Car Seat Safety

SteelCity44 · April 2012

A loooong time ago someone posted a link regarding car seat safety that was someone's blog that had a ton of great advice. I thought I bookmarked it, but I can't find it anywhere. Does anyone have that link?

Here's my more specific question though. We have the Chicco Keyfit 30, and when we put LO in or take him out, we loosen the straps, since it's ridiculously easy to tighten and loosen. He was growing so quickly that each time I was putting him in, I felt like I was breaking his arm to get him in his straps and nearly clipped his diaper into the snaps multiple times. So now, we put him in and tighten the straps to the "correct" firmness. From what I've read, you should be able to put one finger between him and the shoulder straps but not two. Is that accurate? Sometimes, when I put them that tight, his chin is smashed against his chest.

When I was driving yesterday, I heard him crying a different muffled cry. When I pulled over (in a parking lot), I noticed that he could barely open his mouth (my dad had put him in his seat). I felt the straps, and they didn't feel that tight, but he was clearly in distress, as he was COVERED in sweat and had soaked through his shoulder straps and shirt. I loosened them a little, and he was fine for the rest of the trip. So, how tight are you putting the straps?

DinabethL · April 2012

Abigail has only been in the car seat on her way home from the hospital, but she had her head hanging forward the whole time. I'm wondering the same thing you are. I am afraid to take her out again in it because it doesn't look safe and secure at all!

jkfranklin · April 2012

They said, at the hospital, two fingers between the straps and baby. Also, chin should not be on the chest. That can cause suffocation.

Bonidiebabe · April 2012

Maybe this one www.car-safety.org/guide.html#cr

Tambcat · April 2012

The nurses at the hospital said 2 fingers.

I'm so anxious about the head on chest thing, both in the car seat and in her bouncer. How do I keep her head off her chest?! Maybe I'm not understanding what head on chest means.

Cheerio B · April 2012

I've always heard two fingers. If you're worried about the chin on the chest I would bring the seat in, with baby, to have the install inspected. Having a tech actually look at your LO in the seat will make you feel better.

SteelCity44 · April 2012

Thank you! Is it two fingers on top of each other or two fingers next to each other?

Also, the website was a blog of a girl who was posting information for a friend that went viral. She had two versions of it, the original and an updated/extended version. It had pictures that demonstrated good and bad habits.

NeverLostHope · April 2012

I know what link you are talking about, I just need to find it again.....

The 2 fingers thing is outdated though. The straps should be tight enogh that you can't pinch any slack on the shoulders. Let me see if I can find that link though

NeverLostHope · April 2012

I know this isn't the blog post, but it shows the "pinch test".

https://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=49030

ETA: Found it! Is this the one you were thinking about?

https://treadingragingwaters.blogspot.com/2012/03/deadly-car-seat-mistakes-part-2.html

katcarls · April 2012

Is this the link? We use the pinch test to see if the straps are tight enough. You try to pinch the strap at the shoulder and if it's tight enough, you shouldn't be able to pinch slack together. I would also double check to make sure you have the chest clip at the proper height. It could be contributing to your problem if you have it too high.

ETA: Here is a pic of the pinch test from Britax's FB page.

SteelCity44 · April 2012

NeverLostHope:
I know this isn't the blog post, but it shows the "pinch test".

https://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=49030

ETA: Found it! Is this the one you were thinking about?
https://treadingragingwaters.blogspot.com/2012/03/deadly-car-seat-mistakes-part-2.html

YES! Thanks! Thank you to PPs, too for other great links for me to obsess over and bookmark!

Misa418 · April 2012

If your baby's chin is on his chest, tilt the carseat back so he isn't sitting up so high. That will prevent gravity from forcing his chin to his chest. That is what the CHP officer told me when he inspected my carseat installation.

huahualove · April 2012

DinabethL:
Abigail has only been in the car seat on her way home from the hospital, but she had her head hanging forward the whole time. I'm wondering the same thing you are. I am afraid to take her out again in it because it doesn't look safe and secure at all!

This scared me too. I always sit in the backseat whenever we go anywhere so I can keep his head from falling forward. It doesn't do it as much now, but it still scares me. Our carseat was checked by the hospital so I know it should be installed correctly.

SteelCity44 · April 2012

Misa418:
If your baby's chin is on his chest, tilt the carseat back so he isn't sitting up so high. That will prevent gravity from forcing his chin to his chest. That is what the CHP officer told me when he inspected my carseat installation.

Our base has a level on it, so we know that it's tilted at the correct angle.

Browneyedhunni85 · April 2012

We had our car seat installed and inspected. The instructor told us that you should not be able to pinch the strap part on their shoulders.

Browneyedhunni85 · April 2012

SteelCity44:

Misa418:
If your baby's chin is on his chest, tilt the carseat back so he isn't sitting up so high. That will prevent gravity from forcing his chin to his chest. That is what the CHP officer told me when he inspected my carseat installation.

Our base has a level on it, so we know that it's tilted at the correct angle.

We have a chicco and I love the level!

erniebufflo · April 2012

We were told by the car seat installer lady to tighten the straps so tight we couldn't pinch up any strap between our thumb and finger if we tried, if that makes sense. We also have the Keyfit 30.

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