Booster help...

[andre149]

Alright... here's the short version of what's going on. I've been using a Cosco Pronto HBB in my car for older kids I watch and it fits fine in my car with the back on. I recently took the back off for the 6 year old I watch (she's very tall, and it wasn't comfortable for her and pulled the seatbelt out of place no matter how I adjusted it) and for some reason without the back it doesn't seem to fit in the seat well. I drive a G6, so the seats have a little dip in the middle (about the width of the base on the MA, ironically lol) and it's not fitting into that, but not over it either, so it's tippy.

So... I'm looking at buying a new booster... but price is a consideration (I'm between undergrad and grad school, and don't have a ton of extra, plus I might be moving out of the area in Jan.)... but I'm also not willing to sacrifice safety for price :) I'm wondering about a TB for her, is this any narrower or a bit wider? I'm considering a solo trip to BRU to try them in my car (I watch her baby sister too and it'd be too much to try to drag both of them to try out seats lol)

Would you be ok with a child her age in a low back booster? I don't have stats on her, but I'm 5'5" and she comes up to my chest (she's tall!) and probably about 55lbs. I realize we lose the SIP, but she was really uncomfortable and unsafe in the HB because it wouldn't position the belt right on her chest. Any rec's for a good booster for her (high or lowback) that fits taller kids well, inexpensive (within reason), etc?

Sorry this got so long (I feel like I say that every time I start a new thread lol)...Thanks!

[chickabiddy]

Unless there is no other choice, I would not want to see a 6yo in a backless booster. I'm sorry. Can you find a Graco Airbooster? That's the least expensive bigger-kid booster that comes to mind.

[Unregistered]

This is almost the exact same question I asked just a few threads down: http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=88235

Did you try removing the headrest? I understand your pain about the booster not fitting into the car (and am a firm believer that a safer seat means nothing if it isn't installed correctly - for example- a correctly installed lbb is better than an incorrectly installed hbb)... that being said, I personally struggle with the idea and am still working on a way to fix the problem. I don't have much of an answer other than try other positions and try moving the headrest. See about other boosters if you can, the compass for example, has a curved headrest that sometimes fits well (not in my car, but maybe for you).

[wendytthomas]

This is almost the exact same question I asked just a few threads down: http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=88235

Did you try removing the headrest? I understand your pain about the booster not fitting into the car (and am a firm believer that a safer seat means nothing if it isn't installed correctly - for example- a correctly installed lbb is better than an incorrectly installed hbb)... that being said, I personally struggle with the idea and am still working on a way to fix the problem. I don't have much of an answer other than try other positions and try moving the headrest. See about other boosters if you can, the compass for example, has a curved headrest that sometimes fits well (not in my car, but maybe for you).

The problem with that is that Cosco HBBs need support to the level of the child's ears, so removing the headrest may make it so that the child's head is too high to use the booster with a back on it, and she'd have to go backless. Your Compass doesn't have that issue, it can stick up as high as it wants to go over the top of the seatback, so removing your headrests would work perfectly for you.

Wendy

[andre149]

Wendy's correct... if I remove the headrest I can't use the HBB anyways because her head is above the seat back. The problem isn't with it tipping forward, but not sitting on the seat bottom correctly. The only thing I can think is that when the back comes off it sits slightly further back (?) and doesn't fit as well.

I did see your question after I posted this and realized how similar they were... darn boosters :rolleyes:

I'll look into the airbooster.. thanks for the suggestion!