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Car seats

Confused about car seat regulations? Find baby car seat advice here. For Mumsnetter-approved essentials, sign up for Mumsnet Swears By emails here.

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Original poster

What sort of car seat is your 4-5yo in?

27 replies

Kayzr · 20/03/2012 07:38

DS1 is 5(today) and he is still in his Britax carseat we got when he grew out of his baby seat. Its a 1-2-3 group seat. We still use the harness on him too. He is 115cm and weighs about 18kg.

So I have been looking at changing it to using the seatbelt instead of the harness but leaving the back on. But most of his class at school are just on the booster seats with no back. Even some of the children that are a lot smaller than he is height wise.

What should he be in now? I still don't feel all that keen on him just being on a little booster seat.

Thanks

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eurycantha · 20/03/2012 09:26

The five year olds I look after are in a graco booster with a back and their seven year old brother in the britax seat with a back,I expect he will go on to a booster seat this year.

KadyPip · 20/03/2012 09:32

My two (4 yo) outgrew their harness seats some time ago but they are tall for their age. They are in seats with a back which use the seatbeat.

We are expecting that we'll probably be able to move them to just boosters after the holidays when they start school.

treadwarily · 20/03/2012 09:53

Like the others, seats with backs and with "wings" at the sides of the head, used with seatbelt. The wings protect the head as it is usually the head being bashed side to side that causes all the damage to children in accidents. The head must not be above the wings.

Original poster

Kayzr · 20/03/2012 09:55

That's what I thought he should be in. Will just have to sort out the harness and use the seatbelt instead.

OP posts:

pinktrees · 20/03/2012 09:59

All 4-5 year olds should be in a highback booster with side wings round the head. (or it's perfectly fine to still be using a seat with a 5 point harness if the child hasn't outgrown it).

I don't think a 4-5yo should be on a booster cushion alone. Unless it is a situation where that cushion is in the middle of 2 other car seats when people need to get 3 across the back of the car. In that case, some protection will be gained from the sides of the adjacent car seats anyway. You have to watch out for the seat belt not being properly positioned on the child's shoulder if they are only on a cushion. Even for a very large child, in a lot of vehicles, the belt will be on their neck if they are just on a cushion.

I have a very tall 6yo (about 135cm so on the legal limit) and he is still fitting into his highback booster easily.

Bramshott · 20/03/2012 09:59

DD2 (5 on Tues) is in a Graco high back booster for most journeys, but a booster cushion on the school bus (can't see her managing to carry a high back booster into school with her!).

Even DD1 (9) is still in a high-back booster too most of the time and so are a number of her friends.

QED · 20/03/2012 10:01

DD is 6.5 and in a high backed booster which she'll be in for a while yet.

CMOTDibbler · 20/03/2012 10:04

DS is in a high back booster, and will stay in that while he fits in. No way would I move him to just a cushion

5madthings · 20/03/2012 10:20

my just 4 yr old has just gone in a high backed booster, a maxi cosi rodi as he was too tall for his five point harness seat, a maxi cosi toby? as his eyes were level with the top of the back, he is tall tho, my 7 and 9 yr olds are also in high backed boosters.

you shouldnt use just a booster until they weigh 22kg, i have just been googling!

StealthPolarBear · 20/03/2012 10:21

High back booster with side impact thingies. Britax kidfix

PictureThis · 20/03/2012 10:25

Maxi cosi Rodi airprotect, a high back booster with side support and head wings.

Seona1973 · 20/03/2012 13:18

both dd (8) and ds (5) are in high backed boosters - maxi cosi rodi xr. 5madthings, there are booster cushions suitable from 15kgs - I have 2 that are used as spares. list of booster cushions from 15kgs

5madthings · 20/03/2012 13:25

i know some say they are suitable from 15kg but the recomended advice from safety people etc is not to use them until 22kg :) we did some research as we were debating putting ds2 (9) on one but he is a skinny thing so its best to wait till he weighs more.

Original poster

Kayzr · 20/03/2012 13:29

We have a Britax Evolva so we will just keep using that but use the seatbelt.

He just still looks so little to be on the cushion only.

OP posts:

Seona1973 · 20/03/2012 13:32

ds is on the evolva 123 in dh's car and still uses the back along with the car seat belt.

sunnymum77 · 20/03/2012 17:13

Just got a graco logico s with side and head support. Have seen that which? Has a list of 19 seats not to buy after safety tests, but I haven't subscribed to which? So can't see the list. Does anyone know if this is on it?? Bit silly to check after buying it, but now I'm really paranoid and concerned about safety. Also the back seems to move forward of I stop suddenly which doesn't seem great. Does anyone else have this, or should I check whether properly installed...? Thanks

brachy · 20/03/2012 22:00

My 7yr old has 2 seats...she is now back in her Two Way Elite with a harness in my car and a highbacked booster in DH's car (rarely used). I thought about getting her another HBB but she says the TWE (forward facing) is very comfortable.
I will not let her have a booster cushion, where is the side impact protection?

TruthSweet · 21/03/2012 11:58

My 110cm 17kg 4.3y DD2 is ffing in a Britax Two Way Elite (harnessed) and my 120cm 20kg 6y DD1 is in a Sunshine Kids Monterey high back booster in DH's car (they both have HBB as spares for other peoples cars).

I probably won't move DD2 into a HBB until she is more like 6y as she has hypermobility so would be easier to injure in an accident and a 5 point harness would be better for her. She would be rfing still if it wasn't for her pesky gastritis making her more prone to being sick

alittlebitshy · 02/04/2012 19:19

my ds is 3.9 but is as big as a 5 year old. Hence about a year ago when he was 18kg i had to go for the TWE (wish i had bought it when he outgrew his baby seat - as it would have missed out the 9-18ky seat).

my dd who is almost 9 and also tall for her age is still in her HBB. Recently overseas for 3 months we had ds on her HBB and her on a booster cushion - she was not at all comfy - asked to go back on the HBB until she is too tall.

the cost involved in the TWE is totally cancelled out but knowing that ds is safe for another few kg, by which point he will hopefully be ok in the HBB.

CalicoCathy · 03/04/2012 10:39

We don't have a car, but in grandparents' cars 4 yo is still in Britax 1st class in one (but I'm worried she is now getting too tall for it, will have to have a good look next time she is in their car) and Britax Evolva 123 in other grandparents' car, still with the harness, and she still fits in it fine. I wouldn't consider having her on just a booster cushion, even though we rarely travel by car, she just seems too little. She is quite light too.

StateofConfusion · 08/04/2012 23:30

my 4.8yo is now on an evolva 123 with adult belt, he'll stay in that until he doesnt need a seat :)

thisisyesterday · 16/04/2012 16:41

my 4.5yr old is in a britax 2 way elite

lynniep · 16/04/2012 16:53

My kids will be in highback boosters till they are bigger than me ;)

DS1 has a recaro young sport in the non-isofix car, and a recaro monza in the isofix car. The Monza is much easier wrt to strapping him in, and I love isofix because I like the idea that the seat is fixed in.
Before those he had a britax first class and a maxicosi priorifix, which DS2 now uses.

I know a lot of parents who only use booster cushions for his age group (he is in reception) but I will ONLY use a cushion only for a child if its a short trip and I have no option (for instance when I look after his friend, a highback will not fit in the back seat with my kids in there as well, so i use a booster cushion only) I very rarely need to drive with all three of them though which is why I have it.

DebiTheScot · 16/04/2012 17:08

My almost 6 year old is in a high backed booster and will be for as long as he fits it. I don't get why you'd move them out of it before they are too tall for it, why choose to do something that isn't as safe? Cost can't really be an issue when you can get a HBB for about £25.

I have noticed on the school run though that a lot of children are on booster seats (he goes to an infant school so no older children) which baffles me a bit but I guess some might have a HBB in 1 car that they'd be in for longer journeys and a booster for the school run car.

DebiTheScot · 16/04/2012 17:09

We used a booster seat for him on holiday and he didn't look safe at all when he fell asleep on 1 trip. And he's quite tall but the seatbelt was still too close to his neck.

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