Advice needed - baby car seat questions (merged)

Counting_Pennies_2

Can anyone advise me on what to look for with a Car seat for a four year old please.

I am looking for the type that you just put a car seat belt across.

Not sure what I should be looking for in terms of spec.

Anyone able to help?

Thanks

DaisyFlower

Recently had to look into this as we needed a booster seat for our 4 year old (just gone 5) and used the Which reports to help us decide. We went with the Maxi Cosi Rodi which scored really high in the tests. More expensive than some on the market (although not the highest) but some of the cheap ones scored really low.

Had it from Boots but Mothercare and other places sell them.

If you've seen a particular model I may still have the results somewhere to see if it was in the top ten.

nickmack

Managed to lose the belt protector that covers the three point harness on our Cabriofix car seat.

According to the Maxi Cosi web site, sets of belt protectors (I assume including the shoulder belt protectors as well) are available from retailers.

I've searched on the internet, but can't find a retailer who has these. Has anyone found them before?

Butterfly888_2

The retailers sell them with the cover aswell, no one sells the pads individually, which will cost you approx £45!!!

nickmack

Butterfly888 wrote: »

The retailers sell them with the cover aswell, no one sells the pads individually, which will cost you approx £45!!!

Ouch!! I think we'll do without it. That's over 50% of what it cost for the whole seat!

Alias_Omega

Were looking to put him into a forward facing car seat, he is too big for the rear facing seat as his legs hang over and head is not far from the top, seat is a mamas and papas pliko p3 thing, he was weighed in at 16lb 6oz 2 weeks ago, can walk around the lounge in the walker on the laminate, but only gets half way down hallway on carpet area. Can roll onto belly, and hold feet, is eating food, yoghart, chocoloate etc, and think he is older than 5 months.

Was looking at a forward group 0+ car seat for the car, what do you think?

too early? too light or wait till 19lb is hit before moving over (19lb = 9kg)

daphne_descends

You give your 5 month old chocolate? Okay.

Rear facing car seats are safer than forward facing. If his head is not over the top of it he has not outgrown it. My 6 month old is 20lbs and still in his.

Money_Maker_Shaker

I agree with the previous poster rear facing car seats are considerably safer than the forward facing ones and so staying in that type for as long as possible is best. Also your baby needs to be a confident sitter, the car safety centre in Milton Keynes says the baby needs to be able to sit unaided for 30 mins before they are ready to move to a forward facing seat.

Hope that helps, and chocolate for a 5 month old blimey!

bestpud

I have looked into this as mine were all big babies.

I was told it does not matter if their feet are hanging over the edge as in Scandinavian countries, children up to 4 (or was it 6?) years of age, sit in rearward facing seats with their knees tucked up!

It is his head and neck which need the support more than his legs so, as said, unless his head is well above the top of the seat, leave him as he is. If you crash and he is forward facing, his neck/head could be badly damaged as his muscles are not developed enough to take the strain of his head being thrown forward.

This is what I was told anyway and I decided not to take the chance. None of mine were bothered in the slightest about their feet touching the back of the car seat - they just stuck their legs in the air if they wanted to stretch them out.

Sagaris

bestpud wrote: »

I have looked into this as mine were all big babies.

I was told it does not matter if their feet are hanging over the edge as in Scandinavian countries, children up to 4 (or was it 6?) years of age, sit in rearward facing seats with their knees tucked up!

It is his head and neck which need the support more than his legs so, as said, unless his head is well above the top of the seat, leave him as he is. If you crash and he is forward facing, his neck/head could be badly damaged as his muscles are not developed enough to take the strain of his head being thrown forward.

This is what I was told anyway and I decided not to take the chance. None of mine were bothered in the slightest about their feet touching the back of the car seat - they just stuck their legs in the air if they wanted to stretch them out.

Absolutely - babies are safer the longer you can leave them rearward facing - and they should be a minimum of 22lb before you put them forward facing, as the seats are only crash tested from that weight.

If you have the Primo Viaggio car seat it's a Group 0+ and should last him till his 29lb anyway - although in practice the seat does seem a bit on the small side.
You could always try a 2 way seat (Britax First Class) which has a seat to last a child until they are 4, but don't be tempted to turn it round too soon! And they can be a pain to fit in some cars.

My nephew (who was only 5lb when he was born) was 18 months before he got to the 29lb weight limit, his head didn't come up above the top of the seat, so rearward facing he stayed!