Confessions of past carseat misuse

Inspired by the thread about Britney Spears' latest carseat misuse, I thought I'd start a thread where we can share some carseat misuse of our own before we knew any better.

I'll start:

I confess to using the Mighty Tite briefly when my oldest DD was born I was going crazy trying to get a tighter installation for her Evenflo infant seat base in the scooped out bucket style seat in my '00 Saturn SC1 2+2 coupe. I soon switched to using a RF Cosco Touriva without the Mighty Tite after DD quickly outgrew the infant seat by height.

I also turned my oldest FF as soon as she was a year old and over 20 lbs. because it was so much easier to use a convertible carseat FF in the SC1. Not exactly misuse, but definitely not the recommended practice of RF until the seat is outgrown RF. I traded the SC1 for a Saturn Vue when DD was 15 months old and turned her RF again in the Vue.

In the accident in which DD#1 was riding in DH's L100 (see crash damage photo in my signature), she was riding FF in her Marathon Even though she was still light enough to RF, we were lazy when we moved her Marathon from my VUE and it was quicker to install it FF in DH's car.

I'll share too.

Probably not as much misuse as not the best, but she was in an Advantage from birth, and now that I look back on the pictures the straps were above her shoulders. We also didn't recline it enough (my husband installed it for the first time) so I had to hold her head up for the first three weeks.

I have a picture of her sleeping with the straps WAY too loose. I think we were stopped and she was dozing, but I don't think I tightened them back up before we went again.

She's only 27 pounds and so could rear face easily, but we turned her a year ago.

One time she rode in a neighbor's backless booster (and fit MUCH better than I thought, the belt was actually on her shoulder and not across her throat. Can't say the same for the neighbor who rides in one all the time, though) because it was an emergency and my neighbor needed her head stapled. The four year old rode in her own backless booster (this kid can't be 40 pounds, she should be harnessed, or at LEAST in a high backed booster, she's going to be 5 on Saturday) and the six year old was put in the back row of the minivan with just the seatbelt so Piper could use her booster. She did pass the five step test for the back row I believe, but the law here is 8 or 80, and I would have been more comfortable with her in a booster. The option of me uninstalling and reinstalling my wizard wasn't an option. The day after that I went out and got a couple of backless boosters for me to have around, just in case, that way everyone can at least have that in an emergency.

I think those are all of my carseat faux pas.

Wendy

Oh boy, I've got some doozies.

When I was a teenager (16-17),
I ran the "shuttle" for my parents gymnastics
school and picked up/dropped off kids from school
and daycare. Sometimes there would be 5 kids
in my little VW Rabbit...need I say more .

I also babysat for a family w/ a 4yr.old, 2.5 year old,
and 14 month old. They were ALWAYS leaving me w/o the car seat
(yup, only ONE was in a seat) and I was in charge of shuffling
them to and fro. So one day, I had to use the old infant seat
and I installed it FF...I remember a post a while back where
someone said they just didn't see how an infant seat could be installed
FF but it can be done and fairly easily too .

And finally, I found my old car seat in my Grandma's garage
and so I recovered it and used it in the same VW Rabbit
to pick up a little girl from her daycare....it did have a 5 point
harness but some of it snapped together.

I'm consoled somewhat by the fact that I was young and
at least I tried.....sort of.
But thank the heavens for the World Wide Web and Ebay where I
discovered my first Flower Power Britax and haven't looked back since !

My dd's first car seat was an Evenflo with a 3pt harness. It was installed tight but not tight enough. I also used a padded headrest for her since shew as so tiny. We still had that car seat when my son was born but I refused to use it. LOL I was a tech by then.

I put my DD forward in a FPSE at 19lbs and 14 months. I thought she was 20lbs then later found out she had to be 22lbs to be foreward.

Thats all I did wrong with my kids, I got hooked on the car seat board whem my dd was a baby and my friends 18 month old was 40lbs. The only seat on the marekt was the Futura with a sheild, so that is what he got.

Before I had kids, I babysat a lot. I bought sheild boosters at a yard sale for them. It was better than putting the 2 year old in nothing which is what I was supposed to do. Or on pillows (on leather seats) like the grandma did. the law was 4 and 40 here at that time.

I bought my friend a seat at a used baby store when I was 18, she was using a baby carrier as a car seat. So a used seat was better then that. The other seat they had for her was a Evenlfo with a sheild, she was only 5lbs! She didn't have a lockling clip so she used a paper clip. I thought that was pretty smart at the time. LOL

Rachel

I've put car seats in side facing jump seat loads of times. And once had a pretty bad crash and the kid was completely unharmed in a Century Breverra something or other. I've also skipped the jump seat entirely and placed the car seat on the FLOOR of the vehicle and buckled it in with the seatbelt.
And I once buckled an alpha omega facing the rear of the vehicle on the floor in the back of an extended cab ford ranger... but I had it fully upright, and used the FF belt paths and the seatbelt from the middle bench seat in the front. Not the safest, of course, but that seat was TIGHT.
Hmmm.... all of my car seat misuse seems to center around that one vehicle.
At least when I had the option, I buckled the seat RF into the front seat and turned off the airbag.

Both kids were turned around FF just before a year. They were both around 27 lbs by then. They grow super fast from 0-6 mo and then slow WAY down after that (they were both around 24 at 6 mo). Aaric was holding his head up at the hospital. Therefore, I decided that his muscles were surely strong enough to be FF even though he was just around 11 mo. With Mikayla, it was more out of desperation. Dh had been through basic training and AIT for the Army both at the same place, around 4 hrs from home. Then a few days after he got done with that, we were driving 8 hrs to our new home. After many 4 hr one way trips with her screaming half the time, I turned her around for the 8 hr trip to see if it helped, and it did. I said I was compromising only because I knew that our risk of a wreck on the interstate was lower than on city roads anyway. And I planned to turn her back RF after that but never did. Oh, and another factor was that for that trip, Aaric didn't go along, so she would have been RF and alone.

One that I hate, and am dreading needing to deal with in the future - I've sent Aaric camping with my parents, and they drive the RV and tow the car, which now totally freaks me out.

When Aaric was a baby and I was fairly clueless other than knowing that he needed to be RF until at least 20 lbs (this was 2000), I frequently drove with him in the front seat of my car (no airbag) because it was easier. I probably didn't have it installed right either. And when he was in the backseat, there were a couple times that I forgot to buckle him.
Sometimes now I forget to buckle them if I'm in a hurry and especially if i get caught up doing other things, and luckily they are old enough to TELL me. Aaric will yell "what do you think you're doing?" if i start to roll before he's buckled.

Not an atrocity, but I did move Aaric into a booster at 40 lbs, because I didn't have the money for a Husky at the time. I used a locking clip to hold the seatbelt at the top, so that he couldn't lean forward while I was driving. He learned to sit still and not lean forward, so I quit that, and then last fall, at 5 and a few months, we got the Husky.

Oh, and also not an atrocity, but since we couldn't find the infant seat the 2nd time around, instead of buying a new one, since we had 2 convertibles, we just put Mikayla (8 lbs at birth) straight into a convertible. I doubt the straps were above her shoulders. Yeah, not a huge issue, plenty of people do it, but its not something I'd do today.

When Boo was just a few weeks old, I went out with a friend of mine. I had to buckle him, in his bucket, into her van. Fine for going there, though I was a wreck (I usually rode in our backseat with him).

On our way home, I guess I put the carseat in (had to wedge it in) and forgot to BUCKLE it in at all :shame:

my mother bought my 1st DD's infant seat at the salvation army for $4 - or maybe it was a church tag sale - it was something church related and it was old. I threw away the cover and sewed a new one. i even put pretty fringe on it. it was beautiful but not the safest thing. i had no idea. and she was WAY too small to fit in the nice century 5pt harnessed one my mom's friends got me for my baby shower (thank goodness thay'd done the research - she used that seat for 6yrs).

In high school I had a friend with 2 babies. I used to babysit and of course I wanted to take them to the beach in the summer, mcd's, etc rather than sitting around her cramped apartment. (keep in mind this was like 12 yrs ago) - I asked her if they needed carseats and she said "no they won't sit in them" and that was it. So I had like an 18mo old and barely 3yo in my toyota camry with just seatbelts. i brought them to my house one time and even my mother was appalled! seriously though, if you're 16, a new driver, never had kids or siblings, and don't babysit on a regular basis, AND the mother says don't worry about it ... who knew ... thankfully they're 13 and 14 now and fine.

there are several more that weren't my blunders but ones where I knew something was wrong and didn't say anything - like the time my mom's friend had her infant grandson for the 1st time babysitting. he couldn't have been more than a few months old. she put his fisher price seat in the car, FF, and double-belted it - crisscrossed the belts thru from either side, sort of landing it somewhere in the middle, I guess the idea being if 1 belt is good 2 are better?? and this was a teeny little sedan maybe a honda civic or equivalent.

A few things to share...

First, DS was 4lbs, 6oz when he came home from the hospital and I had him in a Graco SnugRide, which has a 5lb minimum weight limit. I'm sure this one happens all the time, but why don't more infant carseats have a 4 lb minimum? Most hospitals release preemies from NICU once they reach 4 lbs. And DS never went to NICU, he came home with me so that wasn't even an issue with us. Anyway, it's my fault for not looking at the minimum weight on the SnugRide, but had I known, I would have bought an infant seat made by Compass, Combi, Chicco, or Britax instead.

I used after-market shoulder strap comfort pads for my son's Graco SnugRide for a few months. I also hung some little toys from the SnugRide handle for him to play with, but I never left the SnugRide handle in the upright position while we were driving. I've never seen anything on this board about things hanging from the infant carrier handle, but I'll assume that it's not a good thing to do.

I also used a BundleMe in the SnugRide, although I cut larger holes in the BundleMe around the shoulder strap area so that the straps would lay flat. I've read on here that BundleMes are no good, but I can't remember why.

Oh, and I had the SnugRide base installed in the center of my old vehicle, a Subaru WRX, for a few months using LATCH in the center seating position when it's not allowed. I never even thought to look in the manual, I just assumed if the LATCH strap fit between the two inner anchors, then it was OK.

No mistakes since DS moved from the SnugRide into the Radians and the Marathon, thank goodness!

Colleen

Big bulky coats and buntings - even in the infant carseats to protect from the cold Wisconsin winters. Also - I used to leave the handle up on the infant car seat with one of those little 'play bars' strung across.

My niece's mom left her in my care at 14 months "oh she sits really good in a seatbelt" and she knew we had to go somewhere but wouldn't give me the carseat. SO I put her in the seatbelt and drove to Kmart and got a backless shield booster (it was the cheapest thing they had) and used that with her (she actually screamed in there, but sat really well in the seat w/seatbelt). My parents ended up using the booster w/o the shield for a few years with her.

I'm guilty of using thick coats after knowing better, and aftermarket strap pads, and I put dd FF w/o the kickstand up for one car ride... but not anymore!

1997 (in highschool): picked my infant niece up from daycare using an OHS FF in the front seat of my 1983 BMW daily as per my sister's instructions *SIGH*

1999 (early college): let friends' preschoolers ride on their laps during carpools *YIKES*

2000 (pregnant with Leila): I washed & ironed my SD's harness straps *GULP* also, the harness straps adjusted in the back so they were always way too loose on warm days after letting her wear a bulky coat previously *UGH*

2001 (Leila was a newborn): SD was in a shield booster & SS was in the front with active airbag still sized to fit a booster; used locking clip with lap-belt.

2004: Leila had been FF since 4 months old thanks to incorrect Pediatrician advice ... in the center seat of my 1999 Blazer -- a great big nono according to Chevy -- I found this board in summer, switched her back to RF outboard after buying the Wizard!

Everytime a carseat was used, it definitely was not installed securely Soooooo glad when I found this site!

Lets see.. In high school my sister and I babysat and we drove around w/3 kids under the age of 4 in a Mustang and no car seats. One was usually on my lap and the other two were buckled in the backseat.

I traded a horse saddle for a shield booster and a FP t-shield and used the FP seat for another 3-4 years for the other kid I babysat and then for my roomates 2 year old DD..
I didn't use locking clips in my horrible death trap Diahtsu, even though I knew I needed to use something to keep them tight. My mom and I even installed a lap belt in the middle of it b/c I needed an extra seatbelt for when I took my cousins to school.

As for my own DS.. His straps were loose coming home from the hospital b/c they were set at the 'bigger baby' setting and I didn't know it(why would it come out of the box like that anyway??).

I've drove around w/his seat not buckled b/c my MIL accidently unbuckled it. And just a couple of weeks ago I forgot to buckle him in and drove 4 blocks. Stopped at a red light, looked back at him and found he had no straps on at all. Oy....
But those 2 are accidental, not from lack of knowledge.

Janice what Dihatsu did you have? We had a Charade. It only had two seat belts in the back. It was a tiny little car. I could fit a rf convertable in it though. The kids I babysat for finally got a new seat and I read the instructions and installed it rf very tightly, with a locking clip of course.

The things we did when we were young. Makes me wonder about the parents. LOL

Rachel

papooses said:

2000 (pregnant with Leila): I washed & ironed my SD's harness straps *GULP*

Click to expand...

I did that AND tried to starch them because they were so twisty!

I used to have my daughter in the front of the car in her infant seat (I thought their wasn't an airbag... SRS doesn't mean airbag does it?) LOL,Sad thing is I didn't realize that is what it meant until this fall when I took my class.... I put her in the back when her dad was upset at me for driving with her in the front. The seat we used was given to us, no instructions, not sure how old it was at the time. I didn't like how upright the base made it, so just didn't use it. Didn't know it was supposed to have a locking clip. Forgot to buckle her in at times and realized when we got home from the football game we were at and the whole seat was on it's side with her strapped into it. You could only tighten or loosen it by unthreading the bar in the back, so it was never tight enough. Every picture I have of her in it, she has a blanket under her and an aftermarket head support.
Her alpha omega's straps were too loose and at times twisted. I did keep her rearfacing to 18 months because it took her that long to get to 20lbs. Actually I think she was only 19lbs, but I was tired of waiting for that extra pound. I am sure I used the top slot in harness mode on that seat.. and she still outgrew it way too early. By then, I had found the parentsplace car seat board and started my edjumication LOL..
I became certified this fall. I now have Obsessive Compulsive Car Seat Disorder. .. Anyone who wants to start OCCCS anonymous with me, let me know

Oh Lordy!

Lets see...dd was born almost 16yrs ago...she came home in a used (although given to me by a friend) infant seat w/aftermarket head support. By 2mo, she was ff in an OHS Evenflo Ultara (bought new), but with an aftermarket cover and head support.

My car at the time was a Plymouth Arrow (YUCK) and didn't have a seat belt in the center. So I installed it in the center, and used each of the side belts to hold down each side. It was in solid...but thankfully nothing ever happened.

DS born 9.5yrs ago, came home in a used Century Infant seat w/aftermarket covers and head support as well. He was 20lbs by 4mo. At the time, they didn't have higher weight limits on rf seats...but at least I knew rf was better. I kept him rf in his Evenflo Ultara (bought new!) until he was 9mo. By 9mo he was 25lbs 12oz and even though I knew rf was safer, I worried about exceeding the weight limit any more then we had. So I turned him ff at 9mo. A month later, they came out with 30lbs rf seats...but I didn't buy one, since he would of ff 2mo later. At that time, 1yr was the push.

I was definitely one that thought a OHS was safer. Now for my daycare kids, all I have are 5pte harnesses and belt positioning boosters...all brand new! LOL

AJ was ffing at 11 mos and 23#. He turned back rfing at 30# and 26 mos till he was 34# and 33 mos. Bulky coats (well, just one that matches an outfit we have) was another. Thankfully we had his seat checked before he was born so I enough basics to take us into using a convertible too. Evan has been in every seat perfect since he was born. Oh, I guess AJ's seat in DH's car is not tethered since it's off to the side now to give DH more room for his work stuff. I need to see if he can move the bolt over. We had one installed for free and maybe he can just move it since the holes are already there.

With my first who is 15 now I only had the bucket type seat for her. Wich most of the time I held it on my lap. My second whos 13 now was in a convertable seat past 1 but younger than 3. Than nothing after that.
My 3rd whos 9 now after she outgrew the bucket seat went into the seat belt until I got her a shield booster that she used for about a year until she was 3 Then back into a seatbelt. I've had them share seat belts before I knew better, shoulder belt tucked under their arm.

I did put my 9 yr. old back into a booster when she was about 8 after not being in one for yrs. though and my youngest now 3 has alwasy been properly restrained.

When my 2 oldest were about 3 and 1 I was rearended twice in the same day.
The first time it was just a little tap sp idiot me didn't even get out of my car to look. Then someone came along and rearended the guy who had first rearended me, that time was a harder hit and my dashboard popped off.
I did get out that time to look. No damage to my car though. After telling the lady that hit me the second time that she wasn't getting my drivers lincense info or insurance info since I wasn't at fault I got on the freeway and headed home about 30 miles away at the time. Never did replace the seat either.