I was wrong! Now what???

goldmama22 · Jul 8, 2009

Just when I decided I was going to go with two new Britax Parkways because of the slideguard, I decided to weigh my DD#2 again. She was 39 lbs months ago so I thought we were solid on 40#. Wrong! She lost weight down to 37#! There goes that. Now HOW am I going to get 3 across?

I am planning to have my 9 month old RF in a Decathlon. Any position in the car is fine with me. For the older two, I have looked into the travel vests and just do not feel right about them. (Please don't try to talk me into them!) I am still leaning toward the Parkway for my oldest just b/c I hear it is narrow, plus I do like that crotch strap, but I am open to other narrow options for her. But most up in the air, I am looking for a harnessing seat that can easily be installed by my babysitter using retractable lap/shoulder belts. She said she has top tethers but I couldn't find them today when I was in her car. DH's car has LATCH outboard and top tethers across, but that is moot since these seats will be going between their cars. We'd love to get inexpensive options since these are very part-time and around-town needs, but of course I will spend what I need to to get age/size-appropriate seats that install correctly.

I'm mostly looking at the Radian and the Nautilus. Is there ANY chance of getting a 3-across with the DC, GN, and PW? What's this I hear about tough FF installs with the Radian? Input please???

ketchupqueen · Jul 8, 2009

What about getting something reeeeally cheap but tall and relatively narrow like a clearanced Chase at Target or the Avenue on sale at Sears, and then replacing when she hits 40 with a Parkway?

Radians have tricks to them, for sure, but they're not that awful in many cars when you get used to them. What kind of car does the babysitter have? We can look up anchor points and also let you know if there's a known Radian issue in it.

goldmama22 · Jul 8, 2009

Ooooh, thank you. It's a 99 Lexus RX300 (I think those are the numbers/letters... it's the SUV, the roundish one not the huge edgy one).

I thought about the replacement idea... I fear it'll take for.ever. for her to hit 40 though, and I'd rather get a seat that will work for her for a long time that I feel super secure about (SIP...). She's all torso, too - she was halfway between the top slots and those below it when I took her out of the MA into the frontier... any cheap seats have SIP and tall enough harness slots for her?

Thanks for your help!

ketchupqueen · Jul 8, 2009

So she'd have what, about a 15 or 16 inch torso? Yeah, that puts her pretty well out of cheap-ish seat range, other than maybe the SafeGuard GO (which probably does not have the SIP you want) and the Nautilus. Hmmm.

Have you considered an 86-Y harness used with a booster until she's older and can both fit and sit properly without one? It'd need a locking clip if you use it in a spot with a lap/shoulder belt. Any chance you have a lap belt spot available for that?

Anchor points in a 99 Lexus RX300: none in the center. Outboard, it says 2 tether anchors on back of seat, but also lists a part number. So you may need to have them retrofitted, may not.

I don't know of any Radian incompatibilities, though you might check the Radian successful install thread and carseatdata.org to see if anyone's tried it. (If they haven't, that doesn't mean that you can't, just that no one has.) The Radian fits kids until they have about an 18 inch torso, so she'd have probably a couple of years in it.

Jeanum · Jul 8, 2009

The LATCH manual's entry for the '99 RX300 is a bit muddled, but I believe it's retrofittable with tether anchors rather than factory equipped with anchors based on its model year, which pre-dates the requirement for factory equipped tether anchors beginning in the 2000 model year for most U.S. market vehicles. The sitter's '99 RX300 can be retrofitted with up to 2 top tether anchors for the outboard rear seating positions using Lexus/Toyota part number 73709-20010 for each tether anchor. To do so for a nominal cost (basically a small donation per tether anchor), there's a voucher program for retrofittable Toyota and Lexus models through Safety Belt Safe USA's site at http://carseat.org/Events_Media/0_ToyotaIP.htm :thumbsup:

goldmama22 · Jul 8, 2009

Yes, her torso is about 15.5 inches.

DH has no lap belt and I think I can come up with options without the 86-Y harness or vests etc.

Thanks to both of you for the info on the sitter's car. I will explore it again when I see her next.

We're going to visit Sac in less than a week - I'll have DH come in his own car and we'll go to Goore's and play with the Radian and Nautilus and see if we can make 3-across work. I'll have to buy them first to bring back home for my sitter to try out.

Here's another question: most of the time it will be just my 4 year old and baby in the car, we will need 3-across for a short trip maybe once a week, if that. Would you consider putting a 6 year old (stats in siggy) in a LBB for such occasional use?

Thanks!

Megan

ketchupqueen said:
So she'd have what, about a 15 or 16 inch torso? Yeah, that puts her pretty well out of cheap-ish seat range, other than maybe the SafeGuard GO (which probably does not have the SIP you want) and the Nautilus. Hmmm.

Have you considered an 86-Y harness used with a booster until she's older and can both fit and sit properly without one? It'd need a locking clip if you use it in a spot with a lap/shoulder belt. Any chance you have a lap belt spot available for that?

Anchor points in a 99 Lexus RX300: none in the center. Outboard, it says 2 tether anchors on back of seat, but also lists a part number. So you may need to have them retrofitted, may not.

I don't know of any Radian incompatibilities, though you might check the Radian successful install thread and carseatdata.org to see if anyone's tried it. (If they haven't, that doesn't mean that you can't, just that no one has.) The Radian fits kids until they have about an 18 inch torso, so she'd have probably a couple of years in it.

mish · Jul 8, 2009

If you were comfortable with her in a booster before, I would just go with that. She lost 3 pounds in a month, so she could easily gain it right back. Why did she lose weight? Was she sick? If that or something similar is the case, she will probably gain it back quickly.

Also, were you weighing her on the same scale? It just seems odd to me that she lost weight.

goldmama22 · Jul 8, 2009

mish said:
If you were comfortable with her in a booster before, I would just go with that. She lost 3 pounds in a month, so she could easily gain it right back. Why did she lose weight? Was she sick? If that or something similar is the case, she will probably gain it back quickly.

Also, were you weighing her on the same scale? It just seems odd to me that she lost weight.

Nope, not the same scale. The 39 lbs was at the dr 2 months ago. The 37 was yesterday morning in a sundress and pre-breakfast, and now that I think about it, the dr was right after lunch and it was still cold then so she probably had a sweatshirt on. I don't think she really lost weight, at least not a whole 2 lbs.

I did think about boostering her anyway... But the only booster I would be comfortable with her in is the new PW SG b/c of its anti-submarining crotch strap, and that one specifically says 40 lbs minimum. I would want her to be 40 lbs at *her* lightest time of day etc... and I don't think she's going to gain it all that fast, as she seems to be doing the 4 year old grow in height but not in weight thing. And since she is going to be the most commonly driven in someone else's car (followed closely behind by the baby, and the 6 year old only occasionally) she really needs a no-compromises seat.

Thanks for your input!

Megan

emandbri · Jul 8, 2009

I would still try the radian, she is only 4 and really shouldn't be in a booster. A study (that I can't find of course) said that kids under 5 were better protected in a 5-point harness and after 5 there was no statistical difference in injuries for children in a 5-point vs a booster.

henrietta · Jul 8, 2009

Here's another question: most of the time it will be just my 4 year old and baby in the car, we will need 3-across for a short trip maybe once a week, if that. Would you consider putting a 6 year old (stats in siggy) in a LBB for such occasional use?

For me, it would be okay IF she can sit in the middle (needs a lap/shoulder combo belt) OR IF the car has good side airbags and safety ratings.

We did keep my niece in a low back booster at 5-6 yrs old in my car, b/c she was too tall for most of the high back boosters, we couldn't really afford to purchase one of the taller ones, and I was only driving her on low speed back roads a few days a week. For her mom's car and G'ma's car, we made sure she was in a high back booster.

hths

henrietta

ketchupqueen · Jul 8, 2009

Honestly? I would consider a backless booster to be a little less safe than the RSTV as far as side impact protection. So if you have a problem with the vest, I'm not sure why you wouldn't have a problem with a backless booster.

I too would be okay with it in the center for occasional use. (That assumes the center has both a lap/shoulder belt and adequate head support-- to the level of her ears while in the booster.)

goldmama22 · Jul 8, 2009

emandbri said:
I would still try the radian, she is only 4 and really shouldn't be in a booster. A study (that I can't find of course) said that kids under 5 were better protected in a 5-point harness and after 5 there was no statistical difference in injuries for children in a 5-point vs a booster.

Thanks. (I'd love to see that study if anyone can find it... to have evidence when I talk to other mamas.) I agree with you - the extra safety feature on the PW SG was the only reason I was comfortable with that particular booster (4-pt rather than 3-pt, and I would've retracted/locked the belt), but I'm not OK with it now that I know she's not 40#.

For clarification, the seats I am considering for the 4 year old are the RN, the GN (harnessed) and the GO (harnessed). I have to see what will fit and how well/easily they install (I don't trust either my sitter or my dh to work as hard at it as I am willing to).

It is my 6 year old that will be boostered - probably in the PW SG, but if that won't fit 3-across and a LBB will, I'd like feedback on the safety of LBB's and what makes a child ready for one.

Thanks again.

Megan

goldmama22 · Jul 8, 2009

ketchupqueen said:
Honestly? I would consider a backless booster to be a little less safe than the RSTV as far as side impact protection. So if you have a problem with the vest, I'm not sure why you wouldn't have a problem with a backless booster.

I have a problem with both!

Just exploring all my options in case what I want (PW SG) for her doesn't work out. Thanks for your :twocents: it definitely helps. Thanks to henrietta too.

Megan

ketchupqueen · Jul 8, 2009

A backless booster does not offer side impact protection because it has no shell (obviously) and no harness either. (A harness itself-- or vest-- provides SIP just based on containment being better.) A child needs to not fall asleep in the car much if at all before using one on a regular basis, because correct positioning while asleep is much harder than in a high-backed booster. A child must have adequate head support in the position in which it is used. A child must be able to sit properly in a booster, of course. Belt positioning must be correct and this is often harder in a backless booster, especially one without a belt-positioning clip. (Even with a belt-positioning clip, in some vehicles the fit is not optimal.) In general, when possible, a high-backed booster should be used until it is outgrown before considering a backless, but for travel or occasional needs it can be an option before then.

I would choose a vest over a backless booster, every time. As you can see from my siggy, I have no problem with a vest in the middle of the car, and because it has no base, it can be used in the middle for a lot longer (due to head support issues and the fact that many cars have no headrest in the middle.)

goldmama22 · Jul 8, 2009

You rock! Thank you! I don't think I can make the leap to the LBB for her... the vest would come first. But I'm still hoping for the PW for her. Now to decide on the seat for #2.... I'll post here after our trip to Goore's - hopefully to let you know what worked rather than to have to ask more questions!!!

Megan

goldmama22 · Jul 9, 2009

After playing with my sitter's car this afternoon, and thanks to all your feedback and help, I decided that I'm going to do my darn best to arrange rides to school/activities for my kiddos in friends' cars (ahem, I mean vans and 3-row SUV's), and make the sitter stay home (or walk) with whatever kid/s she's watching. I have friends whose installs I trust and who have safer cars. That will also minimize the 3-across issue (in DH's car as well) so I can buy the seats I want. Then I'll get a vest as backup if we ever HAVE to do 3-across. So is there only one vest to choose from?

I feel so blessed to have had all your help. I've been stressing about this for a couple weeks and am so glad to have finally asked questions and gotten feedback. Thanks.

ketchupqueen · Jul 9, 2009

The Ride Safer Travel Vest and the 86 Y are it as far as vests. You want the Ride Safer Travel Vest. You need the size Small.

I'm glad you have figured out a solution!

goldmama22 · Jul 9, 2009

ketchupqueen said:
The Ride Safer Travel Vest and the 86 Y are it as far as vests. You want the Ride Safer Travel Vest. You need the size Small.

I'm glad you have figured out a solution!

Thank you!

I was wrong! Now what???

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