Installing Your Infant Car Seat - Lucie's List

1. Shoulder straps — For rear-facing seats (infant or convertible), straps should be at or just BELOW your baby’s shoulder height. Meaning… the place where the shoulder straps go into the back of the seat should be at or below your baby’s shoulder height. Not above. [For forward-facing seats, it’s the opposite, but we’ll get to that later.]

Most seats come with the straps already in the lowest harness height slot position or next to the lowest position – yay!

If you are using a hand-me-down seat, you’ll need to move the straps to the lowest position yourself. The lowest position should fit the vast majority of newborns.

*Most infant car seats have harness straps that have to be “re-threaded” in order adjust the strap height. Don’t be scared, it’s quite easy.

Re-threading the shoulder straps:

Simply flip the seat over, locate the metal splitter plate (shown below), pull the “strap ends” off each side of the splitter plate. Then, pull the straps back through to the front of the seat — then simply thread them back in at the desired height location, pull them back through and reattach to the splitter plate.

Ta-da!

To watch an instructional video, go here (cue to 2:20).

*You’ll have to do this MANY times in your parenting career, so if you learn it now, you’ll be in great shape.

2. Crotch buckle strap — Some (not all) infant seats have a crotch strap that is adjustable. Check your car seat manual for the proper position. Again, a new seat should come with the strap in the correct position for a newborn.

3. The chest harness clip (below) should be level with the armpits (Remember: Buckle at boobies). It’s not a tummy clip. This buckle is notorious for slipping down near the waist, so always pull it up to armpit level every time.

In case of an accident, you want the chest buckle to hit your child in the sternum, which will properly position the harness over the shoulders… which increases the chance that your child will remain in the seat.

4. Tightness of the straps: The straps should be pulled pretty darn tight. If you can pinch any of the strap material, it’s too loose. You should not be able to do this.

Most car seats have a button and a strap that lies between baby’s legs that can be pulled taut (and loosened) each time to get your baby in and out of the car. For some of the cheaper seats, the tightening occurs on the back of the seat behind the shoulder straps.

LEARN HOW TO USE THIS PROPERLY. It’s crucial to getting a nice, tight fit every time you use it.