Latch AND Seatbelt for Baby Seats

[moshe_levy]

Ahh, now for something REALLY controversial!

 

Anyone with kids on this board? You know those car seats with LATCH connections? Any reason why you can't attach with LATCH and the seatbelt also, just as a backup of sorts?

 

I've posed this question at the child seat forums and got nothing but vapid crap. No facts, no real evidence, one way or the other.

 

I can see a point where if one were to crank down on the seatbelt, perhaps the surface area the latch straps cover evenly would be compromised. I can see an uneven tension perhaps defeating the purpose. I am only talking here of a tight latch per regs (1" of play) and and snug seatbelt over it.

 

Any real evidence or facts? This is a group I count on for that sort of stuff. The mommy groups where this stuff is usually discussed are the opposite!

 

-MKL

[Mike]

This page suggests that you should use one or the other, indicating that using both may put stresses on the seat that might cause it to break. Honestly, that seems a little counterintuitive to me, since the additional points of attachment would seem to spread the forces of an impact of a greater area. But, I'm just guessing.

[Mike]

This page suggests that you should use one or the other, indicating that using both may put stresses on the seat that might cause it to break. Honestly, that seems a little counterintuitive to me, since the additional points of attachment would seem to spread the forces of an impact of a greater area. But, I'm just guessing.

 

Concurring advice from a baby seat manufacturer.

[moshe_levy]

Yes, Mike, I had seen those two articles. I can agree to an extent with them, but I think someone is going to get very rich someday, devising a better way to secure these seats. It's crazy. Sometimes I have to apply all my body weight and strength, and it's still marginal with LATCH. Or you use the seatbelt and the carseat sits lopsided, toward the buckle where the pressure is applied on the base. Someone, somewhere, is going to get frustrated and design something better. Necessity is the mother of invention.

 

-MKL

[Mike]

Back in the day, the baby seats we had were pre-LATCH, so this wasn't an issue. My personal approach would probably be to LATCH it up, with the seat belt applied snugly, but not so tight as to take over the as the principal points of pressure, more as a backup, to offer somewhat greater security if the latch system failed.

 

We go to great lengths these days . . . of course, back when I was a kid, it was pretty much the norm to stand or sit anywhere in the car I could get away with it.

[moshe_levy]

Mike-

 

I agree 100%. Yes, I clearly remember my old grandma holding my baby brother in the back seat when I was a boy. It all came back to me in high school physics, when the teacher proceeded to explain to us how much a 12 pound baby weighs if it stops dead at 30mph (i.e. crash). Wow... We've come a long way since then. You should see these car seats - they have integrated side impact static airbags, base-level crumple zones, metal frames, and more now - and the price tags to go with it!

 

-MKL

[tallman]

Back in the day, the baby seats we had were pre-LATCH, so this wasn't an issue. My personal approach would probably be to LATCH it up, with the seat belt applied snugly, but not so tight as to take over the as the principal points of pressure, more as a backup, to offer somewhat greater security if the latch system failed.

 

We go to great lengths these days . . . of course, back when I was a kid, it was pretty much the norm to stand or sit anywhere in the car I could get away with it.

 

 

We bought cars with hood ornaments so I had someplace to hold on to.

[4wheeldog]

Back when my first child was born, I actually bolted her baby seat into our van. I would probably either go to jail or hell now.....But it was perfectly reasonable then.......36 years ago.

[moshe_levy]

My mother in law still has 35+ year old baby stuff - seats, booster seats, lunch seats, etc. You've got to see this stuff - looks straight out of the "Saw" movies or something. Sharp metal corners, all sorts of places to get exploring fingers caught, etc. We've come a long way.

 

-MKL

[Rougarou]

My mother in law still has 35+ year old baby stuff - seats, booster seats, lunch seats, etc. You've got to see this stuff - looks straight out of the "Saw" movies or something. Sharp metal corners, all sorts of places to get exploring fingers caught, etc. We've come a long way.

 

-MKL

 

Yet here we are. It is amazing how "safety" has taken over almost to the point of to devoid anyone of anytype of fun activity. Riding bicycles with no helmets, heck, riding bicycles with a rifle or shotgun strapped to your back to go hunting through town to the woods or fields with zero adult supervision at 10-12 years old and a 10 round wheelgun .22 on the side for snakes. If my 13yo daughter were to do that today, she'd be arrested along with me.

 

On trips, when she was an infant, we'd take her out of the car seat (oh heavens no) and ride her in the front with us. Safe, ah, depends on who's looking. Would I do it today, yep, do it with the grandkid. How is the seat strapped in, I have no idea, I just know it is in there. Oh, and you should see him play with the Rottweiler

 

[moshe_levy]

Everyone's got different levels of comfort with risk. Personally if I found my parents or my wife's parents transporting my babies without properly strapped in and installed seats, I would kill them with my bare hands, and not think twice about it. But, that's just me!

 

-MKL

[Joe Frickin' Friday]

Yet here we are. It is amazing how "safety" has taken over almost to the point of to devoid anyone of anytype of fun activity.

 

With an attitude like that, I bet you haven't bothered to fit your baby with a crawling helmet.

 

Seems some parents are so concerned about the rate at which their babies are ambling about the living room that they are purchasing crawling helmets for their high velocity tots. (No, these aren't helmets for head-shaping or other medical needs; they're just to protect babies from hitting their heads while doing normal baby activities.) If your baby can’t face the rigors of crawling, how will your toddler learn to walk? Will your Kindergartener ever ride a bike? I guess you can forget about contact sports, driving, and frat parties.

 

[Rougarou]

Everyone's got different levels of comfort with risk. Personally if I found my parents or my wife's parents transporting my babies without properly strapped in and installed seats, I would kill them with my bare hands, and not think twice about it. But, that's just me!

 

-MKL

 

That's funny right there.

[Rougarou]

Yet here we are. It is amazing how "safety" has taken over almost to the point of to devoid anyone of anytype of fun activity.

 

With an attitude like that, I bet you haven't bothered to fit your baby with a crawling helmet.

 

Seems some parents are so concerned about the rate at which their babies are ambling about the living room that they are purchasing crawling helmets for their high velocity tots. (No, these aren't helmets for head-shaping or other medical needs; they're just to protect babies from hitting their heads while doing normal baby activities.) If your baby can’t face the rigors of crawling, how will your toddler learn to walk? Will your Kindergartener ever ride a bike? I guess you can forget about contact sports, driving, and frat parties.

 

That's extremely funny.

 

Some people are over protective, extremely over protective. I've got snaps of my daughter at 1.5-2 about 15-20 up a tree. I guess that would be considered child endangerment by someone's standards.

[pbharvey]

Some people are over protective, extremely over protective. I've got snaps of my daughter at 1.5-2 about 15-20 up a tree. I guess that would be considered child endangerment by someone's standards.

 

Was she using an electric chainsaw or gas powered?

 

 

Did I hear something on the radio a week or so ago that you're supposed to face the car seat the opposite way than it used to be? I'm pretty sure the recommended technique changed throughout our children's car seat days. Like sleeping an infant on their stomach or their back.

[EddyQ]

Wow... We've come a long way since then. You should see these car seats - they have integrated side impact static airbags, base-level crumple zones, metal frames, and more now - and the price tags to go with it!

 

While there have been advances in technology used, many of these seats are so cheaply made that it makes you wonder if the technology would even work at the time of need. Unfortunately, my kids are beyond car seats, so my help is likely limited. However, my son (age 8) still likes his Britax booster over the adult seat and we let him keep it. I haven't looked at seats in a long while. But when I did, I found a quality seat such as a Britax to be well worth the $$ as the kid got older. Simple things like head restraints while they nap is a must IMO. Impact foam under the fabric also helps a lot for added warmth on cold days.

 

My opinion with kid seats is to do what you think is right. Latch and seatbelt sounds like the way to go in your situation.

With some other brand seat in another type vehicle, maybe not. Don't let these sort of decisions hog too much brain power. As you said, yesteryear seats were far worse and kids survived. Your kids will likely be far better and that is good.

 

Gee, I think I bought 10+ seats between my two kids over the years. And the youngest re-used the oldest since they are 2.5 years appart.

[moshe_levy]

I'm a Britax convert myself. I use the same philosophy as my motorcycle gear - best I can afford. The Britax stuff is first rate.

 

-MKL

[Huzband]

Everyone's got different levels of comfort with risk. Personally if I found my parents or my wife's parents transporting my babies without properly strapped in and installed seats, I would kill them with my bare hands, and not think twice about it. But, that's just me!

 

-MKL

 

So I suppose you didn't grow up standing on the front seat of a '55 Chevy with a steel dash board. No wonder you're weird.

[moshe_levy]

Front bench seat of a Plymouth Volare wagon with fake wood sides, my friend!

 

 

Yep... Believe me, I'd rather hit my head on the steel dash of a '55 Chevy than be seen in a Volare!

 

-MKL

 

 

[Huzband]

 

Yep... Believe me, I'd rather hit my head on the steel dash of a '55 Chevy than be seen in a Volare!

 

-MKL

 

 

That there is funny stuff.

 

Gotta love the locking gas cap.

[EddyQ]

So I suppose you didn't grow up standing on the front seat . . .

 

When I was a tot, I put a star crack in my dad's windshield with my head. I was standing/jumping on the front seat when he hit the breaks.

No injury, but it was something I never forgot.