2yo wriggling out of car seat straps

[Dummymumm]

I'm sure i've seen some shoulder pad type thingys that clip together higher up the chest but dont know what they're called or where i can get them. any suggstions much appreciated please x

bump

please....?

I could do with some too - bump

funnily I was wondering that exact same thing!!

So another bump. Or any suggestions on how to combat it also welcome.

Don't say "tighten the straps" - the poor thing is already practically hunched over they are so tight but he is very, very wriggly!

I have this problem with ds,too.

I've been putting on the harness for his reins back to front, but not done up, then once he is strapped into the car,I do up the reins over the top.

Not sure if that is clear ,but it works for us,and I think it is safer than the unrestrained two year old would be.

It is a common problem,and there are links on other threads to things you can buy, but they all have mixed reviews.

ive bought one called sunshine kids.

Its stoped DS from wriggling out of his and has been crash tested. Hopefully ones the novelty wears off of trying to get out I can get rid of it but in the meantime it keeps him safe

Are the straps as far up as they can go (I mean where they come out of the seat)?

DD finds it harder (but still not impossible) to wriggle out now I have (belatedly ) adjusted the shoulder height.

I used a velcro thingy (technical term) quite successfully for both of mine. It held the two starps together across their tummy so they could not slip their hands out.

Will try to find a picture.

do the kids like being in the car and if so how long will they stay in the car seeats for before they start to wriggle out.

Jojo Maman Bebe sells a strap thing that says it stops them getting their shoulders out. Was going to try it on escape artiste dd2 but then saw that she gets out by putting her hands through by her tummy so not sure if it will work.

DS doesn't seem to mind being in the car, but if he can get out of the straps, he is out before I get to the end of my road!

If I double strap him in, he doesn't object and is quite happy.

fantastic idea with the reins I have a mindee who is out of them before I have the next one strapped in!

Guess what I will be doing in the morning. That will fox him.

Both mine did this.
It was hard work getting them to stop, but,
every time they wriggled out at the start of the journey I just stopped and made like we were all going to back in the house and not to nursery/grandmas/shopping etc.
If they did it when I was driving along and I could pull over, I did and put the straps back up and kept doing it.
They don't do it any more.
Yes it was hard that way but I think thats safer than some extra strap, which, if the child wriggles his arms out at the waist, will end up in front of his/her windpipe in the event of an accident.

well said flibberytyjibbit. Safety must come first, unless its approved my safety standards I would advise you dont wear them, fix the problem so it aint a problem no more instead or treating the problem if you get rid of the problem you got nothing to treat, go for it flibberyty you got my vote

Dummymummy-Are they still in the 5 point pull harness or the properaduly seat belt?

Sorry can't find a picture of the velcro and canvas contraption I used. It is a similar idea to the seat belt clip on jojomamabebe site but this one wrapped around both straps at the front and it was 6-8inches long so there was no room for the children to get their arms around and then end up with it under their chin. It was naroower at the bottom than top - sort of v-shaped, which prevented it riding up.

I do wonder if they don't sell them anymore because it would take a bit longer to release them in the event of an accident.

After using it for a few trips though, they did forget to try to escape! so If you know anyone with one, give it a go.

How long did it last flibbertyjibbet?

I stopped the dds from doing this in the way you desribed, but ds just isn't learning, so after a few weeks of trying I felt I had to do something to stop him.

TBH I walk almost everywhere, and if we go on a long journey I will sit in the back next to him to stop him getting out rather than use the reins

might help

I get the whole flibbertyj thing with older toddlers but my ds is 16mths and does this and couldn't care less if I threaten to stop the car/go home etc!

I'm sure it's a phase that will hopefully pass quickly but it does worry me. I'm thinking of getting this although I notice they are sold out...but have seen them on ebay.

If they are in a 5 point pull harness and they can wriggle out i was told by the car seat safety people that the straps are too low or not tightened enough.They should be just above the childs should and not below.
If the straps can't be made any higher then you need to switch over to the adult belt.

Nobodysfool - still in group 1 britax eclipse/first class depending which car and straps are on highest slots. he is way too immature to use adult seat belt and booster combo and i just cannot afford another seat yet. like hairycaterpillar he just really couldn't care less about going back home and it means everyone else has to suffer and stay in. i think i saw some on ebay before but it was a while ago and i've tried high st retailers' websites

DH made a velcro/cip thingy for us, but escape artist boy still wriggled out, I dunno how well it is working for LittleLapin (posted it to her), if it is working DH might be convinced to set up in business (cover materials/postage, so a couple of quid).

We have DS strapped in with the 5 point harness, and then the adult belt across too sort of all intertwined (his seat is one that converts to booster etc) - he can still wriggle out his arms occasionally, but he stays held into the seat an dhe is no longer strangling himself.

DS1 started wriggling out when we put him in the seat belt cross him type seat belt. He was 2.5 yo (very tall) and it took about a week of us not going anywhere before he got the message.
DS2 would have been about 14m and had been in a forward facing seat for a while before he started doing it. I just stopped the car and pulled the straps back up each time. For some reason they never did it with their dad so I had to be strict. I found it the same as getting out of bed etc, if I apply the 'don't give them any attention for doing it' approach and stick at something till they get the message, it tends to work. Telling them off, shouting, giving attention etc, just made them do it all the more.
Both my sons are tall and slim, if they are not in a big winter coat its easy for their shoulders to wriggle out. But I do agree that its harder if the straps are tight.

BTW we both work and when this was going on I was late for work on several occasions. So it would have been easy to give in. Luckily my boss also had 2 older boys but with the same short age gap as me so she was very understanding.

Flame come over here, I neeeeeeeeeeeeed you

my ds was being a real sod in his car seat he used to wriggle and moan all the time untill we put him in the booster combo.Now he sits nicely without messing around.I'm sure he was mis behaving because he was uncomfortable.
Hope you get something safe sorted soon........has your local council got a car seat fitting team/day if so they are a wealth of knowledge on safety issues and what to do.May be worth a try.