Question 16 month old comfort advice- Diplomat/RA

brittany741

New member
My daughter is almost 16 months, 24lbs and 31" tall. She rear faces, center install in my Volvo V70 Wagon.

Anyways, she is getting uncomfortable in the seat. I have the straps adjusted to 1/2" below the height of her shoulder and the straps cannot be pinched. The chest clip is armpit to armpit, and the belt covers are on either side of her neck to prevent it from cutting into her.

It seems as though her legs are quite long. The belt buckle sits way ahead of her crotch (like 2-3 inches), so she is kind of scrunched up.

Today I changed her position slightly by raising the shoulder height (Diplomat has a knob adjustment), pushing her butt all the way back, and using the belt tightness to secure her legs into the seat (instead of worrying about the gap with the crotch strap).

How should she be positioned?? I want to be safe.
 
ADS

BookMama

Senior Community Member
Anyways, she is getting uncomfortable in the seat.

How do you know she's getting uncomfortable? I'm not saying this to be a smart aleck - we find that parents often say "she's getting uncomfortable" when they mean "she looks uncomfortable." If she's not fussing, she's fine.

Don't worry about the legs, either. She'll figure out how to put them - kids tend to sit cross-legged, or with their legs straight up the back of the seat, or with their legs hanging over the sides of the car seat, or .... The are lots of ways for her to put her feet.
 

Kat_Momof3

New member
her butt should be in the crease of the seat.

I heard a tech once say... "put the crease in the crease" (butt crease in seat crease)

back flat... no slouching.

the straps do not have to be so far below her shoulders as you have the diplomat... simply use the knobs to position them so that they come directly AT her shoulders.

then snug the straps as much as possible.

if the crotch strap (even with the belly pad) is noticeably away from her, you can add a rolled receiving blanket or washcloth to use the space until she increases in thickness.
 

brittany741

New member
She is fussing and bucking her back. My only concern is that she is positioned properly in relation to the height of the harness and the distance from her crotch to the crotch strap.

I appreciate the responses and I will mess with the harness until she stops fussing. What she is doing is kicking her feet very hard into the seat back in order to straighten her legs and screaming at the top of her lungs.

Don't get me wrong- I would absolutely not consider switching her FF until she reaches the limits of her seat. If possible, I may try to get a Swedish seat to keep her RF longer.
 

natysr

New member
She is fussing and bucking her back. My only concern is that she is positioned properly in relation to the height of the harness and the distance from her crotch to the crotch strap.

I appreciate the responses and I will mess with the harness until she stops fussing. What she is doing is kicking her feet very hard into the seat back in order to straighten her legs and screaming at the top of her lungs.

Don't get me wrong- I would absolutely not consider switching her FF until she reaches the limits of her seat. If possible, I may try to get a Swedish seat to keep her RF longer.

It very well could be an age/stage issue and not a comfort issue.
 

Defrost

Moderator - CPSTI Emeritus
At what angle is her seat reclined? For older children, you can adjust the angle so that the carseat is more upright, and many times they prefer that.

Conversely, some older babies prefer to remain at the 45-degree-angle that is best for newborns.

It could also just be the age. Kids that age are getting more active, and having to sit still for any amount of time in any position can be very frustrating. Have you tried distracting her?
 

Car-Seat.Org Facebook Group

Forum statistics

Threads
219,656
Messages
2,196,896
Members
13,530
Latest member
onehitko860

You must read your carseat and vehicle owner’s manual and understand any relevant state laws. These are the rules you must follow to restrain your children safely. All opinions at Car-Seat.Org are those of the individual author for informational purposes only, and do not necessarily reflect any policy or position of Carseat Media LLC. Car-Seat.Org makes no representations as to accuracy, completeness, currentness, suitability, or validity of any information on this site and will not be liable for any errors, omissions, or delays in this information or any losses, injuries, or damages arising from its display or use. All information is provided on an as-is basis. If you are unsure about information provided to you, please visit a local certified technician. Before posting or using our website you must read and agree to our TERMS.

Graco is a Proud Sponsor of Car-Seat.Org! Britax is a Proud Sponsor of Car-Seat.Org! Nuna Baby is a Proud Sponsor of Car-Seat.Org!

Please  Support Car-Seat.Org  with your purchases of infant, convertible, combination and boosters seats from our premier sponsors above.
Shop travel systems, strollers and baby gear from Britax, Chicco, Clek, Combi, Evenflo, First Years, Graco, Maxi-Cosi, Nuna, Safety 1st, Diono & more! ©2001-2022 Carseat Media LLC

Top