People it is called a CHEST CLIP for a reason. It is not a BELLY BUTTON CLIP!! Read your instructions before putting your child in their seat next time.
Can I just say all my friends on facebook are lucky I didn’t just copy one of their pictures and post it on here. Because I have counted WAY more incorrect chest clips than correct ones.
Did you know that when the chest clip is not where it is supposed to be (at their arm pit level going across their nipples), they can get terrible injuries in an accident that they would not get if it was in the proper place. They can get internal bleeding which will KILL your baby. I see a lot of people with the shoulder pad things down across the babies chest and the buckle below that.
Please for the love of your child move their chest clip up and read your instruction manual.
PS: Winter is coming and your manual also says not to put bulky clothes on your child because their straps are not going to be tight enough. Use covers that go OVER TOP of your car seat and not under the baby because that can also compromise the straps. Here is a good option for that.
Oh my goodness, you’ve totally touched on a nerve for me. Please people:
1. Tighten up the straps… (More that that!)
2. Make sure the car seat is installed properly – it shouldn’t be able to move more than an inch at the MOST. Get it professionally installed once so that you can see how tight it should be.
3. Keep your children rear facing until they are one year AND 20lbs, and preferably even longer.
4. Do not put your child in the car seat with bulky clothes.
And I will correct you if you do it wrong. It’s not because I think your a bad parent, it’s because I want your child to be SAFE.
In some Provinces you have to keep them rear facing until 22lbs. But that is hopefully changing soon with the AAP wanting it to be until age 2.
I’m quite anal with straps. I always have to make sure they are exactly in the right spot…on my child, and others lol. I think I might put G’s a little higher than they are in that picture – I feel like she has them a tad low?
I have a question though – that cover was for an infant seat…obviously you can’t use them on the seats G & C are in, so what are you going to use on C this winter??
For winter I will use a thin fleece jacket and blankets.
Very good post! And so very true!
I go to a mom’s group on Wednesdays and we recently discussed carseat safety. I just wanted to add that if you use anything additional on your carseat, like bunting bags or anything like that you can void your warranty and diminish the effectiveness. You should only use covers that go outside of the straps, making sure you can only fit one finger under the straps.
I also wanted to note that Lil is no longer undoing her seatbelt after having to pull the car over a few times when she did to get her in trouble. I explained that it’s very dangerous and she could get very hurt if she did it and it scared her enough that she doesn’t undo them anymore!
Oh that is so good to hear about Lil (not that she is scared, but that she understands now).
I remember you tweeted about this and I literally reached over and scootched Sebastian’s straps up. Next time I think I am going to double check the tightness and make sure the seat can’t shift around. (I think it is all right, but can’t remember the last time I paid close attention.)
I think that the bit about not putting them in puffy clothes is the least known safety seat fact. Sebastian runs hot and it’s a stretch to even have him in a sweatshirt so no worries here.
Seb is 25 pounds and almost 11 months and the idea of switching him to forward facing anytime soon is just INSANE to me.