Car Seat Safety

The main reason I started this blog was so I could remember every little thing about my life with Gordon, William and everyone else in my family.  A scrapbook of sorts that my family can look back at.  If anything were to ever happen to me, heaven forbid, I'd of course want everyones life to move on happily....but it is very important to me that William know just how much I love him.  Most recently, I've realized how much blogs can help out other mommies with questions (they sure have helped me).  So, I decided to do a post on car seat safety! 
When William was discharged from the NICU I mentioned being so grateful for the car seat education that I'd received.   I know not everyone has time to go to a class while they are pregnant.  I sure didn't have the time since I was put on bed rest so early.  This link, Texas Children’s Injury Prevention, talks about Childhood Injury Prevention.  Each year, injuries kill or disable more children over the age of 1 than all childhood diseases combined. 

Here are some quick pointers on car seats!!!  There would be no point in having nice car seats if you aren't educated on how to properly use and install them.

• Babies should ride rear-facing in the back seat until age 2 or they outgrow their car seat harnesses.
• Their car seats are buckled tightly in the car and should not move more than one inch when you pull it at the seat belt path.
• Their harness straps should be at or below their shoulders when rear-facing.
• The rear-facing car seats should recline at a 30-45 angle.
• The chest clip should always be placed at a child’s arm pit level.  I seem to notice this mistake the most often.  It shouldn't go around the kids belly.  :)
• Try to avoid using non-regulated products (anything that didn’t come with the seat when purchased). Head pillows, car seat mats, and mirrors are all examples of non-regulated products.  So many people have mats to protect their leather seats! I'm so glad we learned this rule before purchasing one.  
• The baby's harnesses should be snug at all times, flat against their shoulders and can’t be pinched at the shoulder when buckled.​  Gordon has a hard time following this because he thinks William is uncomfortable.  But, you gotta do it!!!

We have the Peg Perego 30-30 car seat and have been happy with our choice.  William is still in this car seat but will be moving to a "big boy seat" in the next 2 months.  For his "big boy" seat we decided on the Evenflo Symphony.  Any car seat you find at a store like Babies R Us passes all safety standards.  You just have to decide what fits best with your baby, car and budget.  We chose the Evenflo seat because it is wide and cozy so he'll have lots of growing room.  It also reclines back for those long car rides!  I know lots of parents turn their baby around to front facing at around one year.  We plan on waiting until William's two.  Kids who ride in rear-facing seats have the maximum protection for the head, neck and spine! 




















Hope this helped anyone out there that had questions.  Have a safe Memorial Day Weekend!!!!