DS too big for his Marathon?

[nicoleandjackson]

I've been searching threads on Marathon, and I'm not sure I've found the answer to my question...

I swear that Jack is outgrowing BOTH of his carseats. I have a Marathon in my car, and I had bought Alpha Elites for both DH's car and my dad's car. Jack is 44" tall and 44#. He is very long-waisted and very slim. I measured him from shoulder to crotch and back again (like you would measure for a ladies' swimsuit) and it was about 45-46". He is at the top slots of both seats, and wearing a puffy winter coat is not helping! I just bought the AE's a year ago, and hoped to have him harnessed for another year, but I'm not sure we'll make it to his 5th birthday this April.

Any advice? I am loathing the idea of changing to a belted booster...

Nicole
Mommy of Jackson 4/30/02

ETA some more details

http://b5.lilypie.com/nD9Jm5.png

[mommyto4]

Don't let him wear a puffy coat in the car. It's not safe. I know it's a bit of a pain but, you should take his coat off, put him in his car seat, buckle him up, then put his coat on him backward to keep him warm or keep a blanket in the car for him to use. He will be much safer this way. Nothing thicker than thin fleece should be between the harness and the child. Hopefully this will help for now.

If money is not an issue, you could look into getting a Regent for him in the main car. It would probably last to abot age 9. And, get good boosters (Britax Parkway or Monarch, Compass B510, ??). HTH.

[Joolsplus2]

You'd measure his torso by sitting him against the wall straight up, use a book to rest on the wall and on his shoulder (or anything with a ninety degree angle so you can get a good measure of the top of his shoulder on the wall), put a teeny mark on the wall, then measure from the floor to the mark. I bet it'll be like 16-17 inches :).
If his shoulders are creeping above the top slots (yes, winter coats under the harness ARE dangerous, they compress in a crash and the head flies an inch or two more further than it would without the coat under there, and that can mean extra risk of head injury), then sure enough, he's getting too tall for the seat :( (my dd was about 45 inches when she got too tall for it, in a size 6 or 7 shirt).
The only taller harnessed seats are the Safeguard seat or the Regent, unfortunately. Make sure he's really at the top slots of the AE's (you know, the ones hidden under the headrest when you raise the headrest way up?), and if he's above those, then it's time to switch it to booster mode. (yeah, I know it's hard...I still put my kids in their Regents sometimes and they are 9 and 7!)


Julie CPS Tech and mom to 3 in seats
http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/RFAlbum/SarahMA.aspx

[kellyotn]

Also, make sure you are checking the actual slot, not just the cover's slot. Stick your finger through the cover to find the plastic.

I install my DD's MAs more upright. They WANT to install very, very reclined in our cars, but if I fight it, I can get them in pretty upright and this makes her have more room to the top slot.

And, yeah, ditch the big coat. My DD just knows to rip hers off when she gets inside the car. She wears a Gap hoodie in the carseat and never complains of being cold, sometimes she will grab her coat and use it as a blanket.

[nicoleandjackson]

Thank you, ladies!

I am on the hunt for a Regent. I was noticing also how high his ears are relative to the top of the MA, and I think it's just a matter of weeks before he will be too, too big for the seat (no matter how much I love it).

Nicole
Mommy of Jackson 4/30/02

http://b5.lilypie.com/nD9Jm5.png

[nicoleandjackson]

Ordered the Regent from BabyUniverse.com on Weds. and it came TODAY! Wow!

Here's the deal. I have a '98 Camry, no LATCH. I had planned to put the Regent in the center spot using the shoulder belt. I know it's going to be a squeeze back there, but he's the only one that ever goes in the back, so no big deal. However, the recline bar hogs up half the depth of the back seat! I know I have to use it because I don't have a tether anchor back there, but am I doing something wrong? I had imagined that the seat would stay fairly upright, but now I am unsure...

Any advice would be appreciated!

Nicole
Mommy of Jackson 4/30/02

http://b5.lilypie.com/nD9Jm5.png