Question Britax Boulevard rear facing recline ?

ReneeB · Jul 15, 2009

I am about to buy a Britax Boulevard for my 9 month old who weighs 17 pounds. She will stay rear facing for as long as possible. My question is when I install it in my car with the seat in full recline I have to pull the front seats all the way forward for it to have enough room, and even then its still touching my front seats. If I lift relax the recline a little bit its fine. The salesperson at Buy Buy Baby said for RF it has to be in full recline. My daughter is 9 months old and can sit and nap perfectly fine when car seat is upright or at a bit of a recline. (I havent done this in a moving vehicle so no one freak out about my daughters safety yet...lol). I called Britax and they told me it has to be in full recline also. Then I read online where others say it can be between 30-45 degrees...any thoughts or recommendations?

Thanks,
Renee

Maedze · Jul 15, 2009

The SEAT has to be in full mechanical recline, yes. (There are two modes, upright and reclined).

However, once the SEAT is in reclined mode, it's possible to install it more upright. You can install as upright as 30 degrees (as long as you have the seat in recline mode), and it's actually safer and preferable to be more upright once the child has good neck control.

natysr · Jul 15, 2009

Also, unless your vehicle manual specifically forbids it, it is okay for the front vehicle seat to touch the top of the carseat. This is called bracing.

Let us know what kind of car you have, and we should be able to give you some tips which will allow you to get a more upright install, while the seat is still in recline mode.

Also, you can see in my siggy picture below a Marathon rearfacing in a honda civic. The carseat is in recline mode, but the install is more upright than a 45 degree angle.

ReneeB · Jul 15, 2009

Thanks for the replies so far. I drive a 2002 Nissan Maxima GLE. I have no issue with the carseat touching the back of the front seats in the car, but since I have to put the seats so close to the steering wheel it is really uncomfortable to me, and will be worse for my DH who is 6" taller than me. I'm just concerned now that if we do end up in a collision either me or my DH will be killed by the airbag, since we are sitting so close to it. (Although I would prefer this scenario to one where my daughter is hurt). Also, as embarrassing as this is, I am a bigger woman and with the drivers seat pulled up so far my stomach is just about touching the bottom of the steering wheel and the seatbelt is at its max with me. (My DH wont have this problem).

Thanks,
Renee

Maedze · Jul 15, 2009

You don't need to push your vehicle seats up. It's ok for the Boulevard to brace

ReneeB · Jul 15, 2009

I have to have the seats pulled forward to even SIT the carseat on the backseat. I guess that is where the problem lies.

Renee

Maedze · Jul 15, 2009

Once you have the seat angled up to 30 degrees I don't think you'll have a problem.

natysr · Jul 15, 2009

:yeahthat:

I can install my Marathon rearfacing behind the driver and still have the driver's seat all the way back on the seat track. Granted, the driver's seat cannot be reclined very much, but the seat can still be all the way back.

You should have no problem doing the same in your car with a little practice.

When installing the boulevard, pull the carseat about an inch away from the vehicle seat bite, then put lots of pressure on the front of the carseat while tightening it.

You should be able to be far enough from the airbag for it not to be a hazard.

I am 4' 10", so I need to have a seat closer to the steering wheel. I t-boned a pick up truck at about 60ish MPH in my 2001 Honda Civic. The airbag did not kill me.

Though, it did give me some pretty bad burns on my hands/wrists. But, the seat position does not have any effect on that.

My son was 23 months at the time and rearfacing in a Roundabout and was completely unharmed.

Have you considered putting the Boulevard in the center? Then the top of the carseat would rest between the two front seats.

wendytthomas · Jul 15, 2009

Conversely, if you're having a lot of problems getting the Boulevard in, have you thought of a different seat? There are others that will rear face longer, forward facing longer, and cost less. And may fit better.

Wendy

colt's mom · Feb 28, 2012

Wendy,
I know this is an old thread, but I keep seeing posts where people say the same thing regarding looking at seats other than the boulevard because others last longer. Can you give some recommendations? I need one for a VW Jetta, so space is an issue. For that reason I'd like to find one that can be braced against the front seats.

Question Britax Boulevard rear facing recline ?

ReneeB

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