Convertible Car Seats

[SuzySunshine]

We had a Roundabout and loved it - it fit great in my Santa Fe and now in my Acadia. We just upgraded from it because R was just barely outgrowing it.

This is the article MrsK is referring to:
http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/money...tch/55452346/1

Basically if the child AND the carseat weigh 65 pounds or more they should be installed with both the LATCH and the seatbelt or the seatbelt only.

Just make sure that when you install the Roundabout rear facing that you buy the adapter for the tether. Like this: http://comfortfirst.com/p-145876-dio...FdSmPAodyFkAwA

Although I've noticed newer ones are coming with it. Make sure it is tethered rear or forward facing, this seems to be the biggest issue and I notice my seats are lot tighter when they are tethered. This article describes what the tether strap is for and possible ways to install it rear facing with and without the tether connector.
http://www.angelfire.com/wa3/isakswings/ratetherrf.html

[spotty_dog]

The article recommended using the latch, teather, AND seatbelt to secure the seat.

Nope, no way, not OK. LATCH plus seatbelt has NOT been safety tested. You can use LATCH and tether up to total combined weight 65 pounds (currently summarized as child weight 40 pounds, but new regulations are clarifying this), or seatbelt and tether at any weight as long as the child fits safely in the seat and is under the seat's tested weight limits, but NOT LATCH plus seatbelt.

[MarissaNicole]

We have a marathon in my car and really like it but we're thinking a roundabout because I thought they were smaller for DH's sedan.

Wife to PGY3

[SuzySunshine]

Nope, no way, not OK. LATCH plus seatbelt has NOT been safety tested. You can use LATCH and tether up to total combined weight 65 pounds (currently summarized as child weight 40 pounds, but new regulations are clarifying this), or seatbelt and tether at any weight as long as the child fits safely in the seat and is under the seat's tested weight limits, but NOT LATCH plus seatbelt.

ETA - Never mind, not going to start a debate. My manual that comes with my carseat (Nautilus) says I can use the LATCH until my child is 48 pounds so that is what we will continue to do.

[SuzySunshine]

We have a marathon in my car and really like it but we're thinking a roundabout because I thought they were smaller for DH's sedan.

Wife to PGY3

Our Roundabout fit just fine in DH's G35 both rear and forward facing.

[spotty_dog]

The physics of crash forces, materials stresses, and how both interact with the tolerance of a human body are really super complicated. If the combination of the two attachments causes more of the crash force to be transferred to your child's body, then that is definitely not safer. More isn't always better, you know? At best, the phrase "this is untested" means simply "your child is the crash test dummy".

The whole benefit of LATCH is that it is easier to get a good, secure install. I totally agree with you there, I don't know how we lived without LATCH before we got our minivan! But seat belts are equally safe IF you get a good install, so if LATCH is not tested or is proven unsafe for your child's weight, LATCH + belt is not tested, but belt is tested and safe...that's the way to go even if it means a little more fiddling when you put the seat in. BTW, the concern with the weight limit isn't the *seat*, it's the *car* attachment...it's the car manufacturers who test the limits of the lower anchors, and each car manufacturer has slightly different test procedures and tolerances, but now they are standardizing the test to that 65 pounds total limit. The belt, of course, has been tested to the weight of a grown human. That's why belts are OK higher than lower anchors are.

BTW, on FB I misspoke. I do think that if you have the Graco in booster mode (ie. using the seat belt for restraint), it IS acceptable to attach the lower anchors. But you don't tighten them down firmly.

[Pollyanna]

Diapers.com currently has Britax seats at 25% off!!

[MarissaNicole]

Diapers.com currently has Britax seats at 25% off!!

Got 25% off with Diapers.com, $11 off a box of diapers, plus 4% back on ebates, 1% back with Discover card and free shipping!

Thanks!

Wife to PGY3

[MrsK]

I wrote to The Carseat Lady (have you seen her blog?) She agrees with Alison on the seat belt issue. However, she's also telling me that the Roundabout carseat is too small for my 19 mo old who is 30lbs. I'm kind of pissed since the Roundabout is marketed for up to 55lbs. I think she means that it is too small to use rear-facing with my gigantic toddler.

Anyone know the rationale for the 2yo rear facing recommendation? I know that they elimitated the 1yo or 20lb requirement because people were turning around 1yo babies who were smaller than 20 lbs. But is the 2yo recommendation arbitrary or is it based on a developmental milestone? I know 3yos that don't weigh 30 lbs.

[Michele]

It's based on head size and neck muscle strength. Basically young toddlers have large heads relative to their body size and neck strength. In a crash, forward facing, their large heavy heads move forward and whip back with enough force to snap necks or herniate brains or cause concussions or whatever. As they grow, their heads aren't quite so large comparatively and the risk of neck/brain trauma lessens and more closely resembles the risk to an adult.

At least that's my understanding of the issue.

[Vanquisher]

I've heard you should keep your child rear facing as long as their seat will allow.

[Deebs]

M & H are both right. In reality, a crash taken rear facing in a five point harness is easier on anyone, it's just that, at some point practicality wins out. If you want to scare yourself into keeping them rear facing, ask your DH or Google Internal Decapitation. There are tons of bad things that can happen, but this is he one that kept me a it when I wanted to turn my kiddos.

[MrsK]

Ugh, this is just making me sick. We turned both our boys at about 18 months when we were no longer able to get them into the rear facing carseats.

[Deebs]

I completely didn't mean to make you sick. I'm sorry. I honestly didn't realize they weren't still rear facing....I'm just going back to my corner now.

[MrsK]

We turned K1 just before K2 was born because DrK couldn't fit in the driver's seat with a rear facing seat behind it. We had K2 on the passenger's side in a rear facing seat until a couple weeks ago. We turned K2 because we literally could not fit him into the carseat when it was rear facing. (He is HUGE.) Now I'm wondering if we need to replace our roundabout carseats and turn K2 back into a rear facing position. (I'm assuming that K1 is okay forward facing since he is 3yo. He is 40" tall. No way we can get him into a rear-facing seat.) I hate to take any risk at all with my children.