Did we screw up the Britax Blvd Install?? PICTURES INCLUDED

[new_mom_mry]

I am theorizing that we must have somehow screwed up the install of the seat because there doesn't seem to be enough legroom for DS. He is 13 months old and 31 inches, and there isn't enough room for him to fully extend his legs, so poor guy has to bend them all the time. Is there any way to install the seat at an angle of sorts to create more room for his legs?? It looks quite upright right now. Pardon my ignorance regarding these issues...any advice would be greatly appreciated! We actually have two of these seats and the problem is present in both cars.

[arivecchi]

Is the car seat installed in the reclined position? Can you post pics?

[new_mom_mry]

Is the car seat installed in the reclined position? Can you post pics?

sure, I will snap some pics later on today and post them. DH did the install...so I don't have a good answer to your question :( It looks pretty upright to me!

[mom2binsd]

In the RF position most kiddo's will have to bend their legs at some point, even little ones won't be fully extended, but that's ok, their legs are super flexible and they figure out a comfy position.

Have a look at joolsplus2's albums, she's a moderator on this forum and under her signature you'll see lots of RF kids to get an idea of how they sit.

[hillview]

In the RF position most kiddo's will have to bend their legs at some point, even little ones won't be fully extended, but that's ok, their legs are super flexible and they figure out a comfy position.

Have a look at joolsplus2's albums, she's a moderator on this forum and under her signature you'll see lots of RF kids to get an idea of how they sit.
:yeahthat:

[edurnemk]

In the RF position most kiddo's will have to bend their legs at some point, even little ones won't be fully extended, but that's ok, their legs are super flexible and they figure out a comfy position.

Have a look at joolsplus2's albums, she's a moderator on this forum and under her signature you'll see lots of RF kids to get an idea of how they sit.

And I'll third that! Kids prefer to bend their legs, don't worry, he's not uncomfortable. DS rode RF in a Blvd until this summer (3.5 yo) with no complaints.

[arivecchi]

At 13 months though, my kid had loads of legroom in our boulevard. I wonder if it is installed in the upright position when it should be in the reclined one.

As kids grow, they do have to bend their legs a bit, but this sounds odd to me with a 13 month old.

[legaleagle]

At 13 months though, my kid had loads of legroom in our boulevard. I wonder if it is installed in the upright position when it should be in the reclined one.

As kids grow, they do have to bend their legs a bit, but this sounds odd to me with a 13 month old.

:yeahthat: Even my enormous, completely off the height charts, 18 month old is just now touching the seat back in the marathon.

OP - is the line on the side level? Are you installing in a regular back seat or captain's chair?

[new_mom_mry]

Posting some pictures--my apologies that they are so small! I couldn't figure out how to shrink them to fit the size guidelines and this is the best I could do. The seat is installed in the middle position of my Subaru Outback. Would you consider it to be in the upright or reclined position?? Would really appreciate feedback on the install because when we put DS in the seat, there is definitely no room for him to extend his legs and he looks uncomfortable.

[arivecchi]

I think the problem (from what I can tell from the pics) may be that your actual seat (in the car) is at an angle. I would determine whether the car seat recline angle is correct. Maybe you need a rolled-up towel to achieve the right angle?

Fron the Britax manual (page 20):


Rear-Facing
When installed in the rear-facing position, the child
seat should be reclined at least 30˚ from vertical
for children and up to 45˚ from vertical for infants
unable to maintain head and neck control (not
to exceed 45˚) when the car is parked on a level
surface. When installing the seat in rear-facing
mode, recline the seat to position 3 and use the
guide line on the child seat to help achieve an
acceptable recline angle for rear-facing installations.

http://www.britaxusa.com/uploads/products/user-guides/80.pdf

http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=183125

[arivecchi]

I am not a tech, so hopefully a tech will chime in, but here is a pic of my rear facing install:

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-7S1dbF-bznU/TdkcBsr8sMI/AAAAAAAACic/2UHTONF8h-U/s512/2011-05-22_08-48-49_584.jpg

My DS (who is almost 3) had just started to bend his legs a bit in the past month or so. Who knows though? Maybe your child has unusually long legs?

[Multimama]

I agree with what Arivecchi has said. You need to check and make sure the recline angle is right. Look in your instruction manual for info on how to change the recline to position 3 (most reclined) for rear facing to make sure that is done (I really can't tell from the pictures) and once the car is on level ground check the level line and make sure the back of the seat reclines at least 30 degrees.

But your child may just have long legs and the Britax seats are known for having less leg room than most RF seats on the market. If he's not complaining about it, I really wouldn't worry about it. What looks uncomfortable to us can feel perfectly fine to our super flexible kiddos. And if he is complaining about it or it bothers you there are other seats out there that will provide more leg room if you want to look into those at some point.

[new_mom_mry]

I think the problem (from what I can tell from the pics) may be that your actual seat (in the car) is at an angle. I would determine whether the car seat recline angle is correct. Maybe you need a rolled-up towel to achieve the right angle?

Hmm, but if the back of the seat in the car is at a larger recline angle than most seats, then that would result in the car seat being reclined at a larger angle, right? Or are you thinking that the seat in the car might be a smaller recline anlge than most?

There shouldn't be any space between the bottom part of the Blvd (where the harness adjuster strap is and where DS's feet are) and the Subaru seat that it faces, right?

[new_mom_mry]

Ok, I see in the picture that you posted Arivecchi that there SHOULD NOT be any space there (re: my 2nd question above). I will double check tonight that the seat is in recline position 3...I really dunno how the length of DS's legs compares to that of other kiddos...he is 31 inches at 13 months, that's about all I know!

[legaleagle]

I also can't really tell from the pics. FWIW, the blue level line on the side is at about a 37 degree angle (middle of the allowed range). I'm guessing your kid is plenty comfy though. My 19 month old is almost 36" and cloth diapered and doesn't complain about lack of leg room in the ma 70 - he can touch but not really kick the back of the seats. I will be moving him to a radian at some point (we already own 2) but that's mostly for easy of loading as he gets bigger and I get more pregnant. My tall 3 year old is still rf'ing in the radian and while he can kick the back of the seat, he doesn't complain about leg room - he can put his legs over the sides, up on the seat or cross them.

[Multimama]

Ok, I see in the picture that you posted Arivecchi that there SHOULD NOT be any space there (re: my 2nd question above). I will double check tonight that the seat is in recline position 3...I really dunno how the length of DS's legs compares to that of other kiddos...he is 31 inches at 13 months, that's about all I know!

A good indication of whether he has long legs is if he wears pants in a bigger size, especially if his pant size is bigger than his shirt size.

If your car's seats slope down a lot (towards the bight) they will cause the carseat to install more upright. Does that make sense? That's why it's important to check the angle after you've installed and if necessary use a towel or pool noodle to adjust per the manual.

[arivecchi]

If your car's seats slope down a lot (towards the bight) they will cause the carseat to install more upright. Does that make sense? That's why it's important to check the angle after you've installed and if necessary use a towel or pool noodle to adjust per the manual.:yeahthat:

That is what I *think* is happening here from your pics. My guess is the car seat is at a smaller angle because the actual seat seems to slope down. You may need a rolled-up towel or pool noodle to achieve the right angle. I would also make sure the car seat is in recline position number 3.

[arivecchi]

BTW, if you upload your pictures to a website like picasa or shutterfly, you can then paste that link right into your post and the pic will appear like mine.

[Penny's Pappa]

I use the top tether anchored to the front seat rail to help pull the carseat into the proper recline angle. Maybe a tech could weigh in on that practice, because I haven't seen anything that says that that's either good or bad. It works for us so I went for it.

[new_mom_mry]

BTW, if you upload your pictures to a website like picasa or shutterfly, you can then paste that link right into your post and the pic will appear like mine.

that's what I tried to do--I uploaded the pictures into Shutterfly and then copied and pasted the link found under picture properties in Shuttefly for each picture into the "attach files" ---> "manage attachments" box here in the forums and it kept saying "invalid URL."

[arivecchi]

Don't use the attachment feature. Do you have a PC or a Mac?

For a PC, right click on your pic, copy the image and paste it right onto the body of your reply.

For a Mac, copy the link provided, click on the yellow mountain icon above and paste.

[arivecchi]

I use the top tether anchored to the front seat rail to help pull the carseat into the proper recline angle. Maybe a tech could weigh in on that practice, because I haven't seen anything that says that that's either good or bad. It works for us so I went for it. I am not a tech, but I have only heard the techs here and in car-seat.org mention the use of pool noodles and rolled towels for recline issues. Since the tether is meant to reduce head excursion, my best guess is that it should not be used to adjust the recline. As far as I know, it is supposed to be taut but not as tight as the installment mechanism (whether LATCH or seatbelt).

http://www.car-safety.org/faq.html#Q47

Q47: Is it OK to put a towel under my carseat to adjust the angle?
You may put a tightly rolled towel or foam pool "noodle" under the front of a rear-facing carseat (near the crack of the vehicle seat) to get the necessary recline. You must not put a noodle, thick towels, or any compressible material under a forward-facing carseat.

[arivecchi]

I found this blurb in thecarseatlady's website:


Rear-facing: Some convertible seats can be tethered while rear-facing. Currently only Britax, Sunshine Kids and Combi permit this. Vehicles in the US are not designed to support rear-facing tethering, so you must be careful to follow the instructions in the car seat instruction manual when tethering a rear-facing car seat. By tethering a rear-facing seat, you create a third attachment point for the car seat, which improves its stability. Rear-facing tethering may also reduce the forward motion or the back rebound of the car seat in a frontal crash, improve the recline angle, and create a tighter installation.

Interesting. Hope one of our techs chimes in! I'd love to know the answer since I am a geek. :ROTFLMAO:

[new_mom_mry]

ok, these images are larger and hopefully more clear in case anyone has any additional feedback, but I think I know what to do now, at least in respect to adjusting the recline to position 3 if it's not already in it.

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-jEkShV8fjOc/Tujpn5ZdQDI/AAAAAAAACuc/WLpVyUQvEP4/s640/IMG-20111214-00036.jpg

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-J2rEUkp50IA/Tujpk9FGGWI/AAAAAAAACuM/5QJxCtbbKJQ/s640/IMG-20111214-00034.jpg

[legaleagle]

That angle looks fine to me - maybe 32 degrees? If you have iphone/android you can get free apps to take a level. If you want to install it a bit more reclined, you probably won't need a noodle, just push hard while tightening where the baby's butt goes, rather than where the feet go, to compress the car's seat a bit. Love the zebra cover too!

[arivecchi]

These pics are much better, thanks! The recline seems fine to me in these too, but legaleagle has a great idea. Try one of those apps to see the actual degree of your recline. I always install my seats as she describes, by putting pressure on the rear portion of the seat with my knees.

I wonder if you could still use a noodle/towel though to get a more reclined install and give your LO more room. Hope joolsplus or o_mom chime in!

[new_mom_mry]

So I checked the recline position just now and it's most definitely in the 3rd position. However, Multimama and Arivecchi's observation was correct--the Subaru Outback seat itself is at a sloped angle thereby making the Blvd's seat angle more upright. Is the pool noodle/towel my only solution? How do I get it under the Blvd?? Thanks so much everyone for all of your help!

[legaleagle]

Push down on the back of the seat/butt area while tightening the seatbelt, rather than pushing where the feet/beltpath is. You can try having one person pushing down from the back (standing behind the seat/leaning over from the front seat) while another person tightens the belt. That said, it looks like it's at a safe angle now - as long as it's at least 30 degrees a 13 month old is fine upright.

[arivecchi]

So I checked the recline position just now and it's most definitely in the 3rd position. However, Multimama and Arivecchi's observation was correct--the Subaru Outback seat itself is at a sloped angle thereby making the Blvd's seat angle more upright. Is the pool noodle/towel my only solution? How do I get it under the Blvd?? Thanks so much everyone for all of your help! You would have to re-install the car seat with either a pool noodle or rolled towel under the front part of the base of the car seat.

http://www.carseatsite.com/reclineangle.htm

[Multimama]

I use the top tether anchored to the front seat rail to help pull the carseat into the proper recline angle. Maybe a tech could weigh in on that practice, because I haven't seen anything that says that that's either good or bad. It works for us so I went for it.

The tether should not change the recline of the carseat in any way. You need to get a correct installation before attaching the tether.

Also, per Arivecchi's comment that the tether helps reduce head excursion. That's for when you are using the tether forward-facing. For rear-facing the tether should reduce rebound and downward rotation. Either way, it's a good safety feature and you should definitely have it attached, OP, if you can find a good tether point in your car.

(FYI I am a tech, but offer my views here as a civilian only. :))

[arivecchi]

(FYI I am a tech, but offer my views here as a civilian only. :)) Congrats!

[Multimama]

Congrats!

Heh. I've been a tech for awhile. I just prefer to wield my title in person rather than over the internet. :) Because really, if the OP isn't sure of her installation, the best advice I can give her as a tech is to have her installation checked by a tech who is familiar with Britax seats. :) The advice here is all very helpful, but nothing beats an in person check.

[mom2binsd]

I have heard that Subaru's can be a pain due to the slope of their backseats...which I think is the case here.

I bet a noodle or towel to help will make a difference. Also, the middle position is often different from the outboard position in terms of getting the right install, with the safety features of the Subaru and the SIP of the BLVD I wouldn't hesitate to install outboard if you get a better install.

[arivecchi]

I have heard that Subaru's can be a pain due to the slope of their backseats...which I think is the case here.

I bet a noodle or towel to help will make a difference. Also, the middle position is often different from the outboard position in terms of getting the right install, with the safety features of the Subaru and the SIP of the BLVD I wouldn't hesitate to install outboard if you get a better install.
Great point! I get much better installs outboard in my car.

[Joolsplus2]

Great thread. Only thing I have to add is that using the tether for getting a good recline used to be fine, until people were overdoing things and actually destroying the recline mechanism in the seat, or pulling so tight that the rip-stitching came out, or creating a false sense of a good install. I'd definitely use a towel or noodle, or be just fine going outboard and then gently top tether to remove slack and prevent rebound, though.
I don't think the newer Britaxes are short on leg room, I just think RF kids have their feet touch the seatback at this age, no biggie, it's like putting your feet on the coffee table: more comfy to have them up :)