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I am a Certified CPS (Child Passenger Safety) Technician, as well as a career firefighter/EMT. Many of these reponses are amazingly well thought out and accurate. However, some of them are amazingly inaccurate.
Federal law requires that a child be in a rear-facing CSS (Child Safety Seat) until they are at least 1 year old and weigh at least 20 lbs. The reason for this standard is that most children will have reached 20 lbs. by 1 year of age, and when the law was written, in the late 70s, the maximum rear facing weight for seats was 20 lbs. Nowadays, with the exception of carriers, such as the Graco Snugride or the Peg Perego Primo Viaggio, all rear facing CSS have a maximum weight of at least 30 lbs, with some as high as 35 lbs. Most carriers have a maximum weight of 22 lbs, but some do go to 30 lbs. What I tell parents when they come to get their CSS installed is that they should keep their child rear-facing until the maximum weight for their particular seat, no matter how old the child is. My son was turned forward-facing after his 1 year check up because he had reached the maximum rear-facing weight, while my daugher was rear-facing until she was almost 2!
All forward-facing CSS [whether strickly forward-facing, a combination seat (for use both rear-facing and forward-facing), a convertible seat (for use as a forward-facing CSS with a 5-point harness and as a BPB (Belt Positioning Booster) or a 3-in-1 (for use in all three stages)] have a maximum weight of at least 40 lbs, with some going as high as 80 lbs! What I tell parents when we do turn their seat forward facing is that they need to keep their child in the 5-point harness until they reach the maximum weight or height for their particular seat. My son was out of his 5-point harness and in a BPB at age 3 (the absolute minimum age for a BPB), while my daughter, who is 4, is still in a 5-point harness since she only weighs 34 lbs.
As stated by a previous poster, a BPB does not have straps, i.e. a 5-point harness, but if it is a backless BPB, then it may come with a strap to help guide the shoulder strap across the child's shoulder instead of across their face or neck.
And CSS do expire. Many CSS manufacturers indicate when they expire, usually by stating, "Do not use after December 20XX". Some even give a specific date for the expiration. If it is not specified by the manufacturer, then we use a date 6 years from the date of manufacture
As for employee at Target not saying anything about the expiration date, that's not suprising since they probably aren't a CSS Technician.
If anyone has any specific questions, please feel free to PM me, or go to www.SafeKids.org. It is full of usefull information about child safety in general, not just CSS.
I think the term "booster seat" is a confusing one and not always used to describe the same product... My son had one that had a full (high) back, arms and lower and higher slots for the 5-pt harness system, but then the harness system could be removed altogether when he was big enough to use it as a booster with a regular seat belt. IIRC, it was designed for use from 25-90 lbs (or close to that range).
I am a Certified CPS (Child Passenger Safety) Technician, as well as a career firefighter/EMT. Many of these reponses are amazingly well thought out and accurate. However, some of them are amazingly inaccurate.
Federal law requires that a child be in a rear-facing CSS (Child Safety Seat) until they are at least 1 year old and weigh at least 20 lbs. The reason for this standard is that most children will have reached 20 lbs. by 1 year of age, and when the law was written, in the late 70s, the maximum rear facing weight for seats was 20 lbs. Nowadays, with the exception of carriers, such as the Graco Snugride or the Peg Perego Primo Viaggio, all rear facing CSS have a maximum weight of at least 30 lbs, with some as high as 35 lbs. Most carriers have a maximum weight of 22 lbs, but some do go to 30 lbs. What I tell parents when they come to get their CSS installed is that they should keep their child rear-facing until the maximum weight for their particular seat, no matter how old the child is. My son was turned forward-facing after his 1 year check up because he had reached the maximum rear-facing weight, while my daugher was rear-facing until she was almost 2!
All forward-facing CSS [whether strickly forward-facing, a combination seat (for use both rear-facing and forward-facing), a convertible seat (for use as a forward-facing CSS with a 5-point harness and as a BPB (Belt Positioning Booster) or a 3-in-1 (for use in all three stages)] have a maximum weight of at least 40 lbs, with some going as high as 80 lbs! What I tell parents when we do turn their seat forward facing is that they need to keep their child in the 5-point harness until they reach the maximum weight or height for their particular seat. My son was out of his 5-point harness and in a BPB at age 3 (the absolute minimum age for a BPB), while my daughter, who is 4, is still in a 5-point harness since she only weighs 34 lbs.
As stated by a previous poster, a BPB does not have straps, i.e. a 5-point harness, but if it is a backless BPB, then it may come with a strap to help guide the shoulder strap across the child's shoulder instead of across their face or neck.
And CSS do expire. Many CSS manufacturers indicate when they expire, usually by stating, "Do not use after December 20XX". Some even give a specific date for the expiration. If it is not specified by the manufacturer, then we use a date 6 years from the date of manufacture
As for employee at Target not saying anything about the expiration date, that's not suprising since they probably aren't a CSS Technician.
If anyone has any specific questions, please feel free to PM me, or go to www.SafeKids.org. It is full of usefull information about child safety in general, not just CSS.
this is the one that I have. I'm not sure about the date because my parents have it in storage. By the sounds of it, by the time she can use it I might as well have gotten it new since it can only be used for no longer than 6 years??? Evenflo Big Kid DLX Melbourne Booster Seat : Target
this is the one that I have. I'm not sure about the date because my parents have it in storage. By the sounds of it, by the time she can use it I might as well have gotten it new since it can only be used for no longer than 6 years??? Evenflo Big Kid DLX Melbourne Booster Seat : Target
Yes, the seat you bought is a BPB, for use by a child that is at least 3 years old in conjunction with a lap/shoulder belt. A BPB does not have an expiration date like an installed CSS since it is not attached to the car and subject to the same stop-and-go forces as a installed CSS. You can use this seat when your child has outgrown the forward-facing 5-point harness. But again, since she's not yet 20 lbs, she MUST be rear-facing.
It sounds like you purchased a Graco Cargo Booster. It is a combination seat. It can be used with the integrated 5-point harness until your child reaches 40 lbs or the maximum height, which I don't remember. It can also be used as a BPB for your child from 30 lbs to 100 lbs.
Since your daughter isn't yet 20 lbs, it is ILLEGAL for her to be forward-facing. I don't know what kind of seat you are currently using, but it shoudl be good rear-facing until at least 22 lbs. (for a carrier) or 30 lbs. (for a convertible seat).
Please feel free to PM if you have any additional questions or concerns.
I did say before that I always planned on keeping her rear facing for a very long time. As long as possible.
The seat I currently use is the Graco Safeseat. It came with the stroller. It says up to 30lbs or 32 inches. She is only 19.8 and 26 inches. I figured we had a while to go. But now I have to figure out a way to return and get a credit for the other seat I got for after she grows out of this one. I think it will be expired. I don't have a reciept. I'm really pissed at the Toys R Us people for telling me to get it all together. I'm REALLY poor and now I'm screwed. Why can't people just do their jobs? I feel really stupid too since I try to be up on all of this stuff. I feel I failed damn it
Yes, the seat you bought is a BPB, for use by a child that is at least 3 years old in conjunction with a lap/shoulder belt. A BPB does not have an expiration date like an installed CSS since it is not attached to the car and subject to the same stop-and-go forces as a installed CSS. You can use this seat when your child has outgrown the forward-facing 5-point harness. But again, since she's not yet 20 lbs, she MUST be rear-facing.
She IS rear facing. That was never a question with me!
So, do I need yet ANOTHER car seat for between the two? The one I provided a link to doesn't have an expiration? It doesn't attach to the car????
I think the term "booster seat" is a confusing one and not always used to describe the same product... My son had one that had a full (high) back, arms and lower and higher slots for the 5-pt harness system, but then the harness system could be removed altogether when he was big enough to use it as a booster with a regular seat belt. IIRC, it was designed for use from 25-90 lbs (or close to that range).
The seat that you are describing is called a combination seat. It is both a forward-facing 5-point harness with a maximum weight between 40-80 lbs (depending on the model) AND a BPB (belt positioning booster) for use up to 80-100 lbs, depending on the model.
Then I have the other one with the link I provided earlier
So i need ONE MORE???
The Graco Infant SafeSeat has a maximum weight of 30 lbs and a maximum height of 32 in. As long as she is below both of these, you can continue to use this seat. If not, then you will need to purchase a convertible seat since a child shouldn't be in a booster seat until at least age 3, preferably age 4.
this is the one that I have. I'm not sure about the date because my parents have it in storage. By the sounds of it, by the time she can use it I might as well have gotten it new since it can only be used for no longer than 6 years??? Evenflo Big Kid DLX Melbourne Booster Seat : Target
The one you link here is a booster seat and does not harness, as far as I can tell. I would definitely not put a 2 year old in it. I would get a convertible (RF to FF harness) or a combination (FF harness to booster) seat. Even though you could put her in the booster at 30 pounds (just like you could turn her FF at 20 pounds), I would not choose to use a booster until at least 4 years or 40 pounds. If it were me, I would use the bucket seat you have until she outgrows it at 30 pounds, then I would return the booster seat if you can, and get a combination seat instead.
Note: I am NOT a car seat tech. This is just my opinion and what I would do.
this is the one that I have. I'm not sure about the date because my parents have it in storage. By the sounds of it, by the time she can use it I might as well have gotten it new since it can only be used for no longer than 6 years??? Evenflo Big Kid DLX Melbourne Booster Seat : Target
I would not put a three yaer old in a booster seat. She may be big enough (must be at least 30 lbs), but is probably not going to be mature enough. When kids often fall asleep in the car, don't sit up straight and tall in their seats, etc, a booster seat is not the best choice. Personally, I prefer to keep kids harnessed as long as possible, as that's the safest. My son was harnessed in his Britax Marathon until he was almost 7, and my daughter will be 6 in a couple of weeks and is still harnessed in hers. Britax also makes a carseat that harnesses to 80 lbs, which would be even better. (The Marathon harnesses to 65, but my son outgrew it by height before he was even close to 65 lbs... at 8 years old, he's only 60 lbs now.)
It will expire by the time she is six years old, if you bought it when she was a baby. Kids should be boostered until they are 4'9", which is typically around 9-10 years of age. Probably the best course of action for you (IMO) would be to sell that unopened booster, use the convertible carseat until your daughter reaches 40 lbs or whatever height your current convertible goes up to, then buy a *new* booster at that point. Or if you see one on sale *after* she is 3 or 4 years old, then pick one up then... that will last her until she's 9 or 10.
Yes, carseats are expensive, and *perhaps* the expiration dates are a money-making scheme, but for me, the risk of not having them properly restrained far outweighs the financial cost. We were in a rollover accident 4 years ago, and they walked away with just scratches. The paramedic said that if they had not been properly harnessed, they would have been thrown out of the car just like all of the other things that were found iwthin a 20-foot radius of our van... like my purse, CDs, etc. I was more than happy to spend $500 replacing both carseats afterwards with the Marathons (which harness for a long time) rather than buy a cheap carseat or stick my kids in booster seats before they were mature enough to sit properly.
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