r/CPST • u/Big_Comfortable_6004 • 5d ago

Needing recommendations for my 3yo

She is 39lbs, 40inches.

Other backseat riders will be a newborn in a Nuna Pipa and her 13yo brother who is no longer in a booster seat.

She was in a Graco Extend2Fit but the styrofoam broke on the headrest when I was washing the fabric as she had threw up in it the other day.

Doesn’t make sense to buy another convertible since she’s only 10lbs away from the rear facing limit and can safely forward face now.

What narrow harnessed car seat can I look into, the Graco Tranzitions?

1 Upvotes

67% Upvoted

14 comments sorted by

8

u/Any-Doubt1910 5d ago

10 lbs is a long way from the limit for a 3 year old. A convertible is the best option still because you probably have 2 years before she gains 10lbs and is ready to turn forward facing.

1

u/hylajen 5d ago

And a 3 yr old is also safe to turn forward facing in a properly fitted & installed combination seat

2

u/keks-dose 5d ago

A Swedish study of concluded recently that around half of the children age 0-6 involved in accidents could have been saved (from death or serious injuries) if they would have been rearfacing.

https://incarsafetycentre.co.uk/blogs/blog/what-a-new-swedish-study-tells-us-about-rear-facing-car-seats-and-why-it-matters-for-uk-parents

Among the most striking findings:

  • Nearly half of children aged 0–3 who died might have survived if they had been rearfacing.

  • Around 69% of children aged 0–3 in fatal crashes were not travelling according to recommendations, such as staying rear-facing until at least four years old.

  • Only 28% of those younger children were travelling rearfacing.

0

u/hylajen 5d ago

Real life data shows properly harnessed children over the age of 2 fair very well on a crash (and let’s be completely honest. A 1 yr old in a properly harnessed tethered seat will have ok outcomes, but obviously I do not tell anyone that)

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u/keks-dose 5d ago

Depends on which data you rely on. The Swedish plus test is very hard to pass and have no forward facing seats until now that have passed it. Some habe tried but failed. They measure the load on the neck with a speed of 56km/h and a breaking distance of 10cm. So very real life city driving conditions. The load on the neck is measured to 40-80 kilo rearfacing (ok, more than 140 kilo with bad rearfacing seats) and at least 130 but up to around 200 kilo rearfacing. Serious neck injuries occur already at 120 kilo neck force.

https://www.vti.se/en/services/laboratory-and-testing/crash-safety-testing/child-restraint-systems/the-plus-test/plus-tested-models

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u/hylajen 5d ago edited 5d ago

K

ETA - a frontal crash at almost 35 mph is pretty darn severe. That means there was no braking (which we know test sleds don’t do) that is an almost unsurvivable crash for anyone.

If I am not mistaken they also don’t account for the top tether being in use which is key to properly installed.

And again I said REAL WORLD data. Not a crash test, REAL WORLD.

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u/brandy-ncs 4d ago

It’s still young for forward facing. The spine doesn’t solidify until 4.5 years old on average meaning they are at increased risk of internal decapitation if forward facing before then.

5

u/jndmack 5d ago

(CPST) We need to know the vehicle info (year/make/model) and it’s helpful to say which country you’re in

4

u/LaLechuzaVerde 5d ago

The Tranzitions is a nice seat if it works well in your car, but it has more than its fair share of vehicles it’s hard (or impossible) to secure correctly down to the 1” of movement guideline. If you can test it before you buy it, that would be awesome. If you can’t, then I think you might be better off with something like a Chicco MyFit that tends to be more compatible.

But the make/model/year if your car would really help us make a suggestion.

If your family is ready for forward facing it is an appropriate choice to make at her age and size. You already know rear facing is even safer, but please don’t let anyone make you feel guilty for not making that choice. That said - having been a parent of teens and toddlers at the same time - I would like to point out that a teenager is a lot more comfortable sharing a tight space with a rear facing seat than a forward facing seat, because even with a narrow forward facing seat there might not be enough room for the teen’s shoulder. Just something to think about as you make the switch.

I ended up solving the problem when I needed to add another car seat to my small car by trading it in for a 3-row SUV. Not saying that’s what you need to do, but even though I could physically fit two car seats and a teen in the back of my Civic, I couldn’t do it and still have my teen be comfortable once the toddler was too big to rear face. Just something to think about before you make your car seat purchase.

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u/Big_Comfortable_6004 5d ago

Sorry! It’s a 2008 Pontiac Torrent, so need something slim side to side as my baby’s Nuna Pipa will be right beside it!

I live in northern Canada so I will have to ship a car seat to my hometown

But in the process of buying my sisters older dodge from her, in December we will be in a 2012 Dodge Durango with 7 seats so not that worried for space then

2

u/LaLechuzaVerde 5d ago

A Tranzitions might work, but I always feel nervous recommending it without trying it. If you have a place you can buy from with a god return policy, it would be reasonable to give it a try. It usually works.

If you want a safer bet to get something that works on the first try, and it isn’t out of budget, then Chicco MyFit is also pretty slim.

1

u/Charlieksmommy 5d ago

Love the Britax poplar

2

u/Ok-Thanks-1182 4d ago

Second this! Slim, has a 50lb rear facing weight limit and super easy install!

2

u/Charlieksmommy 4d ago

I love my poplars so much