So, you know how people can be kind of intense about their causes? Okay, I admit it. I am. But I discovered a brand of advocates I hadn't known about before: car-seat safety. People online get a little riled up about it. Yikes. I understand, though, that if I ever got in a car accident and something happened to my kids that could have been prevented by a more safely installed car seat, I would have a hard time forgiving myself.
I have realized over the past several months that in our 5-year-old Highlander, it's almost impossible to get a Graco SnugRide strapped safely to the back seat. I don't know the angle of the back seat, but it is definitely less than 45 degrees. It was so frustrating to try to get the base strapped in so that it wouldn't slide around or bounce, and so that Ida wasn't slumped forward when she was a newborn. To illustrate what I mean, all I would have to do was tap the underside of the top of the car seat (where the baby's head goes) and it would flip up, even when tightly strapped in. I would imagine this could cause major whiplash or head injuries to the baby in a serious collision, particularly if the car rolled at all.
I knew very little about car seat "rules" but it was clearly wrong. So eventually I started strapping the seat in without the base and using rolled-up towels to get it snug and at the proper angle, which defeated what I consider to be the purpose of infant seats: to snap them in and out when you want to keep the baby sleeping. I never tried using LATCH on the base, but I think that may have worked better, though I still probably would have needed towels to improve the angle.
So I not only switched her to a Britax (Ida's in the Roundabout now and I got a Marathon for Theo), but I went to my local police station to have them checked. Granted, Britax is possibly the most idiot-proof seat to install, particularly forward-facing. It was rear-facing that left me feeling helpless. So I really appreciated their tips about LATCH, specifically that they showed me how to anchor the rear-facing Roundabout using the tether so that I wouldn't need the rolled-up towels.
I wonder how many other cars have this problem. It is certainly specific to Highlanders, at least of 2004, but if seat angle is an issue in other cars also, it really bothers me that rear-facing car seats are not easier to install correctly.
Anyway, sorry today's post is really boring. But maybe all is not lost....If you have child car seats which you have never gotten inspected or installed by a professional but would like to, go here to find out how!
9 comments:
What?! No mention of the love that the Officer gave my car seat installing abilities?
Oops...sorry...the officer praised the Marathon's installation. It was perfect. He didn't even need to re-install it, but he did because we had to move it to the driver's side so that the Roundabout could have more room.
Also, my husband is strong and manly! I never said any different. He's probably pumping iron at his desk at work even as I write this.
Jeff's car has a backseat with a horrible angle for carseats. I rolled towels for years to keep the carseats from moving.
I haven't had that problem with either one of our mini vans. Latch makes it much nicer and easier.
When we came home from London and Eli screamed the whole way home from the airport because we squeezed him in his infant carrier, I knew it was time to switch. Only problem, Isaac was still in the bigger car seat, and is only slightly bigger than Eli so can't sit in a booster. So when my friend said she would sell me her Britax that was only a year old I jumped on it. Chris wasn't happy with the price of a new one, so a much cheaper slightly used one made him feel better. I personally love it,and so does Eli. He is over a year now, so he faces forward and I love the latch system. We call it Eli's thrown, but hey he didn't complain at all from Ann Arbor to Chicago. How do you feel about the price, and will you have to upgrade Ida's? And tell Matt, I knew he must being doing more than just law for all those hours he's away!
Oooh, I love my Marathon, and I still love my Roundabout. Going strong after 8 years (don't give me crap about it being outdated:)
When my kids were rear facing we always used a piece of a swimming noodle to get it in the right position. It was a handy trick from the Police Department. And I have learned that LATCH is pretty awesome, but even without it the Britax has been my easiest carseat to install correctly.
Anyway- the joy of modern technology. Too bad we can't use "carneds' like Mom did.
Can I just say I love your blog...even when it is about carseats! :)
Maybe I should go get mine checked - although it's usually little Harry who installs them, so I assume he knows the ropes!!
nothing to do with car seats but I just want to say, once again, how much I love Ida's little pink skull cap.
the end.
Thanks Hes :) Ida has been borrowing one of Agnes's. I loved it so much that I went and bought my own for her (since Theo's old ones are more boyish). Love the Hanna pilot caps so much. Thanks to Phoebe for introducing me.
Babs: I'd say that if Harry is doing it and his kids are riding in them, you are probably fine. This is where some of the car-seat people online start seeming a little fanatical to me. They begin to obsess about car-seat installations for other people's kids, in other people's cars.
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