Convertible Carseat Question

Hi, I have 25 month old twin girls and am expecting a singleton in August. We have the Britax roundabout convertible car seats and I was just wondering what are the chances of them still using them at age 3? Right now they are around 34-35 inches and 30 lbs. When its time for the new baby to switch to a convertible should I buy a new one or use one of my roundabouts and get my girls new seats? I'd like to leave them in 5 point harness for as long as possible. If I switch them to boosters at age 3 won't that use the car seat belt? Any thoughts or advice would be appreciated, thanks!

Amy

 

I'm not sure about the answer, but check out www.carseat.org and they might have more complete info for you!

 

There are some booster seats that have 5 pt. harness. We had the cosco Eddie Bauer high back booster for my oldest DD. She used the 5 pt. harness with it until she was 4 years old. Then we took the harness out and she used the seatbelt with it. Here is an example of such a booster seat. You use the 5 pt. harness and then take it out when they are ready for just the seatbelt. There are many booster seats that have 5 point harness though, the Graco Turbobooster is just that a booster to be used with the seatbelt. This is the Graco Turbobooster.

When the twins are able to be FF we will be getting a booster seat with 5 pt. harness that way we don't have to buy a new seat when they hit 40 lbs.

 

With your set up, I'd give the babe one of the Roundabouts and get your larger girl a bigger seat with a five point harness and hope for a few more months out of the twin in the Roundabout. If you go to a booster then yes, it would just use the car belt. Not my choice for a three year old! Good luck!

 

quote:
If you go to a booster then yes, it would just use the car belt. Not my choice for a three year old! Good luck!



Not true, read my post above about high back booster seats that have a 5 pt. harness.

 

You're right, there are high back boosters with harnesses. Most, including the Graco, only have a 40 pound weight limit on the harness after which you're supposed to move to the seatbelt. That's the same weight limit as the Roundabout, effectively making it just a seat belt positioning booster. I have no idea when my children will be reaching forty pounds but as wiggly as they are now I can't imagine using only a seatbelt for them anytime soon. They make all these options so complicated, don't they!

 

My oldest at 6 was only 42 lbs. We started just using the seatbelt for her between 4 and 4.5 years old. But you are right, everything is so complicated and you have to buy so many different carseats for them in the end.

 

Both my girls still fit in their Britax Roundabouts at 3.5 years. We had to change to new carseats recently though because I can't fit 2 Roundabouts and an infant carseat all in the back row together. I hope to use one of the Roundabouts for the baby when he outgrows the infant carseat but I haven't made sure it fits yet. I will definitely be keeping the girls in 5-pt harnesses as long as possible. Their new carseats use harnesses up to 60 lbs.

 

My guys will be 4 in August and still fit nicely in their Roundabouts, and they are big, 90th percentile for height and weight. Most children should be able to fit in the Roundabouts until about age 4. I have boosters that I use for them occasionally (when we travel, or when they go in Grandma's car) and I will switch them to boosters full-time when they are 40 lbs. which I anticipate being around the age of 4. I wouldn't have wanted to use belt positioning boosters full-time earlier than this becuase my boys are so wiggly!

You can buy the high back boosters with the car seat straps. Some people swear by them, but I think the Roundabouts are easier to use and more comfortable for my boys. I would keep your twins in their Roundabouts for another two years and get the baby a new seat - JMO.