Urgent CPS Tech help needed!

[wildfire]

I just had my new baby girl on Thursday. She was born at 37 weeks but was only 5lbs 7oz, 18 1/2 inches long. She had to take a car seat test with our SafeSeat 1, which she passed with flying colors. But when we went to take her home yesterday, it really didn't seem like she safely fit in there! The straps were above her shoulders and we just couldn't seem to cinch it small enough. The nurse said she couldn't tell us it was safe, but that she thought it would be OK to go home in. Is there anything we can do in this situation to make it fit better? Or do we just need to buy a new carseat like a Snugride? Obviously we used it because we had nothing else, but if it can't be made safe we need to buy a new one as soon as possible as we'll be leaving the house a lot for various appointments.

[o_mom]

Check on the back that the shoulder and hip straps are on the smallest setting. They should come that way from the manufacturer, but if the seat was tried out or used for another child, they may have been let out. Look in the manual, but there are two sets of loops on the shoulder straps, by the splitter plate and the same thing where the hip straps attach. ETA: Here's a picture of the straps on the shorter setting - you can look at the pictures before and after for more comparisons: http://picasaweb.google.com/joolstag/LeahInCarseats#5022642852858833026

Something else you can do is use a crotch roll. When you place her in it, make sure that her bottom is all the way to the back of the seat. If there is space between her and the crotch strap, you can roll up a washcloth and place there. I can't find a picture, but basically, it will fill that space. That will help keep her from slouching down. I wouldn't worry about the straps being a tiny bit above the shoulders, only if it was up above her ears or more.

If you can't make it fit, and need to get a seat, I would get a KeyFit. It provides the best fit for tiny babies. The Snugride probably won't be any better and may actually be worse since the crotch strap is even farther out.

[wildfire]

I did see that huge space, and I think that's part of what makes her slump down a bit (she was pretty chin-to-chest looking in the seat). We're going to see if we can use the washcloth trick, otherwise someone will be running out for the Keyfit.

[o_mom]

Make sure your recline is adequate as well. There is a pretty wide range of angles that will have the indicator showing it as correct. I would get is as reclined as possible while still in the blue for a newborn.

[doberbrat]

just wanted to say Congratulations!!!

[ckelly]

We had a 5lb 8 oz NB to bring home a year ago and we did the "crotch cloth" thing in our snugride...worked great! Congrats!

[HIU8]

DD was 6 lbs 8 oz and she was so tiny in our safeseat 1. I did not know about the crotch cloth idea then. I would have done it. The chest clip overpowered her for about the first 4 weeks--there just came a point where she suddenly seemed to fit much better in the seat. and we ended up loving the seat. Good luck and congrats!

[wildfire]

We used the washcloth trick (it's actually a dishtowel so it's a little longer than the washcloth) and that did the trick. She's still such a tiny peanut, but definitely fits in there much better. I'm much less concerned about the fit, and she looks like she has a clear airway (no chin to chest).

Thanks, everyone!