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What would you do - car seat dilemma!

10 replies

PussinJimmyChoos · 14/04/2010 22:55

Going abroad to Syria in a few weeks with DS who will be nearly 4 and over 3ft.

We have a Britax First Class Si car seat over there which is 5 pt harness and goes up to 18kgs.

DS is over 18kgs now - probably around 19kgs or 19.5kgs - will weigh him tomorrow.

The plan was to take a high back booster with us and leave it there for future trips.

However, DH pointed out that as DS is not that much over the weight limit, could we get away with using First Class Si car seat for this trip - it will be used to and from airport (not more than 20min journey) and to people's houses - all city driving and no more than 10-15mins each trip

What do you think? I personally feel that once they go over 18kgs the car seat will cease to be safe in an impact due to it not being weight tested etc but then if he's in a high back booster, he will only be secured by the adult lap belt - we don't even use a high back booster here - have a Britax two way Elite that harnesses up to 25kgs

What are your thoughts? Would the Si be safe past 18kgs?

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navyeyelasH · 14/04/2010 23:06

I wouldn't as the harness wont be weight tested. 1.5kg isn't much but in high speeds weight doubles (or whatever the figure is) what if the harness pops open?

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navyeyelasH · 14/04/2010 23:07

I should add as a disclaimer I'm super cautious and a bit paranoid about cars and car seats.

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IMoveTheStars · 14/04/2010 23:12

Weigh him. if he's 18.5kg, then risk it, if he's 20kg then don't.

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BertieBotts · 14/04/2010 23:17

I would say that a good quality high backed booster which he is in the weight limit for would be safer than a seat with 5 point harness that he has outgrown, despite the fact a 5 point harness is safer, it only is if it is working as designed if that makes sense.

What is his height like? (Sorry not sure what 3ft is in relevance to car seats) If the straps of the harness start below the top of his shoulders then he is too tall for it anyway. (If you are not sure, maybe you could go and check in Halfords or somewhere, or try a friend's one?)

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PussinJimmyChoos · 15/04/2010 08:10

Thanks for all the replies. I weighed him this morning and he's actually under 18kgs!! I honestly thought he was over that!

The last time we used the Si he was fine shoulder wise as long as he didnt have a bulky coat on, which he won't as lovely and hot in Syria atm so will be summer clothes anyway...but good point about checking in Mothercare or similar re the height and shoulders...will do that this morning!

I'm super cautious about car seats also - hence having the 2 way Elite which harnesses up to 25kg as I think much safer than high back booster at this stage. We have so many car seats now I think I could set up a shop!

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BertieBotts · 15/04/2010 13:36

Glad it is all fine I was always paranoid about DS getting to 13kgs when he was way under it, for his RF baby seat! I should just say, if you are concerned about car seat safety you should know that it's not advised to put them in carseats wearing bulky coats because the fibres of the padding in the coat can compress under the force of a crash and mean that the straps are too loose.

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Seona1973 · 15/04/2010 13:36

high backed boosters are ok from 15kgs so he would be ok weight wise for one as long as the seat belt is at the correct place - the high backed boosters have a guide for the belt anyway. DS has been in one since he was 2 1/2 as he was over 18kgs and we had to remove his harness.

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PussinJimmyChoos · 25/04/2010 20:10

Arghh!!

Weighed DS just now to see how he was before the trip and he is 18.25kgs...

I tried him in the first class Si at my mums this weekend and his shoulders still sit below the highest strap hole so height wise its still ok. He looks a bit snug in it but the maximum length of any journey will be 20mins...

Do you think it will be ok for him given that he's over the 18kg weight by .25kg??

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bran · 25/04/2010 20:16

Could you encourage him to do a big poo before every car journey to bring his weight down?

I think just slightly over will be fine, especially if you know that he's ok for the straps heightwise.

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PussinJimmyChoos · 25/04/2010 20:22

Bran - I just did the converter thing and it works out to be around 8oz....thing is, I am a total safety nut with car seats! He didn't look that comfy in the Si either...

Fecking overseas relatives with their fecking lax attitude to car seats - its not like I can ask them to get a high back booster for us there...that would be putting them out!!! Last time I asked them to get a new travel cot for DS (then 9months) to save us taking one, I turned up to find a had seen better days one borrowed from a relative!!

I wiped it all down with the milton wipes I had bought (yes, PFB syndrome abound!!)while ranting about SIDS to DH...luckily I had the foresight to bring my own travel cot mattress and sheets so at least he was sleeping on a new surface...