The theme for this week's Works For Me Wednesday is...Doesn't Work For Me Wednesday.So here's the biggest peeve I have right now: backwards facing car seats. As I mentioned, this weekend we switched Konrad out of the infant carrier car seat into the convertible car seat. By law, he has to ride in it facing backwards until he's one year old (don't tell anyone, but I'm positive we'll be switching him to forward facing a few weeks shy of his first birthday, when we visit my sister for Thanksgiving...read on to find out why).
Here's my rant: the infant carrier car seats are only good up to 20 pounds and 26 inches. As you might remember, Konrad was 20 pounds and 28 inches at his four-month check up, so he should have been out of it before he was four months old. But I delayed switching him for two reasons: 1) with two children who aren't walking, it's a lot easier to be able to put one of them down on the ground in an infant carrier while I switch the other one to my other arm and pick up the carrier again; and 2) I hate backward facing convertible car seats.
Here's the picture to prove my point. The car seat takes up so much space that the passenger seat in front of it is moved very far forward (can you see that the seat is 6 inches closer to the dashboard than it was before?) It's not terrible during the week, because no one is riding in the passenger seat, but on the weekend, when we're out as a family, I usually ride in the passenger seat (now Tom will NEVER ride in the passenger seat!) so I'll be the one with the cramped legs. Sorry, but I can't ride 7 hours in the car to my sister's house for Thanksgiving like that! (We're already planning a visit in the next few weeks that I am dreading, but Konrad won't even be six months old, so I can't justify switching him around).Furthermore, the seat isn't yet angled forward enough. You might be able to see two lines above the toy elephant on the car seat. Those lines say "Level to Ground" and, as you can see, we aren't quite level to ground with the lines. So I need to move the front passenger seat even closer to the dashboard and stuff more towels under the car seat next to the LATCH system to get the angle right for optimal safety.
I think I'll have to ride in the third row next to Lukas...if I can get back there! Please, if you have a solution, leave a comment. If you just want to commiserate, please comment as well to tell me I'm not alone!
Click here to find other things that I'm really excited about and really work for me, and visit Shannon to meet more people who are admitting things that don't work for them this week.
12 comments:
http://ketchupfamily.blogspot.com/ This blog has a lot of great car seat tips. She uses Radian car seats which are supposed to be a whole lot less bulky with out loosing the safety. I have not used that brand, but when we have another baby I am going to be getting one.
I hope I can help! I'm a total car seat safety nut! First, if your son can hold his head up, you don't need to recline the seat at 45 degrees anymore. In fact, as long as he isn't so upright that his head will flop forward when he falls asleep, you can move the base of the car seat away from the back of the seat it's installed on a few inches which will allow you to install it even more upright. I'm going to sleep on this and see if I can think of any more ideas for you!
I know what you mean! They drive me nuts too. I was always guilty of turning mine around early. My mom couldn't figure out how to get the seat in backwards, and took her forward when she was 10 months old. She said my daughter looked out the window the whole way like she was amazed at what was out there!
And i know what you mean about kids outgrowing their carries...mine outgrew it before she could sit up. made shopping horrible...can't sit in the buggy, can't sit in the carrier...what's a mom to do?
I don't have any advice for the seat because I don't have kids or car seats, and I'm guessing that scooting the middle seat back isn't an option in your car. I have however been on some very cramped long road trips before. I would suggest bringing a pillow and trying to sleep through as much of it as possible and making many pit stops to stretch your legs. It stinks, but in the end it's only a few hours of your life. Or if you're made of money (ha!), rent a bigger car or one with adjustable rear seats?
My first daughter was over 20lbs at 6 months. We faced her backward, like they say to do, and she SCREAMED the whole time. After about a week, we just couldn't handle it anymore. We were all going insane!!! So, we turned her around, and she was completely fine. No screaming at all. So, I think if they have good head control and they don't have to be "reclined", I say go for the forward facing way. Its not like the police man is going to ask for their birth certificate. :) But hey, that's just me. Hope this helps.
I've had friends whose little ones got motion sickness facing backward, and I have gianormous babies myself, so I can feel your frustration! We ended up switching to a larger infant carrier (the Graco infant SafeSeat) when our oldest outgrew his SnugRide at 4 months! We have two small sedans so a rear-facing convertible couldn't be properly installed and still allow the adult in the front seat to be comfortably OR safely seated. (when you think about your distance from the airbag!!)
The main reason to keep children rear-facing is that their heads are so heavy and their neck muscles are not strong enough to prevent spinal cord injuries if you came to a sudden stop and their head lurched forward. Not a pretty visual there, but that's the reason behind it. So, it's really SOOOOOO much safer to keep them rear facing as long as possible!!
Don't know if it's possible or if it'll even work in your car but would the car seat fit in the middle? I know Natalie would be sitting right next to Konrad so that may not work anyway. This way you can move your seat back a little bit more, even if its just for the road trip.
Martha, I have to admit that Konrad's head slouches forward a little while he's asleep with the new set up, so I need to get it adjusted.
Ames, nope, can't scoot the middle row back: it's fixed in place.
Michelle, the middle row is two bucket seats. Konrad's is currently right next to Natalie's, and I can slide it closer to the door, but then Lukas can't get in the back, and it would push up even more against the front passenger seat.
Awesome Mom and Katherine, I'm going to check out the other car seat options you mentioned...thanks!
I don't know if this will make any difference but we had ours installed at the hospital and instead of using rolled towels they cut a pool noodle down to the right length and used it to get the right angle. We also used an evenflo infant carrier that went up to 22 lbs. For the trip could you move the carseat to the back seat and the older child to that seat behind you? Just a thought.~Amanda
Totally comiserating here. I can't wait to turn that carseat around in a few months!
Could you take out one of the bucket seats? Our friend did this for a trip but it added so much ROOM!! :)
For our 3rd (outgrew the carrier early too), I kept the backward "convertible" car seat (ours isn't as big as a lot of others I've seen) and the carrier in the 2 bucket seats. I used the carrier when we were shopping. It was so much easier (and needed)!
needanap2---that's what we're going to do...remove the seat for the trip and put Konrad and Lukas in the third row, with Natalie by herself in the second row! Thanks for the suggestion!
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