OT - Car Seat

[Hunni Bee]

So I noticed today my daughter is two pounds away from the max weight (40 lbs) for her car seat.

I'm researching car seats on Amazon and I see the one I want, a convertible. But its a booster for 40 - 100 lbs and 43 - 57 inches in height.

She's nowhere near 43 inches tall. Maybe 37 max.

So is it whichever comes last? Can I use it as a five point harness after she surpasses 40 pounds as long as she's less than 43 inches tall. She looks way too little to just be in a car seat belt.

Help?

[CalCare]

I'm pretty sure they are saying the child can't use it as a booster until she is 43 inches. So you have to use five point until then. And there must be a weight restriction on there somewhere, for the max weight as five point. So if the max weight as five point is 65 lbs (for example), then you could use it until she hits that weight (if you want). Does that make sense? Search for the max weight as a five point.

[Alwaysgreener]

What type of car seat does she currently use? What is the weight and height on that seat?



I recently realized that my dd has outgrown her seat, or so I thought. As I trying to decide what to do, I read the little label again and realized I could move her to the next step. Step one and two where written in red and step three was in black and I had over looked it.

If a child is too tall then the seat belt won't sit properly on their shoulders and can harm them in an accident. If the child is over the weight limit, then the restraint is no longer effective in an accident. So it is best to make sure that you get a seat the is the proper weight and height.

I am not a professional car seat expert.

Below is a link to a book that I found very helpful (I got my copy from my local police station, I searched this copy out for my clients.)

http://transportation.ky.gov/Highway-Safety/Documents/Installing_Child_Safety_Seats_USAA.pdf

[Alwaysgreener]

Also, My dd doctor makes comments that a toddler/ preschooler should only be gaining about a pound a year. So assuming true, then you may have another year or two before she hits 40 lb. By then she will most likely grown a few inches too.

[Hunni Bee]

What I'm saying is, soon she'll be in this quandary of being too heavy for a 5-point harness but not tall enough for a booster.

Her current seat has a weight range of 22-40 lbs and a height max of I think 38 inches. So she still fits it.

The seat I was thinking about buying is a convertible.... Its a five-point harness between 20-40 lbs and 28-50 inches. It switches to a booster for kids 40-110 pounds and 43-57 inches.

My little one is not even on the charts for height, she was a preemie and her height is the only this that hasn't caught up. Right now she's 38 pounds and 37 inches tall. Shes gained about 8 pounds since August so I don't expect her to stay under 40 very much longer.

Thanks for the links. I'll definitely read them.

[Hunni Bee]

This is her in her current car seat....its just a economy Cosco seat. But this was on November, she's bigger now.

[Baby Beluga]

So a cutie pie she is lovethis

What seat are you looking at purchasing for her?

Have you tried the facebook group "car seats for the littles"? They will be able to help find a seat that will fit your DD and your car well.

[Mike]

She looks happy. Must have a loving mom.

Isn't it awkward when things have height AND weight ranges and someone doesn't fit in both.

[Leigh]

I would NOT do the booster, but instead find a car seat with a higher weight limit. My Evenflo seats go up to 65 pounds, but I know there are others that go even higher.

[Pestle]

My daughter is still in the mid 30lbs range, but she's skinny and tall, so she simply didn't fit in the old seat any more--she was crumpled up like a dead spider and miserable. I'm usually a stickler for safety, but you'll notice that this seat is rated to start at 30lbs and it had become a quality of life issue. We keep the back on it. It's cheap, it's super-easy to install and move to other vehicles, and she loves it.

Also, read the question about the color and then all the answers. ::

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AJSIVWW/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[Hunni Bee]

My daughter is still in the mid 30lbs range, but she's skinny and tall, so she simply didn't fit in the old seat any more--she was crumpled up like a dead spider and miserable. I'm usually a stickler for safety, but you'll notice that this seat is rated to start at 30lbs and it had become a quality of life issue. We keep the back on it. It's cheap, it's super-easy to install and move to other vehicles, and she loves it.

Also, read the question about the color and then all the answers. ::

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Thanks!!

[jenboo]

So a cutie pie she is lovethis

What seat are you looking at purchasing for her?

Have you tried the facebook group "car seats for the littles"? They will be able to help find a seat that will fit your DD and your car well.

I highly recommend joining this fb group.

How old is she? Most kids are not booster ready until 5 or 6 years old. More goes into it than just meeting the seat minimums.

There are many cheap options for seats that have a 5pt harness and then turn into boosters. They are called combination seats.

[Ariana]

I think it goes by weight not height for booster seats. We had to deal with this last year. My daughter is on the shorter side and only now weighs 40lbs at 7 yrs old. We were told that as long as she was 40lbs she could go to a booster. A booster is just as safe with a seat belt by the way.

Now we just read that once she becomes 8 years old she can just go right to a seat belt. The criteria is 8 years old OR 80lbs. It is confusing because she only weighs 40lbs at 8 years old but apparently once she turns 8 we can ditch the booster :confused:

I am Canadian but we likely have similar standards.

[TigerLily]

I think it goes by weight not height for booster seats. We had to deal with this last year. My daughter is on the shorter side and only now weighs 40lbs at 7 yrs old. We were told that as long as she was 40lbs she could go to a booster. A booster is just as safe with a seat belt by the way.

Now we just read that once she becomes 8 years old she can just go right to a seat belt. The criteria is 8 years old OR 80lbs. It is confusing because she only weighs 40lbs at 8 years old but apparently once she turns 8 we can ditch the booster :confused:

I am Canadian but we likely have similar standards.

A booster is only as safe as a harnessed seat when the child fits correctly and sits properly 100% of the time. That means no leaning, slumping or moving out of position, even if asleep.
I third joining Car Seats For The Littles!

[Ariana]

A booster is only as safe as a harnessed seat when the child fits correctly and sits properly 100% of the time. That means no leaning, slumping or moving out of position, even if asleep.
I third joining Car Seats For The Littles!

Same can be said for a 5 point harness...as long as it is positioned correctly, they have the correct clothes on and the belt is tightened properly