booster seat at 22months??

[bundoluv]

I've just moved my large (14.5kg) toddler to a booster seat as she continues to whine, wriggle and free herself from the baby carseat. I have had no success with the harnesses and she escapes them in no time. I'm now using the seatbelt with the cross chest part since it sits nicely across her torso and not around her throat and fits well across her lap with the Infa booster seat I've purchased. She sits happily in this because she has the freedom to lean forward or to the side to grab things she wants. I've tried all manner of distractions and entertainment to avoid moving her so soon, but I can't help feeling like a bad mother. Is this totally unsafe? Do you have a suggestion for keeping an active, intelligent toddler in a baby seat? I've tried the dvd player, toys, games, singing, yelling and tightening the straps so you can't fit a finger underneath.

[Stargazer Lily]

isn't there a product you can get that clips over the baby seat straps to stop them getting their arm's out? I think Babies Galore sell them online for about $15 - there was a thread about this recently

also, when my DD1 went through this phase of getting out of her straps, I just kept stopping the car and putting her back in - she stopped doing it after a while

If it was my daughter, I wouldn't be moving her to a booster at 22 months (maxi rider maybe) but that's just me

good luck

[OJandMe]

The boys are both in booster seats.

They had to be moved as their heads came above the top of their baby seats.

I think you know when they are ready :yes:

[punkbaby]

i have ds in a maxi rider his in the harness still its early 2006 version though and his got heaps of room and his a big boy the one his got is up to 25kgs i think from memory and they told me to change when his shoulder go over the highest point of where the shoulder straps come out (does that make sense??)

DD is in one as well i cant imagine dd in a booster she would climb out i struggle to keep her from staying in the other one.

Have you tried a maxi rider, dd is 17 kgs thats all and shes got lots of room left in there

[SassyMummy]

Not wanting to frighten you but boosters are terribly dangerous. Australian standards just aren't really that crash hot when it comes to booster seats.

Using JUST an adult sash can have devistating effects. While a H-shaped harness is safer, it's still far from the safest option.

About the only decent booster on offer in Australia is a MAXI RIDER (Maxi Rider II is best though I hear). It's like a larger version of a baby carseat, complete with 5-point harness. Once your child reaches a certain weight, you can use a H-style harness instead of the 5-point harness... but still keep them in the maxi-rider.

It IS expensive, but it's worth it for hte peace of mind IMO.

Not wanting to freak you out or suggest you're a bad mother... just wanting to warn you. After all, you might not even know, I wouldn't have known was it not for a few posts on BH and DD would have ended up in something far less reliable.

[punkbaby]

About the only decent booster on offer in Australia is a MAXI RIDER (Maxi Rider II is best though I hear). It's like a larger version of a baby carseat, complete with 5-point harness. Once your child reaches a certain weight, you can use a H-style harness instead of the 5-point harness... but still keep them in the maxi-rider.

.
Maybe thats what i have:confused: after having ds car seat split in half last year and saving his life i dont want to put a price on safey :o

[biscotti]

This is only my opinion and I don't want to offend but booster seats are just so dangerous, there is no way I would use one the way you have described for a toddler. The maxi rider would be a better option :yes:

[Lirael]

i agree ^

[bekkyboo]

my 1 year old just grew out of his carseat, we got him a maxirider - as there is no way i was putting him in a booster so early.

[spring]

Is this totally unsafe? .

Yes:yes:
Maybe you could try giving her somthing to eat to distract her?
If it was me I would choose not to go out in the car at all before I allowed DD to ride in a booster seat with only a lap sash.

[little mermaid]

Nope I wouldnt be letting a baby sit in a booster seat :no: They are just not safe. Also the laws will be changing soon so you will have to put her back into a proper carseat anyway as the new law will be that they have to be in a 5 point harnessed carseat until they are 4 years of age. Only allowed in a booster seat at 4 years.

Just be strong with her and she will learn.

[Me]

I also agree that just a booster and lap sash seatbelt are unsafe for such a small child.

After I purchased our maxi riders for DD, I was talking to our neighbour with a 3 yo and a 5 yo about car seat safety and she has now gone and bought new car seats for her children with harness's for the older one.

You never know when an accident is going to happen - it all happens so fast you literally don't know what's hit you. With just a booster and a lap sash seatbelt, with the force of impact, there is a chance that the seatbelt can fail - then there is nothing holding your DD into the car.

I beg you, please please please put your DD back into her car seat. It is not worth your DD's safety to have her quiet in the car.

BTW - is she sitting the the middle? Seeing out the front might also help her - plus there is the safety benefits.

[bundoluv]

Thanks for all your advice:eek: I'm sufficiently freeked out to purchase a Maxi Rider. I will also need a seat for my parent's car when they ferry her around. In my car, she is in the middle and can see out plenty being that I have a smallish hatch. In mum's car, she can't be in the middle because they have a 4wd and you can't put a seat over the split in the back seat. I've tried all manner of distraction methods, but on a long drive (over half hour - of which I have to do reasonably frequently) nothing will work for long. I will still have a problem with the five point harness and her escaping. I've looked everywhere for the grey clip that you see in all the pictures of car seats that clip the top straps together, but I haven't found anywhere to purchase one yet. If anyone has had a positive sighting, please let me know. Also, if anyone can recommend a store for the best value Maxi Rider, I'll go there immediately and purchase!! :yes:

[bundoluv]

:confused: Now I'm confused. Just looked at the Choice recommendations and found that there are car seats and booster seats that are rated safer than the Maxi Rider which only gets a 'C'.

[Lirael]

choice is balderdash.

even if you get a maxirider, your DD will prob get out of the belt. I got a belt clip thingy for ten dollars from my babyshop, im pretty sure almost all baby shops would have them.

[little mermaid]

:confused: Now I'm confused. Just looked at the Choice recommendations and found that there are car seats and booster seats that are rated safer than the Maxi Rider which only gets a 'C'.

That rating is for the old model of Maxirider. The new model is totally different and is called the Maxi rider II. Look for the one that has arm rests and cup holders. Otherwise there is another seat that is called the Explorer and it is much the same as the maxirider II but a bit cheaper and not so plush and fancy.

[Stargazer Lily]

I have just re-read your opening post and realised that aren't using the H harness with your booster seat. Is that correct? You are just using the Adult Seat Belt??

If that's right, then the first and cheapest thing you can do is go to Kmart/Target/Baby Store etc and buy a Safe-n-sound H harness. They cost approx $39.95. They attach to the anchor point in your car and the adult seat belt feeds through the harness.

**I'm thinking that maybe this harness is the grey strip on the chest that you are refering to in your post above??**

This harness will instantly make your booster safer for your daughter.

However, your booster seat (you said Infa brand?) I'm guessing does not have an anti-submarine clip?
The new Safe-n-Sound booster seats - Maxi Rider, Pegasus and Explorer all come with the "anti submarine clip" - basically it's a clip on a strap inbetween the child's legs that holds the seat belt in place and creates the equivalent of a 5 point harness and prevents the child from sliding under the belt ("submarining") in an accident or sudden stop
This clip makes Boosters safer.

In a nutshell however, this is my advice

A booster seat with the Adult Belt is not good

A booster seat WITH the H-harness is GOOD

A booster seat WITH the H-harness AND the anti-submarine clip is BETTER (eg Safe-n-Sound Pegasus)

A maxi rider with 5point harness upto 18kg then with a Protecta harness is BETTER STILL as this seat is anchored into the car unlike the other boosters

AND the BEST option for your 22month old daughter is her Baby Carseat - provided she meets the height and weight recommendations for the seat (check the instructions)

**If she still fits in her baby carseat with 5 point harness you do not need to spend the money on a Maxi Rider yet - remember she will be using the 5 point harness in the Maxi Rider anyway so to her it will be no different to her old seat, so you will still have the same problem with her fighting the straps

as for prices on the Maxi - get on the phone to all your local stores and ask for their best price - I did this and got mine for $305 - if anyone can do one for under $300 make sure it is the Maxi Rider II with arm rests and not the old model (don't buy the old model)

And I'm sure you can buy a clip (fabric strip with velcro) for the shoulder straps in your 5-point harness - just ask in baby stores as I can't find it on the Babies Galore Web site where I'm sure I saw it before - this clip should prevent her from getting her arms out

And that's enough from me - hope I haven't confused you with all my :ecomcity: :ecomcity: :ecomcity:

oh I'll just add that the Safe-n-Sound website has pictures and information on all the seats I've mentioned www.safensound.com.au (http://www.safensound.com.au) :thumbsup:

[Dannielle]

Hi,

What I suggest is what I did when my twins started getting their arms out of the carseats.

As people have said at Babies Galore they have something that will stop her from being able to get her arms out. It's a black thing with strong press studs that clips over the straps and sits at their chest. It's only about $15. I would use it with the baby seat if she still fits in it.

Then I gave my girls a doll or toy to play with to keep them happy while we were in the car.

[our little treasures]

My daughter was in a booster seat at that age. I never used a H harness thing but she never tried to escape. Baby seats are just as unsafe when being used when the child is too large. I would try the clip thing that holds her in that has been suggested.
I know how difficult it can be when they are too big for the baby seat and you have to move them up.

Also my own tip is to try an independant car seat tester not the safe and sound as they are only trying to sell their own products!

[LucyE]

I don't believe the OP has mentioned how heavy and tall her child is? They should be the only determiners of what carseat the child should be in. If she is under 18kgs and her eye level is not above the height of the back of the seat and her shoulders are no more than 2.5cm above the highest shoulder strap slot, then she should still be in a normal carseat and not a booster. I highly doubt a 22month old would fill all those criteria so I would recommend you move her back to her carseat and look at ways of solving the arm issue. Most children will go through different phases with car travel, and that's the point - it's most likely a phase and you just need to remain firm and work it through with her.

And if anyone has any remaining questions about how unsafe a booster seat is with an adult seatbelt for children that are too small, just do a search on Isabella Broadhead or Toni Perry's tragic stories.


Also my own tip is to try an independant car seat tester not the safe and sound as they are only trying to sell their own products!
I'm not sure I understand this comment. Considering Britax makes most of the carseats available in Australia - Safe'n'Sound, Mother's Choice, HiPod, Fisher Price (and others), it's much of a muchness which one they sell :confused: Also, I don't believe that they have actually released there own crash test results data??? The RACV in conjunction with the NSW RTA and NRMA have done the recent crash tests and it is there results that most people refer to since it is about the only one that's widely available and easily accessable. I wouldn't say that they are not 'independent'?