S/O of regent disc. thread..squished in nauti?

bobandjess99

Senior Community Member
Okay, soi, some of the posts in that thread, and others, have had me thinking about something. I have been hearing a lot of "but he is so squished in the nauti", etc...and I'm wondering..from a *SAFETY* perspective...is that really such a bad thing? I mean, we are all about saying it doesn't matter if their legs are squished RFing, but it's like the end of the world that shoulders are getting squished in the nauti? Now..to clarify,i am NOT talking about a child who has exceeded the harness weight limit, or who is taller than the top slots...I am talking about a kid who weighs less than 65 pounds, and whose shoulders are below the top slots..but let's say they are built like a linebacker and really squished in there....so what?? I mean, sure, it's nice to be comfortable and all, but hey! I rode around in a Geo Metro for nearly a decade...I was squished!
I can see how, in a seat like the Como, where if you are too large, you literally do not fit INTO the shell, it could be a safety issue, because if you can't sit back, you can't be harnessed properly..but in the nauti, it's more the "wrapping around" action, like a captains chair or scooped-out bucket seat, that tends to "squish" the child's shoulders, but it really wouldn't interfere with the harness.
So.... I don't see how that poses a *safety* risk.

I'm just thinking here....that realistically, the SLOT HEIGHT of the nauti really IS high enough to get all but the most ginormous, long-torsoed kids to 5 years old, or darn close to it..and of course, most kids will get to 6, even 7+ harnessed in it.
so..does it really matter if the shoulders are squished?
 
ADS

munchkin

Active member
My perspective of a child being 'squished' in a seat is that they will be uncomfortable and 'fight' the car seat more. Especially as they get older and most of their peers are no longer in seats. Mya was not quite 'squished' in the Nautilus, but I know the way her parents feed her and it wouldn't be long before she is feeling 'squished'. She already doesn't like riding with me much because I actually tighten the harness so a little more room in the sides help.

Not to say I don't think being squished is or isn't safe. I don't think there is much room for side to side movement in a crash if a child is in a 5 point harness.
 

ginny4

New member
its more about the FIGHT. the kids are older, very complainy & it'll be more difficult to keep them in there if they are not comfortable. i've had my fair share of complaining in a booster never mind a harness when all their friends are out of boosters. they don't complain too often now but still occasionally they do.
at some point you gotta let your kids have some say......
BTW my kids tried the nauti & didn't like it. it was way to skinny for them. they made me promise that i wouldn't make them sit in it ever.

what to add that....just sitting in the nauti in the house my kids turned sideways to feel more comfortable. soooo...if they turn sideways int he house they'll turned sideways in the car too. & that i believe couldn't possibly be safe.
 
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Maggie

New member
For us I think it may become a safety issue. Her shoulders and the angle of the seat make it so she can't lay her back flat against the seat. So she has an inch or so between he back and the back of the seat. I've been finding that we need to adjust the straps a bit looser to accommodate for this. That doesn't sit well with me because I feel that the straps aren't as tight as they should be.
 

Maedze

New member
The Nauti has my Bean's shoulders fairly close together, but he sleeps comfortably and doesn't complain. Unless the kid is saying, "Hey, this squishes, it hurts!", I don't think it's anything to worry about.
 
It fits my 4 year old and 6 year old without being squished.
I see it would squish broader shoulder kids though and that stinks.
I wouldn't put a broad shoulder kid in the nautilus(i tried my daycare boy at the time who was 60 pounds, just 3 years old) and he did not fit in it. I would get a regent in this situation.
 

Melizerd

New member
I think the being squished is an adult perception MOST of the time. Just like those legs rear facing would kill me, the kids don't mind. So unless the child is actually complaining there's not a problem.
 

mominabigtruck

New member
I do think the majority of it is an adult's perception of what is comfortable. Although neither of my kids would have anything to do with the nautilus when we tried it out, both of them said it was too small. I think the nautilus is ok for smaller framed kids but I don't think it's worth it for big kids like mine.
 

CDNTech

Senior Community Member
I don't think it's a case of adult's perception... when my narrow framed, 40lbs, 6.5 year old is saying it's squishy and he doesn't like it, then I have to believe him... especially when he *refuses* to give up his parkway (another narrow seat - granted there are, essentially, shoulder cut outs which is why he probably finds it comfy). :D

I don't think the under 5 crowd is going to find it squishy... unless they are the size of a 6 or 7 year old.

I do worry from a safety perspective that parents will purchase this seat for their 3/4 year old thinking it's the last seat they'll need... then they get to 5/6 years old and child starts complaining about not having room.

Instead of purchasing a more appropriate booster, they automatically switch to low back mode to provide that extra shoulder room. Depending on the head support and side impact protection the vehicle offers, this could be a dangerous thing... never mind that I wouldn't want a 5/6 year old in a no back booster as their primary seat.

Basically... if we're thinking long term, then from a safety perspective, yes it has the *potential* to be a dangerous thing.
 

scatterbunny

New member
Unless the kid is saying, "Hey, this squishes, it hurts!", I don't think it's anything to worry about.

ITA. I never comment if I think H is uncomfortable; I let her tell me if she needs to tell me; if not, I assume it's fine.

Also, my dd has been in the 95th+ percentile for height since 9 months old (actually off the charts for height at various times, and pretty consistently 97th percentile for height over the last couple of years), and she's definitely not a child I would consider short-torsoed/longer-legged (except for a short time at 4.5-5.5yo). Even she would have fit the Nautilus to around her 6th birthday. I really can't imagine a child actually being over the top slots of the Nauti younger than 5yo, and I'm fine with the majority of 5yos in highback boosters.
 

Jennifer mom to my 7

Well-known member
Raises hand. My dd at just under 5, in the house.
IMG_8430_11.jpg

Now, i do think she had enough room in the shoulders, because that is where her shoulder blades would be, kwim? Also 97 %, she was 46 inches and 50+ pounds. In August she was 47.25 inches and 59 pounds, she is now like 70 pounds and 48+ inches and out of the regent.
My other dd is already in the top slots, and out of a decathlon (I think, I should double check, but last time she was in it I had to get a really upright install) and was 40 pounds and 40.75 inches tall in January. Also 97th percentile.
 

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