How to Install Convertible Car Seat in Forward-Facing?

Installing your child’s next convertible car seat can be intimidating in forward-facing but you can do it with a little help from this article. A forward-facing car seat is for children who are at least one year old and 22 pounds or 10 kilograms. This seat position is meant for children who have had one year to let their spine, bones, and muscles grow stronger.

Don’t rush to move your child to a forward-facing position. Children are five times safer in a rear-facing position through the second year of life. Leave your child in a rear-facing infant child seat for as long as he or she remains within the height and weight restrictions.

Never put a car seat in the front seat of your vehicle. A forward-facing car seat uses a tether strap to help keep a child’s head from moving too far forward in a collision. Check your car owners manual to find the tether anchors in your vehicle. If your vehicle doesn’t have one take it to a dealership for installation, don’t try to do it yourself. 

There are two options when installing a forward-facing car seat you may use the seat belt or the  Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) connectors. 

Your car owners manual may refer to this as the latch system. The UAS connectors hold your child’s car seat in place. If you are unsure whether your seat is compatible with this system check the instruction manual and your car owners manual.

If your car seat is not compatible with the LATCH, use the seat belt to install. Once your child is over 40 pounds or 18 kilograms, don’t use the LATCH, unless the vehicle manufacturer and the restraint manufacturers say it is okay to do so. 

Instead, use the seat belt system to install their car seat. If both options are available choose the method that is easier for you, as both methods are equally safe when used correctly.

How to Properly Install Forward-Facing Car Seat Using the LATCH system?

Step 1:

Find your vehicles to anchor bars and center the car seat between them.

Step 2:

Find the two LATCH connectors on the car seat.

Step 3:

Buckle the connectors on the car seat to the anchor bars on your vehicle, listen for the clicks.

Step 4:

Keep using your body weight to ensure the LATCH belt is pulled tight.

Step 5:

Hook the tether strap to the tether anchor and pull to tighten your tether strap location will depend on your vehicle.

Step 6:

Check that the seat is snug against your vehicle’s seat and doesn’t budge more than an inch or 2.5 centimeters from side to side or back to the front where the LATCH is threaded.

How to Properly Install a Forward-Facing Car Seat Using a Seat Belt?

Step 1:

Thread the seat belt through the pathway on the car seat.

Step 2:

Buckle the seat belt.

Step 3:

Use your knees or hands to push the car seat down and in as you tighten the seat belt. Some seat belts need to be pulled all the way out and then fed back in to lock. Other seat belts need a locking clip to keep the seatbelt tight.

Your car seat may come with a locking clip or you can buy one at stores that sell car seats. Check your car seat instruction manual to learn how to use the clip.

Keep using your body weight while tightening the belt to ensure the seat is in tight or your car seat may come with a built-in lock-off which you can use to keep the seatbelt tight. Check your car seat instruction manual to see if you can use this feature.

Step 4:

Hook the tether strap to the tether anchor and pull to tighten your tether strap location will depend on your vehicle.

Step 5:

Check that the seat is snug against your vehicle’s seat and does not budge more than an inch or 2.5 centimeters from side to side or back to the front where the seat belt is threaded.

Step 6:

Place your child in the car seat and buckle the chest clip and harness straps. The harness slots should be at or above your child’s shoulders and should lie flat. To be sure the straps are tight enough to pinch the webbing of the harness. If the webbing produces a fold it’s too loose. Tighten the harness and make sure the chest clip is at armpit level.

Conclusion:

Never use extra products like head support pads or bunting bags unless they came in the box with the car seat or were designed to be used with your specific seat.

Always follow the car seats instruction manual and your car owners manual keep these two manuals in your vehicle, so you can refer to them easily. It is important to know that your child is safe when you are on the road.