Are my kids safe?

[MommiJenn]

Just want to make sure that each of my kids is the safest they can possibly be. My 6yo dd is 46in and about 42lbs - she sits FF in a Graco Nautilus, she's still using the 5 point harness. My 4yo dd is 39 1/2in and about 32lbs - she also sits FF in a Graco Nautilus using the 5 point harness. My 21m old dd is 34in and about 22lbs - she sits RF in a Graco Comfort Sport. My 3 1/2 week old ds is a little over 11lbs and sits in a hand-me-down Graco infant seat. This is the first time we've ever used an infant seat, all of the girls started out in a RF convertible seat, so the infant seat is new to me.

My questions are...

1. Does the handle on the infant seat need to be in a certain position when in the car?

2. When will my 6yo outgrow the 5-point harness and need me to convert the Nautilus to the high back booster?

3. Why can I not use the top slots on the ComfortSport when it's RF?

4. Where do I find out the weight limit for our vehicle when using lower harness attachments?

5. When are kids too big to RF? 3? 4? I turned my #1 and #2 girls around too soon. I've kept #3 RF longer but it's getting difficult to keep her that way now that we've have completely filled up our Kia Sedona and can't find a good arrangement for the seats in the van. We are just not fitting well in there.

TIA for the tips and advice!!!! Much appreciated!!!!

 

[wendytthomas]

Welcome! Glad you're here.

My questions are...

1. Does the handle on the infant seat need to be in a certain position when in the car?

Which Graco is it? It can be all the way up, or behind the shell. Then depending on what seat it actually is and when it was made, there may be other approved positions.

2. When will my 6yo outgrow the 5-point harness and need me to convert the Nautilus to the high back booster?

When her shoulders go above the top slots, or at 65 pounds.

3. Why can I not use the top slots on the ComfortSport when it's RF?

Probably because the child's head will be well above the top of the shell by then. I'm not certain, though. You need to have more than 1" of hard shell above the child's head rear facing.

4. Where do I find out the weight limit for our vehicle when using lower harness attachments?

Do you mean the lower anchors? Kia either defers to the manufacturer, or states 48 pounds. For your Nautiluses that'd be 48 pounds either way (child's weight).

5. When are kids too big to RF? 3? 4? I turned my #1 and #2 girls around too soon. I've kept #3 RF longer but it's getting difficult to keep her that way now that we've have completely filled up our Kia Sedona and can't find a good arrangement for the seats in the van. We are just not fitting well in there.

Ideally they'll rear face to three to four years old, yes. Seats are outgrown rear facing when there's less than 1" of shell above the head, or the weight limit is reached.

How do you have everyone arranged? I'd probably have the two oldest in the back row (what year is your Sedona?) and the two littles in the captain's chairs. If you haven't got two tethers in the back you could move your six year old to a booster if she's ready and leave them two and two. If she's not ready for a booster, I'd see about putting one forward facing child in the third row with both rear facers, and then take out one captain's chair and put the other forward facer in the remaining chair.

HTH

Wendy

 

[MommiJenn]

Thanks Wendy!

**The Infant seat is a SnugRide, I read through the manual but I don't remember seeing anything about the handle position, I'll check again though.

**My 21m old still has head room but the 2nd slots are too tight on her so I moved them up to the 1st slots, it says they're for FF only but I don't want to turn her around yet. We'll get her a new seat when the boy outgrows the infant seat and moves up to the comfortsport. I'd love to get her a radian but they're so expensive! =/

**Yes, I did mean the lower anchors (I couldn't think of the word at the time)!

**The Sedona is a 2007. We have one FF (Nautilus) in a bucket seat and the baby (SnugRide) in a bucket seat. We have one FF (Nautilus) and one RF (ComfortSport) on the back row. We moved on FF to the bucket seat so the girls could get in and out w/o having to crawl under a RF seat but it's still a tight squeeze. And since there's no way to reach the RF seat in the back from the side doors we're having to get the 21m old in and out through the rear door - it's a real pain. I'm not sure we can fit 3 seats in the back row, there's barely room between the two seats that are there now. I wish we could though, it would make things easier!! Before #4 got here we kept one of the bucket seats out and it was nice and roomy for groceries and stuff. This year we had to cancel our Disney trip because there's no room for all 4 kids AND luggage. =P

 

[NannyMom]

Comfortsport: Are the top slots below her shoulders? For rear facing, the harness should come from at or below the shoulders. Usually by the time those top slots are at/below the shoulders, there's less than 1 inch of room above the child's head.

 

[Mae]

**The Infant seat is a SnugRide, I read through the manual but I don't remember seeing anything about the handle position, I'll check again though.

Does your Snug Ride have a 22lb, 32lb, or 35lb limit? Yes, Graco had to make it confusing for us.

If it has a 22lb limit, then... From the manual: You may use positions A, D, or E.

If your Snug Ride has a 32 or 35 limit, then... From the manual: You may use any positions except for B.

 

[Mommy2Marcus]

Are all of your seats new to you besides the infant bucket? Did the infant bucket come from a trusted source? Are you sure that it has never been in a wreck, straps never been washed, that it is not expired (most seats expire 6 years from their date of manufactor or DOM, Graco has a expiration of 6 years with it being in December of the end of the year it was made) & that it has not been abused.

On the DOM for Graco, it would be imprinted on the shell Do Not Use After December 20**.

 

[MommyO]

Are all of your seats new to you besides the infant bucket? Did the infant bucket come from a trusted source? Are you sure that it has never been in a wreck, straps never been washed, that it is not expired (most seats expire 6 years from their date of manufactor or DOM, Graco has a expiration of 6 years with it being in December of the end of the year it was made) & that it has not been abused.

On the DOM for Graco, it would be imprinted on the shell Do Not Use After December 20**.

I don't mean to hijack, but what's the concern with washing straps? I've done this...is it a problem?

 

[Mae]

I don't mean to hijack, but what's the concern with washing straps? I've done this...is it a problem?

Yes, it's a problem, but it depends on how you washed them. A quick wipe down with a wet cloth or baby wipe, eh, that's fine. But they cannot, under any circumstances, be put in the washing machine. Nor can they have harsh cleaning agents, disinfectants, or a lot of soap used on them. Harsh cleaners can break down the fibers in the straps, weakening them. Same with the washer -- the thrashing around from the agitator may weaken the straps, compromising the safety of them. Along with weakening the straps, it may not allow the webbing to stretch in a crash.

All we know is that the majority of manufacturer's simply state to wipe down with a damp cloth and no washing them.

 

[Mommy2Marcus]

I don't mean to hijack, but what's the concern with washing straps? I've done this...is it a problem?

No biggie about hi-jacking, we all do it. Yes, washing the straps is a problem, exspecially if you have washed them in the washing machine. It weakens the fibers of them & makes them not withstand the forces of a crash properly which can be very bad. If you have gently hand washed them with a little water without submerging them, then that is okay. But if you used the machine or alot of soap, then you must replace them ASAP & not use the seat again untill you do.

 

[Pixels]

My daughter is 35ish inches, with a long torso, and still has a good inch or more to go until she's even with the top slots. The slots have to be at or below the shoulders when RFing, so she couldn't use the top slots yet even if it was allowed.

The harness has two sets of loops on the ends. If the harness was too tight, moving to different slots wouldn't help that at all unless you unknowingly changed loops when you moved slots.

If her shoulders really are above the top slots, the seat is outgrown, period. She needs a new seat ASAP. If her shoulders aren't above the top slots, then you need to move the harness back down to the second slots.

 

[henrietta]

**My 21m old still has head room but the 2nd slots are too tight on her so I moved them up to the 1st slots, it says they're for FF only but I don't want to turn her around yet. We'll get her a new seat when the boy outgrows the infant seat and moves up to the comfortsport. I'd love to get her a radian but they're so expensive! =/

She must be pretty short torsoed. Lucky you! It was my understanding when my mil had a ComfortSport the grandkids that the top slot isn't properly reinforced for rearfacing, but besides that, for rearfacing...the shoulder straps should be at or *below* her shoulders. If they are above, then she can ramp up in an accident and the top of her head not be protected by the shell of the seat. I can't imagine the CS still fitting a child who's 34" tall....but my kids are long torsoed. My 29 wk preemie had already outgrown in by 2 yrs old or so..

A new Cosco Scenera is $54 at Target/Walmart and $39 on sale. It goes taller than the Scenera and is narrow.

Also, then you could give the new baby the Comfort Sport for now...a convertible seat may be easier to puzzle w/the other seats than an infant seat.

Besides all that--the Evenflo Maestro is a seat like the Nauti, but it's much narrower and only $80.

hths

henrietta

 

[Pixels]

Unfortunately, the ComfortSport does not recline enough for a 3 1/2 week old baby.

 

[henrietta]

Unfortunately, the ComfortSport does not recline enough for a 3 1/2 week old baby.

Ah, darn. I remember the bottom slots being decently low. I guess I can imagine that it might be tough to get it reclined enough b/c of the design of the bottom of it.

henrietta

 

[wendytthomas]

Unfortunately, the ComfortSport does not recline enough for a 3 1/2 week old baby.

Is there a restriction against pool noodles or a rolled towel to help achieve an acceptable angle? Page 8 in the manual, bullet seven, states to use a rolled towel to get the proper angle.

Wendy

 

[Pixels]

The bottom slots are low enough, and it's possible to physically install the seat, but the angle indicator will be out of range.

 

[wendytthomas]

The bottom slots are low enough, and it's possible to physically install the seat, but the angle indicator will be out of range.

If the seat can physically install that way, and it's not more than a 45 degree angle, then I would ignore the level indicator. They're not always perfect, and here in hilly Seattle the gravity ones are to be taken with a grain of salt always.

Wendy

 

[sunnymw]

It IS possible in some vehicles (CS w/ a 3wk old). 3 noodle tower will be needed LOL.

HOWEVER... you will have to put a rolled washcloth between the crotch strap and the crotch. Otherwise... there will be baby slumpage. =P

In a '90s model Buick (OKd by techs)

In a 2006 Honda Civi (NOT okay'd... they would like more contact w/ seat)

 

[henrietta]

baby slumpage.

I love it!!! LOL

Yes, we used a 3-noodle tower w/the Comfort Sport. I forgot about that. It was a long time ago.

henrietta