car seat wtf

[changedname]

As I know we all love talking about car seats. I was outside the supermarket today waiting for h and saw a dad coming towards me (from his car) with a baby in a bucket seat. I looked in to see how old the baby was, in case it was a cute newborn. I would guess the child looked about 18-24 months, maybe even older with his legs hanging almost from his knees down out of the car seat! I want to say he was like almost a foot longer than the car seat.

I have no clue about all the car seat rules but don't you age out heightwise even if your weight is still below the limits?

[bugandbibs]

There is a height limit. The general rule is 1 inch below the top of the shell. That's scary he was so big!

[niki]

We just moved from the bucket seat, but my tiny 17 month old just hit the height limit.

[strawberriquen]

I'm surprised he could even lift the seat with a toddler that big. The seat was definitely outgrown and not safe!

[changedname]

Jul 20, 2014 18:17:15 GMT -5 bugandbibs said:

There is a height limit. The general rule is 1 inch below the top of the shell. That's scary he was so big!

Omg, wtf was he doing in the seat then? I mean, it looked totally odd even to my uninformed eye, not to mention uncomfortable. And unsafe I guess too.

[biogirl21]

Dang! You don't want to use a car seat once the baby's head is an inch from the top, I assume because it stops protecting their head once it's that close. Even still, that kid has to be close to the weight limit, I couldn't imagine carrying 40 pound or more of baby and car seat!

[rex]

i don't even understand the appeal of having a child that large in the infant seat. they are so heavy and such a pain in the ass to lug around even with a newborn.

[changedname]

Jul 20, 2014 18:22:15 GMT -5 rex said:

i don't even understand the appeal of having a child that large in the infant seat. they are so heavy and such a pain in the ass to lug around even with a newborn.

True. Maybe that was his Sunday morning workout! Lol

[newgirl412]

Yeah, carseats have a rule of 1 inch from top of shell, reach the standing height or standing weight. When one of those is reached, its time for a bigger seat. Sounds like that child had reached all of the limits. I wouldnt be surprised if that dad had somehow figured out how to make the bucket seat forward face by incorrectly using the base.

[whitepicketfence]

Jul 20, 2014 18:22:15 GMT -5 rex said:

i don't even understand the appeal of having a child that large in the infant seat. they are so heavy and such a pain in the ass to lug around even with a newborn.

Exactly this. I hate lugging the infant seat around. I can barely carry my 6 week old in it.

[chickens987]

I saw a woman driving a kid the other day in an infant seat and his head was above the edge of the seat...I flinched.

And I just saw that our friends' not quite 4 year old is in a high back booster with a belt, not harnessed. He is a big kid, but ugh...H asked if I was going to say anything, but I don't know what to do. They flipped him at a year and I didn't say anything but I am not sure this even passes the legal test.

[redheadk]

Jul 20, 2014 19:53:04 GMT -5 bricco said:

I am so surprised that so many of you hate the infant seat. I LOVE it and will be so incredibly sad when he outgrows it. He will be younger than I want him to be when that happens, since he's already 26 inches (and 18 pounds).

This is one of those "you say that now" sort of things. They are AWESOME when your baby is still young but once they are sitting/mobile and too heavy to carry, they become frustrating because the baby won't tolerate hanging out in the seat (so no need to remove it from the car) but the seat is deep so it's awkward getting them in and out of the seat already in the car.

[jr009j]

I know someone who kept their daughter in the infant seat long past the height limit because she was still under the weight limit. I found this out when I mentioned having had to move DD out of the infant seat when she was almost 20 pounds less than the weight limit because of how tall she was and she was shocked that there was a height limit. She also didn't realize that the convertible seat could be used rear facing.

[countthestars]

Jul 20, 2014 20:35:42 GMT -5 redheadk said:

Jul 20, 2014 19:53:04 GMT -5 bricco said:

I am so surprised that so many of you hate the infant seat. I LOVE it and will be so incredibly sad when he outgrows it. He will be younger than I want him to be when that happens, since he's already 26 inches (and 18 pounds).

This is one of those "you say that now" sort of things. They are AWESOME when your baby is still young but once they are sitting/mobile and too heavy to carry, they become frustrating because the baby won't tolerate hanging out in the seat (so no need to remove it from the car) but the seat is deep so it's awkward getting them in and out of the seat already in the car.

Eh, maybe not. DD is still in her bucket seat half the time and definitely on long rides. She sleeps better with the deeper incline and H likes that he can carry her in in it without waking her up. We don't cart her around in it but it definitely gives us more options. She is 12.5 months, almost 19lb. She has a little ways to go before she grows out of it.

[GotWine]

I never know what to say when I see people misusing car seats. I feel like I see people making dumb mistakes all the time, but I almost never speak up. The only time I have said anything was when my in-laws moved my 3 year old niece to a nbb. It's not even legal in my state to do this until 4! My mil's defense was "Well, she'll be 4 in October!" I guess she figures you can just round up in these situations.

[bugandbibs]

bricco DD2 was in her infant seat until she was 13 months. I was so sad to move her into a (RF) convertible. Bucket seat for life!

[redheadk]

Jul 20, 2014 21:21:36 GMT -5 bricco said:

Jul 20, 2014 20:35:42 GMT -5 redheadk said:

This is one of those "you say that now" sort of things. They are AWESOME when your baby is still young but once they are sitting/mobile and too heavy to carry, they become frustrating because the baby won't tolerate hanging out in the seat (so no need to remove it from the car) but the seat is deep so it's awkward getting them in and out of the seat already in the car.

Maybe? But a lot of people who complain about hating them here talk about having hated them even with newborns.  I just love that taking him from the car, into the grocery store, and back into the car (perhaps into MULTIPLE quick locations) doesn't require me to get him in and out of his seat.

I also like doing up the seat in the house, and feel like it's easier to verify that the buckle is done tight when I'm sitting on the couch in the living room vs. standing next to the car leaning in.

I could always change my mind but I seriously think we'll keep him in this seat until he outgrows it.

I dunno, I find that here and IRL are two different things, know what I mean? FWIW, I liked mine a lot until she wouldn't sit in it unless she was in the car. Once I was trying to get her in and out of it in the car while out and about, I got frustrated. I wanted to keep her in until she outgrew it but it didn't work out.

I really miss the days of being able to go to multiple places. She'll only get in and out of the seat a few times before becoming too much of a handful.

ETA: DD has always been very physical and active and was never one that was content to just chill in her seat. If you have a more laid back baby, you'll probably have a very different experience.

[jeaniebueller]

Jul 20, 2014 20:57:13 GMT -5 countthestars said:

Jul 20, 2014 20:35:42 GMT -5 redheadk said:

This is one of those "you say that now" sort of things. They are AWESOME when your baby is still young but once they are sitting/mobile and too heavy to carry, they become frustrating because the baby won't tolerate hanging out in the seat (so no need to remove it from the car) but the seat is deep so it's awkward getting them in and out of the seat already in the car.

Eh, maybe not. DD is still in her bucket seat half the time and definitely on long rides. She sleeps better with the deeper incline and H likes that he can carry her in in it without waking her up. We don't cart her around in it but it definitely gives us more options. She is 12.5 months, almost 19lb. She has a little ways to go before she grows out of it.

I am amazed at those of you who use the bucket that long! I am counting down the days until DD is 6 months old and I switch. Lol. Different strokes and all.

[bunch]

I saw a little girl like this in line in front of me in a consignment sale. It was a loooong line and the mom and I were chatting, so I couldn't help myself from saying something like, "wow, I'm impressed that she'll still just hang out in there." The mom responded with, "I know, it's crazy that you have to keep them in these until 2 now!" I didn't correct her, but it dawned on me that lots of people probably think this. Like they don't know that a convertible seat could be rear faced. Our dr only asks if the kids are still rfing, so I see the confusion. And maybe they think if they don't meet the weight max they're ok?

[babyrn]

We used the bucket seat until about 16 months. I miss it, lol. DD is small though, if she had weighed more we might not have used it as long.