# How old was your child when you made the transition from car seat to high back booster?



## gbailey (Mar 10, 2009)

Trying to figure out if it's time to get DD a booster seat but all of the info I'm finding is conflicting regarding age, height and weight.


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## MCatLvrMom2A&X (Nov 18, 2004)

My dd was just shy of 4yo and over 40pds when I put her in a booster. I would have loved to have kept her in a harness for a lot longer but I was unable to find a harness seat that went over 40pds here. I didnt have the internet back then so couldnt order online.

My ds is still in his 5 pt harness and he is 6y5m and weighs around 50pds I was able to order his harnessed seat off line. He will stay in it until he reaches the height/weight limit on the seat.


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## broodymama (May 3, 2004)

My oldest is 6.5 and 49 lbs, he is still harnessed in a Radian 65. When he outgrows it by height then I'll move him into a HBB. DD1 (4.5) isn't even close to being mature enough to sit in a booster correctly yet.


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## chel (Jul 24, 2004)

Dd1 was a little over 4. This was over 6 yr ago when she outgrew her a/o. It was a crappy seat, but this was back when over the head shields were still very popular

Dd2 will move to a booster when she outgrows her true fit.


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## earthmama369 (Jul 29, 2005)

My oldest (6 years old) is mature enough to ride safely in a booster, but she's still too small for a booster. She fits in her 5-point Britax fine at 44 pounds and 47 inches. So we're keeping her there for the time being.


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## blessedwithboys (Dec 8, 2004)

I did everything wrong with ds1. I FF'ed too early, used a booster too early, and stopped using a booster too early. I Iet him use the adult belt waaay too early but put him back in a booster after speaking to a tech. He used the booster until his 11th b-day and sat in the backseat until his 12th b-day.

Ds2 went from a 5pt harness to a booster when he was 5y3m, the week he started kindy. I had no issues with him being the only harnessed kid in his class. We switched bc I weighed him to make notes in his baby book as he got ready for school and realized he had had a growth spurt and was now 2lbs over the limit for the harness.

I'm not a CPST, but I would say that if your seat goes to 40lbs, you should stay harnessed to 40 lbs and if you have one of the newer seats that can harness up to the 60/65lb range and your dc is still within the limits for height, you should continue harnessing as long as possible.

Now, if it were me, and I had a 40lb-limit seat and my kiddo couldn't be trusted in a booster bc of age (My niece was a chunky 3yo so my sis put her in a booster, but she was too developmentally immature to sit right, so she put her in a harnessed seat with a higher limit until she was old enough as well as big enough to use a booster.), I would shell out for a higher limit seat.

Can you tell us your dd's age in months, as well as height and weight? Also, what seat do you have currently?


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## Drummer's Wife (Jun 5, 2005)

5-6, depending on the kid. They were each well over 40 lbs and too tall for their harness (I had/have seats with limits up to 65 lbs harnessed).


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## SubliminalDarkness (Sep 9, 2009)

With DS1, he was just over 5 and about 40 lbs. when we put him in a booster. Looking back, that was too small.

With DS2, he's now 4 and about 45lbs. His current seats will allow him to stay in a 5-point a while longer, but I plan to buy a couple of Nautiluses so he can stay harnessed for a few more years. He does not sit up at all in a booster, and I would constantly be worried he's not sitting right.


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## DahliaRW (Apr 16, 2005)

The biggest factor is maturity. The child has to be mature enough to sit properly in the belt 100% of the time. They also should be a minimal of 4yos and 40lbs is ideal, though I wouldn't hesitate to booster a mature 6 yo who only weighed 35lbs.

My oldest was ready at 4 1/2. My other two are not 4 yet, so it remains to be seen...


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## Peony (Nov 27, 2003)

DD1 had just turned 7. I had tried previously but she wasn't mature enough. DD2 is 4.5 and will be harnessed until she turns 5 and then we will switch, I don't think she will have a problem.


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## alegna (Jan 14, 2003)

I started letting dd ride in a booster some of the time around 6yrs 3 months and 40lbs. At 6.5yrs and 43 lbs it still depends on the trip. Booster when she's calm and cooperative and the trip is short. Harnessed if it's a long ride or she's bugging her brother lol (the booster is next to him, the harness is on the outside)

-Angela


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## Llyra (Jan 16, 2005)

I moved DD1 to a booster at 4 1/2 and about 38 pounds. She'd outgrown her seat by height-- she's always been absurdly tall. At that time, there were fewer options for seats to keep kids harnessed longer, and I was less informed in general. She did fine-- she is a placid child, and therefore would sit any way I told her to sit, and she fit well in the booster because she was so tall.

My twins are 4 now, and harnessed in Radian 65s. I think I will keep them harnessed until they outgrow the seats, or until age six, whichever arrives first. DS in particular I sometimes think isn't mature enough for a booster, especially. DD2 sometimes rides in a Turbobooster in my other car, on Thursday nights when I have a complicated situation with my work and and DH's work and picking up DD1.


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## PlayaMama (Apr 1, 2007)

ds was six and almost 50 pounds. he's done really really well, and probably could have switched earlier. he still rides in his boulevard in dh's car but he'll outgrow that in probably a month or two.


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## love4bob (Apr 30, 2008)

I just recently switched dd1 who is 4 and 41 lbs. She is mature enough to sit properly in it, and always make sure she is buckled and sitting up straight. I mainly switched her because she sits in the back seat on our van, so I have to climb in to the van to buckle/unbuckle her. She can buckle her harness, but not unbuckle, and it is getting more and more difficult for me to climb in and out of the van every time(we are in the car a lot). She does really well and can buckle and unbuckle her seatbelt on her own.


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## Tilia (Nov 18, 2006)

DD is still harnessed at age 5, 50 inches, 60 pounds. She is in a Regent, now called a Frontier. It harnesses until 80 pounds, and she is on the third from the top strap slots. She is not ready for a booster. She still falls asleep, and wants to sit with her feet up. She is the only kid in her preschool class that is harnessed. Everyone else is in boosters.


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## ssh (Aug 12, 2007)

We have a Nautilus and had to change it to the high back booster mode a couple of months after DD turned 5. She was about 57 pounds. She's 45.5 inches tall right now at almost 5.5 but I'm not too sure how tall she was then. Her torso is long though and she does wear a bigger size in shirts and dresses than she does pants.


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## Owen'nZoe (Sep 7, 2005)

My son switched from his Radian to a booster at 6 1/2, 60 pounds, largely because his younger brother was about to outgrow his seat, and we needed the Radian. DS1 does great in the booster, but I wish we could have kept him in the Radian a little longer, because he could buckle and unbuckle himself. He just turned 7 and is still having trouble buckling the seatbelt himself.


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## LynnS6 (Mar 30, 2005)

Ds, right about age 5, when his torso got too long for his carseat harness straps. Dd was 5 years 3 months when she outgrew the harnessed seat weight wise. We moved both into a high backed booster + adult lap belt. Ds stayed in the high backed booster until he outgrew it at age 8 years 10 months. (He's tall for his age, and he has an especially long torso). I expect dd will be in the booster until age 10 or so, depending on when she gets her growth spurt.


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## Norabella (Mar 14, 2008)

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LynnS6*
> 
> Ds, right about age 5, when his torso got too long for his carseat harness straps. Dd was 5 years 3 months when she outgrew the harnessed seat weight wise. We moved both into *a high backed booster + adult lap belt.* Ds stayed in the high backed booster until he outgrew it at age 8 years 10 months. (He's tall for his age, and he has an especially long torso). I expect dd will be in the booster until age 10 or so, depending on when she gets her growth spurt.


I'm assuming that you mean adult lap/shoulder belt but just wanted to clarify for other readers, a booster should NEVER be used with only a lap belt.


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## jenniferlynne (Jun 17, 2006)

DS was moved to a booster when he was about 5.5 years old because we moved to Europe and his Regent was just too massive for the little cars here. He was definitely ready at that point and was well over the 40 lb. minimum (in fact, he was pushing 60 lbs!). I just moved DD to a booster at 4 years 6 months, 45 lbs.. I could've kept her in her Radian for a while longer but it was a hassle to buckle her in and I was a little nervous about using my American seat here in Europe (technically, it's illegal) and there aren't any harnessing seats over 40 lbs. here with the exception of the Swedish ones. Since she's very mature and I trust her to sit properly in a booster, I wasn't worried about switching her. The booster I got is very solid, has great side-impact protection and secures to the car with ISOFIX, so I feel comfortable with it. And she's much happier being able to buckle herself in!


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## MammaG (Apr 9, 2009)

DS1 is 6 years 7 months. He is right around 50lbs and is maybe 45 inches tall. He is all legs though, and I only just had to adjust his Nautilus harness to the top slot. He is very mature in the car and very rarely falls asleep on a trip, so I suppose I could switch him to booster mode, but why? He's safer where he is, he makes no objection to the harness. He can buckle himself and only needs a hand unbuckling the lower part of the harness. Plus, on those rare occasions that he falls asleep on a long, late ride, I know he is positioned properly.

DS2 is 5 years, 3 months. He is well within the range of his harness limits, and while he is pretty mature and I think I could trust him to stay upright and positioned in a booster, he still falls asleep regularly in the afternoon on a car ride, so he would not be a candidate yet for a booster. He's even lighter than his big brother was at that age, so I think he will go harnessed well after his 7th birthday too.

We've never been in a situation where it might be easier to use a booster for a one-off ride. I'd probably be comfortable with that for DS1, but not DS2 yet.

I do look forward to the day that the kids need no help getting in and out of the car, and air travel with three kids sounds downright simple if you take the carseats out of the equation, but that can wait...safety first!


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## GardenStream (Aug 21, 2007)

DS1 is 4y10mo and he'll be in his 5 point harness for a while longer. He's 45" tall and about 47 pounds. I just noticed yesterday that I need to move the harness up to another slot. A Nautilus is good as a 5-point until 65 pounds or 52 inches, right? If I am correct in the limits of the car seat, then he has at least a couple more years in it.


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## JamieCatheryn (Dec 31, 2005)

We got a high backed booster that includes a 5 point harness and transitioned when we had his little brother and the convertible carseat went to the newborn, DS1 was 3 years. I love that this booster can keep being used as 5 point harness til he's much taller, he's 5 years now and has a little room left.


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## ssh (Aug 12, 2007)

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *GardenStream*
> 
> DS1 is 4y10mo and he'll be in his 5 point harness for a while longer. He's 45" tall and about 47 pounds. I just noticed yesterday that I need to move the harness up to another slot. A Nautilus is good as a 5-point until 65 pounds or 52 inches, right? If I am correct in the limits of the car seat, then he has at least a couple more years in it.


The 5 point harness can be used until 65 lbs. or until the child is too tall for the top slot. They say 52 inches is the height limit but it really depends on your child's torso height. The top slot is about 18.25 inches. My DD has a long torso, but she's only 45.5 inches and she became to tall for the harness in her Nautilus a few months ago.


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## GardenStream (Aug 21, 2007)

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ssh*
> 
> The 5 point harness can be used until 65 lbs. or until the child is too tall for the top slot. They say 52 inches is the height limit but it really depends on your child's torso height. The top slot is about 18.25 inches. My DD has a long torso, but she's only 45.5 inches and she became to tall for the harness in her Nautilus a few months ago.


I hauled the car seat inside and adjusted everything. I moved the straps up to what I thought was the top slot. It turns out that there was another slot hidden by the headrest that I didn't even know was there. I also remeasured my son. He is 46 inches tall and he still has 3" left until his shoulders will be even with the top slot.


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## mama_y_sol (May 23, 2007)

We started transitioning dd to a booster part time when she was 5yrs 7months old and 44lbs. We now use the booster full time and have since right around her 6th birthday (she'll be 7 next month).


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## LynnS6 (Mar 30, 2005)

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Norabella*
> 
> I'm assuming that you mean adult lap/shoulder belt but just wanted to clarify for other readers, a booster should NEVER be used with only a lap belt.


Yep, sorry, I did mean shoulder+lap belt. I'm just so old that I automatically call it a lap belt, even though it goes over both. (I remember the days when our cars didn't HAVE seat belts!)


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## elmh23 (Jul 1, 2004)

Dd was 5 years 2 months when we switched her to full time booster use. We were having a new baby and she could not (still can't) buckle herself in or unbuckle herself and the idea of having to buckle three in for multiple trips a day (she's in school) was daunting. So, since she can buckle herself in with the belt and sits apprpriatly 100% of the time the booster is perfect for us. At the time we switched, she weighed about 45lbs but I don't recall her height at all. My second child is four years old, but only 30lbs and lacks the maturity needed to even try a booster at this time. Maybe in a year (though I doubt he'll gain 10lbs in a year, but we did just take him off of milk which has helped his stomach issues a lot!)


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## One_Girl (Feb 8, 2008)

My dd was 4 and a half. She had outgrown her car seat height wise and was ready for the switch height/age wise.


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## dbsam (Mar 3, 2007)

My children will be 7 in June and are still in their Regents. I think they will be over the height limit around the time they turn 7.


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## LaughingHyena (May 4, 2004)

DD was about 5 1/2, DS switched a couple of weeks ago at 4 1/2. For both we had reached the 40lb weight limit on our harnessed seat and I haven;t found any options for higher weight harnessing here in the UK. They have both used boosters for short trips with grandparents and so on, it was good being able to sit in the back with them a couple of times to make sure they stayed in place.

I feel DD was ready, she sits well and we got a booster with wings round her head so she stays in place well if she falls asleep. DS I would prefer to have in a harness, I'm doing a lot of reminding him to sit back at the moment.


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## a-sorta-fairytale (Mar 29, 2005)

DD will be 7 in a few weeks. She is harnessed in a Radian. I own over 10 car seats and only have 3 kids. I had JUST gotten a new marathon and frontier when i found out i was pg with #3. I drive a prius and dh drives another small car. I ended up buying 5 radians and a keyfit so that we could safely transport all 3 kids in our cars. It sucked but i feel DD is safer in the radian then just a booster. She could probably sit right about 95% of the time but she sometimes falls asleep and she is also super skinny and i just feel she is safer in the 5pt. So, while is sucked to buy 6 new seats i feel better about it. She also prefers the 5 pt and says it is more comfy then the boosters she has tried.


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## AutumnAir (Jun 10, 2008)

I would have had to put DD1 (39 months) in a high-back booster a couple of months ago if I hadn't managed to find a better seat at the swedish car seat shop. In the UK there are no other options for 40+lb and 40+ inch tall kids. DD1 still has a couple of pounds left - she's about 38lb, but she'd outgrown the harness in height.

I think it's ridiculous that I would have had to put a barely 3 year old in a booster. I don't know about other people's kids but I wouldn't trust mine with just a seat belt - she'd be likely to open it while travelling. It's crazy that many many parents who don't know about options or can't afford those seats - and they are pricey, I had to save up for months to buy hers - are basically forced into a less than ideal situation for their kids.


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## Danielle283 (Jun 7, 2005)

DD is 6 and 40lbs and still happily harnessed in her Frontier.


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## AllyRae (Dec 10, 2003)

My DS is 7 1/2 years old, 43 lbs, and is still in his convertible seat. His seat goes up to 80 lbs harnessed, and 100 lbs as a booster so I don't see any reason to move him out of it.


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## MJB (Nov 28, 2009)

I switched my oldest to a HBB at 6.5 (around 50 lbs. and 47") and my second at 5 (45 lbs., 44"). My third is still a baby but it will be at 5 or 6 for her too. I'm pretty comfortable with switching them when they are both over 5 and express a desire.


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## CortLong (Jun 4, 2003)

My oldest was 6 years old and probably somewhere around 50lbs. DD #2 is still in a 5-pt harness and is 6 1/2 and weighs maybe 48lbs.


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## Schae (Oct 6, 2006)

DS1 was 4y11m, had reached the weight limit for his 5pt harness seat (20kg)


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## velochic (May 13, 2002)

We kept dedicated car seats in our 3 vehicles and she outgrew them, switching to a HHB at different times. We base our decision on the vehicle and seat. The last 5-pt. harness car seat she was out of was a Marathon at 6.3yo in my van. She is still in a HHB in my van, in a booster seat in one car and not in a booster at all in another car now that she's 9. It's always been all based on the safest fit for the particular car/seat.


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## Surfer Rosa (Jun 3, 2005)

DD was just over 4 and 40 pounds, but is very responsible in the car: she sits properly and doesn't shift around.


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## StephandOwen (Jun 22, 2004)

DS is 7 1/2 years and about 55lbs. He is still in a Britax Regent in my car (harnessed seat) and a Graco Nautilus (harnessed) in dh's car. I just ordered a Britax Frontier 85 last night for him. We will switch him to that in DH's car (ds is outgrowing the harness in the Nautilus but is not quite ready for a booster yet). Next spring, when my Regent expires, we will move the Frontier to my car and the Nautilus back to dh's car (in booster mode). That should get ds to about 8 1/2 years before he starts using a booster on any sort of regular basis (he does have a booster seat he uses maybe 2 times a month in dh's parents car).


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## ShwarmaQueen (Mar 28, 2008)

DD was 4 but physically she was above the 95% in height and weight, so she no longer fit any of our carseats and I didn't know any other options. DS is a tall, skinny lightweight so I'd imagine he'll stay harnessed for quite some time.


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## mom2reenie (Nov 14, 2006)

6 for the secondary car and 8.5 for the main car.


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## mightymoo (Dec 6, 2003)

DD is 8, about 4' 4" maybe and somewhere around 65 pounds. I came on to look for booster recommendations because I think she's outgrowing her Regent. We use the regents in my van, where they mostly are, but my husband's car just has boosters for both DD and DS (who is 6, 4' 55 pounds).


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## beebalmmama (Jul 21, 2005)

Ds was 5 yrs and 43 pounds and started riding in one part time. He's still in the Nautilus harnessed for daily rides to school. We have a high back booster in the family car that's used for outings and errands on the weekend. I actually prefer him in the harness because he can buckle himself up properly. He still has a hard time keeping the strap untwisted and under the arm rests on his booster, especially with winter gear on.


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