using outgrown seat

[Unregistered]

Please help. Our infant seat is expiring soon and my son is close to the limits. My husband says we can't afford new ones. He sees no problem with using an outgrown seat. My baby is 14 months. Our older son is 5 and we have a car seat for him in each car. I'm thinking of just moving seats around, but one car doesn't have LATCH, so we need to buckle it in place

 

[Kaitsmom]

The Cosco APT is $39 at KMart this week and is a much safer option then an expired or outgrown seat.

Which seat does your 5 yr old have?

 

[mdsvc89]

An outgrown seat isn't designed to hold the child it is restraining, so in an accident the seat could fall apart, or the child could be injured in another way.

Buckling a seat in place rather than using latch is fine, as long as the seat installs well.

If the seat your 5 year old is riding in is a convertible, and can be used rear facing, your safest bet will be to move the seats back and forth between the cars -- one RF for the little guy, one FF for the big guy.

hth
Michelle

 

[Baylor]

Can I suggest you go to a local seat check? With dh. They will help you with seat information and make sure you know how to install a seat with the seat belt correctly.
auto correct hates me

 

[Jessica61624]

Installing with a seat belt is just as safe as latch when used correctly. It would be helpful if you could give us more info like the seats you currently have and the weight and heights of the children.

 

[christineka]

See if you have any car seat check events near you. A couple weeks from now is cps week and there should be some seat checks. Often they have new seats for free or low cost. Or, try your local safe kids' coalition to see how much their car seats are. Usually they are low cost.

 

[carseatcoach]

What seat do you have for your now 5yo? What is the date of manufacture of the seats? What is the 5yo's height and weight?

Many 5yos have outgrown many convertible carseats. Would your husband be open to passing the convertibles down to the baby, and buying boosters for the 5yo? You could get two boosters for $70ish, and you'll need them down the road anyhow.

 

[safeinthecar]

My ex once tried to convince me that it was no big deal to use a too small seat. He changed his tune right quick after I switched out his his underwear for pairs that were two sizes smaller.

 

[henrietta]

Can I suggest you go to a local seat check? With dh. They will help you with seat information and make sure you know how to install a seat with the seat belt correctly.
auto correct hates me

And some may also have seats to give away when someone comes to a check who needs one. And they are happy to help you learn to install it, use it, and take it home!

 

[henrietta]

See if you have any car seat check events near you. A couple weeks from now is cps week and there should be some seat checks. Often they have new seats for free or low cost. Or, try your local safe kids' coalition to see how much their car seats are. Usually they are low cost.

Sept. 18-22, I think!

 

[henrietta]

BTW-Welcome to C-s.org!!!

As others have said, if you'll share your 5 yr olds stats and what seats he currently has and how he fits in them, we can help you more. If he's using a convertible carseat that can rearface and hasn't expired, you could hand that down and buy him a booster seat. If he's a regular sized 5 yr old and mature enough to learn how to use one, he can use a a booster seat. One w/a highback (such as the Evenflo Big Kid *Sport*, $30 at Walmart) is best at this age, preferred over one w/no back. And a booster seat is super easy to switch b/t cars! So, the baby could use one convertible in each car...and the 5 yr old can use one booster that you switch back and forth for now.

hths