Dumb question about carseats

[overcome]

I'm currently using a snugride. What position should the handle bar be in while DD is riding in the car? I say down, DH says up so it acts like a rollbar.

TIA
Ashley

[mariza]

The Snugride is one of the few (if not only) seat that says it is ok to drive with the handle up. It's a matter of preferance, no right or wrong answer with the snugride. Traditional thinking would say down because there have been crash tests with other seats where the handle has seperated and could cause injury to the baby, but the snugride has been crash tested and ok'd for use with the handle in the up position.

[Joolsplus2]

Mariza's right, the Snugride has been thoroughly tested both ways. The answer you will get from most techs is to put it down, because old seats used to shatter and impale kids, and NOT act like a nice roll bar. And many techs will cling tight to this dogma, because it's what's been drilled into our heads, even though the manual DOES allow the handle to be up. But Graco (and Combi and Chicco, now, too) reinforce the handles so they won't break in a crash. The Snugride manual is as clear as mud: You can leave it in positions A (upright locked carrying position), D or E in the car, but not B or C (kind of up over the baby's head...they won't tell us WHY those positions aren't ok, presumably something bad might happen if the handle is there?).


Julie CPS Tech and mom to 2 in seats
http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/RFAlbum/SarahMA.aspx