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Original poster

Help - how can I keep a small wriggly escape artist in a car seat???

17 replies

Roskva · 22/04/2008 19:49

My 20 month old dd has discovered that she can release her arms from her car seat straps, leaving her in effect only strapped in with a 3 point harness. I know this means that she is not properly secured, and would be injured in an accident. I can't do the straps up any tighter because that makes her grizzle with discomfort and she still gets her arms out. I can't stop every 2 minutes to strap her back in (and it's not safe to stop on the road I have to use frequently). I don't always have someone else in the car to sit in the back and wrestle with her.

Is this a problem with the car seat, a Britax Eclipse? Can anyone suggest an escape-proof car seat, or any safe gadget to stop her getting her arms out (I did see one likely looking thing, a chest strap for buggy harnesses, but it specified that it was not safe for use on a car seat)? Or is my dd just a particularly ingenius little minx?

OP posts:

beautifuldays · 22/04/2008 19:52

my ds did this. you need to stop the car and strap them back in every time they do it. tedious, but they get bored eventually.

all the gadgets are not supposed to be safe, because (god forbid) if you were in an accident they might stop someone trying to get to her iyswim.

Original poster

Roskva · 22/04/2008 19:57

That's what I've been doing. The problem is finding safe places to stop on a narrow bendy road - a couple farms along it probably think I'm staking out their entrances, I've stopped in them so often . And Little Minx thinks it's a brillant way of getting my attention when she's bored of being alone in the back (which starts about 5 mins into any journey).

OP posts:

Shitemum · 22/04/2008 20:00

How about really fat padding on the straps? It wouldnt be as uncomfy as tightening them but would maybe make it more difficult to get out.

busymum1 · 22/04/2008 20:04

child i cm for used to do this until I looked at car seat, you need to make sure straps are at correct height for shoulders once they sit safely on shoulders she will not get out if you pull harness tight you should only get 1-2 fingers between straps & child she may not like it at first but once she realises you gonna carry on doing this she will find new things to cause mischief with

moominsmummy · 22/04/2008 20:09

let this be the one time you absolutely lose it with your DC - yell at them like a evil monster
sounds harsh but they will not do it again - their upset is nothing compared to what could happen in a car crash.

bran · 22/04/2008 20:12

I was going to recommend one of these, but they seem to be sold out everywhere. According to the blurb it detatches itself once the straps are released.

bodiddly · 22/04/2008 20:14

We used one of these for our little houdini and it was great. It looks as if they have sold out. I know I have a spare one but I don't have a clue where it is! You could try on ebay but if you don't have any luck let me know and I will have a proper look for you!

Original poster

Roskva · 22/04/2008 20:39

Thanks for the suggestions, everyone. Dh really lost his temper with her at the weekend .... she just laughed at him (which made him even crosser).

I'm going to look for a hug-it, and I'll check the car seat tomorrow.

OP posts:

sazm · 22/04/2008 20:48

although a hug it sounds like a good idea,it is illegal to use and you will be charged for using it if you caught by the police.

msappropriate · 22/04/2008 20:53

Where did you find out it was illegal?

Theres another product a bit like it. Will see if I can find it. I had a snug-it the hug-its predecessor and it was fab. My ds used to get his arms out and then unlock the seat buckle, nightmare. The snug it worked for over a year and then he became more reasonable about nor undoing seat belts (the influence of Dora the explorer I think)

msappropriate · 22/04/2008 20:54

www.thebabycatalogue.com/prodinfo.asp?number=K0306

bran · 22/04/2008 20:59

I'm not sure that the Hug-it is illegal, the clip that msappropriate has linked to is definitely is though. I think the law is that an adult must be able to undo the straps and remove the child with one hand, which you could with a Hug-it, but deinitely couldn't with a clip.

Even if you were charged for using something that keeps the straps on, you would equally be charged if your child has wriggled out of her straps. The difference is that she would be less likely to be injured in an accident in the first case.

bran · 22/04/2008 21:04

Actually, I can't find that it's illegal to use a strap holder/clip. This is what I found with a quick search.

LOL at how to stop your child undoing the straps. Clearly written by a committee, none of whom actually have small children.

BirdyArms · 22/04/2008 21:15

DS1 did this for a while - around when ds2 was born so sometimes had a screaming hungry newborn in the car too and really made me see red. I used to shout and pull over as soon as possible. Just once I smacked him on the leg, the only time I've ever smacked him. Made me feel terrible and he just giggled when I did it but in fact I think he only did it a couple of times after that. Not advocating smacking but I do think that just because she laughed when your dh lost his temper with her doesn't mean it won't have had an impact on her. I would make the seat as tight a fit as possible and really shout at her each time she does it then ignore any subsequent crying so that you're not giving her a lot of attention.

barking · 22/04/2008 21:18

Hi Roskva - Have you checked the headrest is high enough as that can affect where the straps sit on the shoulders?
another thought is the snugsit- I got mine from the great little trading company. If it isn't available try using a muslin square of similar to tie around the straps. though as others have mentioned their is the added risk of delayed rescue in a car accident. But having a toddler who does the same I worry equally about him not being properly restrained in the event of a emergency stop never mind a crash.
Rock and a hard place I'm afraid.

Original poster

Roskva · 24/04/2008 09:03

It's such a relief to know I'm not the only one with this problem, but it is a real nightmare trying to solve it. Thinking about it, dd has started doing it since I put the sun shades on her window, but she cries if she has the sun in her eyes (who can blame her) and as I got sunburn through a car window once, I don't want the same to happen to her.

I'm going to try moving the straps up to the higher slots on the car seat and see if that helps.

OP posts:

nannyL · 24/04/2008 09:11

my 24 month old charge did this on the motorway

i SCREAMED and yelled at him so loudly right in his face, as loudly as my ny voise coudl possible be and got very very very cross with him...

he was very upset and didnt stop crying / sobbing for 20 mins but he has never done it again...

and for several weeks of car journeys later while being strapped in would be say to me "arms in" "arms in"

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