2 Yr Old Out Growing Car Seat

I agree with the Graco Nautilus. I just bought it for my 3 year old and he will be able to use until he is 8 and no longer needs a carseat. I would definetly keep a child in the 5 point harness as long as you can.

We purchased the Graco Nautilus and it's awesome! It goes up to 65lbs with the 5 pt harness, then converts to a backed booster and finally to just the seat booster. I wish they would have had this a while back so I could have skipped the convertible carseat after the baby one. Right now on Amazon.com you can get it for $144 with free shipping and no tax. Can't beat that!!!

Our daughter is almost 2, weighs about the same and is very tall. She's doing OK in her Britax Marathon - when I checked the stats on it, she could be in it for quite a while longer.

Have you adjusted the straps? I believe there are usually 2 settings on straps that you can thread them through so you can adjust for their height.

We have the Graco for our son when we needed to transition our daughter to the Marathon. He was about the same weight, and it's convertible to a booster down the road.

He loves it, and we've been very pleased.

Here's the link: http://www.target.com/Graco-###-###-####-Nautilus-Seat-Wi...

I would recommend asking your pediatrician just in case.

Here's also some guidance for 2010 from the American Academy of Pediatrics in terms of their recommendations:
http://www.healthychildren.org/English/safety-prevention/...

We had the same problem with my first son, and we bought the Alpha Apex Elite. It's a 5-pt harness booster that's especially accomodating for taller kids (the company even sent us a longer crotch strap for free when my son outgrew it). He was in the 5-pt until he was 5, and then it converts to a seat-belt use booster. At 6-1/2, that's STILL what he uses. We've gotten great mileage (literally) from that booster, and we feel confident that he's safe.

We have a very similar problem with our 3 year old. Our doctor suggested that we keep him in the 5 point harness until he is 40 pounds. There are other carseats out there that are for the taller kids and that will fit up to 100 pounds in a 5 point. I know that Walmart and Target both carry them and they are less than 100 dollars.

Unfortunately, the combo convertible/booster seats are very expensive and they're HUGE! Very cumbersome and not fun to install. (Even my retired mechanical engineer dad was shaking his head at the Britax model we use when he tried to help install it). We had to make the move, too, because our daughter passed the 40 lb. mark at 3 years. Hated the extra expense, but no real choice. Your son is going to need a new seat in no time, so just figure you'll have to buy one of these combo seats. In California, the earliest you can go to a booster is at age 4 now and I think most states are pretty close with rules.

Sorry, wish I had better news. We lucked out and the rules allowed our son to have a booster at age 3 (times have changed), so we never did have to spend the extra on another seat (boosters alone are very cheap and SO easy to use! You'll be doing a big happy dance when the time does come.).

Our son is also tall, he's now almost 3 1/2 at about 2 1/2 bought a larger car seat that for now can be used as a 5 point harness and down the road as a booster. I know there are a lot of brands out there, I am a fan of the Britax. Our daughter 17 mo is now in his Britax Roundabout and will be in it for a long time. He is in the Britax Frontier, I got it for $280 + 20% off w/ a BabiesRUs coupon. It is expensive but well worth it since he will be in it for a long time. The buckle is adjustable so there is more room in the seat. He can use it up to 5 ft and 100 lbs. I want my son to be older before I switch him to the booster version. They are primarily in the Britax. We bought basic ones for my hubbies car, Cosco Scenera for her and the Cosco High back booster for him (converts to booster when you are done with the 5 pt harness). I know the Britax is a bit more but they really are excellent quality and safety. The safety on the Cosco is also good, they are cheap and not nearly as good quality but for short trips they are fine. One recommendation I have is look at BabiesRUs clearance, you can get a good deal and they are not damaged, just store displays.

I so feel your pain. ;) I've been there too. My guy outgrew his infant carrier seat at 3 months. Yikes.

Definitely keep him in a 5 pt as long as possible. 2 yr olds are just too little to be in a booster -- even the tall ones. Plus, boosters just aren't as safe. Google boosters and safety record and it's kinda scary. They really haven't been studied too much period. Britax makes a seat that's 5 pt until 80 lbs -- that's what we got. Yes, it's expensive and heavy, but it's comfortable and very safe. It will also last a lot longer. My no 5 yr old is still in it. The good thing is, I never had to worry about him unbuckling himself while we were driving. Good luck!

Well, you have lots of interesting information here that I had never considered. We recently decided to put our 37 month old grandson in the carseat with the seat belt only. We took the 5 point harness straps off and he has been sitting in it just fine. He got in trouble once but really gets happy when we tell him what a good job he's doing by staying buckled like a big boy. It has the grooves for the seat belt to go through so the straps fit across his chest and abdomen. He appears safely seated.

I am posting some links to state laws about carseats. Ithink his height is a reall issue and he has to have that support behind his head in case of an accident, you don't want whiplash.

http://www.iihs.org/laws/childrestraint.aspx

For Iowa
http://www.dps.state.ia.us/commis/gtsb/English_CPS_Guide.pdf

http://www.infant-car-seats.com/states/car-seats-laws-Iow...

My son is the same way. He is 2 1/2 now and is 35lbs and about 37-38 inches tall. He to outgrew his carseat, so i just went to target and got a Graco one for 150.00. It is nice though. It is a 5 point harness one and the straps fit great and still have one more notch to go before he is to big again. It also converts so you can take the straps out and have a high back booster used with the seat belt or it comes apart to just have the booster seat. It i not overly huge and was very easy to install.

As others have said, he's way too young for a booster. Keep him in a 5-point-harness as long as you can. My 4-yr-old is in a Britax Regent. It has an 80 pound weight limit, so he'll be in it for a couple more years at least. Car seats are expensive, but in ALL the areas of things you buy for your children, it's the one area where it's worth it because of the safety, comfort and durability of the expensive ones (namely Britax). Maybe you could buy a less expensive one for the car he doesn't ride in as much? Regardless, it not only should be a 5-point harness, but I'm fairly certain that's the law too. Good luck.

your 2yr old could still be rear facing at only 32lbs, so he's certainly not ready for a booster seat.

If you want to keep him forward facing, you need to purchase a higher harness weight seat. The Graco Nautilus is a GREAT seat. It will harness to 65lbs and the top harness slot is 17". Most kids can use the harness in this seat until age 7! then it becomes a high back booster to 100lbs, and eventually a no back booster if necessary. It is $150 on Wal Mart.com, or Target.com. If you want to trade in his old seat, you can take it to Babies R Us, and they will take the old seat and give you a coupon for a new car seat, 25% off.

The Evenflo Generations 65 will harness to 65lbs and then becomes a booster to 100. Its $99 at Babies R Us. Both are good seats that will keep your son safe for a very long time in the harness.

If you want to rear facing him (AAP recommends children remain rear facing until 2 and 30lbs, or until the rear facing weight limits of their car seat) look for the Graco MyRide 65. It will rear face to 40lbs, and forward face to 65lbs. Most kids can use the harness to at least age 6 in this seat, and rear face to age 4. My 4.5yr old can still rear face in this seat. Its nice and tall, has amazing side impact protection too. its $150.

The Sunshine Kids radian will rear face to 40lbs (the XTSL will rear face to 45lbs) and foward face to 65lbs (XTSL to 80lbs). Most kids can use the harness to age 7 in this seat. GREAt seat, high harness weight, nice and narrow to easily fit next to another car seat or person in the back seat.

A car seat is outgrown rear facing when there is less than 1 inch of shell above the head, or the child goes over the rear facing weight limit. The harness should be at or below the shoulders for rear facing.

A car seat is outgrown forward facing when the shoulders go over the top harness slot, the ears are level with the seat back, or the child goes over the forward facing weight limit. The harness should be at or above the shoulder for forward facing.

No bulky clothing in the car seat, no winter jackets or buntings. The harness should be snug as a hug, an the chest clip should be level with the armpits, and the crotch buckle buckled at all times.

A child should remain in a 5pt harness as long as possible, but the BARE MINIMUM is 4yr and 40lbs. A child under 40lbs is 75% more likely to suffer abdominal and head injuries in even a minor collision, and submarine under the lap portion of the belt. Plus a child needs to have the maturity to sit still all the time, wear the shoulder belt on the shoulder and not put it behind him, the lap belt to fit properly, all the time. This happens between 5yrs and 7yrs of age.

Avoid the 3-in-1 types seats like the Alpha Omega and the Eddie Bauer 3 in 1. they are a jack of all trades, master of none. they have short shells and are outgrown too quickly, and they are too wide and the belt placement is right across the abdomen in booster mode, and have failed miserably every booster seat test they've been in. Skip them, for the money you can get at least 5 better seats.

I use the graco Nautilus and love it. It is about 160 i think but its worth it. The 5 point is good up to 65lbs and 52inches, then you can take out the straps and use it as a high back booster and that goes up to 100lbs and 57in or you can take the back off and just have it be a booster. My daughter loves this seat it has a cup holder that is a good size so you can put any size cup in it, and in the arm rest they are little hidding spots what my DH calls them she love to put things in there. You need to raely shop around cause there are so many out there that are for bigger kids. Good luck

i have heard that the britax brand is made for larger or taller kids. check them out if you can. i thought i had seen them at target once...