18kg child but too small for seat belt

[lovefairylights]

So our rather solid daughter 2.5 year old daughter is fast approaching 18kg, which is when her car seat can no longer be used with the harness.
It can be converted to a high back booster seat and be used with the car seat belt, so we have tried her but she is too small and the belt is not fitting well. Checked the Rospa website and know it should rest on shoulder not neck, pelvis not stomach and doesn't feel like it pulls tight enough.

Anyone else had this problem?

Any recommendations for good shops in the North West to try out some new car seats? Whats the general verdict on Halfords? Are the Mothercare/John Lewis shops just as good with these seats as they are with the baby seats?

(Our previous seat was bought online/over the phone as I wanted rear facing - am very gutted that I hadn't realised that the seat I was recommended was only rear facing to 18kg)

[lovefairylights]

the other thing i'm concerned about is that as she's still so young she still naps a lot when we are driving - I can't see how a seat belt will hold her in when she starts slumping forwards while asleep...

[MigGril]

Most harness only go upto 18kg, not many go over. One shop who can advice you online would be the in car safety centre, they are based in Milton Keynes. But have an online shop.

I had this issue when I looked at car seats for DD I vote you now have more options, but I was faced with putting her in a high backed booster or buying two seats the same. As the Brtiax two way elite, if it fits your car will rear face till 25kg with a 5point harness.

As DD had already been forward facing for some time (this was a while ago) we whent with a high back booster. But she was almost 5 at that point so quit a bit older. We got the elite for DS who was a baby at the time and who at 18kg age 5 now is still in it.

[MigGril]

Neck pillows are good for sleeping children, although putting DD into a high backed booster stopped her sleeping in the car. Even though is an isofix so can be tilted back a little bit.

[Hedgeh0g]

The Britax 2 way elite harnesses to 25kg, and is a fairly universal fit. You can only buy from the In Car Safety Centre but they do good over the phone advice and will post out.

If you're on Facebook there's a great group called Car Seat Advice for Mummies and Daddies- admined by car seat experts. You can post your child's height, weight and age, car make and model, and you'll get recommendations on best car seat and also if there are any specialist retailers in your area.

[lovefairylights]

thanks - i bought my current seat from the in car safety centre - they are the ones that highlighted that the car seat I bought from them would probably be rubbish as a high back booster - which they'd said that when they sold me it in the first place...

Will probably phone them again for a chat anyway...

Off to find that Facebook group...

[mamapants]

I know you aren't asking about weight but surely at 18kg at 2.5 you should be concerned about that. Typically children are 4or 5 when there weight hits 18kg.

[MigGril]

Year mama I was avoiding that both mind have been 5 years and above average for night.

Are you sure she's 18kg she's almost off the top of the charts.

[dementedpixie]

My ds was 18kg at just under 3 too. He went into a high backed booster as extended rear facing seats weren't really in use at that stage

[dementedpixie]

Some children are bigger and heavier than others, doesn't mean anything is wrong with them

[Laquila]

In the North West, Winstanleys Pram Worls in Wigan are good for car seats and stock a range of ERFs, but I'd phone first to see if they have anything suitable/any advice.

[Laquila]

If 18kg at that age is "almost off the top of the charts" then surely that's still on the charts, and still classed as normal?!

[MigGril]

As long as hight is in proption that's fine but then surely a standard high backed booster seat would fit as an 18kg child would be tall enough on average the size of average 4 year old. If they are much smaller then it is a health concern.

[mamapants]

Well it depends on height as well Dixie but you can check a bmi calculator and at an average height for a 2.5 year old it comes out as obese that's why I was raising it as a concern. Although I know its not really my business and thought I probably shouldn't have said anything

[Legofriend]

We use a Cybex Pallas by Mamas and Papas as it has a safety cushion that slots on the front which also doubles as a harness but can be used with a seatbelt when the child is older. Our child falls asleep resting on it. Did loads of research and this one came up trumps for safety.

[dementedpixie]

I am sure those cushions are only suitable up to 18kg too

[OMGtwins]

You could have a look on the securatot website if you are interested in extended rear facing. They do quite a few seats for more than 18kg. We bought ERF seats for our twins and they will last until they are 5 or older, and weigh 25kgs. www.securatot.co.uk/axkid-minikid-red. They are really helpful and knowledgeable.

[Legofriend]

Demented they go up to 36kg.

[dementedpixie]

The seat does up to 36kg but the shield is only suitable up to 18kg

May I use the impact shield after having switched to group 2/3?

No, the impact shield is only suitable for the use as a group I child seat (9-18 kg). When the child´s weight exceeds 18 kg it may solely be secured with the vehicle´s 3-point belt system which also provides optimum protection.

[Legofriend]

I stand corrected :-)

[westcountrywoman]

Britax do a relatively new seat that goes up to 25kg with a harness, called the advansafix. After 25kg, you can remove the harness and it becomes a high back booster. It's isofix only though and you need the tether points in the boot as well as the usual clippy bits.

[lovefairylights]

Thanks - I've spent ages last night looking at seats but it's where to go round here in North west and the shop will put all of them in the car so we can check the seat belt is a better fit round the neck than her current one.
We got our pram from winstanleys so I will call them to see if they have those type of seats as I only recall new baby stuff...
As for concerns about her weight - well she's been seen by professionals (gp and hv in last 3 months) and no concerns raised. Like her mum she's muscly and strong with a normal level of fat but those calculators always call me obese when I'm not either so i take them with a pinch of salt and i do critically look at her to see if she is fat/out of proportion.

[Booboostwo]

The Cybex Solution M is a good booster for larger young children. The height adjusts really easily, the seatbelt is threaded over the thighs and clicks into place on the shoulder and it has a reclining bit that encourages the head to stay back and upright when sleeping rather than slump forward.