Carseat issue

kscwgirl

kscwgirl

New member
Okay, so I realized on Friday that J is 4 lbs over the weight limit for the car seat that is in my mom's van, my car and Jeff's truck. However, he can't go in a highback booster seat for another 15 months. Any ideas? I really really really don't want to go buy another carseat for him to use for a year and then buy another one, especially since we'd a. have to get 3 of them, and b. I can't find anything that will work at either Walmart or Target.. it's either the seat like I have or a booster... :blink:
 
that's what a highback booster is.. the back part comes off when they are old enough for a booster seat, but kansas law, he can't be in a highback booster until he is 4.
 
Well, if you buy a high-weight seat, you can use it as long as he's within the weight and height limits for the seat. You don't have to move him to a booster just because he's eligible for it. It's actually safer to keep them in a harness for as long as possible. Honestly, I see that as your only option, legally and safety-wise. I'm a carseat Nazi, though. :D

I can recommend some great (and not all super-expensive) high-weight seats for you if you'd like more info.
 
how much does he weigh?

this is what we have for our 3yr old. they can be harnessed 'til they reach 65lbs and then it can be used as a highback booster and a backless booster 'til 100lbs.

graco nautilus

^^normally I'm not a graco fan past the infant seat stage, but this one has gotten nothing but great reviews on every site I've seen.
 
psalm149 said:
Well, if you buy a high-weight seat, you can use it as long as he's within the weight and height limits for the seat. You don't have to move him to a booster just because he's eligible for it. It's actually safer to keep them in a harness for as long as possible. Honestly, I see that as your only option, legally and safety-wise. I'm a carseat Nazi, though. :D

I can recommend some great (and not all super-expensive) high-weight seats for you if you'd like more info.
Click to expand...

I'd love to see what you think, Tracie. I have a car seat issue, too. :)
 
psalm149 said:
Well, if you buy a high-weight seat, you can use it as long as he's within the weight and height limits for the seat. You don't have to move him to a booster just because he's eligible for it. It's actually safer to keep them in a harness for as long as possible. Honestly, I see that as your only option, legally and safety-wise. I'm a carseat Nazi, though. :D

I can recommend some great (and not all super-expensive) high-weight seats for you if you'd like more info.
Click to expand...

Tracie, that would be great, thanks.

He's 39 lbs and will be 3 in February.. which, seriously, how is that possible, since I freaking JUST gave birth?? :blink:
 
Linz said:
how much does he weigh?

this is what we have for our 3yr old. they can be harnessed 'til they reach 65lbs and then it can be used as a highback booster and a backless booster 'til 100lbs.

graco nautilus

^^normally I'm not a graco fan past the infant seat stage, but this one has gotten nothing but great reviews on every site I've seen.
Click to expand...


That one looks awesome, although the walmart site so lies, since I was IN the Shawnee walmart this morning and that carseat is not there. :D
 
I am of no help but Kassi needs a new one too. It just doesn't look comfy to me. But the law in NC is 8yrs or 80pnds so in March she doesn't have to have one. I'm still kinda weird over it though, putting her in a regular seat and seatbelt just scares me. I may get a new one and make her sit in it anyway. Car seat nazi here too LOL
 
psalm149 said:
Well, if you buy a high-weight seat, you can use it as long as he's within the weight and height limits for the seat. You don't have to move him to a booster just because he's eligible for it. It's actually safer to keep them in a harness for as long as possible. Honestly, I see that as your only option, legally and safety-wise. I'm a carseat Nazi, though. :D

I can recommend some great (and not all super-expensive) high-weight seats for you if you'd like more info.
Click to expand...

I'm the same way, Tracie. our little guy just turned 3 and he was still rear-facing until October or so of this year. he was soooo confused when we turned him around. dh was trying to put him in his seat and he just kept trying to turn backwards in the seat instead of facing forward. :D

we want to keep him harnessed as long as we can, which is why we bought the nautilus.
 
In Washington St. the recommendation) is that they be 4 ft. 9 inches before they move out of a booster seat. My 9.5 year old is still in a booster as she is only about 4ft. 6 inches. I'd keep them in a carseat/booster as long as you can!
 
The 4'-9" thing amazes me, but that's because I'm only 5'-4". So I would've been in a booster til I was like in middle school, LOL!
 
OK, here are some great general links with tons of info: Especially important is the info on extended rear-facing and extended harnessing. The videos linked are really eye-opening.

http://boards.babycenter.com/n/pfx/forum.aspx?tsn=1&nav=messages&webtag=bcus9421&tid=2214
http://www.car-seat.org/

The best seat for you depends on the height and weight of your child, the type of car you have, your budet, etc. These seats all have high weight and height limits (65 pounds and 49 inches):

* Britax Boulevard
* Britax Decathlon
* Britax Marathon
* Safety 1st Apex 65
* Sunshine Kids Radian Car Seat

More companies are making them each year, since they're in demand. We have the Radian and LOVE it. It's very narrow in the car, but still lots of room. I think we could fit 3 of them in the backseat if we needed to. Of these listed, the Safety 1st is usually the cheapest, but you can sometimes find great deals in Britax's and Radian's at Target and Amazon, so just look around first.

Here are the AAP's rec's for carseat safety, which are often more stringent (and SAFE) than many states' laws:
http://www.aap.org/FAMILY/carseatguide.htm#ForwardFacingSeats

Please ask if you have more questions! If I don't know the answer, I'll find it for you! :D

ETA: totally forgot about the Graco Nautilus! Thanks Linz!
 
I see Tracie beat me to the Car-seat.org link. The folks over their are so knowledgeable, they helped me figure out what to do for D when we figured out that he was heavier than the 40lb weight limit his seat had. Today he's riding in a seat that harnesses (yes, harnesses) to 115lbs and has 22½" top slots. He's 63lbs now, and on the fourth of five slots for the harness height. (He has lost 15lbs since August, when he started Adderall for hyperactivity.)

JP is still in a high-back booster and will be until he passes the 5-step test. He's 9, 80lbs and 4'3½". By law in WI, he doesn't require a seat any longer. Of course, seatbelt in the face isn't good, so he's in a booster. His father didn't make him use when while he was in SC. JP actually thanked me for making him use one (even though he's the only one in his class still using a booster at all.) because he feels so much safer in it.

I'll also recommend the Nautilus. It's a great seat, especially considering the only other seat like it on the market today is $300. (Yes, that one harnesses to 80lbs, but the harness height would probably prohibit that for most average kids. We tried it with JP, who is SHORT for his age, and he was too tall for the top slots. Devin was too, but he's tall for his age and ALL torso.)

Ok, stepping off my carseat freak soapbox now. :p
 
My 4 yr old is in a 5 point harness where the harness can later be removed (if she ever makes it to 40 pounds). I got it at Walmart for under $60. I think it is good up to 60 pounds.
 
not the most fabulous seat.. but this is what ce has.
http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=1943168

since you need to buy 3.. I figured I'd suggest something no the lower $$ end :p

it's got a 5pt harness.. which is removable when they out grow it.. and then just stays as a backed booster- which is what ce uses now. I've never seen one of the ones where you can take the back off hahaha.. This works great though, I never had any problems with it.
 
also wanted to add... skimming the reviews super quickly.. I dunno how peeps kids are too tall for it, ce is just about 4' tall.. and it's suited him just fine. I in fact JUST took the harness off a few months ago :p (he's a pune weight wise lol)
 
lauren grier said:
not the most fabulous seat.. but this is what ce has.
http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=1943168

since you need to buy 3.. I figured I'd suggest something no the lower $$ end :p

it's got a 5pt harness.. which is removable when they out grow it.. and then just stays as a backed booster- which is what ce uses now. I've never seen one of the ones where you can take the back off hahaha.. This works great though, I never had any problems with it.
Click to expand...

I looked at that one, but he'd only be in the harness for another pound. :D
 
lauren grier said:
not the most fabulous seat.. but this is what ce has.
http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=1943168

since you need to buy 3.. I figured I'd suggest something no the lower $$ end :p

it's got a 5pt harness.. which is removable when they out grow it.. and then just stays as a backed booster- which is what ce uses now. I've never seen one of the ones where you can take the back off hahaha.. This works great though, I never had any problems with it.
Click to expand...

This is not directed at you in any way La!

I find those seats to be entirely too misleading. The boxes read, "For children to 80lbs" in huge letters, then in fine print tell you that the harness is only good for kids from 22-40lbs. Honestly, Andrew & I fell prey to that when we replaced D's seat after Andrew was rear ended by a school bus in 2004. We figured, "Oh, this one goes to 100lbs, we're good!" $130 out the door and in the seat he went. It was a thread much like this one that led me to figure out that D needed a new seat and fast! After just a year in that seat, he'd outgrown it not only by weight but by height as well since his shoulders were above the top slot for the harness.

That said, price can be a major factor when it comes to carseats. It was for us. We saved for months to buy Devin the seat he's in now (it was $500, a special needs seat) Now, there are a few other seats that harness past 40lbs, but they're all in the $120-$150 range until you get the the Britax seats which are $270+. You'll be hard pressed to find anything for less than the $120 price tag, if you can even find that!
 
kscwgirl said:
that's what a highback booster is.. the back part comes off when they are old enough for a booster seat, but kansas law, he can't be in a highback booster until he is 4.
Click to expand...

Both my girls went into high back boosters when they turned 3 since they were well over 30lbs by then and too big to sit comfortably in the carseats we had, I wasn't aware Kansas law stated that they had to be 4 to be in one. We just went by the age & weight requirements on the boosters we bought. Kelsie is almost 5 now so she's still in a highback but Kaylie is 7 so she's using a backless booster now.
 
I have 2 Marathons right now and Teaghan is still in her Graco babyseat but I need to get a new carseat with a heavier weight limit to move Cam to (although she's far from 65 lbs but I have 2 more to go into it behind her) so I can have her Marathon for Teaghan.
 
We're getting the Nautilus next month. DS1 hasn't outgrown his Greco CarGo seat (he's good for a few more inches and about 35 more pounds:)) but we've had it so long it is about to expire. I like that it converts to backless. I can't recall the age limit here but he's staying in a booster until the seatbelt fits correctly & given his growth so far, we have a few years to go. :)
 
Shawna said:
Both my girls went into high back boosters when they turned 3 since they were well over 30lbs by then and too big to sit comfortably in the carseats we had, I wasn't aware Kansas law stated that they had to be 4 to be in one. We just went by the age & weight requirements on the boosters we bought. Kelsie is almost 5 now so she's still in a highback but Kaylie is 7 so she's using a backless booster now.
Click to expand...

Yah, I don't know if they changed it or what.. but I was actually pulled over last year by a state trooper who tried to tell me that Abby was too young to be in one and didn't believe me when I told him that she was 4. :blink:
 
I invested in a Britax Marathon for Ellie when she was a year old. She has been in it ever since. She is still using it in fact, and she will be 5 in March. She isn't even close the the 65 lb weight limit and still has another slot on the shoulder harness.

I have a hard time keeping my 7 yr old in a booster. He is just over 50 lbs so he has one, but it is a battle for him to actually sit in it.
 
OK I have no idea because my kids are 17, 15 and 11 LOL. Although from what I have read in this thread I would have been in serious trouble because my 15 year old weighed almost 40 pounds when he was about a year old (11 pounds at birth and 36.5 pounds at 12months).

kscwgirl said:
that's what a highback booster is.. the back part comes off when they are old enough for a booster seat, but kansas law, he can't be in a highback booster until he is 4.
Click to expand...
 
This was interesting to read. My youngest is 8, almost 9, and we're in Kansas. She was actually out of a booster and then Kansas law went into effect and we had to put her back in one. I'm OK with that, better safe than sorry, but she is huge. She's taller than her grandmothers. I'm just glad she was over 4 when the law passed, because I can't imagine having had her in a car seat until her 4th birthday.
 
We have 2 car seats that can be used from 5lbs rear facing to 80lbs forward facing. Maybe you can try one of those types?
 
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