Do you loosen/tighten the harness everytime?

KirasMommy · Jan 9, 2008

I don't on Kira's seat (MA and Radian). When the harness is adjusted to the tightness it needs to be, I can still unbuckle it and take her out without loosening the harness. And I can get her buckled in without loosening it most times. Then I check to make sure it's tight enough before driving off.

I have to with Leah's seat (SS1). I can't get her in or out without loosing the harness almost all the way out.

What about you?

wildeyes · Jan 9, 2008

i do for the baby, cause her lil arms and legs are still kinda stiff, but for dd1 i generally dont. she can almost buclke herself in now anyway. (yay!!!) i just check her and watch her while i am buckling dd2 in.

MomToEliEm · Jan 9, 2008

During the summer, I usually do loosen the harnesses, but during the winter, I usually like to keep the harness tightened. I have the harness tightened right now for a child with only thin clothing on. As long as I keep the harness tight, I know that the harness should work regardless of what my child is wearing. If I am having trouble tightening the harness with a particular outfit or thin jacket on, then I know the clothing is too bulky and I try to remove a layer of clothing.

Jewels · Jan 9, 2008

Not so much now that it is winter and the winter jacket is on. Then I like to leave it at the normal tightness as it is harder to know how tight it is when he is wearing his jacket. I do unzip the jacket, buckle him up and then make sure it is tight but if I leave the adjuster alone and not loosen between times his jacket will fit in the harness without having to loosen it. In the spring/summer/fall I loosen every time just because it is easier to get him in and out.

Mama2J · Jan 9, 2008

No I try not to tighten or loosen it at all unless he has grown and I'm having trouble buckling. This way I know that I don't have too bulky of clothes on in winter, etc.

natysr · Jan 9, 2008

I don't loosen it to take him out, but if I have trouble rebuckling him, then I will loosen it, buckle, then retighten it. If I don't have trouble buckling him, I will always give the adjuster a tug or two for good measure.

Also, when we drop Jordan off at daycare, he is still in his pjs, and when we pick him up, he is in regular clothes. He is so skinny that they outfit he is wearing (jeans v. pjs) makes a big difference in the fit of the harness.

TXDani · Jan 9, 2008

I don't have to for either of my boys or maybe I am just lazy.

But no I do not...

skaterbabs · Jan 9, 2008

I don't and never have.

JerseyGirl'sMama · Jan 9, 2008

thefosters.2 said:
I don't have to for either of my boys or maybe I am just lazy. But no I do not...

Danielle,

I tried this yesterday, but I had a hard time getting the shoulder straps up over the shoulder where they need to be, when putting DD back in. I think it is because of how bulky the shoulder pads are. I don't suppose you know if I could leave those off or not?

BTW, Thanks again for checking my install yesterday. It makes me feel much better.

Misty-Bug · Jan 9, 2008

usually I don't but it depends. Most times I just put him in, buckle him the check the straps. If they are too loose I tighten a bit. Too tight I loosen a bit. I LOVE that the Radian is a ratcheting system on the tightening end

snowbird25ca · Jan 9, 2008

Ds yes, dd no. I find with a rf'ing carseat it's too difficult to get in & out without loosening. Dd is old enough & able to squirm herself into the harness now, so we leave it tightened up. Although we'd probably loosen it more often if it wasn't such a pain to tighten the radian's harness in the cold.

SPJ&E · Jan 9, 2008

I don't loosen the harness to get them out, but I do to get them back in usually. If I don't, sometimes it's really hard to get it buckled and I'll think it's in, then it pops back out...that scares me, so I prefer to loosen/tighten to get them back in.

BookMama · Jan 9, 2008

I don't and never really have. Both of my kids have always been able to fold up their arms and slide them through the harness straps with no problem. I always check it though, and sometimes need to tighten a bit. (And if one of the kids complains about the harness being too tight, I'll tighten it a bit and then loosen it back to what it was. They're usually content then.

)

melniemi · Jan 9, 2008

I usually loosen for the baby, but not my 3 yo. I like to leave hers tight in case someone else has to take her somewhere - then I know the harness is tight. Sometimes baby's is left tight, too, but it is harder to get her in.

Granola · Jan 9, 2008

I don't loosen the straps to get my DS out of our Regent, but I always loosen everything to get him into the seat, or it's too hard for me to buckle in to the crotch strap (the chest strap is easy to fasten when it's not loosened but the buckles are hard).

CaseyRN · Jan 9, 2008

I always loosen it before getting her out and then tighten it once she's in. Maybe b/c it was a pain to adjust her Snugride and with the MA it has that handy strap so I do it every time. I can't stand it when someone tries to get her out without loosening it. Sure it's fine then but when I go to put her back in it's a pain! LOL I just find it much easier to grab the chest clip while pulling the lever and loosening it before it's unbuckled. I honestly thought everybody did it every time! LOL guess not!

Mama! · Jan 9, 2008

yes, usually.

joolsplus3 · Jan 9, 2008

I LOVE loosening and tightening...I'm sad that it's such a bloody pain to do in my radian (not so bad since I got the longer crotch strap).

LOL a the 'too lazy' comment, I'm totally the opposite...cramming my kid into a harness is something *I'm* too lazy to do (so much easier to loosen and have lots of strap when I go to buckle).

I'm learning to tolerate not loosening and tightening my radian, but I still love my Roundabout's harness adjuster more than any gadget ever invented by mankind...

Granola · Jan 9, 2008

I just find it much easier to grab the chest clip while pulling the lever and loosening it before it's unbuckled. I honestly thought everybody did it every time! LOL guess not!

It's true, it is definitely easier to get them out (for me) when things are loosened, but my DS can't wait that long!

I find that I have more time to loosen the straps when we are getting into the car, because he insists on wearing his back pack from the house out to the car, so while he is taking that off and his coat, I am loosening the straps and holding them aside and that is done by the time he starts to get into the seat. :thumbsup:

groovymom2000 · Jan 9, 2008

Yes, and I always have. With the MA, the crotch strap is so short that I have to, or I'd never get the stupid thing buckled!

but I still love my Roundabout's harness adjuster more than any gadget ever invented by mankind.

:thumbsup: Why can't they make all adjusters like that one? I loved my old RA so much--it was the most perfect seat that I have ever had.

Do you loosen/tighten the harness everytime?

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