Evenflo 3 point infant seat - expired?

[jjordan]

I have a concern about my cousin. Last time I saw her was 1.5 years ago, and at the time she had an Evenflo 3 point harness infant carrier for her baby (now 2 years old). I have no idea where she got the seat - it definitely didn't look new, but I don't know how she got it.

Fast forward to now... she is due with baby #2 in April. I just had the thought today that she might be planning to use the same infant seat for this baby. Is there any chance it is not expired? I don't know when they stopped making them but I'm sure someone here does.

If anyone has any brilliant ideas about how to get her to use a better seat, I'd love to hear it. We are not at all close so it is tricky. Also they have very little money and I'm sure want to get by with spending as little as possible. I would be happy to lend her my seat, as I think ds will be out of it by April, but between paying to ship it there and back to me when she's done with it, I think you might as well buy a new seat.

The only idea I've come up with is emailing my aunt (her mom) about the situation and hoping she buys a seat for the baby.

I don't want to overload them with information, but at the same time I do want them to realize why it is an unsafe seat (especially if expired), and also convince them that the safest thing to do is buy a NEW seat.

Thanks!
Jill

[DaniannieB]

Evenflo just transitioned the Discovery from 3 pt to 5 pt in 2007 or 2008. So, if it's a Discovery, it may or may not be expired (it's been around a long time). If it's anything other than a Discovery, it's probably expired or close to expired.

[jjordan]

Thanks Danielle. No wonder people rant about evenflo infant seats, why on earth did it take them so long to get rid of the 3 point harnesses?!

I have no idea what model seat my cousin has, but like I said, it definitely looked old a year and a half ago, so I'm guessing it is expired. Even if not it is probably not the safest option. Any advice on what (if anything) to say?

Jill

[DaniannieB]

I'd focus on the three versus 5 pt. since you don't know if it's expired. Is it possible for you to show her a 5 pt and how it fits babies better & restrains them better? There was a great youtube video that showed a properly harnessed baby escaping a 3 pt seat, but I can't find it now.

You might encourage her to go to a SafeKids seat check. That way a CSPT, not you, will be checking her seat for recalls, expiration, etc., telling her how to use it properly, and encouraging her to get a new seat, if necessary.

Unfortunately, a lot of people just aren't open to being educated by other people until they seek the info themselves.

[jjordan]

Thanks for the ideas, Danielle. I'll take a look for that youtube video. That is a great idea to send her to a CPST for a check. I'll try to figure out how to best suggest it so that she's most likely to actually do it!

[AnnieW625]

We opted for the Graco Snugride with DD in 2006 over the Evenflo because I thought it would be safer (because of the 5 pt. harness), and then ended up getting a hand me down Evenflo from some friends to use in our other car. DH really liked the seat and was able to get DD as tight in it as he was in the Snugride. At first I never wanted to take DD anywhere public in the Evenflo seat because I thouht people could think the same thing because I was taking my child somewhere in what people could've thought I was using a subpar seat. No one ever said anything and in the end the seat ended up working out quite well.

Truthfully not to sure how close you are to this cousin, but if it were me sure I'd think to myself "oh jease she could be using an expired seat" but I don't know if I'd say anything or not. I wouldn't want to seem like a know it all even though I know you mean well.