Need opinions - Harness height - Parental decision

Kayleen

New member

• Apr 18, 2011

• #1

DD is 40mo and ~33#. She is between the 2nd and 3rd slots on the Graco Nautilus, but she is just barely over the second slots. I know that the harness needs to be at or above the shoulders for forward facing.

Since she is only about a 1/4inch (1/2inch at most) above the second slots, how bad would it be to move the harness back down to the second slot so the headrest fits more appropriately? Since the GN has quite a bit of spacing between the slots, the headrest is at the higher position, the bottom of the red shoulder guides are level with her jaw. I thought she was on a growth streak hence why I had moved them up previously, but her growth has seemed to slow down for now.

No bashing, just a genuine question. Also no option to turning her rearfacing either. Just looking for opinions.

 

Baylor

New member

• Apr 18, 2011

• #2

Go up not down. Above is above.. that is fine. No one is going to bash you It is a good question!

 

Lea_Ontario

Well-known member

• Apr 18, 2011

• #3

The harness needs to be at or above her shoulders.

But I do understand where you're coming from with the headrest issue, it looks kind of bad when you're first moving up.

 

babygirlsmom1005

New member

• Apr 18, 2011

• #4

I believe I have read the reasons why the harness needs to be at or above for forward facing, is that in a accident, if below the shoulders it puts a lot of stress on the spine due to it pushes the child down as they go forward. I cannot for the life of me remember where I read it at though (it could of been on here). I would move it up to be above.

 

Baylor

New member

• Apr 18, 2011

• #5

I am not sure this falls under parental decision to me. That to me is, child at or right above top slot but no other seat and too young to booster.. This to me is really about proper use.

 

D

DahliaRW

New member

• Apr 18, 2011

• #6

With shoulders above the harness ffing you risk spinal compression in an accident. I would not do it.

 

Kayleen

New member

• Apr 18, 2011

• #7

All right. Harness stays up. Understood. I just wish the headrest had another space inbetween the two harness settings. There is almost a full inch of space above the harness slots for where the headrest sits. It would fit so much better if it had one more setting in between/closer to the harness slots.

 

Kat_Momof3

New member

• Apr 18, 2011

• #8

also, if the harness is below the shoulders forward facing, on top of a higher number for head excursion, it can compress the spine, which can cause lots of damage. You definitely have to have the straps at or above the shoulders

 

H

henrietta

Well-known member

• Apr 18, 2011

• #9

Well, this is what I would try to do:

Uninstall the GN, try to install it more upright, then put her in it and see where her shoulders are. If she's really barely 1/4" above, installing the seat more upright may bring her shoulders even w/the lower slot.

hths

henrietta

 

Kayleen

New member

• Apr 18, 2011

• #10

I will give that a try and see what happens. I need to take it out to vacuum and clean around it anyway.

 

thepote

New member

• Apr 18, 2011

• #11

I sympathize with you. That time right after the harness gets moved up looks like such a poor fit in the headwings.

 

An Aurora

Senior Community Member

• Apr 18, 2011

• #12

I had the same issue with that seat. With the shoulders barely above a slot the headrest is too high. You just have to have the geadrest too high.

 

Kayleen

New member

• Apr 26, 2011

• #13

I did adjust the seats so that there was no recline. Somehow amazingly that put DD right at the second slots. I did move the harness down and will watch her growth carefully. I think by end of summer she will be moved back up to the third slots but for now the second slots are a perfect fit and so is the headrest too. Yay!

 

wendytthomas

Admin - CPST Instructor

Staff member

• Apr 27, 2011

• #14

When it's more upright gravity is pulling her straighter down, so she'll gain room in seats. It's a great trick if you can and you need more vertical space. It's also why we tell people to test seats in their car because sitting on the floor in the store, someone else's car, and your car may give three different fits.

Wendy