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12-09-2012 at 1:21 PM
kagwiz
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Installing car seat base...using LATCH AND shoulder belt???

FTM Here so I apologize if this is a stupid question....

 

Mynhusband and I just installed our Chico key fit bases into our cars and ended up using the latch system, but also using the shoulder belt as well. Is that normal?

 

Maybe  it effects once the seat is clipped in, which we hav not checked yet...but wondering what others use...specifically for the Chico key fit? 


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12-09-2012 at 1:27 PM
elmoali
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NO!  It's one or the other - NEVER both.

ETA:  LATCH and belt are equally safe when done correctly.  LATCH is often easier but it is not safer.  If you can get a tighter install with one over the other, that means of installation automatically becomes best. 


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12-09-2012 at 1:34 PM
ericalee27
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elmoali:

NO!  It's one or the other - NEVER both.

Exactly


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12-09-2012 at 2:22 PM
Treschic81
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NEVER both. One or the other. They're both safe when done correctly.
 
12-09-2012 at 2:23 PM
hmontty
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Only use one.

And then call your local police dept. and ask how you can have the install inspected and approved.

 


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12-09-2012 at 2:38 PM
pitterpatt...
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hmontty:

Only use one.

And then call your local police dept. and ask how you can have the install inspected and approved.

 

This.  Since you seem unsure, it might be best to have a local place inspect it for you.  We have a carseat group that does it, but some places have a fire department that does it.  You should never use both.  You should probably read through your manual throughly...

 


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12-09-2012 at 3:15 PM
Bride-hild...
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I had installed it using both, and behind the driver's side. Then I saw my brother (who just had a baby 3 months ago) had his installed in the middle of the backseat with just the latch.

Now I'm really glad I read this because I didn't know using both was a no-no. We were planning on having ours checked by the fire department or something, and we'll still do that. But I'm gonna re-install it into the middle with just the latches. 

12-09-2012 at 3:42 PM
penguingrr...
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Ditto PPs that you can't use both at the same time. The seat is crash tested using either/or and using them together and in an accident using both at once may put too much stress on different parts of the carseat, which can actually cause failure.

I would definitely try to go to carseat inspection. Check car-seat.org to see if they have a tech on their list in your area. Fire stations and police stations often have someone on staff who is not up-to-date on their information and can cause more harm than good (I've had friends yelled at recently that they must turn their child around because they're 1 year and 20 lbs, which is absolutely no longer the case).

Also, when using LATCH, check in your carseat owner's manual if it's allowed where your seat is installed. Very few cars have LATCH for the middle seat and/or allow you to "borrow" one LATCH anchor from each outboard seat. Most of the time if you use the middle seat you must use seatbelt, so read your car owner's manual to check that.


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12-09-2012 at 4:08 PM
sthomas122...
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elmoali:

NO!  It's one or the other - NEVER both.

ETA:  LATCH and belt are equally safe when done correctly.  LATCH is often easier but it is not safer.  If you can get a tighter install with one over the other, that means of installation automatically becomes best. 

 

Yes and then get it inspected. http://www.nhtsa.gov/cps/cpsfitting/index.cfm will give you the closer certified inspection station. 


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12-09-2012 at 4:28 PM
FirstBabyM...
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penguingrrl:

Also, when using LATCH, check in your carseat owner's manual if it's allowed where your seat is installed. Very few cars have LATCH for the middle seat and/or allow you to "borrow" one LATCH anchor from each outboard seat. Most of the time if you use the middle seat you must use seatbelt, so read your car owner's manual to check that.

What everyone else said, and then this quoted part. Neither of our cars allow for the LATCH system to be used with the seat in the middle; we opted to use the LATCH and have DD behind the passenger seat until she was in a convertible seat because it fit tighter. It's all based on your car and carseat.


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12-09-2012 at 5:32 PM
MrsCarroll...
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What everyone else said!
12-09-2012 at 6:30 PM
HappyMama3...
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Oh my.  One or the other, not both.  Perhaps take a look at your manual again regarding the installation.  Car seat and installs are a passion of mine... please make sure to do it correctly, or its not worth having!

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12-09-2012 at 9:49 PM
Kingston54
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Agreed - one or the other - never both.  I'd just do the LATCH and be done.

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12-10-2012 at 1:02 AM
dclsboo235
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kagwiz:

FTM Here so I apologize if this is a stupid question....

 

Mynhusband and I just installed our Chico key fit bases into our cars and ended up using the latch system, but also using the shoulder belt as well. Is that normal?

 

Maybe  it effects once the seat is clipped in, which we hav not checked yet...but wondering what others use...specifically for the Chico key fit? 

 

Always one or the other. the latch system is preferred by our family. It should say something about it in your manual that came with the car seat too. do not put the shoulder belt on if you use the latch.


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12-10-2012 at 9:08 AM
Mrs.DeliaM...
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LATCH only, not both, as long as that is what is recommended for your vehicle.  I believe that if you have the LATCH system available to you, then that is the better way to go.  With my dad's older model vehicle there is no LATCH attachments, so we have to use shoulder belts.


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12-10-2012 at 9:36 AM
oneyedsall...
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Definitely only use ONLY one or the other. I felt like we got a tighter connection with the LATCH system.  Both our car manuals recommended using LATCH behind the passenger seat so that's what we did.

And definitely get it inspected! It only took 20 min at our local fire station, we had two cars checked and we had questions. The inspector showed us a great way to get it even tighter, we had followed the instructions but the strap on my husband's base was harder to tighten than the one in my car even though they are the same kind.

We learned in our childcare class that 80% of carseats are installed incorrectly, which sounded crazy high but if people don't read the manual then you end up with situations like this I guess. I read the instructions in our car manuals and the one that came with the seat thoroughly. When it comes to baby's safety, there's no way I was going to take shortcuts!

 
12-10-2012 at 10:28 AM
shibby00
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Don't use both.  Your instruction manual should have told you that.

 
12-10-2012 at 12:29 PM
FreyaWin23...
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No. Do not use both. I know it seems like that would be "safer", but in reality they are not made to work together and can actually inhibit the proper use of the car seat. They also have not been safety testing being used together.

Pick one...not both. 


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12-10-2012 at 12:47 PM
Strawberry...
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kagwiz:

FTM Here so I apologize if this is a stupid question....

 

Mynhusband and I just installed our Chico key fit bases into our cars and ended up using the latch system, but also using the shoulder belt as well. Is that normal?

 

Maybe  it effects once the seat is clipped in, which we hav not checked yet...but wondering what others use...specifically for the Chico key fit? 

 if you are concerned about it not being right, you can always go to your local Police Department and an officer will come and make sure that its installed properly. My husband checked about 6 last week, and they dont mind at all.  


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