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Question about booster/car seats

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MrsProfessor
hi

Member since 5/05

14279 total posts

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Question about booster/car seats

My DD is five, and tall for her age. She's in a booster with a back (Graco Nautilus) and we're still using the harness. But she fits the criteria for the seatbelt.

The seat's currently held in by the seatbelt. I asked DH what would hold the seat in place if the belt's going over DD, and he said nothing- the belt holds her and her seat. This doesn't sound right to me.

So if your child's in a booster, what holds the booster in place, especially if you have one with the back?

TIA.

Posted 1/27/13 11:28 AM
 

want2beamom
Love my boys soooo much!!!

Member since 8/06

10164 total posts

Name:
True love doesn't end with happily ever after...

Re: Question about booster/car seats

We have the nautilus but still use the harness as well. But the nautilus is held in by the latch system Does yours have one?

With a regular booster without the latch system, the seatbelt just holds them in like your husband said

Posted 1/27/13 12:29 PM
 

GoldenRod
10 years on LIF!

Member since 11/06

26792 total posts

Name:
Shawn

Re: Question about booster/car seats

Most boosters are only held in by the seatbelt. Unless the instruction manual explicitly says you can use the LATCH connection AND the belt, do not use them both together. If they aren't crash tested that way, it may not be safe to use both systems.

DS has a booster with a back in my truck. I have the top harness very loosely connected. Not enough to come into play if he's in the seat, but enough to keep it flying around the truck if I'm in an accident without him in the seat.

Posted 1/27/13 1:03 PM
 

LSP2005
Bunny kisses are so cute!

Member since 5/05

19458 total posts

Name:
L

Re: Question about booster/car seats

We had the same concerns as you and ended up getting the Britax Parkway SGL. It has the latch and goes to 100 lbs. It is meant to be used together and our car can accommodate it. The SGL version is only at Buy Buy Baby and on line. It is not offered from BRU.

Posted 1/27/13 1:32 PM
 

LSP2005
Bunny kisses are so cute!

Member since 5/05

19458 total posts

Name:
L

Re: Question about booster/car seats

Posted by want2beamom

We have the nautilus but still use the harness as well. But the nautilus is held in by the latch system Does yours have one?

With a regular booster without the latch system, the seatbelt just holds them in like your husband said



I think what the poster is asking is that once your DC no longer uses the harness, the Greco Nautilus is not supposed to be used with the latch system anymore. I am not sure what the weight limit is when you are supposed to stop using the latch for this car seat. But I think once you modify it into a high back booster, you are not supposed to have it latched to the car. I am not a car seat expert, so I would look into it with the manuals. I am basing the above on what I have read here repeatedly. So she was wondering is it a safety hazard where the car seat could fly out of the car or hit the driver in an accident. As for the latch it depends upon your car but on line at carseat safety they said it was about 40 lbs.. I would look at the owners manual for your particular car and the car seat itself.

I would check your owners manual for both your car and your specific car seat to determine the latch recommendations for your particular car seat.

Message edited 1/27/2013 1:46:00 PM.

Posted 1/27/13 1:38 PM
 

want2beamom
Love my boys soooo much!!!

Member since 8/06

10164 total posts

Name:
True love doesn't end with happily ever after...

Re: Question about booster/car seats

Posted by LSP2005

Posted by want2beamom

We have the nautilus but still use the harness as well. But the nautilus is held in by the latch system Does yours have one?

With a regular booster without the latch system, the seatbelt just holds them in like your husband said



I think what the poster is asking is that once your DC no longer uses the harness, the Greco Nautilus is not supposed to be used with the latch system anymore. I am not sure what the weight limit is when you are supposed to stop using the latch for this car seat. But I think once you modify it into a high back booster, you are not supposed to have it latched to the car. I am not a car seat expert, so I would look into it with the manuals. I am basing the above on what I have read here repeatedly. So she was wondering is it a safety hazard where the car seat could fly out of the car or hit the driver in an accident. As for the latch it depends upon your car but on line at carseat safety they said it was about 40 lbs.. I would look at the owners manual for your particular car and the car seat itself.

I would check your owners manual for both your car and your specific car seat to determine the latch recommendations for your particular car seat.



Wow, I never knew this. I have not read the manual for this part yet, being that we are not using it that way yet. Thank you so much for this info! Sorry for the wrong info!

Posted 1/27/13 2:06 PM
 

CunningOne
***

Member since 5/05

26975 total posts

Name:

Re: Question about booster/car seats

Yes, most cars/trucks are only good for use of any latch-system car seat up to 40 lbs - even if the car seat says it can go to 100 lbs.

Once children are over 40 lbs, they can still use a car seat with a 5-point harness, like a Nautilus or a Britax Marathon, if the car seat is secured to the car using the seat belt.

Once they move out of the 5-point harness and they are just using a high back booster, the only thing holding both the child AND the car seat is the seat belt. The seat isn't secured at all when a child is not in it with the seat belt on. It's usually free to move about. sometimes the seat belt is strung through a clip at the shoulder height, but that's it.

HTH clear some things up.

Posted 1/27/13 3:28 PM
 

jellybean78
:)

Member since 8/06

13103 total posts

Name:
Mommy

Question about booster/car seats

DDs is still in her Nautilus in our car. After your DC reaches 40 lbs most car seats are not supposed to be installed with latch including your run of the mill convertible car seats. Check your car seat and your car manual but that seems to be pretty universal

When DD goes in her high back booster that seat goes directly in the car she sits in it and then the seatbelt straps her and the seat together.

Posted 1/27/13 8:03 PM
 

Jacksmommy
My love muffin!

Member since 1/07

5819 total posts

Name:
Liz

Re: Question about booster/car seats

I just bought a graco affix which is a high back booster with latch that can be used up til 100 pounds. The only others I saw with latch were well over 100 dollars!

Posted 1/27/13 8:20 PM
 

InShock
life is good

Member since 10/06

9258 total posts

Name:

Question about booster/car seats

Sort of off topic, but how come things like car seat mirrors (for infants) aren't recommended because they could be a "projectile" during a crash, but a whole friggin car seat (booster) can sit in a car unattached and not be a problem?!

Posted 1/27/13 10:34 PM
 

LSP2005
Bunny kisses are so cute!

Member since 5/05

19458 total posts

Name:
L

Re: Question about booster/car seats

I think the theory (although mistaken in my mind) is that a hbb is to large to fit over the driver/passenger seat and a booster would just hit the seat. IMO it could still hurt the driver or passenger and it does not feel safe. As for the mirror - it is considered a possible projectile to the child.

Posted 1/27/13 11:40 PM
 

Jacksmommy
My love muffin!

Member since 1/07

5819 total posts

Name:
Liz

Re: Question about booster/car seats

Posted by InShock

Sort of off topic, but how come things like car seat mirrors (for infants) aren't recommended because they could be a "projectile" during a crash, but a whole friggin car seat (booster) can sit in a car unattached and not be a problem?!



From my research you are supposed to buckle the car seat in whether the child is in the car or not. I am not that efficient which is why I made sure to get one with latch.

Posted 1/28/13 4:54 AM
 

jellybean78
:)

Member since 8/06

13103 total posts

Name:
Mommy

Re: Question about booster/car seats

Posted by Jacksmommy

Posted by InShock

Sort of off topic, but how come things like car seat mirrors (for infants) aren't recommended because they could be a "projectile" during a crash, but a whole friggin car seat (booster) can sit in a car unattached and not be a problem?!



From my research you are supposed to buckle the car seat in whether the child is in the car or not. I am not that efficient which is why I made sure to get one with latch.



Yes when the kid is not in the booster it is supposed to still be strapped in if not it could become a flying object in the event of a car accident.

Posted 1/28/13 10:27 AM
 

MrsDiamondgrlie
Bailey

Member since 5/05

12810 total posts

Name:
D

Re: Question about booster/car seats

I think the whole thing with the big kid booster seats is that the kid can be safe with a seat belt, they just need a "boost" to have the seat belt in the correct spot on their body. So it doesnt really matter if the booster seat itself attaches to the car's seat as long as the seat belt is buckled. Right?

Posted 1/28/13 10:44 AM
 

InShock
life is good

Member since 10/06

9258 total posts

Name:

Re: Question about booster/car seats

Posted by jacquig

Posted by Jacksmommy

Posted by InShock

Sort of off topic, but how come things like car seat mirrors (for infants) aren't recommended because they could be a "projectile" during a crash, but a whole friggin car seat (booster) can sit in a car unattached and not be a problem?!



From my research you are supposed to buckle the car seat in whether the child is in the car or not. I am not that efficient which is why I made sure to get one with latch.



Yes when the kid is not in the booster it is supposed to still be strapped in if not it could become a flying object in the event of a car accident.



Ohh, ok! Makes sense!

Posted 1/28/13 11:27 AM
 

2BadSoSad
LIF Adult

Member since 8/12

6791 total posts

Name:

Re: Question about booster/car seats

Holy Cow, I did NOT know this about the latch after 40lbs.

I even read the manual for the Graco Nautilus and obviously missed that.

One of my DC is in the Nautilus, with the seatbelt bc DC shoulders were higher than the top harness slot but I still have in installed with the latch system. Good to know.

I swear, I know all of these things make the carseats safer, but with SO many recommendations, so many rules, so many restritctions, so may guidelines, weight/height limits, sometimes I wonder if it doesn't make it all worse.

Posted 1/28/13 12:25 PM
 

Eireann
Two ladies and a gentleman!

Member since 5/05

12165 total posts

Name:

Re: Question about booster/car seats

Posted by MrsDiamondgrlie

I think the whole thing with the big kid booster seats is that the kid can be safe with a seat belt, they just need a "boost" to have the seat belt in the correct spot on their body. So it doesnt really matter if the booster seat itself attaches to the car's seat as long as the seat belt is buckled. Right?



That is how I understand it.

Yeah, I thought it was really weird before my DDs were in boosters too. Meanwhile, I know I probably shouldn't do this, but when they're not in the car I don't buckle the boosters in.

Posted 1/28/13 12:38 PM
 
 

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