Problem prepping my SK Radian 80 for our newborn?

GypsyMama

New member
My parents bought us a Radian for baby -- I'm really happy about it; got it installed well in a test run, then brought it in to wash the cover before baby's born. Now I'm putting it all back together for baby --

I assumed I'd need the lowest harness strap for our newborn and the innermost crotch strap. BUT, with the lowest harness strap, when I install the 2piece newborn support, the body section doesn't fit behind the straps. It fits neatly if the straps are installed at the second harness height, but not the lowest; it has to be scrunched or folded if the straps are low, which I'm not at all comfortable with.

There are no instructions for installing the support cushions, only photos.

I want to get the seat ready and installed tomorrow. I will be 37 weeks Tuesday and leaving on a plane for for the Babywearing Conference in Idaho same day; I feel like having the carseat installed is important. I don't expect to have my baby in Idaho, but on the tiny chance I do, I want a carseat ready so dh could pick baby and me up if he needed to. Paranoid? Maybe. But regardless, it needs to be done.

So .... help or advice on which strap height to use and what to do about the body portion of the newborn insert?

Thanks!
 
ADS

DahliaRW

New member
I think it's ok to have the straps come up over the insert (if I'm remembering what I've read on here correctly).
 

GypsyMama

New member
I'm not worried about the straps coming over the insert; what I'm worried about is that when the straps are in their lowest position, the insert is too tall to fit under the straps correctly, by about 2 full inches, so the insert needs to be bunched or folded in order to fit under the straps, leaving bulk behind baby where there really shouldn't be bulk. It looks uncomfortable and like it could compress.

In the second harness strap hole, the insert fits exactly with no room to spare.
 

GypsyMama

New member
OK, well in case anyone else has this question, I'll answer it here since I couldn't get the answer I needed on the board ...

Borrowed my friend/employee's newborn today; he's 3 weeks old and was 7 pounds at birth. The first set of harness straps is definitely too low for him; the second harness height is right for him.

My babies have been 8.5, 9, and 10 pounds, and midwives estimate LO is at least 7 pounds already, so the second set of straps will probably be correct for this baby, as well.

I'd say for shorter/lower birthweight babies I'd not use the infant positioner without talking to the company, as it has to be really crumbled to fit under the straps.
 

Cryssy Jane

New member
I'd be curious to see how your getting this issue. I can put the body pillow part in both my radians on the lowest harness slot without any issues. There'e a slight bunch but it straightens back out when I tie the black strings to the back.
 

featherhead

Well-known member
I'd be curious to see how your getting this issue. I can put the body pillow part in both my radians on the lowest harness slot without any issues. There'e a slight bunch but it straightens back out when I tie the black strings to the back.

Do you have one of the new ones with all the memory foam? I think maybe that is the problem. They added the foam, but didn't change anything else. So there is an extra 1/2 inch or so (maybe 1 inch?) under the bum, but the bottom harness slot is in the same spot. So it shortens the bottom harness position but the infant padding is still the same height.
 

ketchupqueen

CPST and ketchup snob
Staff member
Do you have one of the new ones with all the memory foam? I think maybe that is the problem. They added the foam, but didn't change anything else. So there is an extra 1/2 inch or so (maybe 1 inch?) under the bum, but the bottom harness slot is in the same spot. So it shortens the bottom harness position but the infant padding is still the same height.

That is my guess as well. If needed, you can remove the memory foam (it's optional, for comfort, not safety). :) My guess is that MOST newborns will NOT be above the second harness slots, even with the memory foam.
 

JerseyGirl'sMama

New member
I remember when DS was on the lowest shoulder strap slot that the body portion of the pillow seemed a tad higher than the straps. It worked just fine when I put him in though and tightened the straps up. The padding didn't scrunch behind his shoulder but actually hugged the back part of his shoulder.

If your little one needs the lowest position, I would not be worried about it as long as you have the harness tightened properly.

Here is a pic of DS at 2 months and almost 14lbs in an XTSL with the infant inserts. You can see the harness straps are lower than the outer sides of the body insert, but there was no bunching behind him. And he still needed the lowest setting at this age.

RNXTSL.jpg
 

champatlife

New member
here's a picture of mine (without baby since it's not here yet) with everything on the first harness. I'm not noticing any bunching if we are talking about the same thing.


006.jpg
 

GypsyMama

New member
I will take a photo when I get home from Idaho, though probably not today.

Happily, I'm going home still pregnant. :) 38 weeks on Tuesday.
 

4boysmom

New member
I posted about this issue about 5 or 6 mo ago. Said it made no sense for it not to fit the bottom most slot when the kids using the bottom most slot need it more than those using the second one ykwim?! I was able to keep ds in his infant seat a bit longer and luckily he looked okay w/o the padding as well. But like OP stated it barely works with the second slot and most certainly doesn't with the first slot.
 

GypsyMama

New member
OK -- Here are my pics.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v292/morgainesmama/SKR/IMG_0735.jpg?t=1276715311

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v292/morgainesmama/SKR/IMG_0738.jpg
(second harness slot behind the insert settled against the bottom of seat, not bunched up)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v292/morgainesmama/SKR/IMG_0739.jpg
(Insert bunched behind the harness in the bottom slots)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v292/morgainesmama/SKR/IMG_0740.jpg
(Trying to use my fingers to show you how much the insert bunches when tucked behind bottom harness straps)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v292/morgainesmama/SKR/IMG_0741.jpg
(Again, see how it's fitted to the bottom - I see the small gap but I pulled it and smoothed it down for some time to get it as snug as possible with the pillows as flush as possible -- but bunched up at the top?)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v292/morgainesmama/SKR/IMG_0742.jpg
This is the insert spread out in front of the harness straps with my fingertip behind the insert touching the top of the lower harness straps. See how my finger is lost almost to the knuckle? That's how much shorter the insert would need to be in order to fit correctly when spread flush against the bottom of the seat.
 

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