Pre-School and Daycare
sourapplemartini
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Graco Nautilus, 4 y/o, and pedi recommentation
sourapplemartini
member
DD just turned 4 and is still in 5pt harness in the Nautilus, but is complaining that the anchor buckle is too tight between her legs. (Anyone else have that problem?) She's 38 lbs and 42", so she's tall enough for the booster/seatbelt combo but I don't know. . . she still seems so young for that. Our pedi today said we could move her to a booster seat at this point though, that the height more than the weight is the most important issue. Thoughts?
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Re: Graco Nautilus, 4 y/o, and pedi recommentation
We just moved DS this weekend from the 5-point to the booster in his Nautilus. He is 4.5 and about 42 inches as well, and the straps were no longer starting above his shoulders -- that is the important part, to my understanding.
DD -- 5YO
DS -- 3YO
The most important issue when it comes to moving to booster mode is the child's maturity. Do you believe she is mature enough to sit properly positioned within the seat the entire time, every ride in the car? Many kids are not ready to move from the harness at 4 years of age because they are not able to sit perfectly positioned the entire ride, and if she's not properly positioned the whole ride, the seat belt will most likely not properly restrain her in an accident.
If the crotch buckle truly is a problem, I'd look into maybe getting a different seat before moving a newly minted four year old into a belt positioning booster. Her complaint with the Nauti is not an uncommon one. I've yet to hear the same complaint about the Britax Frontier 85.
From cpssafety.com:
Many booster seats have a minimum weight of 30-33 lbs. However, a booster seat should not be the next purchase when the child outgrows a convertible seat. A child is safest if they remain in a harnessed seat until they reach at least 40 lbs. A combination seat should be used after the child has grown too tall for a forward-facing convertible, but is not yet heavy enough (40 lbs) to move into a booster.It is also important to take the temperament and maturity level of your child into consideration. To sit in a booster seat, the child must be capable of sitting up without slouching or leaning over, keeping the belts in place, and staying buckled. If your child is unable to do so (whether because of age, maturity or personality), a higher weight restraint should be considered as the next step.
A high back booster simply positions the seat belt in the right place over the child. It doesn't form to a child's body and stay in place regardless of the child's movement the way a 5-point harness does.