Posted: 2/8/2004 8:16:31 PM EDT
| The baby will be here any day now, so I thought it would be a good idea to load up the car seat. I went to attach it to the lower anchors, and my car doesn't have any. I thought all cars had to have them now? (I've got a 2001 Pontiac Grand Prix). It has some behind the headrests in the back seat, but they don't do anything for the rear facing seat. Does the dealer have to pay to have these installed? |
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I have old cars which don't have the new "latch" system. I got the car seats that you connect with the seat belts. In my state you can get help installing (or checking an install) at about 300 locations across the state including State Police barracks and local police and fire stations. GunLvr |
| You will thank yourself if you can remove the car seat on a whim. Example one, baby falls asleep in the car. You will wake him or her up trying to get them out of a car seat. But taking the car seat out of the car, that is easy. Example two, You will need a break from the hectic life of fatherhood. You can either send your car along with Grandma and Grandpa who are babysitting for the day and drive thier 88 Olds Cutlass OR take out the babyseat and give it to them. |
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I agree with Rockhound. Get a car seat that can snap into a base. The base is what is actually anchored/belted to the car. If your baby is like mine, he will ALWAYS be asleep in the seat when you get home. We just detach the seat from the base and put the baby in the house while we unload the groceries or whatever. It'll give you a few precious minutes to regroup before he wakes up. Your car seat should still be able to attach using the regular seat belts. Pull the belt all the way out, and it goes into "lock" mode, where once it retracts, it won't loosen. This way once the seat/base is attached, it won't come loose. At least that's how it works with my car. Congrats on the baby! |
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All the 2004 on up vehicles that we are testing now have the isofix child latch bars. It's a new mandate that some older (pre '04) cars were doing voluntarily. There is a bracket that you can get at your dealer or from the manufacturer. I would suggest having a professional install your child safety seat for you, they are complicated as hell to get them in right. Kevin |
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I've never been comfortable with the idea of a seat snapping into a base. If one side doesn't latch down completely, or the baby blanket gets caught in the mechanism then the seat may come completely loose when it twists out of the other latch. Just my vote of no confidence for the concept. It's fine for a stroller, your child will get used to whatever you choose. In my vehicle the restraining belt attachment is in the headliner behind the seat (SUV). Look for the plastic snap-in plugs which you remove to install the attachment. I went with the Fisher-Price seat which has a five point belt, steel tube frame, styrofoam padding and a quality seat cover. The only issues I have with it is that my toddler has been able to unbuckle it himself [shock](you can bet we taught him not to do that!)and he can slip his fingers under the cover and dig out foam. As far as the basic design, I have full confidence it will keep him as safe or safer than any other seat out there. When I went shopping for a seat, I found that some didn't even provide back support, just a hollow area under the cover. Press your hand against the area where your child will sit and see what it will feel like to them. Also, I have seen too many recalls on Cosco products to consider anything with that name on it. One of their designs is that booster seat which closes across the child and you belt over the front part, which was the subject of a recent TV expose'. They are especialy dangerous in a rollover, as in may not contain the child,and don't restrain head movement which can allow impact or whipping injuries. After you are done installing whatever seat you choose, grab it and try to force it to move. If you can get an inch, you aren't done installing it. Some other basics for those who don't know, the safest placement for the seat is in the center rear. Infants should be in a rear facing seat, up to the age/weight indicated in the seat manual. Never place a car seat, especialy a rear facing infant seat where an air bag can deploy. I have heard of decapitations. Edited to add, I also use a locking clip on the seat belt which provides an extra positive lock against the seat belt being able to slide through the buckle. This protects both against gradual loosening and collision forces causing the belt to slip loose. |
| If you want some help on this one, let me know. We just had a baby girl on 01/11 and I had to buy two seats before I got one that fit right. Try installing it in the middle of the back seat (hopefully it just has a lap belt). Use a locking clip (should be included - looks like a metal capital letter I) and also try twisting the belt once over and then clicking it into the seat belt recepticle. I also had to put my knee on it to depress it into the seat while I clicked the seat belt into place. That is about the only way that I was able to get the damn thing tight enough for my liking (and also according to the installation instructions). They will check the fit of the seat for the baby along with the base installation before you leave the hospital. Send me an IM and I will give you a call if you want some "semi-pro" help... |
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The most important thing, regardless of whether they use the latch system or not, is to get that seat ANCHORED into the car. I also suggest that you put some sort of pad between the seat and the car seat, or the plastic will tend to wear on the upholstery. When tightening the seat in, I put a knee in the seat and put my weight into it and then tighten up on the belt until there is not slack. If there is slack in the attachment, the kid can get shaken around too much. When the child seat moves, the car seat should be going with it. |