Car seat forward or rear seating

**Pandora** · May 27th, 2010, 03:08 PM

I have the meridian ahr, so very similar.

They definitely adjust, you shouldn't have to lift her over.

I will look up the destructions tonight

**Lisa** · May 27th, 2010, 03:16 PM

Lol... of course it will be as simple as adjusting the straps!
I just assumed because all the other straps have the lock things that the anchor strap would have one somewhere too.

**Mrs McAwesome** · May 27th, 2010, 03:21 PM

we just fitted our car seat last weekend in preparation and i swear we nearly got divorced over it. The instructions are so hard to understand. We have a safe and sound. Also what have other people done to stop it moving. We tried to put towels underneath it but it still doesn't seem super secure. I want to get it fitted professionally but my DH is a tight arse. I think he has decided to still try and get it fitted though while i am in hossy cos it just doesn't seem secure even though we installed it exactly as the instructions stated.

**Pandora** · May 27th, 2010, 03:29 PM

Mrs h, which one? Convertable or capsule?

**Lily Dust** · May 27th, 2010, 03:33 PM

I was wondering this just yesterday. Asked a few people and apparently everyone I spoke to had changed there seats around long before now

. Gonna have a read here but the RTA pamphlet I saw yesterday said at least 8 kg and 70cm in length.

**meow** · May 27th, 2010, 03:34 PM

We tried fitting our convertable carseat and we couldn't get it right either. It was SO worth the $30 or whatever to get it fitted. I'm glad we tried first as we understood it then and we both went and watched as it was professionally done so we understand how to do it better now. Since then when take the seat interstate so in and out of our car, we've always done it ourselves and we do a pretty good job.

ETA: I turned my son forward facing at 7 months. He was crawling and sitting by himself and met the weight recs. But I only did it as I couldn't get the seat to reach the anchor in our hire car with it in the rear facing position. I could have bought an extender the next day I guess but I never did and when we got home we left him as I don't think he would have been happy about rear facing again. That said, I wouldn't have done it by pure choice that early and we'll wait longer next time.

**alioops** · May 27th, 2010, 03:35 PM

Mrs Hendo my friend is a car seat fitter. The base of ours moves around but when the tether straps are on it doesn't. If it is a capsule the base moving isn't a problem because when the capsule is put on and tethered it doesn't move any more. Double check that the car seatbelt is as tight as it will go and it should be fine. Generally when it comes to these sorts of things I do it myself or get a pro to look because otherwise DH and I fight.

**feeb** · May 27th, 2010, 03:36 PM

With the strap there is a metel bit at part where strap threaded thru and you push it in and slide strap to loosen and then pull on long end of strap to tighten saves you lifting over the strap. (mine is on passanger side door so easy to access strap.)

**Kitt3n** · May 27th, 2010, 05:03 PM

In many European countries children arent turned around until they are 4 years of age.

Unfortunately our govt is yet to pick up on this essential information and as yet have not approved any larger rearward facing car seats. GRRRRRRR

You can have them imported, but they do not fit Australian standards (obviuosly of below world standard!) so if you are involved in an accident with one of these your insurance co may not cover you.

**Sopdet** · May 27th, 2010, 05:51 PM

There are Australian wide rules (legislated ones I might add) about child seats, they've come into effect in Queensland already and will be adopted by all States in the near future. It is to do with weights/ages of the children. Child restraints

**nickle730** · May 27th, 2010, 06:09 PM

Kitt3n, I'm with you! It has been well proven that a child is much safer in a rear facing child restraint until approximately four years of age, but we don't have restraints available in Australia which accommodate this! I would encourage every parent to investigate this issue and to keep their child rear facing for as long as possible. Although your child may be sitting unassisted, their anatomy is still immature and they are at far greater risk of injury or death in the event of a car accident. There is absolutely no doubt that that risk is dramatically reduced if a young child is supported by a rear facing restraint!

I turned my DD7 and DS4 front facing as soon as possible... they were happier sitting up and looking around. They were also not as safe as they could have *should have* been. I am pregnant again and this baby will be rear facing for as long as the restraint allows. I know that the idea of having a 2 year old child rear facing is foreign to us, but I truly believe that, with such overwhelming evidence to support it, in a decade it will be standard practice. Remember, my mothers generation used to stick their baby on the back seat in a moses basket!

Sorry... I will get down off my soap box now! But seriously, I am horrified that I cannot buy a restraint in this country that allows me to transport my child over 9-12kgs in the safest manner possible. If we were to all kick up a stink, surely the restraints (which are already designed and manufactured for overseas markets) would be made available here.

**Sopdet** · May 27th, 2010, 06:17 PM

To get a ruling on that changed, you would have to lobby the federal government, then start the fight to get the australian design standards changed. All states follow the federal government rulings.

***EJ*** · May 27th, 2010, 08:36 PM

With DS1 he was about 7 or 8 months old, he was about the right weight and i didn't know any different.

DS2 has a small build and he never looked too big to be that way at all. He never reached 8kg until he was about 12 months old. I knew safety wise it was best for him so until it seemed like time i let him go. He was happy. At about 12-13 months i changed him because i noticed he started to strain his neck to try and turn around to look at me. His feet still weren't reaching the seat but i think he was telling me he was ready

**Ozziehoffy** · May 27th, 2010, 10:10 PM

With Oskar I think it was after he started walking... he was 15 months when he started walking... I think he may have been approx. 18 months when we turned him. This was pretty much because of the link to the youtube stuff.... scary! Elijah is 13 1/2 months now and still rear facing.

Mrs H... the seat shouldn't move around. Do you have the stabilser bar pulled out? We have a towel in behind that against the back of the seat. The installer put it there. DH had put the seat in but I KNEW it wasn't right cos there was way too much movement in it. Yup, we had a disagreement about it also cos he kept saying it's right! Well, he'd actually not pulled the bar up which is the first thing the ambulance guy noticed!! I'd possibly ask your DH if there is a price to be put on the life of a bub and get it checked anyway??

Lisa, definitely can loosen up the anchor straps on those seats hun. There is a buckle type thing which you press the "button bar" thing in and then it should slide to loosen the strap. To tighten again you just pull the loose end of the strap. It'd be murder on your arms and acrobatics too getting her in and out over the straps!

**HotI** · May 27th, 2010, 11:12 PM

Do I need to turn it round again. He seems like facing forward and being able to see me and things?

Do you have a mirror for bub? I got a mirror from one of the baby shops that hooks onto the strap that goes backwards on the car seat and can see bub in my rear view mirror and i think she can see me (or will be able to when she can see further). Just another option if you want bub backwards for abit longer.

**Mrs McAwesome** · May 28th, 2010, 09:05 AM

Thanks for the info guys... We will definately be taking it to a fitter now to get checked. DH assures me it is installed as per the instructions but i am not so confident. We do have the stabilizer bar up already as well.. It's not moving around heaps just a lot more than i thought it would. its a Safe and sound convertable.