Convertible front facing/booster question

M

mdsvc89

Guest
Convertible front facing/booster question

My 26 month old daughter will soon be too tall for the cosco alpha omega -- her shoulders are about .5" below the slot the straps come out of. Her last growth spurt was legs only, but I'm sure the torso will catch up again! (She's 37" tall.) Based on the growth charts, I think she'll be under 40lbs until she's a few months past age 3. (She's 32lbs now).

I'm looking at the Century Next Step, as a possible next car seat. Ideally, I'd like the next seat to take me through the next year + harnessed, and then work as a booster to 80lbs.

I've heard that the convertible seats are not as safe when used as boosters as booster-only seats. Is there any truth to this? I'll buy the best carseat for her current age/size anyway, but I'd love not to have to buy a 4th carseat, since this next purchase will be #3.

Thanks!

-Michelle
 
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M

murphydog77

Guest
Re: Convertible front facing/booster question

Hi Michelle. The NextStep is a nice seat and I've heard good things about it. One thing you'll like is the high top harness slots, which should allow your daughter to use the harness for longer than the Alpha Omega.

As for using a combination seat as a belt postioning booster, some are better than others. Common complaints include the shoulder belt getting caught in the guide, which leaves slack in the belt. This problem can be solved by watching the child closely and teaching him/her to stay in the correct sitting position or by not using the belt guide at all if the child is tall enough to not need it. Another complaint is that the wings of the seat hold the shoulder belt too far away from the child's body. How bad this is depends on the child, the combo seat and the vehicle's seat belts.

You'll want to be sure that whichever seat you get fits in your vehicle well. Remember that the seat should move less than 1" when you tug at the belt path. It should also fit your daughter well. There are quite a few combo seats out there, so if the NextStep doesn't work, I'm sure you'll find something.

Heather
 

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