· By Britney Schroeder
Car Seat Harnesses: How Tight Is Right?
Ever wonder how tight the harness should be? You know there’s a "too loose" but can it be too tight?? Let’s talk about why a snug harness is important and how tight is just right!
The harness’s job is to keep your child inside their car seat so they can be protected during a crash. Crash forces are powerful, so that snug harness is an important part of using the car seat correctly to keep your child safe!
Before your baby can fully control their head and neck, a snug harness also keeps their body in the right position while they are in their car seat so they can breathe properly.
Luckily, there’s a simple way to make sure your child’s harness is tight enough - It’s called the pinch test. Here’s how you do it in 3 steps:
- Harness your child as usual (Pro Tip: Pull up on the harness after buckling the crotch buckle to get all the slack out of the hip area!)
- With your thumb and forefinger, try to pinch a fold in the harness at the top of your child’s shoulder
- If you can pinch a fold, the harness is too loose and needs to be tightened
If the harness is too loose, try the reverse pinch test to make sure you tighten it enough:
- Continue pinching the fold in the harness at the top of your child’s shoulder
- Pull the tightening strap with your other hand until the fold falls out of your fingers
- The harness should now be tight enough
Now that you know about the pinch test, you can follow these easy steps to make sure your child is harnessed snugly for every ride!
Guest Post by Britney Schroeder, CPST (@buckleandlatch)
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