King Dad could still drive comfortably with the 4Ever behind the driver’s seat in position 1, but his seat wasn’t quite as far back is he normally likes it. When installed at recline 2, both King Dad and I can have the driver’s seat at our preferred positions graco booster seat without it touching the 4Ever. Though not as reclined as at position 1, I found recline position 2 to be comfortable for both Petit Prince and The Heir. When installed at recline 3, the 4Ever is as upright as it can be installed for rear facing.
However, the Milestone can only be used for babies weighing at least five pounds, and its maximum weight limit in booster mode is 100 lbs. The biggest drawback I can see to this seat is the size. If you are a family like mine with multiple children in car seats, finding graco travel system the trimmest car seat on the market is sometimes the 1st thing you have to look at. Because this seat is 19 inches wide, you would not be able to fit 3 seats across a vehicle. However, this is only going to pose a problem for families with a few young children.
If the harness does not pass the pinch test at the shoulders, I pull the harness tight from behind the seat, then pull the harness tightening strap up front. It works great, and is very quick to get him in and snug. I’ve done this because I find it difficult to see that the harness is at or below the shoulders and to do the pinch test at Petit Prince’s size. He seems happy and comfortable in the Graco 4Ever despite not being all that happy in car seats generally.
I don’t need to pull it from the back at all as I do when Petit Prince is riding in the seat. At his size, I don’t find that they interfere with the pinch test or make it difficult to see that the harness is positioned correctly in relation to his shoulders. I love that at age four, The Heir easily fits rear facing in the Graco 4Ever, and he’s definitely comfortable and happy in this seat. With a 43″ height limit and 40 lb weight limit for rear facing, he should be able to remain rear facing for at least another six months to one year in the 4Ever.
Proper use of car safety seats helps keep children safe. But, because so many different seats are on the market, many parents find this overwhelming. If you are expectant parents, consider working with a certified passenger safety technician , before your baby is born, to ensure a safe ride home from the hospital. And you really can’t discount the fact that it’s a 4 lb car seat. It’s sooooo hard to find a convertible car seat that will work for small babies and preemies, and this is one of the few on the market that do! If you want more car seats that fit preemies, especially 4 lb car seats, check out our full Experienced Mommy breakdown of your preemie options.