Question about straps on carseat..

Hi Ladies.. When did you move up the straps on the car seat? Brayden is 4 months old (in 2 days) and the straps were all the way at the bottom and it was just too tight and also too hard to get him in and out of them so I moved them up. Has anyone else ran into this problem and what did you do about it? I'm wondering if they have to be a certain age, weight, or height to move the straps up.

Thanks!
Patty

[lovethebops]

We did it when the girls no longer fit the first strap setting. I believe my girls were a few months old. I don't know of a height requirement--does it say anything about it on the side of the car seat or in the instruction booklet?? I think you can just move them when they outgrow that setting. The only car seat requirement that I know of is they have to rear facing for at least a year, longer if they are under (I think??) 20 lbs. Oh, and that they have to be in one, lol!

[40smama]

Hi Patty - we just had to move Noah's straps to the next level as well.  No's about 15 1/2 pounds, 27"  if that's any help.

[ma2isiah]

For rear facing the straps need to be at or below the childs shoulders. So you can move it up when the next slot up fits that description. For foward facing they need to be at or above your child's shoulders so you need to move them up then. Hope that makes sense.

[pcarsey]

Thanks Ladies! I didn't want to do anything illegal and certainly didn't want to risk hurting Brayden, but it was just so hard to get him in his carseat and then I was thinking if it was hard and such a struggle for me to get him in there, what is his comfort level.. yanno what I mean? Not real sure what Brayden weights or his length now, but last we checked, he was 13 lbs and 27 inches long.

Thanks again!

[CYW]

it isnt illegal.. the only thing that is illegal when it comes to carseat is putting your child in a forward facing seat before the 20lb mark and installing the carseat wrong...AND for safety the clip should always be armpit length and have a space for 2 fingers slack...i think thats about it.. i had run into another issue for cameron.. he was too longer for the rear facing but not weighing enough for the forward facing.. thats when the 3 in 1 carseat came in handy...they are wonderful.. they are rear facing until 30lbs, you can put them in at 5lb but its a little unrealistic when so tiny...better to carry the infant carseat...it is just wonderful.. there isnt a big difference in pricing...about 5-20$ depending where you get it.. I have both a front facing and a 3 in 1...as well as the infant...the 3 in 1 on special was 179$ and his forward facing was on special 179 as well so.. really it was the same price...

[40smama]

CYW - On your 3 in 1 infant seat, what brand did you purchase?

[Tanker Chic]

I would say just do it by fit. I think we moved his up around the same time we removed the newborn padding..  I think it was around 3 months...

[Crritter]

I had to move mine pretty quick with Carson, he was a big one, Cam was big too, but not as fast growing.  Someone mentioned that the straps needed to be below the shoulders, that's what I went by too.  My boys were too big for their infant seat after the first few months, I think it was more length than weight, but the book should tell you. I'ts exciting to see how fast they grow, soon they be running all over the place....

[CYW]

http://walmart.ca/wps-portal/storelocator/Canada-Baby.jsp?page=bby&selection=listingDetails&page=bby&lang=null&assetId=31001&imageId=44377&suggestedItem=&priceType=1&page=null&departmentId=27&categoryId=141

this is the 3 in 1 i have...it went down...

[AndiJ78]

I wanted to comment on the two finger slack, it is to be NO MORE than that. My theory has always been if I can pull any slack at all it is too loose. And the car seat should not budge when installed correctly, not even an inch. When you install it, physically get into the carseat and tug on the straps. I prefer to use the ANCHOR system over a seatbelt as it is more reliable to me.

And the answer to the original was given: it should be threaded through the opening just below the shoulders for rear-facing. Infant carriers work for a few months but soon enough you should switch to the convertible that goes rear-facing up to 40lbs. None of our boys lasted in the carrier beyond 3.5-4 mos. I go bonkers seeing 9 month olds with their legs handing out of the carriers when out and about.

[lovethebops]

Well, we still use the infant carrier for Jordana, and she turned 9 months yesterday. I don't carrier her in it, because it is too heavy to carrier her that way. Her shoulders are still below the highest setting. However she is a peanut, and her legs do not even hang out of the carrier. At this rate, she may be in that car seat until she 12.