Question Disabled / Athritis sufferer about to have baby, can't use most car seat buttons - suggest a seat

[TechnoGranola]

My mom has arthritis and severe carpal tunnel too (both problems in both hands). I just checked with her and she COULD release the buckle on the SafeSeat! Pulling the strap to tighten the harness was harder for her, but doable.

 

[flipper68]

We tested it with a load of granite doubling as a baby. The poor substitute baby was traumatized by the event

:ROTFLMAO:

On a more serious note:
I think a dowel or broom handle (might need some shaving down) might work. If you have trouble with grip, you try something like this:

to give you leverage or pressure.

Good Luck!

 

[mom2pjs]

My mom has RA also. She has done really well with our Fisherprice safe voyage seat (basically the roundabout platform). Sometimes if she can't undo the button she just loosens the harness with the lever and leaves the crotch strap buckled. I have to admit that she doesn't have to do any of this during a flare-up... Good luck.

 

[Chrissy]

Slip your left hand between the buckle and the baby. Make a fist with your right hand, raise your index finger knuckle, and push into the button with your knuckle.

 

[safeinthecar]

Can you wrap your hand all the way around the buckle and push the button toward your palm with your middle finger.

 

[henrietta]

UGhgh... you mean the buckle on the harness, not the harness release mechanism. Sorry about that! (just had a baby! LOL)


I've got arthritis in my hands, too, and car seats can be a real PITA. The easiest infant seat I've messed w/is the Chicco Keyfit. The button is super easy and the seat also snaps in/out of the base w/ease. That would be my first choice if money was no object. I also thought that the Graco Safe Seat was fairly easy, but not as much so as the Chicco. We ended up w/a Compass I420 for financial reasons, but I haven't even had a chance to mess w/it yet (had my baby yesterday and he's in NICU for a few days).

As for convertible carseats, the Recaro Como and Signo's buttons are like butter. They are so easy, that I almost considered getting rid of our other seats and buying one. Again, money is an issue, so when ds needed another seat we went w/the Evenflo Triumph Advance. It has knobs--they are different and might be hard to adjust depending on exactly which motions give you the most trouble--but they work well for me. I've heard that the Learning Curve Tru Fit has a similar knob system that's easier to operate, which is another option. It and the EFTA are also good fits for the average size newborn, in case an infant seat doesn't work for you. The Britax Marathon is also fairly easy.

hths Good luck!

henrietta

 

[Mommyloves2stroll]

My sister has hand and arm issues, she also has a Mini

We searched high and low for an infant seat that will work in her car and that she can use without problem. She ended up with an Orbit, aside from being extremely easy to install, it fits in the car, she can undo the buckles and the removal from the car is easy too. :thumbsup:

 

[bgdc]

Can you wrap your hand all the way around the buckle and push the button toward your palm with your middle finger.

Nope, not physically possible for me. I can make a claw and a sad half-hearted fist.

 

[bgdc]

The spoon is a utensil of supreme usefulness. I know I love The Tick for a reason (he's a comic character who utters the battle-cry of flatware - SPOOOOOOOON!).

We visited a few baby stores and I've discovered my wife dislikes clutter and babies combined (USA Baby in Miramar is her version of a ring of hell). I've also discovered the simple spoon and a Graco SafeStep = the easiest release combo. Well, beyond the Combi Zeus which I'm still not convinced is a real car seat!

I've not heard of the Orbit until now. I'll have to drive to Del Mar tomorrow to see it at Right Start.

Sadly, the Chicco's standard harness button proved just as vexing with the spoon. And while I find the feel of Combi stuff nice, their buttons seem designed by folks who used to work at Bloopers and Practical jokes.

Strangley the Graco SafeStep offers the easiest infant seat/carrier release of the bunch I've tried too. Too bad the seat's huge and feels sorta cheap. I know it passed the same regs as all the other seats, but I can't shake a feeling I'm getting something flimsy.

Thanks again for the input, everyone.

 

[bgdc]

Just did some research on the Orbit - sadly, it requires you use two hands to pull up on two levers at one time to release the seat. Even without looking at the harness button I know I cannot reach into a car and across a babyseat.

Neat design though!

 

[capeKO71]

honestly... just get the graco version of the snap & go... forget about that big honk'n travel system....

Then get a stroller you like for the stroller features... you might like the baby jogger city series (mini or elite even) - because it folds very simply.

You can always get a carseat adapter for the baby jogger too...

 

[TerisBoys]

Well, beyond the Combi Zeus which I'm still not convinced is a real car seat!


Strangley the Graco SafeStep offers the easiest infant seat/carrier release of the bunch I've tried too. Too bad the seat's huge and feels sorta cheap. I know it passed the same regs as all the other seats, but I can't shake a feeling I'm getting something flimsy.

One downfall of the Zeus is that it has low weight limits. It only RF to 22# and FF to 40#. The Graco SafeSeat that you can work has a 30# weight limit for RF - so it *could* last longer than the Combi. Yes, the turning feature is nice, but you've got an infant seat that you will likely be able to use until baby is 1yo or older.

The SS is frequently recommended here. There are several trim levels too - some like this one have nicer covers, boots (cover over the baby's legs) as well as 'Gracopedic' memory foam for comfort. One of those may seem less cheap to you.

 

[Lea_Ontario]

TerisBoys that link is to a SnugRide seat, not a SafeSeat.

 

[Wineaux]

A couple of points. I own a PT Cruiser convertible, and almost bought the Combi Zues Turn because of how easy it would have been to get my son in and out of the car. My only issue was that it only went to 20 lbs RF and the only to 40 lbs FF. Combi has said they were going to improve those numbers, but I've not heard that it has happened yet. That said... In your situation, and money not being an issue, that seat may be a perfect fit for you, provided you can use the turn mechanism. Try it out. Design wise, that seat is tres cool. Damned stupid weight limits though... Grumble grumble grumble. Mutiny mutiny mutiny!

The Graco seats are actually quite nice. Well constructed and well made. As a company they are very proactive when it comes to fixing issues with their products. I like them a lot. One thing to remember about Graco is that they have a lot of different trim levels. You can get the same seat with varying levels of padding and EPS foam. The nicer seats cost more. It's a pretty simple formula.

As for a tool... How are you at using the heel of your palm? My idea is to sort of create another thumb there. Not in a Weird Science mad doctor sort of way, but with a velcro strap similar to the spoooooon contraption shown earlier. But instead of a spoon, you want to attach an appropriately sized and shaped drawer pull from the hardware store. Go to a local Lowes or Home Depot and look at all the drawer knobs for kitchen cabinets. Find one that is shaped correctly and then screw that onto some heavy duty webbing material or fingerless motorcycle glove. I'm thinking the fingerless glove would give you the most support. You can get them with a lot of reinforcement in the palm area, as they are made to keep your hands from turning into a burger substitute in a motorcycle accident. With that knob mounted, you should be able to just press down with the heel of your palm and operate the buttons. Now if this works like I think it will, then patent it, make a ton of money, and then take my family and me on regular luxury vacations all over the world. Scotland would be a good start, as I collect Single Malts!

Lastly, welcome to the board! I need some more testosteronaly charged snarky humour to add to my own here. Welcome to the dark side. We have cookies..... :evil grin:

 

[Wineaux]

honestly... just get the graco version of the snap & go... forget about that big honk'n travel system....

Then get a stroller you like for the stroller features... you might like the baby jogger city series (mini or elite even) - because it folds very simply.

You can always get a carseat adapter for the baby jogger too...

Get the Maclaren version of the Snap & Go. It steers like a hit knife through buttah!

 

[LISmama810]

bgdc-

I wouldn't recommend the Zeus. Besides having ridiculously low weight limits, if I recall correctly, it takes quite a bit of manipulating to get it to turn. Maybe I'm not remembering right, though.

I think the Graco SafeSeat is probably your best bet. It's very highly recommended on here. Remember, too, that just because it will typically hold a 1-2-year-old child, you don't HAVE to use it that long if lugging it becomes an issue. Or you can just leave it snapped into the car and use it as a regular car seat once the baby gets too heavy to lug.

Please update us and let us know what you wind up getting and how it works out for you. Please stick around, too. Your posts have been a pleasure to read

 

[Defrost]

The spoon is a utensil of supreme usefulness. I know I love The Tick for a reason (he's a comic character who utters the battle-cry of flatware - SPOOOOOOOON!).

Totally OT, sorry - but we love The Tick, too.

 

[Tiffany_MommyOf3]

we have an orbit and it is hard for ME to push the button. It's a regular button but HARD to push. My only issue with the carseat LOL - BUT, you only need to pull 1 "handle" to unlock the carseat from its base.

 

[TerisBoys]

TerisBoys that link is to a SnugRide seat, not a SafeSeat.

Oops - that's what I get for posting pre-coffee.

THIS one is a SafeSeat w/ the gracopedic foam. No boot though.

 

[LISmama810]

No boot though.

He appears to be near San Diego, so the boot probably isn't as important an aspect as it would be in colder climates. I like that print--simple and classic.

OP, if your wife has an aversion to baby stores (I don't blame her--some are super-crowded), you can always go to gracobaby.com to see their whole line of SS1s, and then it'll link you to online retailers. (Presuming you decide to go with that seat.)