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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Axkid car seat and not fitting

140 replies

DreamyNavyMentor · 04/06/2024 20:08

I purchased an Axkid car seat from a retailer as they had a free seat cover. Turns out the seat cover won't fit the car as the seat doesn't fit correctly in it and my babys head is slumping forward when asleep.

The Axkid Move Kid is from 60cm and baby is 70cm and upper weight centile, so should fit him. The insert is removed at 110cm.

Surely it's not normal for the baby to not be able to have their head resting on the back on the baby seat as their natural position and, marks on legs. There is a wedge that keeps the car seat reclined but my car seats are quite upright.

Aibu in thinking this car seat isn't fit for purpose if the head is slumping forward? It's like the head rest is too large.

Ftm

Axkid car seat and not fitting
Axkid car seat and not fitting
Axkid car seat and not fitting
OP posts:
Thread gallery
15
Hinkuy · 07/06/2024 09:19

DreamyNavyMentor · 07/06/2024 09:08

And ignore the manual by keeping the baby in the carrier when they exceed the weight and length?

I think you're really misreading and misunderstanding the manuals of these seats.

BertieBotts · 08/06/2024 00:20

The other posters are right, he's a little bit too small for this yet. However, some posters are getting confused between this seat and the older model Axkid Move which was quite different and didn't fit babies until around 80+cm which is usually over a year old.

It's confusing because the limits are always a bit... inexact.

You bought from Scotland - is this Little Peas? If so, send them an email. The owner is very kind and helpful and will probably get back to you promptly. You could even ask if they are willing to do a video call with you - they do this sometimes.

Essentially, the 61cm minimum is to differentiate from seats which have a 40cm minimum. 40cm minimum = from birth and this seat will have a good recline and head support even for newborn babies. 61cm minimum = the baby needs to be sitting at least with support, approx 4 months old (better 6+ months old). Then the actual physical size of the baby matters too, as they need to meet the shoulder straps at the bottom setting. I would expect that you do need the insert in at 70-80cm. 110cm is approximately the height of a 5 year old.

Your baby is 70cm now, so he has a while to go in the Maxi Cosi. It's OK, actually good if he looks snug in it. You generally want a car seat to be snug. Better snug than loose. Essentially, think of the car seat as being like a helmet but for their whole body. It's OK if his legs are reaching off the end, as long as his head is contained within the shell.

It is correct not to go over the height limit, but at 70cm, he's not there yet, and he likely won't be anywhere near the 12kg weight limit. You likely have 3-6 months left until he does reach 75cm, which means that he'll be quite a bit bigger by the time he goes into your new seat. Remember that babies grow much more rapidly at first and then their growth slows down towards the end of the first year and into the second year.

Bear in mind that the height limits were brought in because in Europe baby clothes are sized by height - so the idea will be that parents move their child roughly when they are going into size 80 baby clothes (which is equivalent to UK size 9-12 months). It is not supposed to be really exact where 1mm over the height causes a problem. Using a 75cm seat at 76cm is not a big risk, as long as their head is still within the seat shell. However once you do notice that he is over the 75cm, you should move him to the next stage seat.

Again you are getting some advice which relates to older versions of the seats - Maxi Cosi used to have an old regulation Cabriofix which did not have a height limit, and the advice for that seat was to keep using until the head reached the edge of the shell or 13kg, whichever came first. Those seats often lasted much much longer than the current Maxi Cosi seats. I agree they are not the best value. But in any case, don't stress, because you still have some months of use in your current seat yet.

I would not buy another seat, especially not without trying it in your car and with your baby first. Speak to your retailer and get some advice, Axkid is a good brand and all Axkid importers are trained well, but I am sure that he will fit better in the seat that you have when he is just a little bit bigger.

Sorry if I have repeated stuff others have said.

BertieBotts · 08/06/2024 00:57

OK I have caught up on the posts on the thread.

The photos of him in his Maxi Cosi - this is a PERFECT fit. Please keep him in here. He looks great in this seat. He will be fine in there probably until 8-9 months minimum if not all the way up to 12 months. He has plenty of growing room, and they do not keep putting on cm at the rate they do from birth, otherwise they would be about 5 metres tall by adulthood.

To add my take on some things that have been said by others:

All Maxi Cosi seats fit until 15 months

This is not true any more, this is a smaller seat with a smaller limit, plus size varies by baby anyway. However I think OP will probably get to 9-12 months in it. I think posters are either thinking of the old previous model Cabriofix (not i-size) which was really roomy and great - the modern Maxi Cosis are smaller, even the ones with bigger limits, or they are looking at the blurb on the website which is sadly not very accurate.

Axkid Move straps need to be physically unthreaded and moved down

Again this applies to the older model Axkid Move, not this one OP has which is Axkid Movekid and is a newer model. With this model, the headrest slides up and down to move the straps. In the showroom picture, the headrest is much too high, in OP's later pictures, the straps are actually sited correctly but I think this baby would be better off waiting until he is sitting independently if he can get there before reaching 75cm.

Axkids don't fit until over 12 months

The old (R44) Axkids did not, but the newer ones (R129) are from 61cm or approx 6/7 months. These are different seats even though they have very similar names. They are designed differently to meet the newer regulation.

Keeping car seats in the loft will make them mouldy/unsafe

Not necessarily - I don't know where this comes from? It seems to be accepted wisdom in all the car seat groups, but there is nothing about lofts which is inherently dangerous to car seats. You should protect it from moisture if you are going to store it for a while. So if you do tend to find things go mouldy in your loft, then it's not a good place to store it. But if your loft is dry and you store other things there with no issues, then it's fine. Or you could keep it in a wardrobe, a garage, a corner of a room, whatever storage space you have. It's probably only 2-4 months you'll need to store it anyway.

Avionaut Sky is better for tall kids/more compact/36kg limit is excessive on Axkid

It has a much shorter backrest, and the height limit is the same so no advantage for taller kids. It does fit younger children better, but this is probably not necessary, since OP still has an infant carrier. Although some seats will be much bigger or smaller than others, the amount of front to back space they take up varies between cars anyway due to the angle of the vehicle seats. In any case, as your child gets bigger, they will need less recline on the Axkid so it will take up less space anyway, whereas the Avionaut Sky only has one recline position. You might also look at whether you are fitting it with extra leg room, which won't be required at this age.

Agreed the 36kg limit is superfluous. I do agree with Margaret at Rear facing Toddlers though, she says essentially the point of it having such a high limit is that you can totally ignore the weight limit, and just look at the height limit/your child's fit.

DreamyNavyMentor · 09/06/2024 16:57

BertieBotts · 08/06/2024 00:57

OK I have caught up on the posts on the thread.

The photos of him in his Maxi Cosi - this is a PERFECT fit. Please keep him in here. He looks great in this seat. He will be fine in there probably until 8-9 months minimum if not all the way up to 12 months. He has plenty of growing room, and they do not keep putting on cm at the rate they do from birth, otherwise they would be about 5 metres tall by adulthood.

To add my take on some things that have been said by others:

All Maxi Cosi seats fit until 15 months

This is not true any more, this is a smaller seat with a smaller limit, plus size varies by baby anyway. However I think OP will probably get to 9-12 months in it. I think posters are either thinking of the old previous model Cabriofix (not i-size) which was really roomy and great - the modern Maxi Cosis are smaller, even the ones with bigger limits, or they are looking at the blurb on the website which is sadly not very accurate.

Axkid Move straps need to be physically unthreaded and moved down

Again this applies to the older model Axkid Move, not this one OP has which is Axkid Movekid and is a newer model. With this model, the headrest slides up and down to move the straps. In the showroom picture, the headrest is much too high, in OP's later pictures, the straps are actually sited correctly but I think this baby would be better off waiting until he is sitting independently if he can get there before reaching 75cm.

Axkids don't fit until over 12 months

The old (R44) Axkids did not, but the newer ones (R129) are from 61cm or approx 6/7 months. These are different seats even though they have very similar names. They are designed differently to meet the newer regulation.

Keeping car seats in the loft will make them mouldy/unsafe

Not necessarily - I don't know where this comes from? It seems to be accepted wisdom in all the car seat groups, but there is nothing about lofts which is inherently dangerous to car seats. You should protect it from moisture if you are going to store it for a while. So if you do tend to find things go mouldy in your loft, then it's not a good place to store it. But if your loft is dry and you store other things there with no issues, then it's fine. Or you could keep it in a wardrobe, a garage, a corner of a room, whatever storage space you have. It's probably only 2-4 months you'll need to store it anyway.

Avionaut Sky is better for tall kids/more compact/36kg limit is excessive on Axkid

It has a much shorter backrest, and the height limit is the same so no advantage for taller kids. It does fit younger children better, but this is probably not necessary, since OP still has an infant carrier. Although some seats will be much bigger or smaller than others, the amount of front to back space they take up varies between cars anyway due to the angle of the vehicle seats. In any case, as your child gets bigger, they will need less recline on the Axkid so it will take up less space anyway, whereas the Avionaut Sky only has one recline position. You might also look at whether you are fitting it with extra leg room, which won't be required at this age.

Agreed the 36kg limit is superfluous. I do agree with Margaret at Rear facing Toddlers though, she says essentially the point of it having such a high limit is that you can totally ignore the weight limit, and just look at the height limit/your child's fit.

Omg wonderful post.

Yes I agree that I think because he's not sitting upright by himself very well than his back curls over in the seat - I'm not explaining it very well! But if he was sitting better I think it would be fine.

The seat takes up to much room though. Will another seat take up less room? (Back of the baby seat means the front passenger seat it unusable).

OP posts:
BertieBotts · 09/06/2024 16:59

Which one sorry? The Maxi Cosi takes up too much room or the Axkid?

DreamyNavyMentor · 09/06/2024 17:12

BertieBotts · 09/06/2024 16:59

Which one sorry? The Maxi Cosi takes up too much room or the Axkid?

Axkid. Maxicosy is using isofix. It takes up a chunk of space but I can still get people to sit in the front seat (although 6"4 friend struggled)

OP posts:
BertieBotts · 09/06/2024 20:06

Ah OK. So with the tethered seats like this, you usually have a bit of leeway for where you install the seat. You can either push the child seat right up against the backrest of the vehicle seat, which leaves very little legroom for the child, or the bottom of the seat (they call it the "heel") is allowed to sit just off the edge of the vehicle seat. With Movekid there is a line that you're not allowed to have it hanging off any more than that, but you can push it further onto the seat.

Sometimes installers/retailers call it "compact mode" when you push it right into the seat to allow more space for the front passenger, and "extended legroom mode" when you place it further back allowing more space for the child's legs. In reality you can use any position between these so it's not always a straight trade off.

Up until around 2, you won't need a huge amount of legroom because your child's legs probably won't even reach very far off the end of the seat, and the recline will be set to the lowest position. As they get older, you can reduce the recline by getting rid of the wedge which will take up a bit less space then. You may also be able to gain some space in the back without losing legroom in the front by making the front passenger seat itself slightly more upright.

Another tip I've heard Margaret give (but I can't find it now, sorry) is to start off before you install with the front passenger seat in the place where you want it, as this tends to give you a good idea of how much space you have got to work with rather than starting with it in the furthest front position. It's also allowed for the front seat to touch the child seat as long as they aren't really pressing on each other. So you can move the seat back to touch the Axkid if you need to.

BertieBotts · 09/06/2024 20:09

I think the 125cm ERF seats do take up a bit more room, but it's worth trying the compact mode first anyway.

We went from a Cybex baby seat (not the reclining one) on isofix to a Joie 360 Spin and found that we gained a decent amount of space, but the spin seats only last up to 105cm, so won't let you rear face for as long.

DreamyNavyMentor · 09/06/2024 21:04

BertieBotts · 09/06/2024 20:06

Ah OK. So with the tethered seats like this, you usually have a bit of leeway for where you install the seat. You can either push the child seat right up against the backrest of the vehicle seat, which leaves very little legroom for the child, or the bottom of the seat (they call it the "heel") is allowed to sit just off the edge of the vehicle seat. With Movekid there is a line that you're not allowed to have it hanging off any more than that, but you can push it further onto the seat.

Sometimes installers/retailers call it "compact mode" when you push it right into the seat to allow more space for the front passenger, and "extended legroom mode" when you place it further back allowing more space for the child's legs. In reality you can use any position between these so it's not always a straight trade off.

Up until around 2, you won't need a huge amount of legroom because your child's legs probably won't even reach very far off the end of the seat, and the recline will be set to the lowest position. As they get older, you can reduce the recline by getting rid of the wedge which will take up a bit less space then. You may also be able to gain some space in the back without losing legroom in the front by making the front passenger seat itself slightly more upright.

Another tip I've heard Margaret give (but I can't find it now, sorry) is to start off before you install with the front passenger seat in the place where you want it, as this tends to give you a good idea of how much space you have got to work with rather than starting with it in the furthest front position. It's also allowed for the front seat to touch the child seat as long as they aren't really pressing on each other. So you can move the seat back to touch the Axkid if you need to.

Thanks.

I think the bar that hits the footwell isn't connecting well and I had head flop as well when baby was dozing. Head flop could be because the car seat isn't a good fit for him yet but is the bar a common problem? My seats are steep. Hyundai i10 car.

I really should go to a fitter and if there are ones local to Manchester that would be great

OP posts:
BertieBotts · 09/06/2024 21:11

Closest Axkid retailer to Manchester is probably Winstanley's Pramworld. I don't know if they would fit another retailer's seat, though.

I would try contacting your own retailer in case they are happy to offer remote support e.g. over the phone or video call.

Otherwise, you might want to return the seat if that is an option and then go to Pramworld and try different seats out in your car including the Movekid if you like it apart from these issues.

There is also All About Car Seats which is an independent specialist. A bit further away but depending on where exactly you are located - they may travel to you.

BertieBotts · 09/06/2024 21:16

I haven't had enough hands on experience fitting these to comment on the support leg, but it does sound like you'd benefit from support from someone who can actually see the install and help with fitting.

angelikacpickles · 09/06/2024 21:28

DreamyNavyMentor · 07/06/2024 09:08

And ignore the manual by keeping the baby in the carrier when they exceed the weight and length?

He's nowhere near exceeding the height for the seat though. You've said he's 70cm and the limit is 75cm. It will probably take him at least 2 months if not 4 months to grow another 5cm.

The photo of him in the Maxicosi looked absolutely fine. I'm not sure what you meant when you said there was nothing around his head - the sides of the seat are still on either side of his head and the seat extends a few inches above the top of his head too.

DreamyNavyMentor · 09/06/2024 21:57

angelikacpickles · 09/06/2024 21:28

He's nowhere near exceeding the height for the seat though. You've said he's 70cm and the limit is 75cm. It will probably take him at least 2 months if not 4 months to grow another 5cm.

The photo of him in the Maxicosi looked absolutely fine. I'm not sure what you meant when you said there was nothing around his head - the sides of the seat are still on either side of his head and the seat extends a few inches above the top of his head too.

He's becoming very difficult to get out as he's quite wide and he gets hot in the seat as it's so enclosed. I would prefer to not have to drag him out like I feel like I'm doing at the moment. The car seat is marked at 60cm, he's 70cm.

OP posts:
DreamyNavyMentor · 09/06/2024 22:09

BertieBotts · 09/06/2024 21:16

I haven't had enough hands on experience fitting these to comment on the support leg, but it does sound like you'd benefit from support from someone who can actually see the install and help with fitting.

https://www.cheshireerf.co.uk/axkid this person stocks both brands! I will see what he says

Axkid | Cheshire ERF

https://www.cheshireerf.co.uk/axkid

OP posts:
BertieBotts · 09/06/2024 22:53

Yes they are good too.

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