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Car seats

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Original poster

Is it safe to ignore age ranges on car seats?

13 replies

bunnybunyip · 17/01/2011 08:54

DS is tall and heavy (weight 16.5kg at 21 months, height wise has grown out of his group 1 car seat). As far as I can tell every 5 point harness group 1/2/3 seat or cushion style seat (like kiddy), recommend switching to use the seat as a high backed booster with the normal adult seat belt when child weighs 18kg; but looks like this might be before he is 2, and they are supposed to last until age 4. Is it safe to do this with a 2 year old, and if not what am I supposed to do (help!)?

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MollysChambers · 17/01/2011 09:07

If he really won't go in his current seat anymore put him in a high back booster with a five point harness suitable from 9 months. He's far to young for the next stage booster. Apart from anything else could you trust him not to unclip his seatbelt?

Nosnowplease · 17/01/2011 09:12

Speak to the in car safety centre at Milton Keynes ( google number) they are amazing at advice on the safest thing to do. We got our rear facing britax two way elite from them. ( up till age 4 and really big)

You'll prob also find that his weight slows down and it takes ages to reach 18kg.

EauRouge · 17/01/2011 09:13

Have you thought about a rear facing seat?

HeadsUp · 17/01/2011 09:28

My DS wa a huge toddler very tall but he fitted in one of the stage 2/3 seats until he was about 3 with the 5 point harness. I had to have him forward facing younger than usual as there was just no room for his legs.

The thing with the backed booster seats is they end up in a crumpled heap if they fall asleep, but the stage 2/3 seat still tipped back so was great for a toddler that slept everytime he got inthe car. Any good retailer will let you try out seats to ensure their is enough growth room for straps. My seat had different slots to move them up.

sazm · 17/01/2011 10:45

i had this same problem with my dd when she was 2,i got her a britax evolva 1-2-3 ultra seat, it was fab,the harness goes up MUCH higher than a normal 9m-4yr seat,and i found when she got to 2.6yrs she didnt put much on for ages,
it has a recline position and the headrest is a fab shape to support them when they fall asleep.
she was 4 when i put her in a normal high backed booster only because i had another dc and had to fit 3 carseats in,otherwise she would have stayed harnessed in the evolva for a good bit longer.

ps - she will be 5 in march and is only just over 17kg now!

onimolap · 17/01/2011 10:50

From your title: yes you can ignore the age restrictions (they're essentially illustrative of the typical age when the child will be e right size).

You should not however ignore the weight restriction, and should only move your DS when he reaches the minimum weight for the next seat.

IWillCountToThree · 17/01/2011 10:51

I have just bought a Graco Nautilus for my 15mo and it's great! He's very tall for his age, but is still on the smallest harness setting. It reclines slightly but not enough to compromise leg room.

I would suggest going to Halfords and Mothercare and trying them all out till you
find a suitable seat. I wouldn't go up to a 3 point belt just yet, it opens up a whole new set of problems!

onimolap · 17/01/2011 10:54

Here's a link to a recent Which report on car seats. It gives some weight-based advice, and covers other safety points.

orangepoo · 17/01/2011 10:59

Definitely phone the in car safety centre (they are in Milton Keynes and will have a suitable seat).

You can get one like the Britax Two Way Elite (imported) - that has a five point harness which I think will go up to 25kg and the shell of the seat is much larger than other group 1 seats.

It is dangerous to ignore age restrictions - I have had this trouble with both my children but you have to remember that although their height and weight are large, their developement of their internal organs, muscles tone etc are still only as old as they actually are.

Original poster

bunnybunyip · 17/01/2011 12:43

We nearly bought the nautilus yesterday; ordered it, went to halfords, but they said at 18kg it effectively turns into a high backed booster as 5 point harness no longer recommended (also read on here that the straps aren't that long), so thought it would only last us five minutes.
In the end we went for a pallas cybex seat which is a high backed booster but with one of the protection cushions which is supposed to be used up to 18kg only, but I thought we could keep using at as long as it fits around DS, and there is no way he can reach to take the seatbelt off. However we have 2 cars and still need another seat (which will be our 5th seat!) for the other car.
I will look at the evolva and give milton keynes a ring.

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Original poster

bunnybunyip · 17/01/2011 12:49

Evolva seems the same as the nautilus; changes to high backed booster when child reaches 18kg.

OP posts:

aPixieInMyCaramelLatte · 17/01/2011 13:49

Yes, give Milton keynes a ring.

They sell a Britax two way elite which is a rear facing car seat but has a 5 point harness suitable up to 25kg's.

castleonthehill · 17/01/2011 14:49

Get a two way elite it is up to 25kg even forward facing. Their weight gain does slow down.

My dd out grow her tobi car seat when she was 2.5 I didn't know about the elite so I measured all the height that the harness went up to and got a britax duo the elvolva went up to the same height but didn't go in the car very well. The show said I should buy a booster seat but didn't think she was ready. We got 2 years before she was weighed to much

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