How close to the RF limit do you turn to FF?

[calihannah]

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Summer clothes, lightweight shoes included, DD is now weighing in at 34lbs most mornings. She's 3y 1.5mo -- when do I just bite the bullet and turn her TrueFit around to FF?

[NannyMom]

Have you weighed her later in the day? I know Sofi can be a tad more later. And she is also more or less on different days. Knowing that, I'd turn Sofi if she was 34 pounds in a 35RF seat. Or.... buy another 40RF seat

[calihannah]

Originally Posted by NannyMom

Have you weighed her later in the day? I know Sofi can be a tad more later. And she is also more or less on different days. Knowing that, I'd turn Sofi if she was 34 pounds in a 35RF seat. Or.... buy another 40RF seat

I did! I bought a MR65 but once I installed it, there was NO way to have a tall adult (me) sit in front of her in the passenger seat. I am soooo sad. Have to take the MR back today.

[NannyMom]

Did you try the CA? It can install more upright than the MR.

[calihannah]

Originally Posted by NannyMom

Did you try the CA? It can install more upright than the MR.

Yep, I tried the CA a few months ago, but I couldn't get a good install. Thanks for reminding me -- I'll try it again! I'll try anything if I can keep her RF longer...

[mish]

At 3 years old that close to the weight limit I would turn her around and not worry a bit. If you really want to keep her RF though, go ahead and buy a new seat.

[jjordan]

I assume you also tried your Radian in the other car?

I turned dd's seat around at 3 yrs 4 months because she weighed 35# one day, on our scale that is known to weigh a little heavy. Then her growth totally stalled out and she didn't weigh in at 35# again until 5 months later. That made me wish I had not turned her so quickly! So, in your shoes, I would probably continue to weigh her (at different times during the day) and keep her RF for now. Whenever the new Britax convertibles come out, it looks like they'll have 40# RF limits so you may have more options to try.

[calihannah]

Originally Posted by jjordan

I assume you also tried your Radian in the other car?

Yep, tried the Radian RF, but it's never going to fit -- the car in question is a BMW 3-series with a really horrible install for the Radian in the center.

Good to know about the Britax, though since they've got those big bases, they may or may not fit.

Thanks again!

[NannyMom]

Does the EFTA fit? Evenflo has 2 seats coming this summer. Same size as the EFTA, but RF to 40.

[Mommy0608]

Evenflo is coming out with some new 40lb RF seats too.

To answer your question though, I turned my DD at 3 years 5(ish) months. She was 34.5lbs fully clothed. However, she's lost a few pounds now, but she's still FF in her Frontier. It took me a while to get comfortable with the switch, but I know she's safe in her properly used seat.

[Patriot201]

I'd turn her now. At that age and that close to the weight limit, I wouldn't worry a bit about her being FF. I certainly wouldn't buy another seat to keep her RF.

[calihannah]

Originally Posted by NannyMom

Does the EFTA fit? Evenflo has 2 seats coming this summer. Same size as the EFTA, but RF to 40.

Haven't tried it because I traditionally hate the EFTA, but that's a nice idea...if I get to BRU to try the CA, I'll try the EFTA too...

But otherwise, thanks for making me feel better about turning her, everyone!

[calihannah]

Just wanted to post an update for anyone who might come across this thread in the future...

I've been meaning to post a conclusion to my car seat angst discussions from May.

I just couldn't get over my issues with turning DD forward-facing without turning over every stone and trying every possible seat that might keep her RFing at least until the new baby comes this fall if not longer (she might have to turn due to which seating position she'll be in once we put in an infant seat). Anyhow, I tried and failed with the Graco MyRide and the Safety 1st Complete Air, and I was literally on the verge of turning her (33-34lbs on the scale depending on the time of day).

But then I discovered that Safety 1st had put out an "LX" edition of the Complete Air, the major difference being that it sits on a small base that helps with the recline angle. I decided to give it one more try, and VOILA! It fit in the car!!!!

So here's DD sitting in her new Complete Air in our teeny tiny back seat It's not as cushy as the True Fit, but it fits the bill! She's been in it for ~3 weeks now, and I'm much relieved. I think we'll still travel with the TrueFit (it's much much easier to install in unknown rental cars etc), which means she'll be FF when we are on vacation (bizarre...won't happen until August though), but we'll cross that bridge when we come to it.

[monstah]

That's what I call committed.

Just a side note, you might want to buckle the seat belt and lock it before installing the CA. It could be dangerous if your DD grabs the seat belt with her foot, engages the lock and wraps it behind her head, etc. Such an easy and silent danger.

[ketchupqueen]

On the other hand, I've always taught my 3 year olds already to NEVER play with the seatbelt, so it may not be an issue for you, depending on her personality.

Good job finding the perfect seat! By the by, it's the "Complete" Air, not "Comfort."

[erin327]

Thanks for posting the update. I am in this same situation. My daughter is 37 months and weighs 33 pounds. She is rear facing in a True Fit. We have been struggling with how long to push this seat. Who knows when she will hit 34 or 35 pounds. It is always nice to see how someone else handles the same situation.

[NannyMom]

Now I'm curious.... Why does the Complete Air with a base work better than w/o? Is it because you couldn't find "the sweet spot" of just the perfect angle?

[calihannah]

Thanks for the tip about the seatbelt -- we have the "don't touch it" rule in our cars and that seems to work well

I fixed the Comfort --> Complete naming issue. That always trips me up!

And yes, I think the base did two things -- helped to find the sweet spot in the installation but also made it more stable. The LATCH connectors were sort of under the seat when installing the standard model, and I couldn't get it tight no matter how much I pulled through the unfastened cover etc. The base seems to have eliminated that particular issue.