HELP!!! Need to find a way of keeping my ds in carseat (got pulled over by the police today!)

[Eulalia]

ds2 is 20 months old. He is tiny, only approx 21 lbs and on the 2nd centile, round about the size of the average 11 month old baby. I had him in a first stage rear facing carseat (in the front of the car) till a couple of weeks ago but he was getting to hate it. One day he pulled and wriggled himself out of the straps and leaned over and opened the passenger door whilst driving on a dual carriageway!

I decided to put him in the back and got out the forward facing seat I had used for dd only to find that even on the tightest setting of the straps they are still too loose for ds2. So I got reins and tied him in with that, sort of looped round the back but he was tight. Trouble is I can't get him into a sitting position like that and he can actually stand up in the seat.

I know, I know really stupid but I thought safer than having him roaming about the car. Really stressed just now with dh working abroad for 5 week and being alone with 3 young kids.

Anyway was pulled over by the police today and given a severe lecture and almost got fined and points on my license. He is right enough it is not safe as despite being secured the straps aren't strong enough if we had an accident.

So.... basically all this rambling leads to my question - how can I make the straps tighter. I seem to remember seeing some sort of tightening thing on a website once? Anyone got any ideas? I suppose I could put him back into the first stage seat as he is still within the weight limit but I want him to be happy as well and not struggle and try to get out of that. Thanks a lot.

i would suggest a snug sit but apparently they arent being sold anymore.

what car seat do you have?

ds has been in the britax eclipse si since 5 months (huge baby) and it's never been on the tightest setings. it's very cosy too for a smaller baby and can be tilted back

Thanks misdee - this looks like it -

snug sit

But how is this secured - could he not undo this? Anyone used one?

Current seat is a Bebe Comfort.

dd3 has one and she has just learnt how to undo it at 26months old.

You know where you pull the straps through the plastic thingy to tighten them... how about making a big loop, then putting something in that loop (I am thinking wrapping fabric around and around). That would effectively shorten the straps.

Bit Blue Peter, sorry!

Hmm do you mean the actual car seat straps or the tightening thing?

With his old seat I could loop the straps through the body part of the reins. He could still lean over though. That was because the straps were in two separate parts. With the new seat it is just two loops secured at the bottom so no way in unless I undo the back of the actual seat . Trouble is with reins it is a safety issue of getting him out of hte seat quickly. Also he will get too big for the first stage seat soon....

think I'll have to get that strap tightener thing in the meantime anyway. Thanks.

so how do you keep your dd in now misdee? Just got a snug sit on eBay so hope it keeps the wee bugger in place!

No advice I'm afraid, but reminded me of Rebel2, aged about 2, managing to open his seatbelt, crawl across the backseat, roll down the window and wave to the police car behind, all whilst on a dual carriageway with nowhere to pull over (safer to get off at next sliplane a few hundred yards up the road).

Needless to say said police car pulled me over on the sliproad and.

unknownrebelbang - owhh god how cringeworthy!

Try this link here . I think you really need someone to have a look at the problem.

This type of seat don't have shoulder straps but a solid bit across the body. Might solve your problems.

drosophila - thanks for that link - I was able to find the local road safety officer and have emailed him. I know I was doing the wrong thing but the policeman who stopped me was hopeless at helping me to resolve my problem.

LizP - thanks but that seat is far too big and he'd just climb straight over that bar, he needs to be strapped in, tightly!

maybe time for a new car seat! try halfords- if it is the size of the harness then go for something like the britax first class or nania ranges which are designed from birth.

Along the tying a knot thing, can you tie knots in the underside of the seat iykwim?

What about something like this - it's designed to go from birth to 4 so the straps ought to be tight enough for your DS, and it's both front and rear facing...?

tying knots is the webbing is capable of getting you into just as much trouble with the police as the seat is then deemed to be not fit for purpose!!

I know hes only 20m but I'd also try & explain why its so dangerous not to wear a seat belt (ie mummy has to wear a seat belt & so do all other grown ups etc) and especially why its dangerous to open the car door (maybe use the example of his fave toy falling out & getting squashed/broken ??)

I think the best bet sounds like a combination of the snug sit and a atage 0-1 seat sounds like the best answer so far.

Contact Britax. They can usually sort out stuff like this. They sent a car seat woman to our baby group to check all our seats for us - seem to recall they said they'd come to our homes too if we wanted...

It was Eulalia.......especially when Daddy's a copper - darling child was only waving at him cos he thought it was daddy in the car!

Eulalia, that car seat is actually smaller than it looks - it is for use from 9 months. If you are near East Herts you can have a go in ours. Also you might find he doesn't try to get out of this style - ds3 loves to go in Daddies car because he gets a seat like this.

Some really good suggestions here - I'll see how I get on with the snug fit ... and yes just telling him - got to start sometime. He does have his brother and sister on either side of him most of the time too.

Oh and long way from East Herts - I am in Scotland, near Aberdeen. But thanks for the offer LizP