Ugh now I'm confused lol. We have a clek and a chicco next fit. The clek says we can use Latch rear facing until 40 pounds, but I have to include the weight of the seat as well? The clek is a heavy seat. I'm sure my sons weight and the weight of the seat exceed the 40 pound latch limit for rear facing.

My hospital did car seat checks with the techs. So my husband just went down before we were discharged.

Not against them at all! We NEED more techs...But very few are actually CPST's. the national course is 32 hours through Safekids WorldWide. It doesn't matter where you go it is a standardized class. Everyone of them is exactly the same. If its not through Safekids they are not CPST's.

Well since its required for their place to work, I know they are up to date. Why are you so against firefighters being certified? And through the national child passenger safety certification where they went it was a 40 hour class.

Nissan defers to the latch limits set by the child restraint manufacturer for that seat (until next year when it will be 65 lbs seat plus child). The headwise says you can use latch until 48 lbs.

Hubby and I both have nissans. I have a 2007 Altima, he has a 2006 xterra. We currently use the latch to secure the graco head wise. Lo is about 23 pounds and will be RF for at least another year.

I had no idea there was a weight limit to the latch system! I must have missed that part in the manual. Thanks squishy :)

What kind of car? Yes I personally tell people if they are forward facing just use the seatbelt...you'll have to eventually switch it anyways and I hope people are RFing until 40 lbs when you'd need to use the seatbelt anyways.

So I need to figure out what my car limit is for the time being. Now if my seat RF until 40 pounds and the seat weighs 25 the latch system would need to be at 65 pound limit.

Is it best to use seat belt once they go forward?

Selson

1. Right this very minute? Both and it depends (clear as mud I know) next year EVERY latch limit will be the same for cars and carseats (65 seat plus child)...some seats and SOME car manufacturers have already preemptively changed their limits to the new standard which goes into effect next year. Confused yet? Lol

2. Again it depends on if your car has already changed (and its retroactive) its limits to the new standard. If they have YES it's seat weight+child's weight

3. Bad bad bad

Ok I realize there are like 4 different conversations going on here, so I will just add to the confusion but I have a few questions.

Does the latch weight limit vary by vehicle, seat or both? If its both do vehicles vary or are they all the same?

Do you include weight of seat if its vehicle limit? I would assume yes but just want to clarify.

Also I have heard of people using both latch AND seat belt to secure carseats. Is that a good or bad thing?

He's in the third one, so I stopped using the padding. I just wanted to be sure. I felt weird taking it away.

So, this seat goes up to 65 pounds( he is barely 23 pounds. Little man.)I plan on keeping him RF until at least 3-4 years of age. When he is finally FF, is the seatbelt then a better option for the installation?

I'll contact graco tomorrow.

Thank you!! ?

Aly

I know, I regret many of my covers choices for the exact same reason.

1. What harness slot is he in? The padding can only be used in the 2 bottom harness slots

2. Nope! At the shoulders is just fine for rearfacing. At or below.

3. Latch is just fine for right now, as I assume he's not 40 lbs yet ;)

4. Call graco, they may even send you one for free (they have great customer service)

The grateful parents always outweigh the frustrating ones though thankfully. When parents hug you before getting back in their car, you know your doing a good thing.

I have a lady crush on you. You're always so helpful, and I know you wouldn't lie to any of us about safety.

I have a few questions about my sons car seat. He has the graco my ride 65 DLX convertible seat. I love it. But I should've avoided the lighter color. So many stains. ?

1.) he's 19 months and rear facing. The two pieces that came with the car seat, the head cushions and the leg cushions, should I still be using both?

2.) his straps are at shoulder level, should they be below?

2.) my trucks middle seat is too short for a car seat, he's behind the passenger seat, which is not touching his car seat. I used the latches for installation, but I've had people tell me to use the seat belt instead. I drive a 4 door, 2005 dodge ram. Is it better to use the latches or the seat belt?

3.) I lost one of the strap covers. I'm assuming I can buy graco brand from their site to replace it?

Thank you! Keep up the awesome work. :)

You'd think? But we always have that 1 a year that argues with us professionals.

It should not move more then 1 inch at the belt path (where the seat belt gets routed through) you only check it there and make sure when you lift up on the back (just a quick pull up...not all the way just a little bit) it snaps right back down (you don't want it to stay up). Have your husband literally sit on the base while tightening the seat belt (not kidding) then try to see if it moves. Make sure you are locking the seatbelt too.

Sure amber!

@squishy if I post a pic from when my son was little can you let me know if he was in right I want to make sure for this time around?

Bain...if its a 2000 your car doesn't have LATCH. Just pretend latch doesn't exist ;)

Sorry, but yes it is. You don't have to like those numbers...but they are in fact accurate. Forward facing children under 2 are 75% more likely to be killed in an accident.

Children should be rearfacing until the bare minimum of 2...but really as close to 4 as possible.

My 18 month old is still rf I'm not turning him around for awhile.

Oh said she turned her 10 month old around because she was 30 lbs. That's why I made that comment. Its both not either or. I think people think it's either or and its not.

Sorry but no it isn't....

It did make sense. You are talking about the LATCH which is another way to install. Where do you have the seat installed? Outboard or middle? And what year is your car?

LATCH is the way it's installed. It's what holds the seat into the car. Assuming you rearface until the max of the seat, you can use latch to install until you turn the carseat forward facing.

Ohhh okay so 40 lbs okay I was confused. Thanks

Sarah...kids should be rearfacing until as close to 4 years old as possible or longer. The best guide is to rearface until the limit of the carseat. Which for the Nextfit is a very long time which is awesome!

@ohh its 20 lbs AND a year not either or.

Huh? If your child is 40 lbs you install with the seatbelt. That's going to be true of pretty much all carseats.

It is a big deal. Children under 2 are 75% more likely to be killed while forward facing.

Oh crap he's already too fat for it. What about a marathon 70? Thank you so much.

My lo has been forward facing since he was 10 months he was 30 lbs at ten months...it's not always that the parent is being selfish.... my baby can see and is more comfortable he loved it it's bot a big deal he Def weighed enough and was biG enough to do so

It's 32 hours...and it isn't just 1 class. You have to maintain your certification and recertify every 2 years. Recertification numbers are actually VERY low. Always make sure the CPST you are talking to is current. Someone who was certified 10 years ago and has not kept up with their certification should not be giving out carseat advice as a CPST because they aren't a CPST any longer. Things have changed, and change every year.

Sarah yes it does. The Nextfit has a 40 lbs latch limit (the seat is 25 lbs)

I didn't say all firemen. I said in my area of the US is that all the fire departments by me have at least one firefighter on duty at all times that is a specialist who went through the 40 hour class. I know this because I was stationed at their fire houses for 4 years as a paramedic.

My husband threw away my manual to my next fit. What's the weight limit on the latch with it? My son is 4 months old and is 18 lbs. Does the weight of the carseat add in to it too?

Sometimes in order to get the proper position the headwings have to go lower then you would imagine they would. It is very important that straps be at or below while rearfacing.

It's a safety first carseat. Not sure which model. I've got them as low as they'll go with his head in there but I can't move them any lower :/

What kind of carseat? It's very dangerous to have the straps above the shoulders while RFing.

My dad is a Firefighter he's retiring in may, but anyways I wouldn't trust him to install my carseat and he's my dad. Lol! So I would suggest like Squishy said to find someone who's certified.

I do have a question for you squishy awhile back you said the straps need to be at or below the shoulders and I tried to get that right on my son and it just wouldn't work with the carseat I have there's a head cushion the straps go through and if I changed it his head wouldn't fit in the cushion if that makes sense?

I've emailed Clek's carseat safety advocate who is a CRST (CPST equivalent in Canada) for you Steph with your question. I'm hoping she can give me the answer for you. I don't want to say "yes it's mislabeled" and be wrong simply because the US version has a 40 lbs limit.

I have no idea because Canadian standards are different. I believe in the US the latch limit for the peg is 40 lbs...but again you guys do things different. I don't know if your cars have latch limits themselves or just the seats?

Squish, the peg perego convirtable manual says 30lbs latch limit but I just read online that it's a misprint and it's actually 40lbs. Is that true?

I don't get the obsession with forward facing the kid... I mean AT LEAST wait till it's legal! idk maybe bc I don't drive so whenever I am in the car with the baby, I can sit in the bank with him and keep him calm... actually rear facing is better for that!

There is a difference between a CPST and someone who took a generic carseat class. You always want to make sure you are actually talking to a CPST. Ask for their tech number and make sure they are what they say they are.

It depends on the area you live in if the fire departments or police departments have car seat specialist. The fire departments where I am from have at least one trained specialist on every shift.

It's a common misconception, most police men and fire fighters are not trained in car seats, because its just not required. Just call and ask if they have a car seat tech available before you go. And remember a tech will never install your seat but teach you how to install to make sure you can do it

@msk I've always heard to go to a fire or police station to get your carseat checked.

Is this not true?

Chedin done people are selfish. The person in the passengers seat has more space to sit comfortably if the car seat behind them is forward facing. How could you not understand how much more important their comfort is than baby's safety!?!?! The nerve of you chedin!!! Lol

I seriously don't understand why so many parents are so set on forward facing. What's the big deal if you keep the rear facing a while longer

I know that a lot aren't. But the ones here are is what I'm saying. At least quite a few of them are. It's on our news all the time.

Sunshine most police officers and fire fighters are not trained cpsts. It's a common misconception

Around here, you can take it to any fire station or police station to get it checked any time you want. They're all trained on proper car seat installation.

The Headwise is very easy to install

I checked in my area and I remembered why I have never had an official check. Every place around here that does it is by appointment only. I called half a dozen and it seemed liked the tech was always gone and "they will call you to set a time" yet never did. Plus the appointments are during the time I work.

I wish I could just go somewhere and have it done without the BS of scheduling, etc. I am pretty sure my hubby installed the new ones correctly. I love the ease graco headwise for RF, Yup the ball is in the green 100%

Who knows, we had one last year too. They bought a brand new Nautilus for the kid and that's what they insisted she would be riding regardless of the info we presented.

It's not illegal in IL technically. As in they can't be ticketed for it because the baby was 20 lbs. There was tons of cops there ;)

My area had none even close :/

How did the lady argue her 9 month old.foward facing? It's illegal...couldn't you call the police ?

Selson...some states don't have many check points...some have a bazillion. Chicagoland had over 20 check stations. You have to look up your states Safekids office or local safekids coalition. They usually have lists of seat checks.

Soap...it was national seat check Saturday today. But you can find a tech in your area at cert.safekids.org

Where were people supposed to take them? I have not heard of this until now...

Northern some were...seats not tight enough, harness not in the right position. We had someone argue with us about her forward facing their 9 month old (she did not turn her back around). There was a few seats that were mainly right except the child had exceed the latch limit and it was installed with latch.

Where do they do these seat checks? I just installed ours to prepare for baby's arrival but it feels.... Wrong.

Mrs. Perez I work for Mommycon but today was national seat check Saturday which is nation wide.

Where do you work?

And in the positive side I am glad they are going to get checked!

Hip hip hooray! !!