How to adjust car seat straps for newborn

Tighten the Car Seat Harness

Just because the buckles are fastened doesn't mean you're done! Tightening the car seat harness is a very important step in making sure your baby is buckled up properly. You need to do it every time you buckle your baby in. If you leave the straps set, they will be too loose.

Start by sliding the chest clip down to the baby's belly. Keep it near the belly while tightening the straps. It only gets moved up to armpit level after the straps are properly snug.

Position your body at the head of the car seat (you will need this leverage) and pull up at the shoulder straps, while keeping the chest clip low. This gathers the slack up to the shoulders. Next, remove the slack by pulling the tail.

Most car seats have a tail of webbing that comes out of the seat between baby's feet. To get the straps snug, pull firmly on that webbing tail. This video demonstrates the whole process.

When the harness is tight enough, you shouldn't be able to pinch any excess webbing on the harness straps. The harness should be snug against the baby, with no gaps.

If your car seat doesn't have a front adjuster, check the instructions to see how to tighten the harness. Some car seats have buckles on the back of the car seat or knobs on the side that tighten the harness.

For newborns, you may find that there's still a little bit of space between the baby and the crotch strap. If your baby slouches into this gap, you can prevent this by placing a tightly rolled ​washcloth between the baby's diaper and the crotch strap after the baby is buckled snug in the straps. If there's a lot of space, double check that there isn't a closer buckle position that you missed in a previous step.

The rolled washcloth trick is widely accepted by car seat safety experts as an appropriate solution to a temporary problem. You should still read through the instructions that came with your car seat, or call the manufacturer's customer service number, to make sure the practice is OK. You might also find that your car seat has an extra infant insert or some other way to help tiny babies fit properly.

Once you have the harness straps adjusted, slide the chest clip into position at baby's armpit level. With a newborn, it can be hard to get the chest clip into position when you don't have much space between the buckle and shoulder pads. It's important to make sure you get the clip up there, though, because it holds the harness straps in the right position to work best in the event of a crash.

Shoulder Strap Covers

Shoulder strap covers are almost always an optional part of a car seat. You may want to remove them, for several reasons:

• Kids typically find them uncomfortable, as they add extra pressure into the side of the child's neck (simply pull the child's shirt up in between the strap and the neck to keep the strap from rubbing the child's skin, if necessary) .
• Covers typically make the straps twist (and twisted straps aren't safe)
• They are not a safety feature, unless the manual specifically states that they are required).
• They are often too long for newborns, and make it impossible to get the straps properly snug and the chest clip at armpit level.

Right Fit Basic Tip #1

About the Harness

A properly-fitted 5-point harness gives the best possible protection for your child.

A 5-point harness has straps that go over both shoulders and both hips and then buckles at the crotch. The car seat label will tell you the weight and height range of the harness. Check regularly to make sure your child hasn’t outgrown it.

A seat belt is also a type of harness and is used on older children in booster seats. Every passenger in a moving vehicle must use some form of harness for protection in case of a crash.

Right Fit Basic Tip #2

Use the Correct Harness Slots

As your child grows, the proper placement of the shoulder straps changes. On rear-facing car seats, the shoulder straps should come through the car seat slots at or just BELOW your child’s shoulders. On forward-facing seats, the shoulder straps should be at or just ABOVE the shoulders.

Right Fit Basic Tip #3

Use The CORRECT HARNESS AND BELT PLACEMENT

Car Seat: Use a 5-point harness for your child for as long as your child meets the weight or height limits of the car seat. A 5-point harness provides more protection than a seat belt used with a booster seat or a seat belt alone. Make sure that the harness fits snugly around your child’s hips and shoulders. We will show you how to do the Pinch Test in Tip #4.

Booster Seat: After your child has outgrown the car seat harness, move to a booster seat. Use the car’s lap and shoulder seat belt with a booster seat as shown in the video above. The shoulder strap should fit across the chest and on the shoulder, not across the face or neck. The lap belt should lie on the top of the legs or low on the hips, not across the stomach. Follow the seat belt guides on the booster seat. If your child moves the shoulder belt behind her back and under her arm, it means that the seat belt and booster seat aren’t fitting properly. If your child cannot use the booster seat just as the manufacturer requires, return to the car seat with a harness instead.

Seat Belt Alone: Do the Seat Belt Fit Test in every car your child uses. Use the seat belt alone when your child has outgrown the booster seat and passes the Seat Belt Fit Test. Place the seat belt over the shoulder and low on the hips. If your child cannot fit properly and safely with just a seat belt, use the booster seat instead.

Right Fit Basic Tip #4

Do the Pinch Test

Do the Pinch Test to make sure the harness is snug enough.

After you buckle and tighten the harness, pinch the harness at the shoulder. If the harness is snug, your fingers will slide off the webbing. If the harness is loose, you will be able to pinch the webbing between your fingers. A loose harness is a common mistake and is not safe. Keep tightening the harness until it passes the Pinch Test.

Right Fit Basic Tip #5

Winter Coat In The Car

Wearing bulky clothes or winter coats can prevent a snug fit of the harness. You might think your child is securely snug in the seat when in fact the harness is not tight because there is so much air in the jacket. Adjust the harness while your child’s coat is off, then put the coat back on and rebuckle. The harness may be tight, but it will fit properly.

Share these tips with friends and family!

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