Thank you to Britax Child Safety, Inc. for sponsoring this post. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own!
A few weeks ago the Britax team rolled up to our house with a special delivery! Britax just came out with their first all-in-one car seat with the famous click-tight technology that’s Britax safe.
Welcome to the Goldwater Gang, Britax One4Life ClickTight All-in-One Car Seat!
This is the first seat from Britax that can be used from birth (5 lbs) to 120 lbs! It can get your child through the first 10 years of their life.
As many parents can attest, if you don’t have an all-in-one seat, you may end up having to purchase 3 car seats over the course of the first 10 years of your child’s life. I love that the Britax One4Life could be your one and done!
Like so many moms and dads, I’ve struggled with car seat installation from the very beginning. My number 1 priority as a mom is my kids’ safety. I never truly felt that my kids’ car seats were installed properly or safe enough, and of course, I never want to be in a situation where I find out.
I was thrilled when the Britax team brought two of their CPSTs (Child Passenger Safety Technician) along too. They taught me a lot of things about installing car seats (specifically Britax) that I think a lot of parents probably don’t know; and therefore, their children’s car seats may be installed incorrectly! I learned a lot of tips and tricks, so keep reading for some must-know info when it comes to car seat safety!
**It’s important to note that while these tips can be used across all convertible car seats, we are specifically talking about the Britax One4Life and it is SO IMPORTANT to read the manual that comes with your own car seat.
Best Kept Car Seat Secrets:
1. Positioning of the car seat straps on forward-facing vs. rear-facing seats
When fitting your child in the car seat (which you should do OUTSIDE of the car, btw) the straps should be AT OR BELOW a rear-facing child and AT OR ABOVE a forward-facing child. This is a big one, and I was so grateful to learn it! You may have to adjust the straps to fit your child!
2. Head positioning for rear and forward facing car seats
When REAR FACING, your child’s head should be at least 1 inch below the top of the head rest. When FORWARD FACING, the top of your child’s ears should be below the top of the head restraint. This is also something so many people don’t think is important when it comes to the safety of the seats. But all of this positioning and strapping is part of how you keep your child safe.
3. ClickTight Installation
I always had trouble with LATCH installation on our previous car seats. I was never sure if it was tight enough or if it was at the correct angle. I am actually OBSESSED with the Britax ClickTight technology that ensures a safe installation, every single time. And it’s so easy that even I can’t mess it up. It uses the belt path in your car vs. LATCH, so it can be done in any car (or airplane!), and you know it’s in properly when you hear the click.
I love knowing that the Britax One4Life allows me to know that I am safely installing my kids’ carseats. This is definitely my favorite feature of the car seats.
4. Don’t forget the top tether!
For all forward facing car seats there is a top tether (see picture above) to connect in your car. In crossovers and SUVs, the tether is likely in the ceiling of your vehicle, and in sedans, it might be on the floor of the shelf above the seats. Nevertheless, if your child is in a forward-facing convertible car seat, make sure you’re using the top tether because I’ll be the first to admit that there was a time that I didn’t know it existed!
In the event of an accident (G-d forbid!), the top tether really keeps the top of the car seat from moving forward at all. This is key to keeping your kids safe.
5. Positioning the chest clip!!
ARMPIT LEVEL. I repeat, ARMPIT LEVEL. Not at their neck and not at their belly. ARMPIT, people. Stay safe!
6. Read the manual.
This sounds obvious, but it’s not! I never read manuals, but now I know that every car seat is different, so you HAVE to read the manual to know how to properly and safely install and use different car seats.
Obviously, I’m now sold on the Britax One4Life, so I can finally say that I don’t think I’ll ever need another car seat again! Oh the glory!
This car seat comes in 5 awesome colors — we love the Cadet (blue) and Plum (purple). The fabrics are safe wash, which is good for kids who tend to get car sick. (cough, Goldwaters, cough) Since switching to the Britax One4Life car seats, the kids have told me how comfortable they are, and no one has thrown up yet! (fingers crossed!)
Thank you so much to the entire Britax team for helping us get car seat safe. I hope these fast tips helped you, and that your kids can ride in style and safety too!
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Hi, my 9 month old’s head drops forward when she’s asleep. I have her rear facing with the recline at one which seems to be the most reclined. However if I look at the recline legend I’m at the section of green with stripes. I see there’s a blue section for “infants without head control”. How do I get it there? I can’t seem to recline any further.
Thanks for commenting! As a parent, I think it’s normal when kids’ heads drop forward when they nap in car seats. Even my 4 year old does it from time to time. But to really answer your question properly and safely, I would tell you to reach out to the Britax Customer Service or their Instagram account. They’re so helpful, and will really be able to guide you as this is a car seat safety issue! Hope that helps!
Is it normal that the adjustable headrest wiggles?
I’m not a CPST or an employee of Britax, but I would think a little bit of movement is normal. More than an inch? I’d say something needs to be clicked in better.