Did You Know This About Your Child's Car Seat?

CHEST piece! CHEST! CHEST!! CHEEEEESSSST! NOT navel piece!! I can not say this enough. Seriously. I have corrected my friends all the time! and I'm getting tired of how clueless they are!!

Hmm, I thought parents knew that too. When I first got the infant seat from my ex's mom it didn't come with instructions, I just used some critical thinking. How would a seat belt on your belly help you? That's like taking a giant punch to the stomach. You know, my dad tells me I should stop being mean to parents who do stupid things but when it affects children's lives I will never stop (mwahaha, lol i'm just kidding sorta).

Even when I bought a new one when you put it in it's on the installation instructions and all over the side of the seat, with pretty pictures too for those who don't like to read lol. Maybe older sis should get a labeler and put a label sticker on the carseat of lil sis that says armpit level!!! Why would you not try to be educated about your child's safety?

Just because old times didn't have car seats doesn't make it safe. Your dad and siblings survived b/c they were lucky (a strike of luck) and didn't get in a car accident that sent them flying out the window.

Lmao leelee, No offense but your friend sounds like her lightbulb is kinda dim if you know what I mean.

It seems like a no brainer to me...I mean just looking at the strap on the belly would tell me that something doesn't look right.

I always told/tell my son "hard parts". Aka, Sternum & hips.

I'd periodically showed him by gentle jabs on each area (belly or neck v hips or sternum). Since he could easily move the connecting bar, and was fond of wiggling or arching... for about a year, year and a half it was "Hard Parts!" shouted from the front seat as he'd slouch or move the bar, and he'd move the bar back. Ditto, later on with a shoulder belt. He first started moving the bar (and understanding how to move it back when told) under a year. Even now at NINE I still need to periodically remind him, although it's pretty sporadic.

I'm personally fond of racing belts in street cars (for all passengers), but we don't have our current cars outfitted yet.

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It amazes me, too. Here's another amazement ... our friend had her 7 month old infant facing forward in the car because "she didn't want him to see the world backward." YIKES!! That's not even legal here in California, not to mention just not smart.

Well your little sister is wrong and we all know it. She has some mistaken idea that it doesnt matter. Shes wrong. Tell her this: in the event of an accident, the weight of the childs head will cause the childs body to fly out of the straps and leave the car seat. Before it leaves the carseat, it will break both legs in more than one place just to get them out of the car seat. The arms and shoulders may also break as they exit the carseat.
If the chest buckle is at arm pit level it will successfully hold the body in the carseat and prevent these things from happening. Id talk to the childs parents and inform them your sister is not buckling their child in properly and is putting his health and life at risk.
Also the straps should come out of the back of the carseat at ear level to the child. They should not be lower than their shoulders. If they are, then move them to the next slot, or get a new carseat that fits their height and weight.

Yes I know. It is harder in winter up here in WI because we have that bulky heavy jacket and sure it is easy to say 'take it off before strapping them in' well sorry but when it is cold I am not taking that coat off. I would get yelled at by relatives from AZ about all the time but they do not deal with the frostbite coldness of winter so I ignore them.

I think many parents are in such a rush, or have the mind setting 'it will be ok' or 'I am a safe driver I do not get in accidents' so they slack in the safety. Not say it is right but that is what most of those parents are thinking who slack.

We are blessed to have great car seats, but MANY before had no car seats (like my dad and his siblings) and all survived. Of course that was not safe, there were no laws, but I am just saying that we are soooo quick to judge what others do wrong when it comes to safety. We can only make something so idoit proof.

Oh yes, I am aware of property placement of the chest strap and all working components on the car seat. I always read every manual front to back; and I'm a stickler for any small print on any document, item, product, contract etc. Comes from writing business proposals. Rule of thumb...always read manuals, contracts, fine print...etc. I'm the one that reminds my husband. : ) My standard life motto is: "Protect Life and Property".

I once saw a child in an infant seat placed forward facing in the car with only the lap belt over the seat, no straps. I almost died of horror. Yes I knew about the chest strap at armpit lever... I also had my daughters seat professionally installed so I knew she was extra safe!

Yes indeed. So often I see it on the belly or the straps or super loose.
I try to explain it like this: Think of your baby as a little football or a rocket in a car crash...what do you think will keep your baby in his/her seat in that situation? If those straps are not properly on the shoulders and that chest clip isn't holding those straps in place properly, nothing is going to hold that baby in.
Maybe if you explain it to her like that she will get a clearer picture...it helped my friend to understand better.

ETA: I am sure Kelsey's mom only meant to help but the straps for a rear facing seat should be AT or BELOW the shoulders not above. The opposite is true for forward facing. Other than that her post is spot on!

Read Pippi the Tech's comment. :)
http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=41780