To turn your Britax Grow With You combination car seat into a booster, you will convert it from its 5-point harness mode to a high-back booster seat, utilizing your vehicle's adult seat belt system. This transition is essential as your child grows and meets the necessary height and weight requirements.
When to Transition to Booster Mode?
The decision to transition your child from a 5-point harness to a booster seat depends on several factors, including their physical development and maturity, not just age. Always consult your Britax Grow With You user manual for specific weight and height limits.
- Weight Limit: Your child must exceed the maximum weight limit for the 5-point harness system.
- Height Limit: Your child's shoulders should be above the highest harness slot, or their head should be too close to the top of the car seat shell when using the harness.
- Maturity: Your child must be mature enough to sit properly for the entire duration of the trip without slouching, leaning, or playing with the seat belt. This is crucial for their safety in a booster seat.
Step-by-Step Conversion to High-Back Booster Mode
Converting your Britax Grow With You is a straightforward process primarily involving the removal and storage of the 5-point harness system and preparing the seat for use with the vehicle's seat belt.
1. Prepare the Seat
Before you begin, ensure the car seat is not occupied by your child. It's often easier to perform this conversion outside of the vehicle or with ample space.
- Loosen the Harness: Fully loosen the 5-point harness straps.
- Unbuckle the Harness: Release the chest clip and buckle tongue.
2. Store the 5-Point Harness System
The harness system needs to be securely stored so it doesn't interfere with booster use or become lost. Refer to your manual for exact storage locations.
- Remove Shoulder Pads and Chest Clip: These can typically be slipped off the harness straps. Store them in a safe place, or as indicated in your manual.
- Disconnect Harness Straps: Typically, the shoulder harness straps can be disconnected from the splitter plate at the back of the car seat. They are then often tucked into designated storage pockets or behind the seat pad.
- Stow Buckle Tongues: The buckle tongues might slide into slots on the seat or be tucked away.
- Store Crotch Buckle: The crotch buckle usually retracts into a compartment under the seat pad or slides completely beneath the seat.
Important: Do not remove the harness system completely from the car seat unless explicitly instructed by your user manual. Most combination seats require the harness to be stored within the seat for future use or to maintain the seat's structural integrity.
3. Adjust the Headrest
Once the harness is stored, adjust the headrest to the appropriate height for booster mode.
- Raise the Headrest: Pull the headrest adjustment handle (usually at the top of the seat) and raise the headrest so that the vehicle's shoulder belt will rest correctly on your child's shoulder when they are seated.
4. Position the Car Seat in the Vehicle
Place the Britax Grow With You booster on the vehicle seat where your child will sit. Ensure it sits flat and stable. While not always strictly required for booster mode, some parents prefer to use the LATCH connectors or even the top tether to secure the empty booster when the child is not in it. This prevents it from becoming a projectile in a crash. Check your manual for specific guidance on LATCH and top tether use in booster mode.
5. Secure Your Child with the Vehicle Seat Belt
This is the most critical step for safe booster use.
- Seat the Child: Place your child in the booster seat, ensuring their back is flat against the booster's backrest.
- Route the Lap Belt: Pull the vehicle's lap belt across your child's lap. Guide the lap belt under the armrest on the buckle side and across the child's upper thighs, ensuring it rests low on their hips, not across their stomach. Then, buckle the seat belt.
- Route the Shoulder Belt: Guide the vehicle's shoulder belt through the red belt guide located on the adjustable headrest. The shoulder belt should lie flat across the middle of your child's shoulder and chest, not on their neck or off their shoulder.
- Check for Snugness: Ensure there is no slack in the seat belt system. The lap and shoulder belts should be snug against your child's body.
Important Safety Considerations for Booster Use
- Always Refer to Your Manual: The Britax Grow With You manual is your primary resource for specific instructions, weight/height limits, and safety guidelines.
- The 5-Step Test: Before relying solely on a booster seat, ensure your child passes the "5-Step Test" to confirm they are ready for the vehicle's seat belt alone:
- Does the child sit all the way back against the vehicle seat?
- Are the child's knees bent naturally at the edge of the seat?
- Does the lap belt fit low on the hips/upper thighs, touching the tops of the thighs?
- Does the shoulder belt rest across the middle of the shoulder and chest?
- Can the child maintain this position for the entire trip?
- Child Maturity: A child in a booster must be able to sit correctly for the entire ride, even while asleep. Slouching or moving out of position can compromise the seat belt's effectiveness in a crash.
- Never Use Just a Lap Belt: A booster seat should always be used with both a lap and shoulder belt.
By following these steps and ensuring proper belt positioning, your Britax Grow With You will safely serve your child as a high-back booster seat.
