Car seat- moving to next stage

[snufflepuff]

Parent has mentioned taking the 5 point harness off LO's car seat and just using the cars own seat belt to strap her in. LO is 2 years old and 16.5kg so not far off 18kg- which is the weight when the 5 point harness can be removed.

Of course what a parent does is their choice....but in my car and when I'm responsible, I want to stick with the safest option, which is to use a 5 point harness. Do you think it is okay to keep the 5 point harness on the car seat for his mindee? She still fits in it fine, shoulder straps in the correct place, head protection at the correct level etc.

[Monkey26]

YES! When the child is in your care you are responsible at all times, including in an accident so make sure the child weighs the full 18kg before removing the harness :) x

[EmmaReed84]

I would keep a child in a 5 point harness until they are too big for it... The safety of a child is FAR more important than the convenience (sp?) of using a seat belt.

I wish I could afford the britax large car seats for up to 8/9 year olds. I saw a video about a child in a booster seat who sadly died, i cried for about 2 days thinking about and even stopped driving because I got panicked

Maybe talkt o parent about WHY they want to change

[loocyloo]

my 11mth old mindee was put in the next stage carseat as parents felt she was too big for baby carseat about 6 weeks ago.

she is still in my baby carseat as quite light, her head doesn't reach the top of the seat and yes, she likes to kick/stretch her legs against the back of the seat, but she is staying in that seat for the time being with me! i'll move her when she is too heavy/head coming over the top!

i make DSs friend cross, 'cos when he is in my car, i make him sit on a booster! he is almost tall enough not too, but until then, he will have a booster! DS has a backed booster and will until tall enough not to!

[Christi]

I'd keep them in the five point harness too. Until they reach 18kg, the adult belt is little use as they need their body weight to stay in place.

[samb]

Oh my word isn't 2 a bit young for a normal belt?! I would definitely be saying to the parent that the child needs to be larger than the weight not almost at the weight before changing and that you must follow strict guidelines and will therefore be continuing with the 5 point harness.

[snufflepuff]

I think Mum is waiting until LO reached the correct weight....but yes 2 is very young.

My son is the same age and almost the same weight as mindee, but I'm not removing his harness for a long time yet. Not until it won't fit him safely anymore! The thought of him using a normal seatbelt scares me to be honest!

[Monkey26]

Oh my word isn't 2 a bit young for a normal belt?! I would definitely be saying to the parent that the child needs to be larger than the weight not almost at the weight before changing and that you must follow strict guidelines and will therefore be continuing with the 5 point harness.

We actually rang Britax up about this as one of my mindees was only 2 but weighed 20kg... we all (parent's and me that is!) felt she was too young so wanted clarification as the guidelines say 9months-4years as well as the weight bit BUT Britax said if she weighs 20kg she is 2kg over the max weight the 5 point harnesses can take so if, for example you were involved in a high speed collision on the motorway she may as well not be wearing anything because her weight would break the harnesses!!!!

Scary... so yes, we moved her up to the next stage carseat that afternoon!!!

Britax also said they are looking to take out the age guidelines and just put weights as children are built very differently these days ie heavier younger, and parent's are choosing to go by age instead of weight which could have serious consequences. Will wait to see if that actually happens though... xx

[PixiePetal]

We actually rang Britax up about this as one of my mindees was only 2 but weighed 20kg... we all (parent's and me that is!) felt she was too young so wanted clarification as the guidelines say 9months-4years as well as the weight bit BUT Britax said if she weighs 20kg she is 2kg over the max weight the 5 point harnesses can take so if, for example you were involved in a high speed collision on the motorway she may as well not be wearing anything because her weight would break the harnesses!!!!

Scary... so yes, we moved her up to the next stage carseat that afternoon!!!

Britax also said they are looking to take out the age guidelines and just put weights as children are built very differently these days ie heavier younger, and parent's are choosing to go by age instead of weight which could have serious consequences. Will wait to see if that actually happens though... xx

much better to go by the weight - ages just confuse things for many people

My mindee just 3 is now out of the 5 point harness in their car - he is a big lad and quite heavy :rolleyes:

My DS was out of his baby seat and into forward facing at 5 months (this was 15 years ago so rules have changed) he was very heavy and big and seats were smaller then! he also moved to diagonal belt at 2 1/2 as his seat was then too small even though it was meant to be for up to 4 yrs. His weight was right to move up. Diagonal belts were for 9months up in those days!

[samb]

We actually rang Britax up about this as one of my mindees was only 2 but weighed 20kg... we all (parent's and me that is!) felt she was too young so wanted clarification as the guidelines say 9months-4years as well as the weight bit BUT Britax said if she weighs 20kg she is 2kg over the max weight the 5 point harnesses can take so if, for example you were involved in a high speed collision on the motorway she may as well not be wearing anything because her weight would break the harnesses!!!!

Scary... so yes, we moved her up to the next stage carseat that afternoon!!!

Britax also said they are looking to take out the age guidelines and just put weights as children are built very differently these days ie heavier younger, and parent's are choosing to go by age instead of weight which could have serious consequences. Will wait to see if that actually happens though... xx

Gosh! Yes it is confusing with the ages they should definitely sell by weight only it would make it much simpler! Went into Halfords today - my son is quite small for his age (he is 3.5 but only just going into 3-4yrs clothes, have to use the adjustable waist trousers etc) and yet I weighed him there and he is 17kg so very nearly too big for the Maxi Cosi Priori XP he is in (says 9 months-4 years)

[tashaleee]

Wow thats actually scary reading... I wonder how many of us go by age as opposed to size..... off to have a rethink about my own system as I have a feeling I may need to change things around :blush:

[Bob]

Yes this is a very thought provoking thread. Thank you to the OP for raising the issue.

Just like Tashalee I'm off to weigh one of ours who is at present in a five point seat.

Does anyone know of a good source of information about child seats that I could download and print?

[Mouse]

Yes this is a very thought provoking thread. Thank you to the OP for raising the issue.

Just like Tashalee I'm off to weigh one of ours who is at present in a five point seat.

Does anyone know of a good source of information about child seats that I could download and print?

This site has some useful information

http://www.childcarseats.org.uk/types/index.htm

[Chatterbox Childcare]

I have a six year old who can still fit in the 5 point harness

I think you parent is wrong as the child wouldn't be tall enough for the adult seat belt (unless mindee comes from giant stock that is!)

Stick to what you believe and trust your gut..

[curly]

That's very thought provoking, thank you x

[maisiemog]

My DD has always had to go into the next stage of car seat sooner than the recommendations because of her build! I also have a 4yo mindee who has to sit on a normal booster seat rather than one with sides because she is just so tall and stocky. I honestly think that the size of the child is more important than age.

[cat lady at 38]

rules and recommendations on car seats are there for a purpose and must be followed, they are there to keep the child from being harmed, your insurance would be invalid if you did not follow the corrrect manufactures guidelines, do what YOU should be doing and not what parents want you to do but i do know some parents can be difficult. as a part time pc i have seen many car accidents, the the affect it has on families and you do not want you or your family or anyone you care about including mindees to become one of these statistics, guidelines on weight are just as important, perhaps sit down with a instruction leaflet and parents and explain good luck x

[snufflepuff]

We actually rang Britax up about this as one of my mindees was only 2 but weighed 20kg... we all (parent's and me that is!) felt she was too young so wanted clarification as the guidelines say 9months-4years as well as the weight bit BUT Britax said if she weighs 20kg she is 2kg over the max weight the 5 point harnesses can take so if, for example you were involved in a high speed collision on the motorway she may as well not be wearing anything because her weight would break the harnesses!!!!

This is a bit scary and actually something I have been looking for some clarification on. What they are basically saying is that once a child reaches the 18kg weight limit, the 5 point harness must be removed, is that correct? Using a 5 point harness on a child that weighs more than 18kg is unsafe?
Eeek I really do not want to remove the harness from my son's carseat! He will be 3 in a few weeks and is almost 18kg. I don't feel that he is anywhere near ready for a normal seatbelt!

[kel1983]

This is all so worrying. If you have a 2 year old who is at the weight to move to a booster with just the adult belt, is that child likely to stay in the belt. I mind 2 year olds which have in the past managed to get them selves out of the shoulder straps on a car seat (I know scary and we pulled over straight away and made sure it was tighter). Im not sure I would trust a child of that age to stay in the adult belt.

[llkbabob]

i thought it was the law but if it's not i would def keep her in 5 point harness till she was over 18kg and could stil fit in it, for your own peace of mind and if anything happened(god forbid) they could come back at you with it.

[Monkey26]

That is what we were told by Britax yes, that the harnesses are only designed to hold up to 18kg... To give the little girl credit she has been a superstar and actually sits nicer in a "big girl seat" than she ever did in a five point harness - she was also an arm remover xx