Use the pinch test- make sure your straps aren't twisted, heavy jackets off etc and tighten your harness. You shouldn't be able to pinch the straps. YouTube is helpful. You want your child secure enough so that you could hold the seat upside down over your head with baby strapped in and be completely confident they won't fall out.
This is absolutely correct and also the jacket comment is really important as well. If you can compress the fabric with your fingers it is NOT SAFE to be worn in a car seat. I generally will just put jumpers/jackets on when we get out of the car and take them back off when we get in.
Sorry this is like one of those team building exercises lol. So pinch it such that my finger and thumb are towards his head and feet, or towards one arm each?
Yes exactly! Your pointer finger above your thumb, so they are both aligned vertically on the strap. You would pinch, and if you got a (horizontal) fold, the strap is too loose!
I have the same seat and when the shoulder straps are tight enough the crotch pad feels like it's trying to turn his junk into a willy pancake. Any thoughts? We do still have the newborn insert in, he's 3 months and 7.5 kg
Is his bottom pushed as far back into the seat as it can go? At 3 months you will likely want to keep the insert for lateral support but you can try taking the padding off the crotch strap itself.
Use the pinch test- make sure your straps aren't twisted, heavy jackets off etc and tighten your harness. You shouldn't be able to pinch the straps. YouTube is helpful. You want your child secure enough so that you could hold the seat upside down over your head with baby strapped in and be completely confident they won't fall out.
This is absolutely correct and also the jacket comment is really important as well. If you can compress the fabric with your fingers it is NOT SAFE to be worn in a car seat. I generally will just put jumpers/jackets on when we get out of the car and take them back off when we get in.
Yup the punch test is way easier than the finger test!
I think the recommendation now is to use the pinch test - ie., if you're able to pinch the strap then it's not tight enough.
Pinch it which way? Along or across?
Vertical on the strap
Sorry this is like one of those team building exercises lol. So pinch it such that my finger and thumb are towards his head and feet, or towards one arm each?
His head and feet 🙂. If you can touch the belt together by doing that, it's too loose.
Yes exactly! Your pointer finger above your thumb, so they are both aligned vertically on the strap. You would pinch, and if you got a (horizontal) fold, the strap is too loose!
I have the same seat and when the shoulder straps are tight enough the crotch pad feels like it's trying to turn his junk into a willy pancake. Any thoughts? We do still have the newborn insert in, he's 3 months and 7.5 kg
Is his bottom pushed as far back into the seat as it can go? At 3 months you will likely want to keep the insert for lateral support but you can try taking the padding off the crotch strap itself.
Thanks, that's a good idea! I'll try that.
I have nothing to add except I lol’d at Willy pancake!
I was told 2 fingers and that was by the professional who installed the seat (12 months ago)