[Papooses]

You are not alone

Originally Posted by RowanTree

What is a tether, and am I supposed to be using it?

Infant-only seats do not have tethers, although a couple have other anti-rebound options. Britax, Recaro & Sunshine Kids are the only companies that allow tethering while rear-facing (RF) in their Convertible carseats. Being able to tether RF is a safety benefit because it enhances Ride Down to reduce crash force upon the child. It would be dangerous to use a tether RF on a seat that does not explicitly allow it.

Also, it hangs over the seat edge, is that a problem?

As long as at least 80% of the carseat base/bottom is on the vehicle seat cushion, it's fine (no more than 20% of the carseat base/bottom may stick out beyond the edge of the vehicle seat cushion).

My husband just installs it with the seat-belt, I hope he's been doing it correctly, now that I've been reading all the posts here.

Being able to install without the base is great for emergencies, but it is more difficult to achieve a correct install this way -- the nice thing about infant seats is that you can buy spare bases to keep installed in various vehicles (thus reducing the risk of incorrect installation).

Also, I have the seat in the middle of the back-seat, and he has to put it behind the passenger seat. Are either of these locations ok?

The center is the farther point from impact, but the safest place is whichever location provides the most secure correct install according to both vehicle + carseat manuals. Remember to follow them both closely & that the seat must not move more than 1" at the belt path (the top/back of infant seats & nontethered convertible seats will move: this leads to coccooning, which is perfectly fine but not safer than tethering).

One more thing! Remember that infant seats are outgrown by the weight limit or when there is only 1" of space between the top of the head & inside edge of the shell/frame. Oh! Also, remember that all the expensive feature enhancements don't mean a thing if the seat is misused, but the most basic carseat that is used correctly is extremely safe

Originally Posted by abby

Welcome to the fray...you'll never again be able to enter a carseat store without knowing more than the salesperson! And it will all be complicated!

LOL Very true!

	Britax - Click for more info Britax International has been producing reliable child safety products for over 30 years. Not only does Britax have decades of experience creating car seats and other children's safety equipment, Britax has a long standing reputation as an industry leader and innovator. Britax International is headquartered in the United Kingdom, but Britax car seats are designed and manufactured at facilities in Germany, Austria, and the United States. In the summer of 2002, Britax strengthened their commitment to creating the safest car seats with the opening of a brand new, state-of-the-art crash testing facility in North Carolina. Britax car seats have a reputation around the world for being some of the safest, most reliable, and best designed child safety seats ever made.

	Rear Facing Car Seats A rear-facing seat is one in which the infant faces the back of the car. Always install a rear-facing seat in the back seat of your car. This is the safest position for an infant. NEVER place a rear-facing seat in the front seat of a vehicle with passenger airbags.

	Convertible Car Seats Convertible seats are for infants and toddlers. The seat can be used as a rear-facing seats for younger children, and switched to a forward-facing seat on the child's first birthday if the child weighs at least 20 pounds. However, experts recommend keeping the child in a rear-facing position until he or she outgrows the weight or height allowed by the safety seat.

	RECARO - Click for more info With over 100 years of company history and long standing experience in vehicle seat construction RECARO knows how to make long journeys a pleasure for the whole family. Materials, design and technical highlights ensure a pleasant journey for adults and children alike. RECARO uses its strength as the premier mobile seat manufacturer to engineer an innovative line of products for your children. No other manufacturer can apply experience from production vehicles, commercial vehicles, and race cars to design toward the comfort and safety of children.

	Sunshine Kids - Click for more info Makers of a number of accessories geared towards making parents lives easier, Sunshine Kids has recently embarked in a new direction. In 2005 they unveiled their first car seat, the Radian. Their years of experience working in children's products focusued on child comfort and parent convenience shine through in this unique convertible car seat. The Radian is packed with safety features and is the first ever folding convertible car seat appealing to parents who car pool or travel often.