Advice needed from mamas with booster seat use experience.

509 Views 8 Replies 6 Participants Last post by Peppamint, Apr 14, 2006

ILoveMySofie

Discussion Starter · Apr 14, 2006

Today we nested some more and then went to the car to play around with the baby's new carseat and the new booster seat I ordered for DD.
The baby's car seat is amazing and fit like a dream, I couldnt have asked for more.
Now,onto the booster seat. I must be stupid, but i thought a booster seat attaches to the car somehow? I didnt realize it just sits there, and what really protects the child is not the fact that the seat is anchored to the car, but that the seatbelt holds the child tight against the booster seat and car.
I hope im making sense...
At first i thought we did something wrong while installing it. I went to read booster seat reviews online in hopes to get any sort of info about this...And from what i understand we did everything right and the booster seat just sort of sits there and "boosts" your child up so that the belts fit properly.
I dont know WHY im having such a hard time comprehending this...i guess im just so used to how carseats work, you know when they have to be all supertight and attached in their place..
Any advice for me? I havent lost my mind right? right?

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Peppamint

· #2 · Apr 14, 2006

No, that's how booster seats work... they aren't as "safe" as a carseat. I didn't move dd to a booster seat until very recently (age 5). It is NOT a safe bet for a kid who won't sit up straight and keep the seatbelt on well... in the case of younger child outgrowing their seat, you need something that has a higher weight limit, like a Britax. HTH

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ILoveMySofie

Discussion Starter · #3 · Apr 14, 2006

thanks BusyMomma!

Well, DD is turning 4 in 4 months but she meets this booster seat's requirement of weight and height. She is also past 40" which was the height limit for her Britax carseat. She likes the new booster and looks very comfortable in it. She doesnt squirm around and I think will be fine with keeping her seatbelt in place.
Do you think we are ok with the booster?

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Peppamint

· #4 · Apr 14, 2006

I think it depends on your child and how they fit in the seat.

It was a big adjustment for me, to see dd in a booster but she's doing well in it so we're happy.

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~max~

· #5 · Apr 14, 2006

It is a big change (for mama) to switch to a booster seat, but it sounds like your dd is ready. Once you get over the shock, they are really quite convenient, especially when your dd can buckle herself in! My kids were thrilled to move into "big kid" seats.

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luckylady

· #6 · Apr 14, 2006

My DD is also four, but she is only 37 inches and weighs 35 lbs. She desperately wanted a booster seat - but I wound up buying her the Britax marathon - it's bigger than the other Britax seat. I just didn't feel comfortable putting her in the booster yet - plus the seatbelt would be up to her chin and from what i have read the most important thing is to make sure the seatbelt fits them right.

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gnutter

· #7 · Apr 14, 2006

my ds started in a booster between 4 and 5. They do seem like a lot less protection but ds loved it. he is 6 now and still in his booster. As long as the seat belt is fitting properly on your dd then it is better than a car seat that she is to big for. I just saw a report on the news that children who are in car seats that they are too big for are at risk for the car seat to come apart if there is an impact.

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thepeach80

· #8 · Apr 14, 2006

The general reccomendations for boosters are age 4 AND 40#. If she doesn't meet both of those, I would personally put her back in a harnessed seat, but I'm a bit biased. My kids will be harnessed for a LONG time! AJ is hopefully getting a Regent next year that goes to 80# harnessed. There's just no comparison between the safety of a harnessed seat and a booster. There is a new booster out from Safeguard that does attach to the car using the LATCH system though.

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Peppamint

· #9 · Apr 14, 2006

I almost bought dd a Marathon just cause I'd rather her be harnessed longer, but in the end there wasn't enough money to go around and she does well in the booster thankfully. Thanks for the heads up on the Safeguard, I'd be curious to learn more about it.

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