How to RF longer.

U

Unregistered

Guest
So I switched my son FF right after his 2nd birthday because he somehow managed to push the chest clip down on his Decathlon and push himself out the top of the seat. I was driving down the Interstate and he climbed onto the front passenger seat. I switched him FF and he has not done this since. He is tall and thin, 25 pounds and 35 inches. He also has congenital heart defects and has had three open heart surgeries in two years so I really want the HUGS system because I am afraid of what would happen if all the pressure from a collision was placed on one part of his chest. He have to protect his sternum and even just tripping and bumping it on something causes him pain. So I don't know what to do. My other child rear faced until she was almost four. Any ideas on a safer arrangement?
 
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cookie123

New member
DO you have the HUGS on? They can keep kids from pushing down the chest clip. I've seen it suggested to put a stick on felt circle on the inside of the harness at the level you want to keep the chest clip at, to keep the chest clip in place. Don't know how well it would work, but it would be worth a try.
 

NannyMom

Well-known member
When rear facing, the crash forces would be absorbed by the back of the carseat, not his chest. Any pressure on his body would mostly be on his back and/or shoulders (depending on the angle of the seat). He may have been going through a phase. Have you tried him RF since? How long has it been?
 

Raegansmom4

New member
You could also put velcro on the chest clip (the pokey, sticky side) to discourage him from messing with it. You can definitely use the HUGS rear-facing, and like pp said, that usually helps hold the chest clip in place.
 

Jonah Baby

New member
Techs, would it ever be safe to use more than one chest clip (same manufacturers clip as on seat) for a situation like this?

Is it possible the harness was just not tight enough the time he escaped?

Is HUGS something that can be added to any carseat?
 

Mommy0608

New member
Techs, would it ever be safe to use more than one chest clip (same manufacturers clip as on seat) for a situation like this?

Is it possible the harness was just not tight enough the time he escaped?

Is HUGS something that can be added to any carseat?

1. Probably not a good idea to add more chest clips without the manufacturer's consent. The first thing that popped into my mind is the inability to get the child out quickly in an emergency. It also would put more hard plastic parts on his delicate chest area.

2. I am wondering about this as well. Shouldn't be able to pinch any slack lengthwise in the harness at the shoulders.

3. HUGS are a Britax product, and therefore not tested with other car seats.
 
U

Unregistered

Guest
I pinch test his straps and they were ok, he also did it more than once. It was like well now that I know how to push it down and wiggle out that's what I'll do type behavior. He is a little older now so maybe if I talked to him about not doing it. Hmmm
 

NannyMom

Well-known member
I pinch test his straps and they were ok, he also did it more than once. It was like well now that I know how to push it down and wiggle out that's what I'll do type behavior. He is a little older now so maybe if I talked to him about not doing it. Hmmm

My daughter was pushing her chest clip down. Not climbing out though. I told her if she did it again, I'd have to make the harness tighter. She doesn't like it 'too tight'. I always tighten it so you can't pinch at the shoulders, and so I feel it's tight enough (i sometimes tend to do tighter than needed), but it could get a tad tighter. She hasn't done it since.

Can his harness be a tad tighter w/o hurting him?
 

DahliaRW

New member
And I don't know if you'd consider a new seat to keep him rfing, but some seats tend to have the shoulder straps closer together which might make it harder for him to escape. But with his surgeries, I would think rfing would be a lot less painful for him in the case of a crash, or even a hard stop.
 

Mommy0608

New member
Actually, I wouldn't mention it to him... I'd just try to turn him back around without much fanfare and see if it happens again. If it does, then talk to him. Chances are he may have forgotten about it, so if you bring it up now it'll just draw attention to the fact that he can do that.
 

Mommy2Marcus

New member
Actually, I wouldn't mention it to him... I'd just try to turn him back around without much fanfare and see if it happens again. If it does, then talk to him. Chances are he may have forgotten about it, so if you bring it up now it'll just draw attention to the fact that he can do that.

This is exactly what I was thinking. I would just turn him back RF & not mention it at all. There is a really good chance that he has forgotten that he could do it. Good Luck! I hope that he does well.
 

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