Would you buy a new seat for 1/2 in torso growth and 5 lbs?

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rodentranger

New member

• Jan 21, 2010

• #1

ODS has about 1/2 inch of torso growth left in the MR (uninstalled, sitting on the floor), and weighs 35 lbs. He has grown about three inches since the end of August 2009, but hasn't gained weight in a year. (I do plan on taking him to BRU and trying him in the MR installed rf in the vehicle in question to see if he -hopefully- has more room.
I'm contemplating buying a MR to keep him rf, but I'm not sure it will be worth it...

 

lukensophie

Senior Community Member

• Jan 21, 2010

• #2

Considering that he is three, already FFing, and riding in a TF, Frontier, and GN (according to your siggy)? Nope. I know that RFing is much safer, however, you've already stated that he doesn't have much room RFing in the MR. He has three wonderful seats, that I assume fit him well. It's just my :twocents:, but I personally wouldn't.

 

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ginny4

New member

• Jan 21, 2010

• #3

nope i wouldn't

 

Mom2three

New member

• Jan 21, 2010

• #4

I don't know. My 3 yr old is 25lbs on a good day and will stay RF for a while. So I am not sure what I would do in your situation. But I will say this, if I have an opportunity to buy a seat, can afford it, and my DH is on board I have a hard time saying no.

I guess it's a personal decision. I know a lot of posters would in a heart beat, but others would (and have) say no way. It depends on your comfort level with whatever set up you choose.

That wasn't helpful at all.

 

steph_s

New member

• Jan 21, 2010

• #5

If you really want to turn him back around have you considered a CA or RN? It will offer more growth room than the MR will.

If it's worth it or not is a parental judgment call. I personally would if it was in my budget (without stretching it too much). Most people I know who erf wouldn't at the age of 3.

 

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rodentranger

New member

• Jan 21, 2010

• #6

lukensophie said:

Considering that he is three, already FFing, and riding in a TF, Frontier, and GN (according to your siggy)? Nope. I know that RFing is much safer, however, you've already stated that he doesn't have much room RFing in the MR. He has three wonderful seats, that I assume fit him well. It's just my :twocents:, but I personally wouldn't.

Click to expand...

The FN is about to be rendered living room furniture as we are selling the Pilot. I'm only contemplating it because the vehicle that will become my primary is older, smaller, and has no side impact protection. He has asked several times now is he can ride backwards "like the baby", and told me the sticker on the MR said "Big Boys who fit in this seat can ride backwards like babies do! I fit in this seat, so I get to ride backwards!"

steph_s said:

If you really want to turn him back around have you considered a CA or RN? It will offer more growth room than the MR will.

If it's worth it or not is a parental judgment call. I personally would if it was in my budget (without stretching it too much). Most people I know who erf wouldn't at the age of 3.

Click to expand...

The RN is not compatible with our vehicles, and the price of the MR is more doable. The CA only harnesses to 50 lbs, right? I might play with one when I take him back to BRU next week. It just seemed so huge when I looked at it today.
The other factor is that I do have another child who has so far shown similar growth tendencies. ODS went ff at 26 mos because he was 35 lbs and had gained a pound a month for several months! I'd like to get YDS to 3 yrs rf as well.
As far as the budget goes, I would sell the FN to fund the new seat since it won't be used any way.

 

bree

Car-Seat.Org Ambassador

• Jan 21, 2010

• #7

Provided I had the money, I would buy a seat to keep a 3 year old rear-facing.

I've had the experience with my DS that once installed in the car, there is much more growing room in the My Ride than in the house and definitely way more room than when I tried him in it at BRU, because the display model at my BRU has all the infant padding on it. I think I had to cut the tags to be able to unthread the harness to get the infant padding out on my seat, so when I tried the My Ride at BRU, it didn't compare to having my own seat completely padding-free and installed in my car. I was really surprised by how much room DS did have once the My Ride was installed. Maybe that will be true for you as well.

 

steph_s

New member

• Jan 21, 2010

• #8

Yes the CA only has a 50lb ff weight limit, but it does have a 40lb rf limit and a taller shell than the MR. It is a big seat because it's so tall, but I don't think it's much wider than the MR.

 

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rodentranger

New member

• Jan 21, 2010

• #9

I'll check out the CA too...ODS got pretty excited about a backwards seat that is also orange! Orange is his favorite color.

 

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armywife12

New member

• Jan 21, 2010

• #10

When you tried him out in the seat, were the infant inserts in the seat or were they taken out? When we first tried out the seat in BRU, Caleb was not quite 2 yrs old and the infant inserts were still in there. He gained a couple inches after the seat was installed and the inserts were taken out. If the same thing happens with your child, I would get the seat if I had the extra money.
What is his torso length? My son's is around 14.5 inches or so and has about 2.5-3 inches of shell left RF in the MR. You can see a recent pic (taken a few wks ago) of him in the MR in my siggy. don't know if that helps at all

 

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rodentranger

New member

• Jan 21, 2010

• #11

Yes, I had taken the insert out. I didn't think to check the recline foot though, and it was probably down in the store so it could sit on the shelf. Reclined and installed should make a significant difference I think.
I'm guessing his torso height is about 14.5 inches.

 

Carrie_R

Ambassador - CPS Technician

• Jan 21, 2010

• #12

Since you have another child to pass it down to, and if you can afford it without much of a stretch, I'd say do it.

My dcb gained a ton of room once the MR was "officially" installed in my vehicle... I thought he had 1.5" above his head (and 2lb to gain) when I bought it in late May but he just officially "weighted" out of the seat on Monday. He's just shy of 3 and I ended up buying him an RN... my van has craptastic side protection (plus tether issues) and at the end of the day, I just needed to do it for ME.

I really felt the same way about buying the MR when I did; I knew (well, thought) he wouldn't have much time in it but I also knew I could pass it down to the baby. Baby is now almost 12mos and 24-25lbs (!) and fits wonderfully in it, albeit sans infant padding. I haven't regretted that purchase at all.

That said, if you *don't* get him a MR to re-RF for whatever potentially short bit of time he would have, I think that's okay too. But if he wants it, and you want it, and you can afford it, it's hard to say no...

 

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mkmama

Active member

• Jan 24, 2010

• #13

I would if its in the budget. Despite only having 3-4 lbs and 1/2" of growing room left, I just bought my 4 year old (5 next month) a Radian XTSL because he wanted to "face backwards" again. My reasoning was: he wanted it, I wanted it (and was dying for an excuse to get a Radian), its safer, it was in the budget, and we have at least 2 siblings to pass it down to.

If you didnt have siblings to pass it down to, then I probably wouldn't unless it easily fit into the budget.