Babys First Year

Brand New Graco Nautilus 3-in-1 Car Seat

CUTE Set of 19 pcs Hello Kitty Car Seat Cover pink red


I know, I know. Getting a 6-year-old who has been riding in the car like a “big girl” to go back to a child seat would be no easy task. But now there’s considerable evidence that keeping older kids in booster seats until they reach small-adult size reduces injuries and saves lives.

Still, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says fewer than 7 percent of the 20 million U.S. children ages 4 to 8 are riding in booster seats. That’s a frightening statistic when you consider that more than 500 children in this age group are killed in car accidents each year, and thousands more are injured. Safety experts say many of the deaths and injuries could be prevented by the proper use of booster seats.

Understanding the Necessity

When children wear adult safety belts too soon, their internal organs can be injured if the belts ride up and slice into their stomachs in a crash. If shoulder belts are put behind their backs, their torsos can jackknife forward, increasing the chance of head and abdominal injuries. More than 80 percent of 4- to 8-year-old passengers in 30,000 car crashes studied by Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and State Farm Insurance were improperly restrained in adult-size safety belts. And the results were often tragic.

Autumn Alexander Skeen lost her 4-year-old son in a crash when an adult seat belt failed to keep him inside the car. Skeen is now a spokeswoman for Ford Motor Company’s educational campaign promoting booster seat use. “No parent should ever know the pain of losing a child, especially if death or injury is easily preventable,” Skeen says.

A Simple Solution

Booster Seats raise children up off the seat to position them in adult belts properly. These special seats are recommended for kids who weigh 40 to 80 pounds and are intended for use in the back seat of vehicles that have three-point lap/shoulder belts. (Remember, children younger than 13 should never ride up front in a car that has front air bags.) Children can usually safely use adult belts in the back seat once they reach a height of four feet nine inches and weigh 80 pounds.

Booster seats are available at many major department stores and at Web sites and superstores that carry children’s products. Your vehicle’s manufacturer or your insurance company may also be able to make suggestions about where to buy a booster seat in your neighborhood. Some insurance and car companies even have special programs that offer the seats for free or at a discount.

ClubMom’s AutoPro, Jayne O’Donnell, is a Washington, D.C.-based reporter (and new mom!) whose automotive expertise and investigative reporting skills have helped break some of the biggest auto-safety stories of the past several years.

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Prince Lionheart Lt. Blue Soft Booster Seat ^Perfect^

TRAY for BUMBO Infant Baby Sitter Seat BOOSTER FEEDING

Eddie Bauer Cosco Booster Car Seat

Baby Car Seats

Driving along with baby in the car is a regular part of a parent’s routine. With a busy schedule to maintain, no wonder many parents feel frustration at the task of buckling fasteners, adjusting belts and dealing with crying babies that are not happy about the fuss. Frustration can lead to shortcuts. How serious are the risks?

Does Baby Have to Face Backward?

It can be very frustrating to a new parent to deal with the piercing wails of a hungry or tired infant who is facing backwards in the back seat of the car. Sunlight may sneak into the baby’s face, he may have lost his pacifier or may just want to see you. Unfortunately, keeping baby in a backwards facing car seat until at least 20 pounds and one year of age is crucial to their safety.

A baby’s neck muscles are not as strong as an older child’s. Bumps and turns in the road can easily strain a small neck when gravity takes control. Seats that face backwards should be reclining at a 45 degree angle; this angle compensates for weak muscles and cannot be attained when the seat faces forwards (try it yourself).

Some seats are even equipped with a gauge on the side which will indicate the perfect angle for your baby’s comfort and safety. If you feel your child has the required strength and is over 20 pounds before a year you can ask your pediatrician for advice on when to turn the seat around.

How Tight Should Straps Be?

To determine the correct placement and tightness of the harness you should just barely be able to fit one finger between baby and the harness straps. Any looser and baby could be ejected from the straps in an accident. The harness straps should be adjusted to come out at, or just below, baby’s shoulders.

The chest clip needs to be across the baby’s chest bone. This keeps the harness straps in the proper position and will absorb the force of a collision across the chest bone, which is safest.

If the weather is cold you should avoid bundling baby too much before putting him in the baby seat since the extra bulk will affect your ability to fit the harness properly. It is better to harness baby and then cover him with blankets placed over the straps.

How Do I Know if the Seat is In Right?

Improperly attaching the car seat to your vehicle is a common, and very dangerous, mistake. In one study it was found that 63% of car seats were not properly installed. Read the instructions thoroughly. Some children’s stores that sell car seats, as well as local police, can check your installation and show you how to make the corrections.

Often the seat is simply too loose. Try installing it by placing your knee in the seat while fastening it in. The seat should not move at the base.

Keeping your kids safe is a huge concern for parents. Understanding the necessity of safely buckling your kids up right from infancy will ensure that you, and them, become accustomed to the routine and implement it on EVERY trip.

Baby Car Seats

There is no doubt that a good quality car seat is one of the most important purchases the parent of an infant or toddler can make. A properly installed car seat can be a real life saver in a crash. In addition, a car seat can keep the baby comfortable and happy on those long road trips.

Unfortunately, there are some common mistakes parents make when buying these important safety items. Listed below are some of the most frequently seen mistakes made when buying and installing a car seat.

1. Buying a car seat that is difficult to install – Proper installation is the most important part of buying a good car seat. Inspections of car seats reveal that the majority of car seats are installed improperly. Car seats that come with incomplete or poorly worded instructions, or those that are overly complicated to install, can be dangerous.
2. Buying a car seat that does not properly fit your vehicle. Most car seats are designed to fit most models of newer cars, but owners of older or more exotic cars may have problems fitting car seats properly. If you are unsure if the seat you chose will fit your car, be sure to check with the auto dealer.
3. Not looking for the seal of the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard. Parents should only buy car seats that meet or exceed this federal standard.
4. Buying a car seat that is too small for your baby – All car seats carry a maximum height and weight rating. Be sure to buy a car seat that provide room to grow.
5. Choosing a car seat that is not compatible with your car’s seat belt. Not all car seats are compatible with all styles of seat belts. If you are unsure what type of car seat you need, be sure to consult with the manufacturer.
6. Not ensuring that the car seat fits the baby properly. Particularly with larger car seats, a small baby could accidentally slip out of the seat. It is important that infants one year of age and younger ride only in a rear facing car seat. Only after the baby is older than one year and weighs between 20 or 40 pounds should he or she be switched to a front facing seat.
7. Not checking for safety recalls. There are a number of safety recalls on car seats every year, and it is important to check for recalls on the model car seat you are considering.
8. Not choosing the fabric carefully – It is important to choose a fabric that is machine washable. In addition, a cloth upholstered seat is often more comfortable for the baby.
9. Not buying a car seat as part of a travel system – It is possible to buy a car seat that is part of a three part travel system. That means that the car seat, infant carrier and stroller are all integrated into one handy unit. This combination is often a more convenient and cost effective solution than buying the items separately.
10. Buying a car seat that is poorly made – Poor construction may be the biggest problem with some car seats. Be sure to check the quality of the car seat, watching especially for any sharp edges or loose parts.

Linda, mother of two is an inspired author of the Baby Strollers Guide and the Baby Products Guide

Baby Car Seats