to think I was mad for considering this seat when I searched on mumsnet and found this link?

[tryingtobemarypoppins]

uk.youtube.com/watch?v=WdBRPiNJC7s

[GirlsAreLoud]

"you'd suggest we leave her traumatised in a puke filled car seat surrounded by puke splatter?"

Would I? How odd, I think I suggested you take spare clothes (you didn't have any spare clothes for her even though you were 300 miles from home 10 miles from your destination. Was your luggage stolen) and think about car seat mats and a spare car seat cover.

I have a very pukey child. I keep spare clothes in the car and got a spare washable car seat cover off ebay. Luckily DH's car has leather seats so they are easy to wipe clean.

20 minutes delay to clean the car and seat is worth it if the child is safer. But obviously that's just my opinion.

[percypig]

I agree with Yurtgirl - 10 miles of screaming child isn't a life or death problem - child not in a car seat has the potential to be.

[cancantcan]

just watched those 2 clips and they have scared the crap out of me. We currently have DS (4.5) in a high back booster with the SIP head protectors, which I did think he looked pretty safe in - good side and head protection, and the seatbelt lays securely accross his lap and at the right height on his shoulder. The booster did have a 5 point harness that we took off at the end of last year, but I now definately want him in a 5 point harness for as long as I can keep him in one! Does anyone know of a seat which does a 5 point harness for kids over 18kg? That seems to be the cut off point for the ones I have seen.

[georgimama]

An 18 month old child was killed in those exact circumstances on the M4 last year. Thrown clear out of the car. No one else was hurt.

You can mop up puke enough to get 10 miles home. You must be mad to risk it.

[tryingtobemarypoppins]

amidaiwish isn't the point that if they were always rear facing they wouldn't ever know any different?!

georgimama perhaps you could shock them with some of the you tube videos!

[PussinJimmyChoos]

Gingerbunny - what car seat did you get as my DS is tall also

[tryingtobemarypoppins]

cancantcan I linked to one on page 1. HTH

[georgimama]

cancantan - I think once a child gets to 18kg they are probably fine with the adult belt but only across a full child seat with side and head protection, rather than just on a booster which raises them up but nothing else.

The Britax Evolva 123 probably does what you want.

[tryingtobemarypoppins]

sorry page 2!

[tryingtobemarypoppins]

georgimama I think the 5 point shops that horrible forward head motion though

[FabBakerGirlIsBack]

TeamEdward My 4 year old is in a booster with back and an adult seat belt. Shit. Dh is adamant he is fine.

[tryingtobemarypoppins]

Heres the link again

www.mothercare.com/b/44453031?ie=UTF8&pf_rd_r=0JMDXY4JXRM2CPB04ABG&pf_rd_p=468460953&title=highback% 20boosters%20with%20harness&pfrdi=118864031&pfrds=global-top-7&pfrdm=A2LBKNDJ2KZUGQ&pfrdt=10 1&CMP=AFC-BA

[georgimama]

Oh I agree, they should be in a 5 point for as long as possible, but the child seat is better than a booster, which I suppose is better than nothing.

[peppapighastakenovermylife]

developmental milestone

Yes thats the reason I put DS into one at 2.5 years. Nothing to do with the fact that he is so tall that he was the size of a four year old - his head went way over the top of his stage 1 seat and he was over 18 kg which the manufacturer told me meant he was better off with an adult seat belt. We couldnt find any car seat that had a 5 point harness suitable for over 18 kg.

I discussed it with my health visitor, the car seat road safety roadshow people, searched the internet and rang the manucfacturers. I studied which reports, Youtube and their websites.

What do you suggest I do?

[tryingtobemarypoppins]

peppapighastakenovermylife
Get one of the seats on my link?

[IdrisTheDragon]

I think because the minimum weight for high back boosters is 15kg whereas the maximum for most harness seats is 18kg, quite a lot of children get "moved up" sooner than they should. DD is somewhere between the two weights but will stay in 5 point harness as long as possible.

[georgimama]

all you like. I was referring to a very specific case and I can't see any other explanation when the alternative, a child seat with the adult belt, is much safer. Can you?

If you look at the link I posted earlier from the department of transport you will see that even a 4 year old shouldn't be in a booster seat. They are for children of 6 and over who weigh over 22 kilos, not 18.

I can't say I would take a health visitor's advice on this, unless (s)he also happens to be a mechanical engineer.

[PussinJimmyChoos]

I've looked at the mothercare ones and it says you can remove the integral harness from 15kgs onwards..I'm really confused!

[georgimama]

You can but why would you want to if it still fits?

another link on weight ranges for different types of seats, a bit clearer than the dot one

[tryingtobemarypoppins]

Yes but you don't have too PussinJimmyChoos

[BexieID]

gingerbunny, what seat have you got?

Tom is still in his group 1 Maxi-Cosi XP. He's only 14.5kg so not heavy enough for the group 2-3. Someone went into the back of us last week on holiday (writing our car off), whilst we were sat in traffic . Watching those utube videos was rather upsetting as the accident could have been much worse. The XPs weight limit is 18kg, so he may still be in it when he's 4 in April. They should really be in rear-facing seats though. He'd probably complain but at least he'd be safer.

[georgimama]

FabBaker, that does seem to be fine for a 4 year old. The lack of a back if they are just on a booster cushion is the problem.

[MollieO]

My 5 yr old has had a high back booster seat with an adult seat belt since he was 4 and too big for any seat with a 5 point belt. We were told to keep the back of the booster seat on as long as possible.

[tryingtobemarypoppins]

BexieID so pleased your all safe. Wouldn't you have to change his car seat now anyway?

[tryingtobemarypoppins]

This is helpful

www.rearfacing.co.uk/