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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think this advice can't be right?

64 replies

AmIGoingMad · 07/08/2013 19:56

DS is 2.6. He's really tall for age and weighs 17.5kg so we need a new carseat to replace his maxi cosi axiss.
Mothercare assistant told us that due to his weight and height we should get hog back booster which is used with 3 point adult seatbelt as there's nothing in between that's suitable. This can't be right can it?

OP posts:
Original poster
AmIGoingMad · 07/08/2013 19:56

High back not hog back!Grin

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ilovepowerhoop · 07/08/2013 20:03

there are some new seats that harness for longer as most harnesses are only suitable up to 18kgs so they may not have had any that would suit in their store. There are also seats that rear face for longer that would also be suitable (but also not available widely on the high street)

FrancesDeLaTourCoughngIntoABin · 07/08/2013 20:04

High back booster for a 2yo - rubbish!
Shoukd stilll be in the 5 point harnsss ones

ilovepowerhoop · 07/08/2013 20:04

www.britax.co.uk/car-seats/car-seats/xtensafix - this seat is harnessed up to 25kg

ThisWayForCrazy · 07/08/2013 20:05

Britax has a 5 point harness seat that goes up to 80lb, but I don't think it is available in the UK. You might be able to import one though.

ilovepowerhoop · 07/08/2013 20:05

if he is over the weight limit for the harness (18kg) then a high backed booster would have been the only option in the mothercare store if they dont stock the newer seats that harness up to a higher weight

ClaraOswald · 07/08/2013 20:11

The new Britax Xtensafix has only just been launched.

ClaraOswald · 07/08/2013 20:12

see if you have a store nearby that has it

MrsLouisTheroux · 07/08/2013 20:15

Age doesn't come into it. Buy the one that is made for his height and weight.

Rinoachicken · 07/08/2013 20:16

I got a highback for my son the other day with a 5 point harness that's removable later. (Hes tall too, butni dont trust him to not get out of a normal seatbelt). On offer at kiddicare £29.99 down from £60.

ilovepowerhoop · 07/08/2013 20:38

the 5 point harness on that kiddicare site is only suitable up to 18kgs so would not suit

mumof5plusazoo · 07/08/2013 20:41

I brought a five point removable harness high back car seat for my ds,3, in halfords about 2 months ago.
They are out there good luck.

ilovepowerhoop · 07/08/2013 20:46

it will depend what weight the harness can be used up to as the vast majority only do up to 18kgs whereas there are very few that harness to 25kg or over

tinyshinyanddon · 07/08/2013 20:48

Britax marathon has a five point harness and good to 70lb. Can't remember the height restriction but I have just moved my almost 6 year old out of theirs into a seatbelt positioning booster. The marathon can be front or rear facing. The USA recommend rear facing until 2 now - still not law but it will be soon. Similar to the uk I think?

LadyCurd · 07/08/2013 20:51

You need a britax two way elite 5point harness up to 25kg. Advantage of being rear facing too or forward facing my tall 3.5year old is still happy rear facing and will be good til she is 5 or 6 but will turn her forward facing at 4ish.

Original poster
AmIGoingMad · 07/08/2013 22:43

Mumof5plusazoo- which seat was it?

Thanks for the suggestions. I can't find any stockists of the xtensafix in the uk at the moment- any suggestions?

Mrslouistheroux- I think that age must come into it to a point. The adult seatbelts are far easier to undo for little hands than the child carseat 5 point harnesses. At 4 the child is more likely to understand the importance of not undoing the belt. At 2.6 I think it's a bit more difficult to fully grasp that importance and to go along with it when at a stage where they typically are testing boundaries in most situations.

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AnnabelleLee · 07/08/2013 22:55

My 6 year old fits in a seat that is like a high backed booster but with a 5 point harness, I'm rather sure my 9 year old could fit it if he had to. I can't see how your 2 and a half year old wouldn;t fit it, no matter how big for his age he is.

sparkle12mar08 · 07/08/2013 22:58

But his age doesn't matter in relation to how the seat does it's job. It relies on the child being a certain height and weight to activate stoppers and other components in the mechanisms. Putting him in a seat that doesn't fit his weight and height is dangerous.

pudtat · 07/08/2013 22:59

This maxi cosi goes to 25kg rear facing but doesn't suit every car ...

www.groovystyle.co.uk/productpages-new/maxi-cosi/mobi/mobi-black-reflection.php

3boys3dogshelp · 07/08/2013 23:13

I'm probably going to get flamed here but... I had to put my ds in a high back booster just before he was 3. He is really exceptionally tall for his age (ie off the chart tall) and over the weight limit for the harness. Most of the seats that convert through the groups still have a weight limit of 18kg on the harness stage. I couldn't afford 2 rear facing seats for him. He has been fine - he undid his seatbelt once, got a telling off and has never touched it again. If I won the lottery tomorrow I'd rearface all of them though.

AnnabelleLee · 07/08/2013 23:14

His age does of course matter if he can easily stop the seat doing its job; by opening the belt. A 2 year old needs a belt he can;t open on his own.

3boys3dogshelp · 07/08/2013 23:15

Btw I checked and was told if age and height/ weight don't correlate you must be guided by weight first.

ifitsnotanarse · 08/08/2013 00:03

DS is almost 3 and I had to move him to a high back booster. He was in a Britax 5 point harness but was able to wriggle both arms out. On the motorway. At 60+ miles an hour. Shock I had to keep stopping every 2nd junction just to put him back in correctly.
He is happy as Larry in the booster seat. However, I would much prefer he was still in the baby seat as there is much better support. Especially when he falls asleep, as he falls forward towards his lap.

SmeeHee · 08/08/2013 00:10

This is definitely not the ideal solution, however if you can't afford/find anywhere to buy something like the Britax Xtensafix an alternative would be to use a seat belt buckle cover/guard to prevent your DS from undoing the belt.

I've never used one but think I must of seen one on one of the many baby/toddler gear websites I spent lots of money on used to enjoy browsing... A quick Google brought up several different types available, but basically they cover the seat belt release button and are an extra layer of trickiness to get passed before you can undo the seat belt (but are apparently quick and easy for an adult!)

Definitely wouldn't be my first choice for my youngest as a 5-point harness is about more than just a difficult release button, however if I had to use a standard booster seat I'd definitely be looking into the buckle covers.

Thanks for posting this by the way as I hadn't realised about the 18 kg weight limit on the 5-point harness on DS2's seat (DS1 has a completely different build and would have been well over 4 before he hit 18 kg) so I'll be weighing DS2 in the morning to (hopefully!) reassure myself I won't have the same problem just yet.

Original poster
AmIGoingMad · 08/08/2013 07:36

3boys and ifitsnot can I ask which ones you went for?

Smeehee thanks for that suggestion! I didn't even know they existed. I'll definitely look into those as a back up. I just hate the thought of him not being able to be fully secured and that by the sounds of it, if we could afford a really pricey one or to import then he could be. It's very frustrating!

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