Why all the adjusting?

Keeyamah

Active member
This is something that has confused me every time I see it.

Why do you adjust the harness straps every time you put a kid in and out of the seat? I know most instruction manuals say to, but it's such a hassle (to me).

Maybe it's because I have a True Fit and a Scenera as my first seats for my ODS and reaching them while they were RFing was a witch with a capitol B so I just got in the habit of only adjusting it when needed. And DH and I agreed to leave them and only adjust them when they needed to go bigger to reduce misuse between the two of us and grandparents using the seat(s).
 
ADS

Brianna

New member
I loosen straps if a kid is sleeping when I take them out. That and L seemed to like to play with the knobs on his triumph while climbing in so I had to loosen them for him to get in. Other than that I leave them alone and just check for tightness.
 

kaharris83

New member
It drives me BONKERS when DH gets the kids out of their seats because he never LOOSENS the harness. So when my hands are full of squirmy kiddo next load time I have to set them on top of the pre-tightened straps and fish around for the straps underneath them, bend their arms akimbo to get them into the straps. So annoying to me.

When I take the kids out I loosen the straps completely and put them on either side of the seat, out of the way for the next time we load. Far, far easier for me. I always assumed everyone loosened each time until I read here a few months ago most don't. I have to or I go nuts.
 

kathysr98

Active member
I never did until dd went ff in the fr85. Now I can loosen and unbuckle her from the driver's seat. Then, when she gets back in, she can buckle herself. Then I tighten her from the driver's seat. Getting in & out of the car is now 579853 times faster since she can do everything but shut her door and tighten her harness.
 

Mercuria

Active member
It drives me BONKERS when DH gets the kids out of their seats because he never LOOSENS the harness. So when my hands are full of squirmy kiddo next load time I have to set them on top of the pre-tightened straps and fish around for the straps underneath them, bend their arms akimbo to get them into the straps. So annoying to me.

When I take the kids out I loosen the straps completely and put them on either side of the seat, out of the way for the next time we load. Far, far easier for me. I always assumed everyone loosened each time until I read here a few months ago most don't. I have to or I go nuts.

This, exactly.
 

katymyers

Active member
Since day one with my kids I've always loosened the straps. I hate putting kids into seats with the straps already tight. One of the biggest things for me in choosing seats is how easy adjusting the straps is. It's so much easier and more convenient.
 

Keeyamah

Active member
Myself, I have a hard time getting it tight enough every time I have to adjust them. It usually takes a trip or two before I have them back to an appropriate tightness. Then of course, my ODS (in a FR85) seems to like his straps too tight, along with being scooted in really far under tables and such too. He is also likely autistic (waiting to get into the dev. pedi), so I know that throws everything off, lol.

So I leave them alone unless I have to change it.
 

tiggercat

New member
I keep 'em tight. I think from using a RF RN for a few years? I used to adjust my daughter's Nauti every time.

Sent from my iPod touch using Car-Seat.Org
 

joolsplus3

Admin - CPS Technician
It can make seats a lot easier to buckle when there's some slack in the harness. My 4 yo dd1 was so cute buckling her chest clip, holding up the adjuster, leaning forward to loosen her harness, buckling, and then pulling it back tight and making herself squish back into the seat and telling me not to drive till I heard the squeak (our MA adjuster was kinda loud...).
Whenever someone complains about thigh pinching, I recommend a little loosen to make things easier. I think as my kids got older I may have loosened less, but I did always tighten...
Continuous harness seats like the TF and Scenera can just be pulled up from the side to get a little more buckling slack, yeah, it's easy to get around loosening them.
 

2BunniesMommy

Well-known member
I always used to. Just seemed easier for me. Not having to contort kiddos arms to get in the straps mainly. Now, with DD2's seats installed with seatbelt instead of LATCH, it is really hard to adjust so we only do it when needed. Also, she usually gets her own arms in.
 

Jessica61624

New member
I always do with newborns too. Other than that I don't unless its needs adjustment. My 3 & 6 yr old buckle up so it makes it easier.
 

ElfJewel

New member
I don't loosen it. It would be a HUGE pain to loosen and tighten our RF Radians each time. I always check them and loosen/tighten as needed after they are buckled. I never did though even with newborns (probably because we always had the horrible rear adjust snugrides so I would only adjust if I HAD to).
 

HaileysMommy

New member
I never did even when DD was a newbie. We had an evenflo discovery and the rear adjust made it impossible. DD buckles herself in now and likes to have some slack so I reach back and push the button for her. I just started watching a 6 month old and I never loosen the MySize. It's too effing hard to tighten!!!
 

Shaunam

New member
With Adrian I never did, I just would loosen or tighten as needed. With Charlie I have to....every.single.time. She is NOT easy to wrestle into a seat!
 

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