How to install a car seat properly?

I would find a carseat inspection station close to your home and go and have it checked and ask them what is the correct way for your seat to be elevated. Here is a link to help you find one.
http://www.cruisinwithkids.com/MissouriChildandInfantCarS...

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You only change the elevation to make it level to the car you have installed it in. Since this is your first time with the base model I would recommend going to your local fire station and having them install it and show you how. You want the baby to be leaning back in the seat so when they sleep their head doesn't roll forward to their chest.

Good luck!

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I heard that after 5 years you should buy a new car seat because regultaions have changed. I dont change the elevation on mine. They are supposed to be rear facing for a year. You can also take it to your local police or fire station and they can tell you if its safe and exactly how its supposed to be put in. Hope this helps!

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Hey! Congratulations on the little one :) I had a graco snugride and it was similar to what you have described. The elevation feature is for different car seats... as in the actual seat in the car not a child seat... does that make sense? Anyway... in my car i did NOT have to elevate it at all. But in my moms car if i didnt elevate it my son was sitting up WAY too far and looked like he could lean forward and fall out (if he was not strapped down to it, of course). Once mine was installed I took it up to the Police Department to have it checked and they told me dont pay any attention to that little red ball leveler thing. She said the car or the road might not be level and she hates thoes things. I am sure they put them on there for some reason... she just said forget about it! The main thing was that it was always SUPER tight. You should not be able to move it more than 1 inch side to side. She pulls on it pretty hard, too! Right after my son turned one year and we turned his seat to front facing i was in a car accident. i was rear ended at pretty high speed. My son was safetly strapped in because i had it checked. He was just fine! Now I be sure EVERY time that the carseat is REALLY tight and that he is tightly fastened inside. I see friends who's kids can stick their arms through the straps... yeah... it may be more comfortable... but it's just not worth it! OKAY... sorry for the rambling... I wish you the best of luck with you little boy and your carseat! :) :)

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B.,

It depends on the type of car seat that you are using. If you are using a "pumpkin" seat, the elevation should not change. The color or ball should appear in the window. If you are using a car seat that will eventually turn around, most of them have the instructions listed on the side of the car seat. Mine tells me that it has to be in full recline while in the rear facing position. Also, see if you can find the model number and maker and then look on their website. You can probably muster up a manual there if you misplaced yours.

Chris

As far as I know, it doesn't change with the child, it changes relative to your car and the position of the seat it's sitting on. You adjust it to make your carseat level, or in the correct position.

Once it is adjusted properly it doesn't need to be changed UNLESS you put it in a different vehicle. It has to do with leveling and aligning the base with your car's seat so that you have a secure, stable base. The elevation is only adjusted so that the base is setting properly, for saftey issues.

If you are not sure of how it should be set, go to your local police department and they will happily help you adjust it for the baby's saftey. Many PD's will also give you free locking clips if you don't have any.

There is a car seat safety inspection going on at Deanna Rose Childrens Farmstead (138th and Switzer, Overland Park) I think it is next week. You could call them for sure to get the details. Otherwise I've had contacted the sherrif's office in the past and they have days when you can get your car seat inspected. I'm a huge fan of inspections expecially after I learned that 90% of seats are installed wrong and the seat is not effective if not installed correctly. BTW, you shouldn't need to alter the level of the base, the levels are just there to accomodate various types of cars. Keep in mind that not all car seats will work with all cars. Check out the inspections. You'll feel relieved after you do!

I'm not sure what kind of carseat you are using, but you shouldn't ever have to change the level for eleveation of the base. On most of the new interchangable car/stroller seats, there is a leveler on the side, and as long as there is no orange showing, the base, and therefore the carseat itself, is level.

You should have a thing on the side of the carseat and it should be in a certain spot if the seat is reclined properly.Graco has a red area and green area with a little ball that's supposed to be in the green area.It depends on what kind of base you have and seat in your car.You also can use a rolled up towel or a foam noodle (for a pool) if it's still not in the right position.If you are unsure of yourself at all you should just get it checked.My Husband is a carseat tech at South Metro Fire(in Raymore,MO.) If you need a place to get it checked you can call there and set it up.The number is ###-###-####

As long as your car seat is leveled there is no need to change the height of the base unit,all cars vans etc are different.Look at the level and depending on the model look in the handbook to see all of of one color9Blue) in the window to make sure it is level if not and you have half and half readjust the base unit.I know my carseat when I had it inspected they used a half of a noodle to get it leveled and it worked.And remember when baby is over 20 lbs and is 1 yr you may move him forward in a different carseat but they do recommend waiting till baby is over 30 lbs in new studies.SAHM of 2 and 1 more on the way

I'd read the manual that comes with it just to make sure, but I believe you use those to adjust it so that it is level in the car/truck/van. On the side of the car seat I have there is a little guage and if it is only blue inside it then the seat is level. If you see any orange then it needs to be adjusted to level it. They adjust because there are different types of seats in the vehicles and this assures that your baby is sitting in the proper position no matter what type of vehicle you are in. As long as you don't move it to a different vehicle then you shouldn't need to adjust it. If you move the base back and forth between different types of vehicles then you may need to adjust it.

Ditto to the previous person. The leveler is there because back seats of cars are so different depending what model you have.
Hope that helps!

Our base had that, but it was to adjust it to fit your car seat instead of to elevate the child. I think ours was trying to compensate for bench versus bucket seats. Your might be different though, so I'd just read the instructions. These bases are the greatest thing ever created! You can leave the sleeping baby in the carseat, but still bring them into the house! It is FANTASTIC! :)