OH NO! Do I need to get a new seat?

TechnoGranola · Feb 5, 2011

*Edit: pics in post 57*

Okay, about a month ago I calculated that DD would make to close to 5 RF in her MR. She's a 50/50 kid for height/weight and has been since she was about 1 so I figured she'd stay on the same scale. She was 36.6# with light clothing on X-mas day. I measured her today, she's grown a teensy bit in height. But her weight is 39.2# with having eaten, leggings, spaghetti strapped dress, socks, fleece jacket, light shoes. We always take her winter boots off, but highly likely she could be wearing heavier clothing like an extra sweater, mittens, heavier pants, so could easily be 39.5#.

So, I thought I'd have until August or September, and was planning on doing some booster training starting July. I do NOT feel comfortable with her in a booster at this point. I wanted her RF still.

Do I need to get something now and keep it on hand for when she needs to be flipped? or does she need to be flipped now?

A Radian is not an option because it installs like butt in our vehicle and I don't actually trust the seat for my own reasons. I'd have to import something to RF longer, which might be kind of cool...In almost 14 years, the cops have stopped us twice I think and have never even looked at our seats, so doubtful they would ever notice...

Oh, she is 4 years, 5 months.

jjordan · Feb 5, 2011

Personally, I'd flip her. Does the MR work okay FF in your car?

trippsmom · Feb 5, 2011

jjordan said:
Personally, I'd flip her. Does the MR work okay FF in your car?

This.

I'm impressed she made it so long. DS has outgrown the MR rf at just 37m.

TechnoGranola · Feb 5, 2011

jjordan said:
Personally, I'd flip her. Does the MR work okay FF in your car?

Nope, not at all. It's actually incompatible, IMO. If the feet are on the vehicle seat, the front of the MR seat hangs off the front of the vehicle seat. Add to that, it's super reclined, which Graco says is not an issue. They are actually supposed to be testing the install in my vehicle, because Graco Canada said it was fine to have the feet off the vehicle seat. The only thing they agreed on was that the MR couldn't hang off the front of the vehicle seat. But, Graco U.S.A. still hasn't got back to me since last June.

Also, the back of the MR barely touches the vehicle seat back no matter how it's installed (with or without feet touching). There is a gap at the back for about 90% of the seat.

trippsmom said:
This.

I'm impressed she made it so long. DS has outgrown the MR rf at just 37m.

And she's not particularly short torsoed. I just got lucky with her height/weight percentile. She seems like the picture perfect kid for the MR in RF mode.

babyherder · Feb 5, 2011

If you want to import something I say go for it! Sounds fun. But if you don't want to or can't I'd flip her and not worry about it. You did the best you could.

BookMama · Feb 5, 2011

I'd go ahead and get a FF seat that works in your vehicle (the MR doesn't, right?) and then turn her FF. No need to worry about a booster yet.

AtTheSouthDam · Feb 5, 2011

Ooh, ooh been there, going through that. Just before Christmas she was 39.5# in winter gear (shoes and a fleece jacket

). I didn't want to booster her, I want to wait until she is five, but I was prepping because the other option required a new seat. So I said I wasn't going to flip until she weighed 40.5# (the scale reads by the half pound) I'd weigh her weekly. I don't think the seat will fail at 40.1#.
So the next week at the doctor. She weighs in 38.8 fully dressed. They didn't even have her take her shoes off.
The following week on the scale 37.5#.
Yesterday 38#. She may have gained but she s fluctuating around it and has not yet hit 40#. She may very well hit it before she turns five but the chance remains she may not. And she's still happy RF in daddy's car. She says she wants to stay that way forever... but not in the van

So, you willing to weigh weekly?

TechnoGranola · Feb 5, 2011

And I wanted to wait for some other magical seat option. I have basically 2 options, the Nautilus and the Maestro. The Frontier is a problem because I can't get it here so if I order it and don't like it, I can't return it. I like the Frontier because I can add the SG clip when she is boostered. I like the Nautilus because the covers are nicer and the arm rest look WAY more comfortable. The Maestro I just don't feel good about.

And I need 2. One in my parents vehicle. I feel better having the same seat in both as then I notice when harness height etc. needs to be changed, I just swap it in both. There are no usage worries with my parents, they follow my instructions to a T.

I am super uncomfortable with this.

atsuydam said:
Ooh, ooh been there, going through that. Just before Christmas she was 39.5# in winter gear (shoes and a fleece jacket ). I didn't want to booster her, I want to wait until she is five, but I was prepping because the other option required a new seat. So I said I wasn't going to flip until she weighed 40.5# (the scale reads by the half pound) I'd weigh her weekly. I don't think the seat will fail at 40.1#.
So the next week at the doctor. She weighs in 38.8 fully dressed. They didn't even have her take her shoes off.
The following week on the scale 37.5#.
Yesterday 38#. She may have gained but she s flucuating around it and has not yet hit 40#. She may very well hit it before she turns five but the cahnce remains she may not.

So, you willing to weigh weekly?

Our scale measures to .2. So if she weighed 40.2, she's definitely be over 40#. I am willing, but realistically, I am not sure if I can keep up with it. I am having some personal issues right now and am barely keeping myself afloat and I would hate to miss the fact that she was over 40#.

AtTheSouthDam · Feb 5, 2011

TechnoGranola said:
And I wanted to wait for some other magical seat option. I have basically 2 options, the Nautilus and the Maestro. The Frontier is a problem because I can't get it here so if I order it and don't like it, I can't return it. I like the Frontier because I can add the SG clip when she is boostered. I like the Nautilus because the covers are nicer and the arm rest look WAY more comfortable. The Maestro I just don't feel good about.

And I need 2. One in my parents vehicle. I feel better having the same seat in both as then I notice when harness height etc. needs to be changed, I just swap it in both. There are no usage worries with my parents, they follow my instructions to a T.

I am super uncomfortable with this.

Our scale measures to .2. So if she weighed 40.2, she's definitely be over 40#. I am willing, but realistically, I am not sure if I can keep up with it. I am having some personal issues right now and am barely keeping myself afloat and I would hate to miss the fact that she was over 40#.

I want the magical carseat option as well... You know what will happen right? The perfect carseat will come out in about 6 months...

I told DH if he really does get that bonus in March I am getting a two-way

TechnoGranola · Feb 5, 2011

atsuydam said:
I want the magical carseat option as well... You know what will happen right? The perfect carseat will come out in about 6 months...

I told DH if he really does get that bonus in March I am getting a two-way

Ya, I know it will. Luckily (or not) for me that means at least another year since I'm in Canada, at which point she'll be FF or boostered anyway.

Maybe I should just import. She's probably fit in a TW or MT until she was 6 RF. I'm just worried that customs will seize it at the border even though technically they can't.

DaniChildcare · Feb 5, 2011

I'm going to ask an obvious question. You say it's too reclined and that it hangs off the seat in front, and that the back barely touches the seat when you turn it FF, are you putting the recline foot back out when you turn it around FF?

christineka · Feb 5, 2011

I'd weigh weekly until you find the magical car seat or are forced to go ffing. How about that new compass seat? Is it coming to Canada? I think it's supposed to be out in April.

TechnoGranola · Feb 5, 2011

DaniChildcare said:
I'm going to ask an obvious question. You say it's too reclined and that it hangs off the seat in front, and that the back barely touches the seat when you turn it FF, are you putting the recline foot back out when you turn it around FF?

Yup. The recline foot is down and off the vehicle seat if the front of the MR is fully on the vehicle seat. When the recline foot touches the vehicle seat, the MR hangs off the front. In both cases the rear of the MR touches the vehicle seat only at the top. And I have to remove my vehicle headrest for it to even do touch at the top.

TechnoGranola · Feb 5, 2011

christineka said:
I'd weigh weekly until you find the magical car seat or are forced to go ffing. How about that new compass seat? Is it coming to Canada? I think it's supposed to be out in April.

Which new Compass seat? I'm not sure if I've heard of it. If it comes out under the Learning Curve name, we might have it. If it's under the Compass name, I'm not sure, as I don't think we have any Compass seats here? Anyone?

And I guess that's my question, am I forced to go FF now? It seems you don't think so...and I like that thinking!

Maybe I should a buy a seat from somewhere with a 30 day return policy to have if she needs it and keep returning every 30 days and buying a new one if she still weighs in fine for RF and doesn't need it. :ROTFLMAO:

christineka · Feb 5, 2011

It's The First Years B830

TechnoGranola · Feb 5, 2011

christineka said:
It's The First Years B830

Like it! The harness looks like the TF's, so kind of twisty, but other than that, looks very cool! All of the TF models came out here *after* the U.S. models, so I'm thinking that even if the U.S. model comes in April as stated, it's likely going to be months later here.

Carrie_R · Feb 5, 2011

I turn my kids the first time the scale reads the weight (so 40.0 or greater) so yes, I think you still have a smidge of time. If you choose to weigh frequently, that is.

ETA: As a caregiver (but obviously not as a tech) I would also put off buying a seat IF I was able to go get my chosen seat as soon as the child hit the weight limit. I feel comfortable enough with wiggle room that a seat that would hold a 39.9lb child is not going to fail at 40.2. So for that ride to the store, she'd be ok. But that's JMO. (As an alternative to purchasing/returning every 30 days.

)

DaniChildcare · Feb 5, 2011

TechnoGranola said:
Yup. The recline foot is down and off the vehicle seat if the front of the MR is fully on the vehicle seat. When the recline foot touches the vehicle seat, the MR hangs off the front. In both cases the rear of the MR touches the vehicle seat only at the top. And I have to remove my vehicle headrest for it to even do touch at the top.

Figured it was, but thought i'd ask anyways.

i ran across a woman in BRU a couple months ago ... woman couldn't get the seat to recline RF, and was looking at buying another seat - i overheard her and asked if she had put the recline foot down, and she had NO idea what i was talking about. (sure enough, she hadn't!)

I don't know i would spend the money to import a seat to RF for 4 more months. I would probably get something like the Nautilus to convert to a booster when you decide to booster train - or get a cheap seat for FF to suffice until June and then get a booster.

Might be a good idea for your daughter to get used to sitting FF before starting booster training anyways :shrug-shoulders:

Just a thought

TechnoGranola · Feb 5, 2011

DaniChildcare said:
Might be a good idea for your daughter to get used to sitting FF before starting booster training anyways :shrug-shoulders:

Just a thought

She's actually pretty easy going. She sat FF once awhile back and was totally fine with it, even liked it and complained about RF for the next 3 weeks. :ROTFLMAO: Some of the problems are is that she is LOUD FF

and she swings her feet and kicks the driver's back because she doesn't know what else to do with her feet!

DaniChildcare · Feb 5, 2011

TechnoGranola said:
She's actually pretty easy going. She sat FF once awhile back and was totally fine with it, even liked it and complained about RF for the next 3 weeks. :ROTFLMAO: Some of the problems are is that she is LOUD FF and she swings her feet and kicks the driver's back because she doesn't know what else to do with her feet!

haha, see, this could be training time on how to not kick the seat

It's funny, i have only ever had one loud kid in the car. He would ask for a specific song (i finally had to take "Life is a Highway" - AKA the Cars Song - out of my car) want me to turn it up, and then want to talk to me! So i'd turn the music down, he'd be telling me something, and then mid sentence say he wanted the music back up (i'd turn it up) and he'd continue trying to talk to me

Finally just left the music up, and pretended not to hear him calling my name. He eventually asked to have the music turned down so he could talk to me

OH NO! Do I need to get a new seat?

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