How important is the DOM?

Hello everyone - hope you all had a Merry Christmas!

I only found this website a few weeks ago and I find myself constantly checking to find new info - this is truly a wonderful site!!!

I was reading a few posts and saw people dicussing DOM, which I'm assuming is the date of manufacture? Is that a big factor when buying a new car seat or maybe when the manufacturer makes a change to a product?

Thanks for the help!
Scarlett

Mom to Wynter
4 Years, 7 Months; 40 pounds

It's important for several reasons. All car seats expire, most within 6 years of DOM. You need to know your DOM so that you don't inadvertently use an expired and therefore unsafe seat.

Also, when recalls are issued, they are generally issued by model number and DOM, which is helpful in determining if your seat is on the list

You guys are wonderful!!! Thanks so much for the info. I'm thinking about buying a Regent - is there a certain DOM I should be looking for or just as long as it's new?

Thanks again!!!

Unless you find a sale (which is usually the old ones they're clearing out) you're likely to get a DOM that's within a month from today. Occasionally at a store you'll find some that are several months old on the shelf. I bought a Snugride for one of my cousin's twins for the baby shower in October. They're not due until the end of February. So I made sure I didn't get a Snugride that was made in April. It would be 10 months old already before a baby used it. And they're planning on more kids down the line, and they don't live far from my brother, so if by some miracle my brother has kids within five years he could use it too. I was able to get them a seat that was made about two weeks before, so it'll only be four months old (I have no idea why they had the shower so early).

The Regents had a switch in installation instructions June 18, 2007. Seats made before that had one set and could follow the new instructions as an optional "enhancement." After that they had to follow the new instructions. The new instructions can make it tricky to install in some vehicles now. What do you drive, and how old and heavy is the child who will be using it?

Wendy

How old is your child?

If your child is six or seven and is your last child, I wouldn't worry too much about the DOM, as long as it isn't more than a year or so old. The reason I say that is because your child will likely outgrow the seat before it expires.

If your child is three or four, though, I would look for the newest DOM you can find.

ETA: I just saw that your DD is 4.

I would see if I can try installing one in my vehicle before I bought it. The new model regents have specific instructions based on weight. At 40lbs you would need to use the short belt path and always use the recline bar. The new model starts 6/18/07 and newer I believe.

Thanks for all the replies!

My dd is 4 1/2 yo and 40 pounds. We have a 2006 Chrysler Pacifica and the seats are bucket seats.

Are the seats with the newer manufacture date safer since they updated the installation instructions?

No, not really. At least not that we can tell. Britax calls them "enhancements" for pre-6/18/07 seats, but due to a slight tweak in the seat itself they are required for after 6/18/07 seats. Safer versus not safer? I don't think so.

Wendy

I'll give a dissenting opinion of "it depends". I have a 5-year-old and I don't expect her to be in a harnessed seat for more than another three years tops. If I found an older (unused or from a very trusted person) seat at a good price, I wouldn't hesitate to buy it.

I bet my thread is one that caused you to ask this question.

DOM is important to me, because I'm buying for a 4 month old, and I expect to use this seat (for her or her younger siblings - yet to be born) until its expiration. I don't want to buy a seat that's already had a year used up before I even get to put it in my car.

I have only one child and I won't be having any more so I can give up a couple months in DOM and not worry since when I'm done with a seat I'm done. So it really depends on your situation HOW important DOM is.

When I got my seat in April it had a DOM of January and 4 months really didn't matter to me but it might to some people.