How close do you cut it for weight?

Brigala

CPST Instructor
This probably isn't a huge issue for us, since our only 40 lb RF seat only gets used rarely so I can always weigh her on the way out the door if she's going to be using it, but when I weighed my 32 month old last night at 38 lbs and change, it got me thinking.

Let's say for argument that your 2.5 year old child were approaching the RF weight limit on his/her primary car seat. At what point do you decide to turn FF? To buy a new seat? At what point is age a factor in how close you push "outgrown"?

Last night, DD measured 38" tall and 38 lbs 3 oz. That was in pajamas and a thick cloth diaper (she only wears diapers at night). But it was also after going potty. This morning right after she went potty, she got out the scale and weighed herself again, same pajamas but underwear instead of a diaper. 36 lbs 11.5 oz. The diaper may account for a few oz of that but certainly not a pound and a half. I figure 1 lb of this is this is normal fluctuation, going 12 hours without eating or drinking, etc., and maybe half a pound is due to the heavy bamboo diaper (I should weigh a diaper, I guess).

So, I'm kind of looking for generalizations but also input on our situation. Aeryn rides in 45 lb Radians in our two main vehicles. she's also really long in the torso and may not have much growing room for height. I estimate she had about 2" above her head today. It's close enough that I need to get out my measuring tools and really check. I'm not super fond of the Foonf in my cars, but, gah, I am not feeling ready to flip her FF yet. She's only 32 months old!

The RF Radian is incompatible with the pickup truck's seat belt. So we use a Complete Air in that vehicle. We haven't determined a way to retrofit a top tether anchor in there, so when she goes FF it will likely be tetherless (since I'm ignoring Judi's suggestion that I start booster training her in that vehicle ;) ). She only rides in that vehicle rarely, typically 3 or 4 times a year, and usually for short trips. No back seat and no airbag, so she goes on the front passenger seat in there.

You know what I really need? A Complete Air with a 45 lb, 45" RF limit.
 
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Amyfromky

New member
For safety sake, I will go up until he hits the weight limit with clothes and shoes on AFTER a big dinner. I will buy new RFing seats up until my kids are 4- although we have Foonfs now so I think I'm at the end of the road. Haha
 

Brianna

New member
When I saw J was 38 pounds I did weekly weigh-ins. He outgrew his RF seats by height first though. He hit 40 pounds about a month after he outgrew the EFTA by height, which was his 3rd birthday.

I would just not use shoes in the car and weigh weekly in your shoes.
 

tiggercat

New member
I go by the first time I see the weight limit on my scale. So Sam was 35.1 (yay! He grew!) the other day, so he won't go in my friend's TF again.

I am not really concerned that the seat is going to fail catastrophically at 1lb over the limit. I won't exceed the limit, but I don't have a problem going right up to it.

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gsdguenter

Well-known member
I go right up to it. DD2 was 34 lb for the longest time. I weigh them once a week anyway and one week she was 36 lb. I then stopped using the TFP (our only 35 lb rf seat).

I think they are meant to go up to the limits. There has to be wiggle room. Not that I advocate going over.
 

Brigala

CPST Instructor
Well I measured her in the Radian and she has a lot more height room than I thought (sigh of relief - and a reminder of how hard it is to eyeball height limits) so at least in our primary cars I have a while before I have to worry about it.

I think with the pickup I'll just have to weigh her before she goes out the door if she's going to ride in it. Maybe I just won't have her ride in that vehicle after she hits 40 lbs if she hasn't reached... what... 3? I wonder what's better FF untethered, a CA or a FR85. Hmm.
 

oddduck

Active member
I flipped the TF when DD2 was 33lbs in PJs. That was close enough to 35lbs for me (one you toss in some winter boots, a sweater, a big meal).
 

linneabw

New member
DS has fluctuated between 42-44 for almost a year! We have a xtsl so when he is 45 on our scale I will ff him. Dh is adamant that there has got to be at least 5 lbs of safetynet (engineer, he even went all mathematical on me) but I will go right up to the limit. If I would have flipped at 43 we would have missed a lot of time rfing. I was almost glad when he was real sick a couple weeks ago I figure he lost at least a few pounds when he didn't eat a few days.
 

HappyHoo

New member
DS was 39.4 lbs fully clothed when I flipped him FF in his 40 lb RF seat at 3 yr 3 mo and DD was 32.8 lbs I think when I flipped her FF in her 33 lb Marathon 1 month before she turned 3.

When they get close, I do start keeping a regular watch on the scale - once a week or so. But my kids do tend to stay the same weight for awhile sometimes so it can be awhile before they get to close to the weight limit that I decide it's met and flip them FF.

Now I did notice DS was 43 lbs last night fully clothed - and still RF in my car in a 45 lb RF limit seat. I thought he was still around 41 lbs so he's had a spurt lately. He turns 4 in July, so if he gets to 44 lbs I will probably go ahead and flip him - and when he turns 4, if he is still at 43ish, I will probably flip him then.
 

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