Toby...thank you re:tethering the Marathon

[mama2be]

I was afraid you would not see a thank you under the post if I put it there...you moms must think I am crazy to have had that seat in there without the head attached (tethered)!!! Had I gone into labor over the week-end I would have brought my son home in that seat with that thing unattached!!!! And felt good about it because a cop "blessed it"...

World of difference...thank you so much....

[Momof3Labs]

Neve, don't feel so bad. Infant rear-facing seats are not tethered; the tethering really becomes standard for a forward-facing seat. But that's one of the great things about the Britax seats.

BTW, our car seat install was also blessed by our local fire department's car seat inspectors (two of them). But when we got Colin home from the hospital, it was quite obvious that there was a problem - he was so upright that his head was slumped onto his chest! The angle didn't appear that far off until we put him in it. We got that fixed right away, but we're a little peeved that the "experts" didn't catch it. Just another reason why you can't fully rely on someone else when your child's safety is at stake!!

Lori & Colin 9/28/02

[tobymc]

Glad that helped.

The Britax seats break many of the "rules" of carseats. Many techs have learned the general rules, but have not learned the specific models. In fact, tech training does not go over the specifics of each model. That would require a whole other course, and changes all the time! So there are a number of techs out there who are unfamiliar with the special things about Britax seats in particular. I think that boards like this one and carseat websites PLUS an in-person check up are the best thing for most parents. This way, you can do research and see pictures, but also actually have a person help you look at your belts and seat. Hopefully that way you won't miss anything truely important.

And I should also note that the tether on the rear facing Britax seats is optional. They certainly are designed to use it, and work better with it, but they've also been tested and operate well without it.

[mama2be]

I can't help but think if we did not have that tethered it would actually have served as a sling shot...I mean I could see where his little head could have separated from the spine without it tethered. there was a lot of movement there...

Anyway thanks again!!!!...you are awesome!!!