Who takes care of the seats?

[Blondie87]

I voted mom cuz DH is pretty clueless when it comes to car seats and just lets it be my deal. I have had him help install a couple seats before though. The Boulevard once so that I could get it much more upright, and the True Fit recently cuz it is so hard to get it in with the seatbelt that it needed to be a 2 person job.

 

[christineka]

I was the one to take my kiddies to the car seat check. There I learned how to install and use a car seat correctly. Dh doesn't have the time or desire to learn. All he knows is that I've researched this and I know what I'm doing.

Prior to the seat check dh and I both installed seats (incorrectly) about equally and shopped for them together (buying the cheapest suitable ones).

Oh, and my dh isn't a car guy. He knows hardly anything, following in his father's footsteps.

 

[Kat_Momof3]

I put clicky box.

Reason being, I think it depends a LOT on if we are going to talk about military.

Where I grew up, where I had Damian, where I still have family, it was the dads... big time.

A lot of the non-military folk around here are that way... the husbands are with the wives carseat shopping.

but the military wives... even if their hubbies are around... unless it's their first time AND hubby is there AND they are dragging him around... maybe because hubby is gone so much.... it's the moms.

up where my ILs live... it tends to be more like where I grew up... except for my ILs, their kids (but they were raised military), and my niece (only one of the grand kids to have kids yet)... because she was raised to believe women should be independent and it was part of transporting the kids primarily, caring for the kids primarily, aka... part of primary caregiver.

but her hubby is also in school AND working, so that may add to it.

I don't usually understand the concept of "getting my husband" to choose the carseat, buy the carseat, and/or install the carseat, unless he's the primary caregiver.

I don't get why the woman wouldn't just try to do it and/or do it herself.

Now if she KNOWS her husband is better at it... or she's tried and not been able to exert the force needed to compress the vehicle seat adequetly, then hey... go to it.

But when you have little Billy or Betty in an infant seat that is outgrown because Daddy hasn't had a chance to put the carseat in yet, it makes me want to SCREAM!!

 

[Kat_Momof3]

I chose the seat and my husband installed it. Not because I didn't think that I could install it, but at 8 months pregnant, I was so swollen and miserable that work was the only activity I could handle. LOL

that is a VERY good reason.... even the most excellent of teaching techs at a seat check would not make a 3rd trimester pregnant woman install a seat.

but you will have another chance when the time comes for the next seat!

 

[*Spoiledinmyhouseofblue*]

For the life of me I could never install a carseat before I got on my carseat boards about 2 years ago.. Now, I can install one with my eyes closed LOL!

Before that..it was Dh. He always likes to check them to make sure they are tight enough LOL!

I am the one who chooses what carseat to buy and now I pretty much install them all the time(especially daycare kiddos, because the carseats come in and out of the car so much during the week).

 

[luvmy2]

We both drive the kids equally, but I am in charge of the car seats. My dh knows very well about how to buckle them in properly, remove their coats, etc... :thumbsup:

 

[beebear23]

I voted 'mom'.. Mom does everything in this house. If mom were gone/sick, the house would fall apart, nothing would get done, no one would get anywhere(school, drs appts., etc). DH would manage to get to work, he MIGHT get C off to school on time, but that's about it...

 

[Gypsy]

even the most excellent of teaching techs at a seat check would not make a 3rd trimester pregnant woman install a seat.

Why do you think that?

I'm an excellent educator and one of my re-certification seat checks was a convertible for a mom in her 8th month of pregnancy.

She installed the seat.

I don't install seats unless there is a good reason why the parent can't - seriously, like a wheelchair or arm in a cast or if she was on bedrest/complicated pregnancy.

My instructor was *very* impressed, and told me that she "never has to worry about what parents are going to learn" from me or the quality of the service I provide them.

Pregnancy is NOT a disability, and pregnant moms need to know how to install carseats too, even in their 3rd trimester.

*I* have always installed my own seats with the exception of when I was pregnant with my first and we took it to a tech, but my husband told me that he knew right then I was going to be good at carseats because when we got home I was playing with it, and knelt into the base to tighten it even more - 8 months pregnant.

With my son, when I was pregnant with him, I installed his seat too - 8 months pregnant.

 

[G8r4evr]

that is a VERY good reason.... even the most excellent of teaching techs at a seat check would not make a 3rd trimester pregnant woman install a seat.

but you will have another chance when the time comes for the next seat!

Absolutely....I can't wait! Now, if I could just decide which convertible seat we are going to go with!

 

[G8r4evr]

Why do you think that?

I'm an excellent educator and one of my re-certification seat checks was a convertible for a mom in her 8th month of pregnancy.

She installed the seat.

I don't install seats unless there is a good reason why the parent can't - seriously, like a wheelchair or arm in a cast or if she was on bedrest/complicated pregnancy.

My instructor was *very* impressed, and told me that she "never has to worry about what parents are going to learn" from me or the quality of the service I provide them.

Pregnancy is NOT a disability, and pregnant moms need to know how to install carseats too, even in their 3rd trimester.

*I* have always installed my own seats with the exception of when I was pregnant with my first and we took it to a tech, but my husband told me that he knew right then I was going to be good at carseats because when we got home I was playing with it, and knelt into the base to tighten it even more - 8 months pregnant.

With my son, when I was pregnant with him, I installed his seat too - 8 months pregnant.

:bow:



I was so swollen at 8 mths pregnant, I had to beg my Dr to let me work for a few more weeks and he agreed, as long as I kept my feet up and checked my BP regularly. So nope, I was not about to try installing a car seat in that condition, and certainly not in 80 degree weather.

My husband on the other hand did a great job! :thumbsup::thumbsup:

 

[beebear23]

I installed my seat at 8-9 months pregnant.. I don't see what the big deal is.. And I had a bum left leg that I could barely move.

 

[rodentranger]

In our house, DH knows they are important, but hasn't a clue how to use or install one and he's very handy with everything. Just not car seats.

I'm in charge of picking out what seats we will have, and installing them, because I am a lot more passionate about it than he is. He of course wants our kids to be safe, but he trusts me, and I pretty much make all the baby and child gear decisions, as long as I dont make us go bankrupt, he couldnt care less.

But I do have him come out and pull the belt/latch strap/tether strap even tighter for me after I've already done it, just to make sure it's good, or because lately with being pregnant it's hard for me to tighten it just that last little bit.
He knows how to properly put our kids in too, and I'd trust him to install a seat by himself if needed, he knows it's important for them to be tight.

That's how we are too.

Pregnancy is NOT a disability, and pregnant moms need to know how to install carseats too, even in their 3rd trimester.

*I* have always installed my own seats with the exception of when I was pregnant with my first and we took it to a tech, but my husband told me that he knew right then I was going to be good at carseats because when we got home I was playing with it, and knelt into the base to tighten it even more - 8 months pregnant.

With my son, when I was pregnant with him, I installed his seat too - 8 months pregnant.

:thumbsup:I (re)installed four seats in the last week and will install my TF when it gets here tomorrow. I'm due in a week, have been contracting for two weeks and my sciatic nerve is so pinched my left leg keeps buckling on me.

 

[southpawboston]

the way i see it, it's simple. IMHO, carseats are a *car* accessory before a *child* accessory. therefore, the person who takes care of the car takes care of the carseats. anything that installs or otherwise has anything to do with the car is my domain, since the car is my domain. if we were talking about high-chairs or booster seats for the kitchen, those would fall under DW's domain.

 

[rodentranger]

the way i see it, it's simple. IMHO, carseats are a *car* accessory before a *child* accessory. therefore, the person who takes care of the car takes care of the carseats. anything that installs or otherwise has anything to do with the car is my domain, since the car is my domain. if we were talking about high-chairs or booster seats for the kitchen, those would fall under DW's domain.

Really? I'm curious why. For me, the child seat is a child thing. It will move to whichever car has the child in it, regardless of whether it's my car, DH's car, SIL's car or whoever. It is required for the child, but not for the car.

 

[Mama!]

My dh knows zilch about carseats except that I'm nuts when it comes to them. He doesnt' install at all.

 

[G8r4evr]

That's how we are too.


:thumbsup:I (re)installed four seats in the last week and will install my TF when it gets here tomorrow. I'm due in a week, have been contracting for two weeks and my sciatic nerve is so pinched my left leg keeps buckling on me.

Why, when I am 8 months pregnant and miserable, would I install the car seat when my husband is perfectly capable? I don't get it...We have a seat in both cars (he installed both) and neither seat has been moved since they were first installed.

When she moves up to a convertible in the next few months, sure I'm up for installing it,,,but for anyone to infer that myself (or any other pregnant woman who let's their husband install the car seat) is in the wrong, is way out of line. :twocents:

 

[southpawboston]

Really? I'm curious why. For me, the child seat is a child thing. It will move to whichever car has the child in it, regardless of whether it's my car, DH's car, SIL's car or whoever. It is required for the child, but not for the car.

that's a good point, but it's still a mechanical device that installs in the car, making it a car thing in my mind.

 

[safeinthecar]

Why, when I am 8 months pregnant and miserable, would I install the car seat when my husband is perfectly capable? I don't get it...We have a seat in both cars (he installed both) and neither seat has been moved since they were first installed.

When she moves up to a convertible in the next few months, sure I'm up for installing it,,,but for anyone to infer that myself (or any other pregnant woman who let's their husband install the car seat) is in the wrong, is way out of line. :twocents:

I doubt she was trying to imply that a PG woman letting her DH install the seat is wrong. I think she was just defending techs who successfully teach a PG woman how to easily install a seat.

 

[LISmama810]

I doubt she was trying to imply that a PG woman letting her DH install the seat is wrong. I think she was just defending techs who successfully teach a PG woman how to easily install a seat.

Agreed.

When I do checks for expectant parents, usually both are there. A majority of the time, the dads do the install, but QUITE often, the moms do, too. I certainly don't make the moms do it if the dads are there, but I don't assume that they won't, either.

Now, if I have a hugely pregnant mom by herself, I'll ask her if she feels comfortable installing it. Usually she does. If there's some reason she can't, I at least have her help in some way (routing the seatbelt, buckling it, etc.) They're really good for putting weight on the base, too!

 

[mama2Cecelia]

I had to vote both equally

I'm a tech, and dh is a sahd......he transports dd way more often than I.
We had 2 MAs and now use 2 Regents that have been moved many times

after checking his installations I am satisfied

y'know........if mama ain't happy

~~Kris

CPST and mama to C. 5 yrs, 47 in, 58 lbs, riding in the tallest harness slot in her Cougar & Madison Regents and occasionally a PW or TB