Buckle and Latch

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Shoreline, WA
Buckle and Latch

Local Shoreline/N Seattle CPST educating and empowering caregivers to install car seats correctly.

06/01/2026

Theatre Kids 🤝 Car Seats

Hi! I’m Britney - I’m a CPST, a mom of two, and a former theatre kid 😂

I was never a triple threat in the theatre, but now I’m here bringing you car seat safety education on instagram!

05/26/2026

Harnessing Mistakes

Three tips for new parents when you’re harnessing your baby:

1) The harness straps should be coming from at or below baby’s shoulders

2) Make sure the harness is snug all over and passes the pinch test at the shoulders!

3) Keep that chest clip at armpit level so it can do its job

05/22/2026

Put Down The Hose!

Before you hose down your car seat, read the manual and follow the cleaning instructions

Unapproved cleaning methods can make the car seat less safe

Have a Very Big Mess and not sure what to do? Contact the manufacturer! Some have additional approved cleaning methods on a case by case basis

Some car seats have easy zip off covers or covers that are machine washable/dryable!

Does your car seat have any easy cleaning features? Do you wish it did?

05/21/2026

Drink That Banana Smoothie!

Car seat safety isn’t all or nothing. It’s safe (and normal!) for kids to not max out every stage before moving to the next.

You’re not putting your child in danger as long as you’re following state law and your car seat rules!

Don’t let perfection become the enemy of good.

If you want to (and have the resources/ability to) do best practice, that’s great!

But “Good” and “Better” are still safe ways to transport a child ❤️

Thanks to for the inspiration!

05/19/2026

How Does That Work?

Tensioners, lock-offs, and tensioning lock-offs help make installing car seats easier - but they each do it in their own way!

A tensioner puts pressure on the seat belt to make it easier to get a tight installation. But you still have to lock the seat belt.

A lock-off holds the seat belt at a fixed length so your installation doesn’t come loose. You do the work to tighten the belt and then put it into the lock-off.

A tensioning lock-off is the best of both worlds! It helps you get the seat belt tight AND it locks the seat belt for you.

Not all car seats have these features, but they can make it much faster (and easier!) to install your car seats correctly.

Does your car seat have a tensioner, lock-off, or tensioning lock-off? Do you like it?

05/08/2026

Is It Time To Switch?

When’s the best time to move your baby from their infant seat to a rear facing convertible or multimode car seat?

- If they’ve outgrown their infant seat: Once they reach one of the limits (height, weight, or head height), you have to switch them

- If you need the infant car seat for another baby: If there’s another baby on the way and you need that infant seat, you can make the switch!

- If it’s more convenient for you: When babies weigh more and are mobile, the infant car seat can feel way less convenient. It’s okay to switch!

You don’t need to “max out” one of the limits of your infant car seat. It’s okay to switch baby to their “big kid” car seat whenever makes sense for you/your family - as long as they get a good fit in their new car seat.

05/06/2026

Chest Clips Matter!

Does your car seat have a chest clip? Let’s learn about what it does and how to use it correctly!

Chest clips are a pre-crash positioner.

They help make sure the harness straps are on the child’s shoulders, so they stay in their car seat in a crash!

If the chest clip is too low, the harness straps may be able to slip off the child’s shoulders which could mean more injuries in a crash.

Always make sure the chest clip is at armpit level so the harness straps stay where they are supposed to!

05/04/2026

Which One Should I Buy?

There are so many car seats on the market - it can be overwhelming to choose!

The good news is all seats on the US market have to meet the same safety standards.

So figure out what is most important to you and choose accordingly!

As long as it:
- Fits your child
- Fits your vehicle
- Fits your budget
- Is one you can use it correctly for every ride…

Then you’re making a great choice 😊

11/19/2025

Switching From Rear To Forward Facing

When is your child ready to forward face?
The AAP recommends keeping children rear facing as long as possible (until they reach the max rear facing height OR weight of their convertible/all-in-one car seat).
As a CPST, I love to see kids rear facing at least until 2, but longer if they can.

Remember: Car seat safety isn’t black and white! It’s all about Good - Better - Best.

If you are following your state law and the car seat’s forward facing requirements, you are doing Good!

10/29/2025

Learn What Car Seat Features Do!

When you understand how car seat features work, you can decide which ones are nice to have, must have, or not something you need.

REMEMBER: You don’t need a car seat with every single safety feature. The most important thing is that it fits your child, fits your vehicle, and you use it correctly.

Did you know what all of these were? Which ones do you want to learn more about?

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Shoreline, WA

Website

http://www.buckleandlatch.com/

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