and not being able to adjust the tightness of the harness we got rid of it and got the MA.

[abacus2]

I've always been a stickler for reading the manual and knew the seat and straps had to be tight. I did however:

Somehow manage to miss that the Snugride is never to be installed with a forward of the bite lap belt and used it that way the whole time Rachael fit in our secondary car.

Turn Rachael FFing at 15 months, <25 lbs.

Think it was fine for an adult to use the lapbelt only when the other seats were full.

Follow Consumer Reports suggestions: Triumph - pretty good, but outgrown by weight at almost 3, and Vanguard - outgrown FFing by height at 18months, 25 lbs, 29"! (Emily rode in this the other day and she has significantly less room above her head RFing than she does in the Triumph)

Have no idea seatbelts locked, thinking that a lap-shoulder belt always needed a locking clip.

[laccaycol]

Its kinda funny i grew up riding in nothing not even the seatbelt, but when i had my 1st at age 17 i was sitting in the back with her and every time we turned a corner her infant seat would tip over. I knew that it wasnt right and i ended up going to a car seat check it was like 115 degrees outside my car was trying to over heat and i had no air and the line was really really long. We got closer and the techs had us get out and get in shade and gave us water to drink lol until it was our turn. So i learned how to install seats and learned about the chest clip very early this was 11 years ago, but the one thing i didnt learn about was OHS and after market products. I also didnt know when to put them into a booster think my first 2 were around 3 when i put them in the shield booster:eek: I always had OHS convertible seats. I bought a mighty tight because i had a brevierra and we all know what a pain it was to install those but ended up not using the mighty tight because i didnt like it. I dont even know what happened to all my seats i had when my daughter and 7 year old were young lol. I did have a car seat problem even before i found these boards. Everyone came to me when they needed a back up seat lol.
Here ya go Scary look at my daughter in the middle think she was 6 years old?
http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh255/cleria7th/007_6A.jpg

My Neice and again my daughter in the middle no car seat i dont know why she wasnt in her brevierra i know that is what i used for her i have it on Video lol(the tether is around the head rest because my sister didnt want an indent in her head rest lol) but as you can see how i did my sons in her car
http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh255/cleria7th/009_8A.jpg

my son not sure what age
http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh255/cleria7th/021_20A.jpg

[mykidsmylife]

Well lets see I took Johnathon out of his seat in the middle of the night on a long road trip bc/ he wouldnt stop crying. he slept in the back with me for 6 hrs in no seat.
I put him in a chest carrier that was strapped tot he seat with a seatbelt through it and drove a half a mile to walmart.
I put him in a booster at 2 for one trip to walmart and back.
I had him in a 3-point harness with kinda lose straps.
I had him in an oversheild with straps off the shoulder.
I had him in an expired car seat which I put on Craigslist.

Its a suprise my child is alive. But he is safe now!

[Andie]

I always read the Manual, so I didn't do the straps/clip wrong, BUT..

1. Turned DS#1 forward facing at 14 months, when he hit 20 pounds
2. Put him in a OHS seat from 14 months-age 2 or 3
3. Put DS#1 in a booster at age 3. (now, he's back in a harness)
4. Would get home late from trips with friends, and carry him seat and all into my car and just strap him in, tighten best I could and go. I turned a corner and he tipped over once.

Thank goodness I decided to research more for my second baby.

[meeshl]

--Bought a used Peg on ebay, thinking that it was the best car seat available (cause it was the most expensive, obviously :hitselfonhead:). I bought the stroller new, but somehow didn't mind that the carseat was used by a STRANGER.

--Installed it with borrowed latch connecters in the center seat of my Accord.

[Jeanum]

This previous thread has heaps of misuse confessions, including mine, yikes: http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=5818

[HEVY]

Hmmm let's see.

1. Used OHS, Tsheild and one of those LBB that the arm was attached to one side with a belt in it. :shrug-shoulders:
2. Used the hatch of my Chevette as seats. This was just pure stupidity.
3. Twisty straps ( I did try)
4. Unbuckled in infant seat. Once.
5. Locking clip on top of shoulder belt so it blocked the opening (had no clue about the seatbelt locking on it's own)
6. FF too soon.
7 Winter coats.
8. Front seat.
9. Seatbelts instead of a CR.


Ok got to get back to this, DD needs to be picked up.

[wendy1221]

I was in a really really bad car accident when I was 7mos pregnant w/ ds1, so I was a NUT about car safety after that. I mean, I was in an '88 Dodge Colt and got hit by a full-sized truck. Looking at pics of my car it's AMAZING I wasn't killed, let alone walked away unhurt except for some incredible bruises (mostly on my huge pregnant belly, which took the full force of the impact through the steering wheel. THe front was so smashed in, I could probably have reached around to tap the headlight without moving from my seat.)

Ds was in a 3pt harness bucket seat. I don't think I even knew there were 5pt harnesses for them. It was given to me at my baby shower and I used it. He outgrew it around 8 mos or so and my uncle took me to WalMart and bought me the plushest most expensive seat there. It was another Evenflo, but I LOVED that seat. I had HATED That damn bucket (and it was later recalled:rolleyes:) It was an Evenflo Medallion V.

I couldn't get a good install with it rf, so I turned him ff at like 10-11 mos! :eek: Ped told me it was fine.

When he was still in the bucket, I forgot to strap it in like 3 times! :eek: I never felt like it was secure snapped into the base, I didn't trust it, so I installed it w/ the seatbelt each and every time we went somewhere. I got it nice and tight, too. ;) But, that doesn't mean anything if you set him down to juggle something else and then just shut the door and drive away w/out installing the seat! I had panic attacks every time I did that just thinking about what could have happened.

I used after market head supports w/ both ds1 and ds2. But they were the very very thin kind and didn't interfere w/ the harness, so I'm still not sure if they were even that bad.

My in-laws gave us their '96 Toyota Camry when ds2 was around 6 mos old. I still took him in my '87 Mazda most days and ds1's old seat fit well in that rf. When I got rid of the Mazda and went to the Camry full-time when he was like 9 mos old I could NOT get that seat in rf! I even took him to a tech and she couldn't either. She was nice, but didn't say anything about rf being safer, just said he'd be better off ff than rf in a seat that wasn't installed correctly. And again ped told me he was ok ff since he was like 25lbs. (My MIL bought him a Boulevard when they first came out at BRU like 6 mos later and I turned him rf again in that.)

I used to forget to buckle my bigger kids all the damn time! It's a good thing they all freak out and scream I'm not buckled! I've gotten a nice little OCD ritual down now where I look in the rearview mirror and ask like 4 times if everyone is buckled before I put the car in gear. LOL. Damien is also good about helping his brothers get buckled now, so at least there are 2 of us checking up on it. :rolleyes:

Oh, and I have a Companion bucket seat that was ds3's and will use for the new baby. It feels very safe and secure to me snapped into the base, so no way will I forget to install it. ;)

[MissKatie]

I did all of the following:
1. FF a not quite 1 year old
2. 4 year old in seat belt alone
3. Children in lap only belts
4. No locking clip on ELR
5. Locking clip with locking latchplates
6. More than 1" movement at belt path
7. Children as young as 4 in front seat
8. Purchased and used OHS seat at yard sale
9. Purchased two expired infant buckets at yard sales
10. Bulky winter coats under harnesses
11. Sheild booster for 3-4 year old, also a yard sale purchase
12. Using non reinforced harness slots on old OHS
13. Backless boosters without head rests and lap belt only


If I tried hard enough I could probably go on.

[joolsplus3]

Didn't know the chest clip could come off one strap, so I tried to shove my newborn's head up underneath it http://picasaweb.google.com/joolstag/HoudiniSCarseat/photo#5121718254032190754 (it was the gray one-piece one on that picture... .poor baby, it was like a second birth on his second day of life :o

Used a giant Vise Grips http://www.mattstools.com/7quot-curvedjaw-locking-pliers-with-wire-cutters-p-3738.html like that instead of a locking clip (hey! the middle of a subaru didn't work for my Cosco Tote N Go for my 22 --minimum weight for that 'seat' was 25 pounds at the time--pound 13 month old and Walmart didn't sell locking clips for the lap/shoulderbelt outboard, I had to keep that belt from moving, so I clipped the tool to the top of the shoulderbelt at the top anchor right above his head... the belt didn't move, anyway!)

He rode FF in a really funky Century infant seat that should have been RF only, but my dear older friend 'didnt trust them RF' :eek:

Must I go on? That's really the worst of it.... Oh, unless you count putting my 9 mo dd in a sideways facing jump seat in a 95 Ranger Pickup in a backless shield booster for one 20 minute trip (in which she screamed so much I never would have done it again...:whistle:)

[CaseyRN]

Let's see:

*used aftermarket insert
*straps too loose....rear adjust snugride and I KNOW they were too loose!
* let my 3.5 y/o cousin ride in my car in a BACKLESS booster :eek:

[emars002]

Let's see:

*used aftermarket insert
*straps too loose....rear adjust snugride and I KNOW they were too loose!
* let my 3.5 y/o cousin ride in my car in a BACKLESS booster :eek:

yeah i forgot that one- aftermarket toys, mirrors and those inserts!

[TerisBoys]

Ahhh - carseat confessions at their finest...

Pre-kids in college - 8 or us would make a bi-weekly trip to Meijer. In my roomies Chevy Nova hatchback (5 seater). Generally 2 up front, 4 on the bench, 2 in the hatch...And heaven forbid anyone buy anything big!

Josh's first convertible was a 1989 Kantwet One-Step with aftermarket cover purchased at a garage sale (he was born in 1996). I know he had bulky/puffy snowsuits his first winter too, but that's ok because he was FF in a Evenflo Trooper OHS by then (he hit 20# at 9mo and the ped said to turn him) and had plenty of room for the excess bulk :rolleyes: Lastly, Josh moved out of the Kantwet at 2yo into a Gerry BeltRight BELT-POSITIONING BOOSTER. He also rode in a shield booster from around that age as a backup seat - until I found the ParentSoup Baby Gear board and saw the errors of my ways.

William and Ryan fared much better.

[CDNTech]

Number 2: Brain fart... dangerous one!
This is the reason I don't suggest bucket seats personally, even in winter. I went to my 6 week postpartum checkup. DS cried, so DH took him out of the bucket to comfort him. Then put him back in, but didn't buckle him, since we were STILL in the waiting room at that point. He fell asleep, put the blanket over him. Later we left, and we were 2 minutes from home (which was 35 minutes away) before DS woke up, I took the blanket off, and realized he wasn't buckled at all :eek:

Number 4: Small yet seemingly common mistake
When installing that ComfortSport, I put the locking clip on the door side of the seat rather than the buckle side. And the seat belt locked anyway :rolleyes: (I was doing it to avoid The Tilt).


Did both of these only the second one was with our infant seat base, not a convertible. :o

I also let my 8 yr old niece ride in the front seat of my car (no kids at the time so I had no clue this wasn't safe). To be fair she has always been tall and did pass the 5 step test, but she was still way too young to be in front of an airbag.

I also took A out of his infant seat once (that had a cuddle bag in it :rolleyes:) while we were driving so that I could burp him. We had just left a restaurant and I didn't want to make my friend pull over to the side of the road when we had just gotten back on it (long road trip). I've *never* done that since... I knew better and I kick myself every time I think about what could have happened. :(

Thankfully all my mistakes happened in the infant bucket stage. Thankfully ds1 had a long torso and we had a small car... I had to go hunting online to find a solution and voila... carseat boards straightened me out. :D

[my2kidsSafe]

i took ds home from the hospital in his safeseat with both a bundle me and a snuzzler in it. Granted once i got home, i realized it just was too big and not safe at all. And removed the snuzzler, but kept the bundle me.:crying:

[BookMama]

I'm sure I posted on the thread that Jeanum linked to, but what the heck:

DS:
- used secondhand infant seat (from a friend of my mom's, at least)
- aftermarket headrest
- toys on infant seat handle
- turned him FF at 11.75 months (the convertible - Century STE 1500 DID have a RF limit of only 22 lbs, though, but that might have taken him to 18 months if I had known better)
- somewhat puffy coats
- BUT harness was always nice and snug, chest clip positioned properly, and when I started learning more about CPS he was already EH at age 5.5 :thumbsup:


DD:
- used secondhand infant seat (from an acquaintance of a different friend of my mom's)
- aftermarket headrest
- toys on infant seat handle
- somewhat puffy coats until age 8 months
- no other misuse after age 8 months :thumbsup:

[tjham]

My grown kids are 30, 28 amd 23 so my mistakes are legion.

I was 29 when my first child was born, and a college graduate, so you'd think I would have known better.

But most people around that time (1977 to 1985ish) didn't even use their own seatbelts, much less something for their child, so I hope that excuses me at least a little...:o

All my seats were used, yard sale or thrift store finds.
Classicseats has shown most of what I used.
I don't remember ever seeing a carseat new in a store.

DS's bucket (used GM Love Seat, I think) had NO harness straps :eek:.
RF to 6 months, front seat (no AB, of course)
I wrapped him in a thick baby comforter and actually thought the bulk of it would help keep him in better with the lap belt.

One time, DH had the car with carseat. I had DS in baby carrier (NOT infant seat - just plastic carrier popular at the time) at a friends.
DH couldn't pick me up so friend gave me a ride. I put the carrier on the floor behind the passenger seat.
I have to say, it made me sick to do it. I knew it was not right.

Another time, I had to give SIL a ride. Her baby was in a plastic carrier.
She buckled it in with the center lap belt.

DS FFed at 6 months. I have a picture of him in a Bunny something with loose harness straps.

DD2 had a OHS, which I thought was sooo cool because she could lay her head down to nap, which of course meant her harness was loose.

I thought shield boosters were neat but we were pretty poor and I never thought of trying to buy one.

All the kids were in lap belts by 4 years old.

One kid always rode up front and I rode in back with the other two. I remember thinking that if we were in a crash, the remaining kids would still have a parent. We always alternated which kid rode up front so it was a crap shoot as to which one was in the most danger. Sheeesh.

Double buckling preschoolers in lap belts, sometimes even in front.
(I knew it was not a good idea, still did it and held my breath)

Our truck got stuck in a wash in a bad part of town at dusk. A guy in another truck offered us a ride home (about a mile away). DH actually rode up front with him and put me and three little kids (8, 6 and 1) in the bed of the truck. Remember this is before cell phones, AAA, etc. I was afraid to stay there and afraid to go. Awful situation. I made all the kids sit down as low as possible and cringed as he drove slowly through our neighborhood to our house, as everyone knew I was the only one who even used
carseats and always made my kids buckle up. They would have had a field day if they saw us but nobody did.

I let kids who fell asleep lay down with the lapbelt around them sideways. When I heard about the little girl in the limo, I cringed. That could have happened to any of my kids! I am so thankful now for carseats, especially for sleeping kids!

We traveled all over in a motor home, lap belts up front and on the benches. A captains chair that just sat there. What a projectile!
I have to say we had a lot of fun though. I guess ignorance is bliss!

[HEVY]

Wait, I would just like to say that my dd WAS rf till 2 :D I wasn't sure how old she was and I thought she was younger. But she was 2 and 28lbs.

[leighi123]

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u218/leighi123/baby/Oct%202007/carseat.jpg

Aftermarket headrest thingy and HUGE heavy plastic toy on the handle (although we only put it on there once in a while)
The straps were a little bit loose, b/c we used the '2 fingers' thing to check tightness, but not TOO bad because I have tiny fingers!
We DID install it correctly in the truck, on the bench seat with the seat all the way back, and the airbag off, and in there really really tight (seatbelt install, no base, eventhough we did have LATCH, I couldnt figure out how to get the base in right so we didnt use it)

My mom recently told me that when I was born, she thought carseats were only for kids who could sit up, so until I was 6months old I rode in a wicker basket, strapped in with 2 lapbelts tied through the handles!!!! After that though, she did pretty good with carseats, and when I outgrew the FF one, she had a 4pt harness installed in the car (I lived overseas, and carseats were very hard to find, very expensive - and if you wanted a booster seat you had to go to the US to get it - I was soooo jelous of my friend who had one to 'see out the window better' - but my 5pt was probably just as good, and I did use it until I was about 10)

[essnce629]

I always read my manuals for everything so I always had the straps tight and all my carseats have always been installed correctly and rock-solid. I've always had the chest clip at armpit level as well and rear-faced to the limit of my seat.

The misuses I am guilty of are:

1. I started out using an aftermarket Snuzzler full body insert in my infant carrier (FP Stay-In-View). I loved it since Conner looked soooo comfortable in it and it cradled his whole body.

2. Once winter came around I started using the Bundle Me in his infant seat which I also LOVED since it kept him soooo warm and cozy. I even used the Snuzzler AND Bundle Me together a few times before deciding it was just too bulky and a pain to deal with (so I took out the Snuzzler)!

3. I used those aftermarket strap covers since my infant seat and then Roundabout didn't come with them. Luckily my infant seat didn't have a chest clip or else the strap covers probably would have pushed the chest clip down too far.

4. My son fell asleep in the car once and I decided to just leave him in his infant seat since we were going out again soon and I didn't want to wake him up. I put his infant seat in the bedroom, unbuckled the straps so he wasn't uncomfortable, and then covered him with a blanket. Later it was time to go and he was still asleep so I put his seat back in the car and drove off. Luckily I had only gone about a 1/2 mile before remembering he wasn't strapped in. I immediately pulled over and buckled him up and was so shaken up-- never did that again. But it looks like this is a pretty common mistake unfortunately.

[momofmany]

With 18+ years of parenting 8 children, I must say not only has parent eduacation (mine) come a long way, so has technology, thankfullly! I think I've made every mistake in the book, partly because the guidelines have gotten safer over the years. I mean, when oldest was 3yo, nobody used HBB seats (were they even available?).

Each child has had better, safer and longer carseat use than the one before as I've become more educated.

I've always read manuals, and used locking clips, installed seats tightly, and kept my little ones RF until a year old minimum (hey, it was the limit at the time!), longer with each child (3yo ds was RF until 2), but I've also done all the common mistakes of aftermarket inserts, toy bar in infant seat, locking clip on the wrong side (only learned that recently, sad to say), and so many more.

When the olders were little, we had Century T-shield seats, highly recommended at the time! My olders moved into lap shields about 3 years old, and sometimes rode in just the lap belt. I doubt any of my older 3 were using seats by 4 yo (can't remember). I do remember having Century boosters around, some used, some new, so probably by child 3 I had them in boosters around 3-4 yo, but certainly not in the harness anymore by that age.

My infant seats have all been second hand (except 1st ds), some of my other seats have been (even when I knew they shouldn't be, I still had trouble choking down the price of new seats or passing up a super deal ! AUGH)

I'm glad there are much safer seats on the market now.

[natysr]

My worse misuse was not trusting my instinct.

The infant seat we had was an EB designer 22, rear harness adjust. On one side of the harness, even when I would tighten it, it would loosen back up. Instinctually, I knew that was not right. It gave me a sick feeling in my gut. But, I for some reason thought that if there really was something wrong with it, it would have been recalled. Well it was recalled. 2 months AFTER we stopped using it. I did realize, nor did I take the intitive to do anything about my concerns.

[emandbri]

Ha, I haven't done mine yet, didn't have time to right it all!

Before I had kids I know I took kids I babysat in the car (with the parents permission). I know I drove a 3 year old and a 1 year old and only the 1 year old had a seat. This was in my 1980 capris classic so only lap belts. I also drove another kids around he would have been 3 or 4 and he would have also been in a lap belt.

Let's see Jacob first used a fisher price T-shield infant seat that my MIL got somewhere, might have been a garage sale. I did call NHSTA to make sure it didn't have any recalls! lol

I used a headrest on it.

It was ugly so I put a nojo cover on it.

It didn't have a base and more then once I forgot to buckle it.

I bought a gerry one click even after my doctor told me to buy a 5-point

Waited to turn him until he was a year but I later looked at the instructions and it wasn't too be used forward facing until 22 lbs and he was 21.

I used an evenflo scout t-shield my MIL got somewhere, might have been a garage sale.

Flew without him in a seat (I actually did know better but my MIL was buying the tickets). I called the airline and asked and they said if I brought a car seat to the plane I would be charged for a seat.

bought an evenflo discovery! Okay that isn't a misuse but it is such a crappy seat I feel bad that I picked it.

Even after I had been on the car seat board at parentsplace for a while I had the locking clip on on the wrong side and I didn't need a locking clip, the car had lap shoulder belt with a sewn on latch plate and the lap belt locked.

Not because I didn't know better but I'm pretty sure I have driven with all the kids in the seats but not strapped in, did it with Elizabeth last week

[Tara]

Eldest was FF at 6 months, maybe sooner, I forget for sure, but certainly BY 6 months. He was a big boy. I wasn't aware of any seats at that time that allowed any heavier RF.

Also the puffy coat thing.
And otherwise likely not tight enough straps.

Had him in various used seats. Borrowed from family and friends. No idea of their history or age.
An OHS was included in that.

One had an aftermarket cover MIL had sewn.

I'm sure I didn't always get the *chest* clip right early on.

Oh and of course he started out in a 3pt infant seat. And had aftermarket head pillow deals.

#2 was forward facing at the minimum 20#/1yr

Then I started coming here and wising up :D

[jewlsvern]

I only discovered this site in March, but I occasionally put DD in a sweater or lightweight jacket?/hoodie (Calif winters- not too cold).

I realized a few weeks ago that when DD came home from the hospital the harness was above her shoulders, but at the lowest slot not much else I could do in her SR. They weren't as tight as they should have been.

Then, on our trip across the US, my sister put her two kids ages 5 and 7 in a HBB in our car and was supposed to buckle them in. They were very tight in the back with my DD in her SR so someone had to buckle them. Then they would cover up with a blanket. Well we arrived 150-200 miles later and then realized the 5 yr old had not been buckled. When she forgot the 7 yr olds 2 days earlier, we got around the corner and she screamed "I'm not buckled". Of course the 5 yr old just never mentioned it.

[BabyKaykes]

Because pictures are worth a thousand words....

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y253/BabyKaykes/Car%20Seats/isaiah.jpg

That would be my 6lb 6wk old in his rear-adjuster snugride, complete with Bundle Me, aftermarket head support, loose straps and low chest clip. The straps are above his shoulders only because he was so small he didn't go over them until he was close to 4mths old. I also regularly hung toys off the handle.

Same seat at 10mths old (one of his last trips):

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y253/BabyKaykes/Car%20Seats/seat10mths.jpg

Note the handle in one of the DO NOT USE positions.
*Yes, it is installed upright and baseless...My mom kept the base and he liked less recline anyway.

[Kat_Momof3]

NO. 1 - OHS seats... they were easier to find, so I figured they were safe and good. The second time, it was because the only seat with a 30lb limit for my giant 20lb 4-5mo old that we could find was OHS.... that one... not so much a mistake, because he was 30lbs at a year... but I hate that the 5-points were hard to find.

NO. 2 - Boosters at 40lbs.... just under 4... didn't know about the other seats, couldn't afford them if I had... but once I knew... and saw the facts... I scrimped and saved.

That's actually it... which I think is pretty good.

I read manuals and got great installs, so no biggie there.

OH... No. 3... after pressure from mom, let her use an aftermarket headrest ONCE for Damian... then... clearly had mental problems to forget what a floppy newborn was like since Jeffrey was so strong... so I used one for Ruthie.

[kate4478]

um....lets see where do i begin.

all this misuse happened with my neice who is now 11 years old(which is why i'm a carseat freak today).

2 1/2 years old in a cosco shielded booster. she could barley see over the shild she was so little.

cosco touvia ff on the 2nd harness slot, with after market strap covers and harness straps that were washed in the washing machine. :eek: to all 3!!!

used latch on a RA in the center of an accord with the RF belt path installed FF. :eek:

allowed my DN to use a turbo booster in my car that tilted sideways. until i bought her a britax bodyguard.

[Nisha]

I got pretty car seat concious soon after having my first so anything I did wrong, I knew better! (sad to say!)

The worst was
Turning DD FF at 1 year and 17.8 lbs. No, I never turned her back RF later. She's just now hit the RF weight limit in her MA and she's 1" from the top of her (snagged harness) Scenera.

I also used a locking clip wrong, but I never read how to use them in the first place. It DID keep the seat belt locked though ;)

We forgot to buckle DD in her Comfortsport (should've done more research on that one) when we left the IL's one time, didn't notice until we were 20 miles down the highway!

[mfrasier]

So far I have been ok....BUT
(edit I got in my car right after this, started backing out of the driveway and noticed the booster seat had not been buckled in last used about a week before so it had been unbuckled, fixed that and the next week noticed that by friend had unbuckled the rf seat grr (it took for ever to get a good install). Lucky for me my niece had not been in the car since...needless to say i was annoyed and very much put in my place...)

My dad forgot to buckle my fisher price t-shield car seat into the car I was in the front seat in the car seat buckled my dad hand installed both car seats for my sister and I in a hurry, I was up front b/c i got severely motion sick and my sister and I would fight horribly...the drive was probably an hour an a half and in the parking lot for some reason my dad had to slam on the breaks my car seat FLEW into the dash board i remember crying alot and my arms and legs hanging into the foot well. I was like 5 or 6. I still tease my dad about it and have a small scar :whistle:

[Blondie87]

Well... 2 years ago I FF an 18 month old that weighed 21 lbs, who was a foster child that lived with me for 5 months. Didn't worry about twisted straps or anything, I guess I put the chest clip in the right spot. They weren't even my carseats, they were another foster mom's and I have no idea what the DOM's were. And yes, there's a shield seat next to the first pic. It was probably expired, it was given to my mom with her 3 year old foster son. So I was using in my car that day.

http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm154/CodiChapin/Car%20Seats/Photo0043_001.jpghttp://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm154/CodiChapin/Car%20Seats/graciecarseat.jpg

3 Years ago I FF another 18 month old in a EB 3 in 1 that my friend GAVE me... Again I had no idea what the DOM was. And I'm not sure how I installed that seat because It was a 93 Escort and I didn't use a locking clip.. I don't know how I thought this was safe....
http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm154/CodiChapin/Car%20Seats/Colin.jpg

Right before we started doing foster care, I got the great idea to buy 1 convertible seat that I could have babies in, all the way to 3, since I thought I'd be doing 0-3. So I bought the AOE... I thought it looked so cool! DFS1 was FF for a week in that thing when I first got him at 14 months... Then I learned better, sold it on craigslist and bought a Boulevard and put him rear facing! :)

http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm154/CodiChapin/Car%20Seats/jarenaoe-1.jpg

And this could be one of the worse! 2-3 months ago I had just put DFS1 and my old DFS who was 2.5 next to each other RF in their Boulevards, the 2.5 year old in the middle. I put the 2.5 year old in the middle, then buckled up JJ. I proceeded to get myself into the car and buckle myself then drive off, I drive a lil bit, maybe a mile, then I see the 2.5 turn around and look at me in the rear view mirror. I freak out cuz I forgot to buckle him, so I pulled over and did it and thanked God nothing happened in that short time! :eek:

And I never paid attention to weight limits on seats, or knew that they outgrow the seat when the went past the top slot. Thank goodness I came here!

[ed_tricia]

I borrowed LATCH to install in the center. I'm honestly not sure if this is bad, so I need to keep reading, but our seatbelts do lock and I tried using the locking clip (installed correctly at least) to keep the seat more level.
I guess I didn't do that bad, b/c I think that's it.

[twinsmom]

-After-market head supports
-Bulky winter coats & clothes
-Chest clip too low
-Didn't worry much about twisted straps
-Toys on infant seat handle
-Rode w/infant seat handle in upright position (not allowed with my seat) because DH couldn't drive with it down
-Used Prince Lionheart seat protectors
-Worst of all - turned kids FF 1yr, 22 lbs:(

[rodentranger]

ODS came home from the hospital in a Marathon with an infant insert.

I was adjusting my recline with the tether strap.

I had a nice cushy seatcover on my vehicle seat to protect the leather.

The MA in DH's car was installed rf with the recline adjuster set to ff for who knows how long.

I still use the mirrors, but they are attached to the headrest with three different straps and they are soft.

I use aftermarket strap covers that aren't any thicker (between the child and the strap) than the ones that came on the seat for really long trips. We drove 16 hours for vacation this summer and I used them until we got there and on the ride home.

On that same trip ODS kept kicking my cousin, so I turned him ff for the trip home so he couldn't kick her. He kicked my seat instead.

[urchin_grey]

Oh geez.... I have a lot.

Our biggest one... long story.
When DS was 15 months old, he had hip surgery and had to wear a spica cast. There was no way he'd fit into his Snugride in the cast, so we went to Walmart while he was still in the hospital to find a new seat. We picked the most upright thing we could find - a Safety First combo booster. We had no idea that he wouldn't be able to go back RF'ing in it after his cast was off and apparently we can't read because it was for 22lbs and up. DS was only 18lbs at the time. :eek: We figured we had no choice though because when we asked the nurses if they were going to let us borrow one of those flat car seats, they had no idea what we were talking about and told us that they usually just laid the child down in the back seat. :eek: Apparently, DS was the youngest patient to ever have that surgery at that hospital. Needless to say though, we didn't take DS out of the house for the 8 weeks that he was in the cast except to ride back to the hospital after 4 weeks to change the first cast. After he was out of the cast, we tried to install the booster RF'ing and couldn't figure it out. :rolleyes: So we figured he was close enough and that he'd be safer in the bigger seat instead of the infant seat. Months later, I learned about ERF'ing and how much safer it was so I posted on mothering.com to see if anyone could help me figure out how to install the booster RF'ing. That's when I learned that A. it doesn't install RF'ing and B. my 20.5lb 2yo was too small for it. So I immediately pulled the Snugride out of the closet but the top of his head was just even with the top of the seat back. So anway... I went out and bought the Scenera before we took him out anywhere else.

A few other mistakes I've made:
-Picked our infant seat based on what looked "sturdiest" and which had the cutest cover. Luckily, we picked the Snugride, which I now know is a pretty good seat.
-Loose installs (didn't know the tricks to get it so tight back then)
-Didn't use the locking clip with the center lap belt
-Sat DS in his seat while I loaded groceries and then forgot to buckle him afterwards. Luckily I remembered before I got out of the parking lot.
-DS's dad installed his seat once, in the center and couldn't get it tight enough so he threaded ALL the seatbelts in the the back seat through it because he figured the more the better. I still don't know how he even managed that.
-Chest clip was always on his chest, but most likely not at arm pit level.
-And then of course, there's the one I just posted about and just corrected. Apparently I had the seat belt threaded on the wrong side of the crotch strap. :duck:

[BabyKaykes]

wow, how'd THIS thread get dug up?!

[Maedze]

A few other mistakes I've made:

-Didn't use the locking clip with the center lap belt




To clarify on this, you NEVER use a locking clip with a lap belt! Locking clips are for lap shoulder belts ONLY. The Lap belt has a locking latchplate that holds it in place.

[momto2princes]

Great thread!

Let's see

With DS#1:
- I am sure the chest clip wasn't always in the right spot
- I know I strapped him in with the straps all twisted sometimes. I was always fighting with those silly things and it was one of the main reason I chucked the 3n1 EB seat we had and bought the MA.

With DS#2:
I learned about ERF and car seat safety before I was pregnant with him so no misuses with him.

[amie815]

1) Used JJ Cole Bundle Me.
2) Used Prince LionHeart seat protectors

I think that is it. Needless to say neither get used now.

[mom2juliarose]

I don't know if I've posted in this thread or not.

I used a Bundle Me...

I think that's my worst misuse, though. Because I found the car seat board on IV when DD was 4 months and hated her infant seat (and I did, too--cheapest Snugride I could find, with a rear adjuster).

[joolsplus3]

I didn't know the chest clip could uhhook from one side of the webbing (one-piece, like a paperclip), and shoved my newborn up under it to get him in the harness for that first ride home. Poor kid, having to endure birth experiences twice in two days... :P

Strap covers. Though they twisted the straps up SO bad I took them off fairly fast, phew!

Starched and ironed some Cosco straps once.

Shield booster on a sideways jump seat with 1 yo dd. She screamed the whole way, smart baby!

Too many others to mention, but I was actually usually really conscientious... tight installs, snug harnesses, RF'd a little past a year...

Oh, wait, how about the one where I responded to a thread over a year ago and said the same things again and looked like a moron? Yes, that's a serious carseat (board) misuse right there :D

[Splash]

I know I won this contest before, sure I still will.

Ford Ranger extended cab pickup, seats five (two l/s belt in front, middle LBO in front, two LBO jump seats in back, side facing). Some dog I was rescuing at some point chewed the front center LBO off the stalk. I super glued it back on.

Watching three kids, two older (like 9-10) and a baby (over a year, not much). Put the two boys in the jump seats. Put the baby in the original AO.

RF using the FF belt path. But I had to do that. Because I put her on the FLOOR of the BACK seat and brough the seat belt from the FRONT seat around the back to secure it. The LBO that I had super glued back together.

Made it nice and tight, buckled her in, good to go! She was comfy and that seat didn't move AT ALL. Her straps were nice and tight, she fit well in the seat. My only real huge concern would be the super glued seatbelt, but she was completely braced against the back of the front seat, so I think she was fine.

I was young, stupid... but her parents apparently approved of my set up.

I also routinely installed seats in that vehicle side facing. The jump seat was too small for many seats, though, so I used a toolbox on the floor to bring the seat to the approximate height the jump seat would be, and just put the seat on that. Worked great!



Yeah... I've done some bad, bad things. Julie set me straight :love:. I had all my RF seats tethered when I met Julie (in my defense a tech did that for me. I did know enough to get them checked by a tech... and without that, my seats were perfect). I really don't think RF tethering was that big a deal, still don't, but I fixed it anyway :whistle:

[ravekiss]

:eek:Too many mistakes for words:thumbsdown::

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v260/ravekiss/CarseatOOPS2.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v260/ravekiss/CarseatOOPS1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v260/ravekiss/CarseatOOPS3.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v260/ravekiss/CarseatOOPS.jpg

[myliljunebugs]

Ummm...ds had a 3 pt infant seat with aftermarket head support. Then moved to an OHS AO (worst.seat.EVER.). Moved FF at 9 months (well, gee he was walking and talking like a 1 year old. Was over 20lbs. Why not :eek:) Removed the harness and used as a booster when he outgrew the height of it. For one week. Until I found him sleeping with his forehead on his knee. Got the Triumph and have done everything much much better since then.

DD came home in a SR (original, 20lb weight limit) with an after market head support. But RF to 3rd bday and 35lbs, and then cried. And she is still harnessed and will be for a long time :D

[Gypsy]

Flipped dd forward facing at 15 months, and back rear facing at 18 months when I learned better.

Didn't use top tethers at all from 15-18 months because I didn't think they were important - even though I did install the seat with the lower anchors.

My kids have always been buckled and tightened properly, the seat has always been securely installed and they have always been within the limits of their seats - I even got the harness position right :)

[cookie123]

Well, this is fun. I especially like the photos. In recent years, I only thing I KNOW of is that I put the MA in ff with the seat belt in the rf belt path. Who knows how long it was like that. It was just a dumb mistake.

Back in the day, I read my manuals. My dh even put tether anchors in one of our cars when I insisted. Who knows if they were right or not. We did have shield boosters. But that was back when they were okay. Well, thought to be okay.

[seamonkeys]

Let's see....the worst was with DS1. I joined here when DS2 was 16 mths and learned a lot!

DS1:
1. Allowed firefighter CPS "tech" to install Snugride with LATCH in center of my CRV, even tho I think my manual said no! (I believe the "tech" knew more than me!).
2. Moved out of infant bucket to MA at 4 mths because I thought height limit (26" Snugride) was literal! Looking back I can see that he was too short in the torse to be in the MA yet!! Here's a pic of him at 6 mths - you can see his shoulders are still below the bottom slot!! :thumbsdown:
http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s228/annkreimers/P1010036.jpg
3. Bought used Husky from a stranger on CL!
4. Moved him INTO the Husky at a little over 2 yrs-old and 25ish lbs!!! :eek:

DS2:
1. Bought used Primo Viaggio on CL! (thankfully only used only for about 2 mths or less)
2. Used aftermarket head-support! (same, only used a month or so)
3. Used a Bundle-Me Lite

ETA: #1 for DS1 - forgot about that till I read bree's post!

[bree]

I installed my daughter's Snugride then her Evenflo Triumph using LATCH in the center of my Volvo...which isn't allowed. She also had a belly clip while using the Snugride.