Our blog today comes from one of our major sponsors Baby on the Move.
With winter on it's way (although it feels like here already!) we need to make sure that our kids are correctly harnessed in their car seats. Thick bulky winter jackets and car seats is a dangerous combination. The car seat harness needs to stay close to the child's body at all times. All coats and clothing will compress in a crash, but thicker winter coats and snowsuits could compress enough to create a lot of slack in the harness.
If the straps are loose, then they may not be able to keep baby in the car seat. So how tight should the straps be? Well here is a wee test that can be done to make sure that you have a snug strap. This can be achieved by carrying out the car seat pinch test or the "harness pinch-test".
How to Conduct Car Seat Pinch Test
Before carrying out the pinch-test, you should first ensure that the car seat has been set up properly with the straps coming from the correct slots and the harness tightly buckled. You can check the manual for guidance.
Next, position the chest clip at armpit level (if the seat has one); then pinch the strap where it comes over the shoulder.
Use three fingers: the middle finger along with the thumb and forefinger. Place your middle finger under the strap to pull it up. Then, use the other two fingers to try the pinch.If there is no excess to pinch at all or your fingers slip off, then this is a sign that the harness is snug.
On the other hand, if you can find excess strap that can be easily folded, then the harness is too loose.
