Is he to LITTLE for this Seat??

Mommy2Marcus · Mar 10, 2008

Hiya Ladies! I am new here, but I have registered & have been reading for a few days. I have become a car seat freak as my mom & DH point out to me. They tell me they're tired of hearing me talk about car seats all the time. I SO need some advice about whether or not DS is to little for the Britax Husky that was given to me. It doesn't expire for another year & half, but I have not used it yet as I am unsure of whether or not he is big enough for it. He is 17 months, 27-28lbs fully clothed, & around 33-34 inches. He has a long torso, but still seems like he may need to grow some more before he fits as his shoulders are around 3 inches below the lowest harness slots, but he also only has a diaper on & the car seat is uninstalled so he might be a little taller once it is installed & he is fully dressed. So here are a few pictures showing him in it...What do you think?? Would you put your child in it at this size?? Thanks for the replys! I appreciate it!

sb518 · Mar 10, 2008

I think he is much too little.

I would stick him in a marathon rear-facing for another year. Do you have a convertible seat you are already using? What is the rush for using the husky??

crunchierthanthou · Mar 10, 2008

I'm just going to call your attention to the tag next to his right arm. "no babies allowed. this is a big kid seat". He really should still be rf. It's 4-5 times safer under age two. He's pretty big for 17 mo, but still within the weight limit for almost all convertibles on the market. Although, he must be incredibly solid because he doesn't look like a nearly 30 lb toddler. Can you even get the harness sufficiently tight (so that you can't pinch a horizontal fold over his shoulder)?

What seat is he currently in and what do you drive?

Mommy2Marcus · Mar 10, 2008

Hiya! He is FF already due to extreme car sickness whenever we went anywhere. I relucktently turned him around as I was SO wanting to RF him to the limits of the seats. I do have a MA, but it is FF. I know he could RF & wish he was RF, but he is not. He was projectile vomiting every car ride & getting extremely upset & the only thing that solved the car sickness was the FF. So he is FF to stay as much as I hate it. I currently have a AO that is installed in the center FF with the seatbelt & top tethered in a 2004 Crown Victoria. I also have a MA installed drivers outboard FF with the seatbelt & top tethered in a 2001 Chevy Cavalier as I can not get a good install in the center. I am looking to move the AO to my 1997 Subaru Impreza & use the Husky in my Crown Victoria which has top tethers. I am not in a rush to use the Husky, I was just trying to determine if I could use it versus buying another seat right now as I just bought the MA begining of Febuary. So it is looking more like I am going to have to buy another seat instead of using the Husky right now, but his safety is more important than money!

snowbird25ca · Mar 10, 2008

I see that he's staying ff'ing as per your post right above mine, I just want to add to the comment that he doesn't fit the Husky well at all at his size.

I'd probably buy him a Graco Nautilus. The Nautilus you'll get the full 6 yrs use out of and it has nice high harness slots, but also has a toddler insert for use when the harness is at the lowest height. It's priced at $150, so won't break the bank either. :thumbsup:

One thing you might want to consider, is that as he gets bigger you always have the option of trying him rf'ing again (as long as he's under the weight limit.) Some kids outgrow the nasty nothing-will-improve-this-except-ff'ing motion sickness - or installing the seat more upright might help too. Some kids it doesn't, but it's always worth a try... (I'm not sure what you already tried as options to reduce or eliminate the motion sickness, but I just wanted to mention some kids outgrow it and sometimes there are options that can counter it.)

If he's staying ff'ing though, your best spent money will be on the Nautilus at his age and size provided it installs well in your vehicle. He might fit the harness the whole 6yrs before it expires, but if nothing else would be able touse it as a booster right until it expires. :thumbsup:

sb518 · Mar 10, 2008

Yeah as the PP said, the Nautilus is a great seat, also the Radian65 would fit him. Or there is always the well loved scenera that are $35-$50 that would work until he was big enough. They are great seats! Those straps are just so high above his shoulders...

lovinwaves · Mar 10, 2008

Sometimes a different seat, or different angle can solve the motion sickness problem. I would try and give the rear-facing a shot again. If it doesn't work out, then try again in a few weeks.

He certainly looks smaller than 28lbs

TXDani · Mar 10, 2008

Yes he is too little for that seat. I would flip him rear-facing again and try a couple things before giving up on it all together. I have heard that adjusting to a more upright angle, keeping the child cold, driving with the windows down, making sure they don't have anyting to drink before driving can all help with the vomitting while in the car.

Mattkarn · Mar 10, 2008

I would try to rear-face him again, he is much safer that way. Also, you say the seat was given to you, and unless you completely trust the person who gave you the seat with your childs life you might not want to use it. If you don't know the complete history of the seat, was it in an accident, was the harness washed (very bad), I would not use it.

Kabes · Mar 10, 2008

No advice about the seat but re: motion sickness I found these things helpful:
sunglasses, motion sickness wrist bands, sippy w/ ice water, tinted windows

BTW, He is so stinkin' cute! What a beautiful smile!!!

thepeach80 · Mar 10, 2008

Having a window cracked too can help and make sure he's not looking at books in the car! I get so nauseous if I try to read in the car. Yes, he's much too little for the Husky.

azgirl71 · Mar 10, 2008

He is way to little for the Husky. If you must keep him FF then you will need to look for a more suitable seat. I see others have suggested the Graco Nautilus. That ould probably be a great option for hte money. There are also the Britax Boulevard, Marathon, Decathlon and the SKJP Radian 65 to look at. They do not turn into a belt positioning booster.

My suggestion is try to sell the Husky cover since the seat will expire in a year and use that money to help fund a new seat.

CandCfam · Mar 10, 2008

Ditto the above saying he is too little for the Husky and should be RF.
I would flip him Rf again and reduce the angle ( you still must use the mechanical recline, but you install the seat more upright) of his seat to 30 - 35 degrees. That could make ALL the difference.

ETA: If you do decide to keep him in the Husky, the chest clip needs to be moved down so that the top of it is armpit level.

joolsplus3 · Mar 10, 2008

Looks like he fits fine, to me. Make sure your seat hasn't been recalled (if it was made before 7/23/04, it needs a new adjuster strap). But can you imagine how uncomfortable he'd be if he fell asleep? I wouldn't use it for that reason alone

UlrikeDG · Mar 10, 2008

joolsplus3 said:
Looks like he fits fine, to me.

Same here.

If he meets the listed minimums for the Husky, and you absolutely cannot turn him back rear facing (which provides a significant safety advantage), then I'd feel comfortable using the Husky until it expires.

MumtotinyM · Mar 10, 2008

I agree with the pp. I would try and sell the husky cover, and make some money to use towards your new seat. I think the Graco Nautilus would be a great choice. Since your son is only 17months, you would definitely get the full 6 years of the seat. By the way your son is absolutely adorable.

Dillipop · Mar 10, 2008

Personnally, I'd use this seat. He fits the requirements, you aren't going to turn him back. Although the seat looks like it swallows him, it is still safe to use. I would, however, put it in the car we use the least and start saving for an awesome ffing only seat, like the frontier that is coming out. Or get the nautilus in a year, so your child will be able to use it until he is that much closer to a seatbelt. (And you could sell the cover in a year when the seat expires to get a little extra $$ for a new seat.)

Defrost · Mar 10, 2008

UlrikeDG said:
Same here.

If he meets the listed minimums for the Husky, and you absolutely cannot turn him back rear facing (which provides a significant safety advantage), then I'd feel comfortable using the Husky until it expires.

I agree, too. It does look like the straps are a bit loose, though it can be very hard to tell from a picture - is this because you were just trying it out in the house, or is that as tight as they get?

I also agree that he's absolutely adorable!

kphil · Mar 10, 2008

You've already gotten good answers on the Husky fit, I just wanted to comment that he is too cute for words!

Also a long shot, but any chance he was still in an infant seat when he was projectile vomiting? My oldest did that as an infant when she was in a Graco Snugride, and car rides were terrible. When I finally tried her in a rf convertible seat (Britax Roundabout), car trips improved dramatically, and she didn't throw up. I have a friend who had a reflux-y baby she had the same experience with.

Kirsten

Morganthe · Mar 10, 2008

He might fit within the parameters of Britax rules, but personally, I would not have my child if she was that small in a Husky/Regent.

reasons:
1) He has absolutely no side support in it. I'd be very concerned for a side impact collision because of the way he fits only on the back.

2) I doubt it would be comfortable for him trying to find a sleep spot unless you padded pillows along the sides of him. (not under him).

3) He's so narrow that you would have to really cinch down that waist area where he can't move from side-side between the lap portions of the harness.
Again, worries about side impact collisions would be on my mind.

So no, if my daughter had the option of this seat at this size and age, I would definitely feel uncomfortable about using it. If I won't do it for my own child, then I won't say it's okay for someone else when they're asking for opinions

Other seats can easily take him to the higher weights than the Husky these days. Even the Triumph Advanced would be a great supported option

If you really want to try rear facing him again, test out a seat with a no-base option, such as the Radian or the new Compass. I bet that lower center of gravity would help with the motion sickness. I know I can't handle motions in SUVs and Trucks because of the swaying.

Perhaps the Triumph advanced with its supportive egg shape might help him deal too. But I would have little qualms in using those ff'd with my daughter if she was the same age and that small. :thumbsup:

I wouldn't put my dd facing forward at 20lbs & 12 months for no reason. I didn't put her in a booster at 30lbs despite manufacturer's authorization, and I definitely would not put her in a Husky/Regent prior to abt 31-33 lbs or pre-3 year old, no matter what Britax says. All because they are minimums.

jmh- non-tech opinion as usual

Adorable picts, btw

Is he to LITTLE for this Seat??

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