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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to think that kids car seats should be childproof?

13 replies

risingstar · 26/05/2009 11:12

spent £210 on a car seat having spent forever considering all the info available. my 18 month old DD just slips her arms out of the straps, no matter how hard i tighten them. I have tried her in several different seats and it is the same with all of them.

surely all the various safety tests and reports are worthless it this can be bypassed by an 18mth old baby? she is clearly not old enough for a lecture on safety.(as she only seems to understand mummy, daddy and bo for bottle)

Am I being unreasonable?

OP posts:

hongkongzoe · 26/05/2009 11:17

My 2 year old dd does the same...am interested to see if there is a solution to this..

Original poster

risingstar · 26/05/2009 11:22

well, i have done all the usual searches for a solution and there seems to be nothing being made to solve it, supposedly on the basis that it would take longer to get the kid out of the seat in the event of an accident. however surely the risk of the kid being seriously injured by a relatively minor bump when wearing what is effectively a lap belt is higher?

i really dont understand how this is not a factor when assessing how safe a seat is.......is it me?

OP posts:

frazzledgirl · 26/05/2009 11:26

Dunno if you can still return your seat, but we bought the Kiddy Infinity Pro which won the Which test for safest seat (and cost £130).

It's got a midriff bar rather than a strap so is unescapable from, and DS seems pretty comfy.

www.which.co.uk/reviews/child-car-seats/kiddy-infinitypro/specifications

Oh, and YANBU, obviously.

Verity79 · 26/05/2009 16:22

It's really frustrating when this happens! What seats has she 'houdini'd' out of? Sorry if the following sounds like I'm being flip - it's not meant to be!

Have you made sure the harness is on the correct setting?

If she is rear facing the harness should be on the slots level with or below her shoulders.

If she is forward facing the harness should be on the slots level with or above her shoulders.

DD1 managed to slip out of her straps in the car after we had moved them up a slot prematurely. As they were too high they allowed her enough leeway to wriggle out even though the harness was as 'snug as a hug'.

Also, is she escaping her harness because she has bulky clothing on? Only lightweight coats should be worn under a harness, blankets/extra coat can be put on over as needed, as thick/padded/fluffy clothing can compress in an accident/under the wriggling of a determined toddler and allow the harness to go slack.

Is she slumping in her seat after you have checked the harness? If she is the crotch buckle may need adjusting. Some car seats have more then one position for the crotch buckle to be in i.e. closer to seat back for smaller babies and further away from the seat back for older children. Some also have a height adjustable crotch strap so you could try shortening it so the straps go over her thighs at a lower position which might make her stay in position better. The crotch buckle should go over the front of the pelvis not at the tummy (unless of course the instructions state otherwise).

I hope some of my wobblings on the subject help you get a better fit and less heart attacks on the motorway!

silverfrog · 26/05/2009 16:24

If all else fails, Crelling harnesses will probably have something to help you. They make an excellent range of harness to fit into various vehicles, and soem of them really are houdini-proof.

bohemianbint · 26/05/2009 16:25

DS1 went through a stage of doing this all the time, especially on motorways, it was terrifying. We sometimes had to wrap a scarf round and round the straps and tie it to make it tight so that there was no space to get his arms out, IYSWIM. He's grown out of it now but it went on for aaaaaaaaaages and was really annoying. Nothing else worked.

duchesse · 26/05/2009 16:36

Nothing is childproof. If an adult can do it, so technically can a strong 2 yr old. MY son could undo the buckle on his car seat, and loved doing so on dual carriage ways and motorways. The only thing that worked in the end was stern talkings to. They have to understand that some things are non-negotiable, even at 18 months.

RumourOfAHurricane · 26/05/2009 16:44

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

silverfrog · 26/05/2009 16:51

honestly, all of you who are wooried about this and want a solution - check out Crelling Harnesses.

They make a range of harness for special needs children/adults - both those who need extra support and those with challenging behaviours (like escaping from car seats!)

they will definitely have a solution - if they have a harness that can keep an escapologist SN child (who cannot be told how serious it is to escape form their seat) then that will work for you too.

dd1 uses one, as we could not stop her escaping (not for want of trying, but she just cannot yet understand the seriousness of her actions), and since then, magic - she sits upright in her seat, and cannot escape.

OldLadyKnowsNothing · 26/05/2009 18:19

Crelling Harnesses

FabulousBakerGirl · 26/05/2009 18:20

shineon- are you for real?

Shoshe · 26/05/2009 18:36

Put a pair of reins behind the seat straps, do the set straps up, then the reins straps up, at the front, over the seat straps, can be undone in seconds in a accident, but children cant then get out of straps.

bohemianbint · 26/05/2009 22:28

Actually, in the winter I put his coat on him backwards after the straps were fastened, and did it up at the back, if you see what I mean (not explaining myself very well I think, tired!) THat was pretty much escape proof.

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