Fitting the carseat

:angry: Okay so it's my second day being a SAHM and I'm so frustrated I want to go back to work. We have spent THREE DAYS trying to get this b!oody stupid carseat in probably. We have followed the instructions step by step by step by step I don't know how many times and it just doesn't seem right. It rocks side so side really badly and I wouldn't feel comfortable putting my baby in it. I'm not being fussy it really does move heaps, even going around corners.:angry:

So here is my question. Is this normal and has anyone else had this problem or are there any suggestions???

Thanks ladies,
Luv Dan.

Hi Dan. I've just picked up my hire capsule (car seat STILL on order!!!) and there seems to be quite a bit of side to side movement in it too. Like you, I was a bit worried but I've since taken it to Kidsafe and they've checked it and said its fine. I thought they would be really stable but apparently not!

If you don't think it is safe then look around for a qualified car seat fitter, costs around $30 but that is nothing so you know your baby is safe. They really are buggers to fit when you haven't done it before. Sometimes with slightly older cars you need to get a special clip that holds the seatbelt together tightly. If you look on the vicroads website they list fitters on there, though I guess it depends where you are in the country.

ours is pretty sturdy - but it does rock a bit but not very much and not when going around corners ... We had ours fitted by one of those fitting stations. It cost us about $35. We also had to get some clip thing like what becmc described.

Yep, it is normal for them to move around a little unless they are fitted professionally. The RACV have fitting stations all around VIC, you can find their locations on their website. It may be worth it for peace of mind.

Oooh thanks for the reminder Dan - I must book in today!

I am in the same predicament. We bought a Safe n sound capsule and DH put it in the car, following all the directions and it still moves from side to side very easily. I don't feel comforatable putting my baby is that at all.

Im not sure how the NRMA/RTA/RAC etc would make it any sturdier as there are only 2 belts, the one it comes with that attaches to the back window hook and the middle belt which goes through the capsule.

I just don't like the idea and im feeling very nervous.

We had the same problem, so i gave up and spent my $40 and got RACV to install it. Then we brought a new car and made them install it again. I dont care how many times i have to pay to get it installed..as long as i know its done properly.

We got ours fitted at one of the racv places and they used towels to make it secure (under and behind). It barely moves at all.

Thanks for making me feel better.
I bought a convertible car seat from k-mart a while ago. I got a lot of criticism from my in-laws who were of the opinion that I should spend a minimum of $400.00 on the seat. But I had done my research and even the sales assistant had told me that the one I bought was the same when it comes to safety, they just might not look as nice.
My husband installed it a couple of weeks ago and it does move from side to side quite easily. I honestly don't think he installed it properly (one of the belts is all twisted). I said I'd get it fitted professionally and asked him not to mention anything about it to his parents. And what does he do? He tells his parents about how s***ty this car seat is and that he installed it the way it is supposed to be installed and it still seems really unsafe. I could have killed him. As if I didn't worry enough about not being a good enough mum. He had to make me look liek a horrible mum in front of his parents.:angry:
I can't believe that even professional fitters use things like towels to make them more stable. That sounds sooo dodgy.
Anyway, thanks for reminding me to call the fitter.

A towel - oh man that does not sound safe at all, but i suppose it depends on your seat shape in the car too??? Dan did you get the safe n sound premier??? Thats what we got and i cant wait for Al to get home and put it in coz now Im really nervous and he seems to think it will be all simple and ok but now Im worrying too!! I think $30 is a small price to pay for peace of mind.

Check with your ambulance service as well....I am not sure how it works in Victoria, but when pregnant with my first in QLD I had my car seat fitted for free at the Ambulance Centre here on the Gold Coast. I wonder if they offer the same service down there.

We live in Brisbane and had the child safety house fit our. We need a clip for the car belt to adjust that cost $4 and they asked for a gold coin donation to install the seat $2. So $6 all up. The car seat does move a little but not a whole lot, I feel safe to put my precious little bundle in.

Dan, if you're not happy with it, do get a professional to look at it - just for your piece of mind. Where did you get your seat from? I got mine from BabyCo and they had a guy who went to the store once a week and fitted them at a discounted rate if you purchased it from there. I have a Safe'N'Sound and it does not move at all (unless I push it really hard). The guy who installed mine was friendly and FANTASTIC. He not only made a point to teach DH how to install it (we have one of those reversible ones) but also went through how to strap baby in and adjust all the straps as they grow. He also told us more about our car seat than what the sales person did (like if you have an accident the manufacturer will replace it free of charge). I can't for the life of me remember which company he was from but they had a koala as the logo... if you ring BabyCo at Ringwood and ask who they use they can tell you... that's where I got it fitted....


HTH

MG

ETA: They can come to you to fit it as well - you don't have to go to them and you don't have to have purchased it from BabyCo to have them fit it - you'll just pay full price (an extra $10)

Yep, I agree, go and get it fitted by a professional :)

Dear Dan,
I agree with everyone else, get it professionally fitted.You can also Google Car restraints and it will bring up places that specialise. I am having mine done Thursday and they said bring in a heap of towels.
The reason being that often our car seats and not level (for passenger comfort) but of course the car seats and capsules are usually straight on the bottom. It sounds kind of dodgy but if it works that is all that matters!!

MG - is that Babyco or Baby Bunting in Ringwood - we got ours at Baby Bunting in Ringwod. Might give them a buzz!

Thanks for all the help ladies. An update. The carseats move like ours is until the baby's weight is taken into consideration. DUH!!! How dumb do I feel. It is booked in to get the check for insurance on Monday so I'll double check then too, just to be on the safe side.

I can't believe I didn't think it could be because it had no weight in it.

I'll let you know what they say on Monday.

Mother Goose,
I think you are referring to 'Littlies'. They also fit out my way (Berwick/Narre Warren) and do the same things as you said. If you've bought it from Babyco, Snugglebug and a few others they will fit it for half price. He told us $25.000, normally $50.00. He goes to each store on a particular day and you just ring the store and book in.
He said that they are not the cheapest going around and strongly suggested getting them fitted by a pro. I am going to check out the Ambulance Service in Vic like Jacqui suggested.

:cryinglaugh: BAby Bunting! That's it! :cryinglaugh: Why did I think BabyCo? I haven't bought ANYTHING from BabyCo! I have such a muhy brain still! I paid $20 to get my carseat fitted - or was it $25? Hmmmm, one of those two anyway - not expensive at all.

Hey, yeah when we first fitted ours with DD we thought it rocked really badly and i had never thought of the weight factor, derrrr!!! but we had a different car then, this time around bub's has to go on the side and does not seem to have to the rocking movement as bad cause there is no hump, like in the middle seat!!!

Just thought I would add a quick hopefully helpful note about the capsule....

We had a safe n sound Unity one, even with a decent baby in it and fit properly it still moved around it was just really ment to happen and they are all the same in that unity style apparently

On the upside we have a safe n sound royal retractor (one with speakers) very very expensive but totally worth the money, he is safe and secure all the time, we are in the process of getting DS a maxi-rider so he can give DD when she comes along the delux seat turned around.


HTH

Just this morning I went and picked up my friends 'Peg-pérego' brand car capsule that she's giving us. It's one of the 2 part systems where you strap the base into the car and then latch the top part in. The base unit itself is sitting solid as a rock. It has a knob on it so that once you strap in the base unit, you turn the knob and the base jacks up a bit to make it an extra tight fit. The seatbelt holding it in place is as tight as a piano string!

The top then clicks in and baby is safe and snug.

OK so I do appreciate that the pro's might be able to do a better job than someone who hasn't read the instalation instructions but for our seat at least I didn't find it hard at all and I'm totally satisfied with how secure it is.