car seat question

[minties]

I'm not even 150cm eek! Lucky I weigh more than 18kg so I don't need a harness

Is it ok to put something under a 4 year olds bottom to raise them up a tad in their seat? Thomas is over 18kg but the seatbelt guide on his chair makes the belt way too high. He's about 104cm.

 

[tommyg]

I'm not even 150cm eek! Lucky I weigh more than 18kg so I don't need a harness

Is it ok to put something under a 4 year olds bottom to raise them up a tad in their seat? Thomas is over 18kg but the seatbelt guide on his chair makes the belt way too high. He's about 104cm.

I'm not sure but I'd fear something potentally sliding about under him could be unsafe. If finances allow I'd maybe try a different seat for him.

Is he tall for age? My boy is about 3 mths younger but just 92 cm.

 

[Bingo]

I don't know how car seats work now in the UK but the new seats go by height and not weight in Australia. I've just purchased a new seat with harness for my four year old that should still be suitable for the average eight year old. Going by my daughter's height at the moment she'll probably still fit into it when she's twelve! As long as your child still meets the height (and weight if applicable) requirements for a car seat, they are safer in a harness. I am dying to move my youngest to forward facing because she'd be so much happier in the car but she's still under the height marker so I'll just have to suck it up for now. At least I know she's safer that way.

 

[tommyg]

Some seats are changing to a new standard isize but many are still based on weight. But although they are based on weight kids can out grow them in height before they reach the weight limit.
DS outgrew his baby seat in height at 18 months but it was 18 mths later before he hit the 13 kg limit for it.

 

[xprincessx]

Callum is almost 20kg and has just the seatbelt, no 5 point harness anymore. His seat is from 15kg but I think he was about 18kg when we did it

 

[minties]

I'm not even 150cm eek! Lucky I weigh more than 18kg so I don't need a harness

Is it ok to put something under a 4 year olds bottom to raise them up a tad in their seat? Thomas is over 18kg but the seatbelt guide on his chair makes the belt way too high. He's about 104cm.

I'm not sure but I'd fear something potentally sliding about under him could be unsafe. If finances allow I'd maybe try a different seat for him.

Is he tall for age? My boy is about 3 mths younger but just 92 cm.

I think he's on the 50th for height at the moment after a growth spurt but is usually 25th centile. Your son looks to be between the 0.4th and 3rd centiles?

I did buy a new seat which arrived this morning and is much better. It has lots of adjustable parts so the seatbelt will now sit properly. It also has isofix and a tether and some metal framework in the body so it's quite sturdy. I wish I could use the harness as it's so much safer. Stupid 18kg rule . This one should do him until age 10/11 if he tollerates being in a seat for that long.

I bet the harness would work fine in a crash above 18kg so I wish they would test and approve them. Thomas still fits fine into the convertable seat he had as a newborn and I could still be using it instead of buying all these other seats, if they would test them above 18kg. He's 18.1kg.

As a side note, how do you stop head droop when they fall asleep? The big kid car seats are so upright!

 

[Neko]

As a side note, how do you stop head droop when they fall asleep? The big kid car seats are so upright!

They make little neck pillows, they are u shaped. Would he be willing to try that?

My DD is still in a standard car seat, it's not so upright. They make them huge in the US. Hers is for 65 pounds (29.4 K) and 48 inches (122 cm). She's 41 pounds (18.5 K) and 43 inches (109.2 cm) so I'm hoping the seat lasts until she starts kindergarten, she'll be about 5 1/2. I think pickup/drop off at school will be easier with a booster. In my state they are required to be in a seat until 8 or 80 pounds whichever comes first.

 

[minties]

So she will be harnessed until then also? There are seats that harness here to a high weight but the usual is 18kg.

 

[tommyg]

I'm not even 150cm eek! Lucky I weigh more than 18kg so I don't need a harness

Is it ok to put something under a 4 year olds bottom to raise them up a tad in their seat? Thomas is over 18kg but the seatbelt guide on his chair makes the belt way too high. He's about 104cm.

I'm not sure but I'd fear something potentally sliding about under him could be unsafe. If finances allow I'd maybe try a different seat for him.

Is he tall for age? My boy is about 3 mths younger but just 92 cm.

I think he's on the 50th for height at the moment after a growth spurt but is usually 25th centile. Your son looks to be between the 0.4th and 3rd centiles?

I did buy a new seat which arrived this morning and is much better. It has lots of adjustable parts so the seatbelt will now sit properly. It also has isofix and a tether and some metal framework in the body so it's quite sturdy. I wish I could use the harness as it's so much safer. Stupid 18kg rule . This one should do him until age 10/11 if he tollerates being in a seat for that long.

I bet the harness would work fine in a crash above 18kg so I wish they would test and approve them. Thomas still fits fine into the convertable seat he had as a newborn and I could still be using it instead of buying all these other seats, if they would test them above 18kg. He's 18.1kg.

As a side note, how do you stop head droop when they fall asleep? The big kid car seats are so upright!

Yip he's loitering about the bottom of the charts. I measured him last week and he's stretched a little now about 94cm. So still on the 2nd line.
You probably are right about the harness but I do wonder if it is something to do with the buckles giving way above the 18kg, yes their will be a margin of error built in, so it might be double the 18kg before they give way but also many 4/5 year olds esp those with older siblings will be complaining about having to use a harness.

 

[Neko]

So she will be harnessed until then also? There are seats that harness here to a high weight but the usual is 18kg.

Yes. I like her harnessed. When my son was younger there were no car seats that harnessed over 40 pounds. He needed a booster seat from the time he turned 3. But I was constantly finding him playing with the strap, taking it off his shoulder and trying to turn around. He was too young at 3, but I had no choice. I'm keeping my DD harnessed until she doesn't fit. She's quite tall, but I think it will last until she starts public school in a year and a half.

Most seats in the US are now ERF to 40 pounds and harness to 65. You can even get seats that go higher, I think to 85 pounds. But I doubt that's necessary for most people. Those are only a few higher end Britax seats and rather expensive.

 

[minties]

That is great! There are seats like that here also but are way out of our price range. We also have a very tiny car. The kids convertable seats they had aa infants only rear faced to 12kg (sorry not sure in pounds) which isn't very high.

This is what I wish I had! My OH would flip his lid if I suggested buying two of these. Especially seeing as the kids and I walk everywhere anyway.

https://m.babyuniverse.co.nz/product/13908695/diono--rainier-convertible--booster-car-seat/

 

[Neko]

Ok. I converted that to Us dollars and got 381. I looked it up on the US amazon site and it's 287.99. Americans have bigger cars generally (I drive a minivan) and drive on the highways more. I think that's why we have more and cheaper carseat selection.

https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias=aps&field-keywords=diono+carseat

I must stop looking on amazon, now I have the desire to buy Avery a purple carseat. Which obviously she doesn't need. But it's only $160 and hasn't been puked on. lol