Car seat/head flopped forward

mooncusp22 · June 2014

Any way to avoid this? I hate when I go to get LO out of the car and her head is totally tilted forward, makes me upset she is going to cut her breathing & I don't know how long she's been sleeping like that on our drive! I've lifted to front base as high as it goes...

JNova78 · June 2014

Are her harness straps tight enough? Once I adjusted them to the next height and made sure they were properly tightened, I've experienced less of this.

Xxlilies · June 2014

Same thing happens to me drives me crazy
No advice but hoping someone else does

mooncusp22 · June 2014

How do you know where the straps should exactly be? We started on the lowest setting when she was born, I have since moves it up 1notch since she has gotten bigger.

AcaAwkward · June 2014

Hmmmmmmm. If her head is flopped all the way forward (as opposed to the side), I'd be concerned the seat isn't installed properly. Usually a correct install = an reclined position that will prevent baby's head from flopping all the way forward. Sometimes a seat needs a pool noodle or a towel rolled up by the base to get the right angle of installation.

JNova78 · June 2014

Straps should be "at or below the shoulders." It is so vague - no height requirement. We have moved ours up once as well (we have a Britax B Safe). Check out the "Car Seats for the Littles" group on Facebook.

I should add that NOTHING has caused me greater anxiety than the car seat. Are the straps tight enough? Too tight? What about the base? Did I remember to lift the handle to make sure it clicked in? Did my husband check it? Is her head flopping forward? Can she breathe? Is it too hot back there (we live in Austin)?

I'm a mess in the car. And, we have a 21 hour car trip coming up later this month (with at least one overnight stop, maybe two). Fun times.

JNova78 · June 2014

AcaAwkward said:

Hmmmmmmm. If her head is flopped all the way forward (as opposed to the side), I'd be concerned the seat isn't installed properly. Usually a correct install = an reclined position that will prevent baby's head from flopping all the way forward. Sometimes a seat needs a pool noodle or a towel rolled up by the base to get the right angle of installation.

I was wondering about this too. The B Safe has an indicator on the base to show when the seat is properly installed (i.e. green line has to be between two markers). We have it installed "properly," but I don't know if it's allowable to still angle it further with a pool noodle.

Dixon813 · June 2014

DS used to flop his head down and to the side until a got an insert to help keep his head in place. (Eddie Bauer from target)

The first pic is what he used to look like. Second is with the support.

I should add, the first pic he was only a couple weeks old... Now he has much more head/neck strength, but haven't tried without the support.

mooncusp22 · June 2014

I have a graco & there is a side level indicator to show it is balanced correctly- which it is.

Her head does flop to one side more typically

*sparky* · June 2014

LalaMama81 said:

Dixon813 said:

DS used to flop his head down and to the side until a got an insert to help keep his head in place. (Eddie Bauer from target)

The first pic is what he used to look like. Second is with the support.

I should add, the first pic he was only a couple weeks old... Now he has much more head/neck strength, but haven't tried without the support.

Unfortunately, after market products like that are not permitted.

I had to get a similar head support for my LO. The infant insert in the B-Safe was useless and without it, her head was cocked completely sideways whenever she fell asleep in her seat - which is pretty much every time she rides in it. I have the straps at the right height and the seat correctly installed - it was completely a neck strength issue. I felt like she was much more unsafe without it than with it.

Dixon813 · June 2014

*sparky* said:

LalaMama81 said:

Dixon813 said:

DS used to flop his head down and to the side until a got an insert to help keep his head in place. (Eddie Bauer from target)

The first pic is what he used to look like. Second is with the support.

I should add, the first pic he was only a couple weeks old... Now he has much more head/neck strength, but haven't tried without the support.

Unfortunately, after market products like that are not permitted.

I had to get a similar head support for my LO. The infant insert in the B-Safe was useless and without it, her head was cocked completely sideways whenever she fell asleep in her seat - which is pretty much every time she rides in it. I have the straps at the right height and the seat correctly installed - it was completely a neck strength issue. I felt like she was much more unsafe without it than with it.

This! I know they say to roll blankets around head, but that did nothing for LO so we're "breaking the rules" and using this for a little bit. DS's neck strength has improved significantly the past week, so I plan to remove it soon.

Abcollins57 · June 2014

We had the same problem and then I found that our base has a button that raises it up so the seat reclines more for a newborn with no head control. I didn't realize that it had this feature. The angle indicator is still in the green.
Also, I work for the police troop in our area and the car seat tech. told me they sometimes cut a pool noodle and put under the base to help recline the seat and keep it strapped down snugly. If you have doubts, go by your local police or fire station and ask for their advice.

MamaFantastic · June 2014

Tessa is angled far back enough when she is in her car seat that I can't imagine a scenario where her head would flop forward like you are showing in this picture. I echo others' concerns about the angle of the installation of the car seat.

bsh25c · June 2014

I had floppy head issues and bought a snuzzler. No more flopping and she sleeps very well in the car now!

https://m.toysrus.com/skava/static/product.html?type=TRU_product_us&url=/product/index.jsp?productId=3877544&domain=http://www.toysrus.com

Abcollins57 · June 2014

@LalaMama81‌ agreed, I probably should have specified that!

dmosquera4 · June 2014

My boy did that but them I bout the cushion strap thingys and Now he doesn't also help before the cushion straps I bought and sleeping pillow for babies like the one you use when you go on an air plane but for babies they sell it at babies are us

navyfiance18 · June 2014

https://www.babyelephantears.com/Baby-Elephant-Ears_c_1.html

Now I haven't looked into these but I saw them at a boutique where I live and haven't had the chAnce to look them up or find info on them.

Xxlilies · June 2014

Reinstalled base with pool noodle yesterday
It's like a brand new seat now
It is level according to indicator but LO is reclined enough that head doesn't flop forward
He was just way too upright before

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