Learn the basics on car seats
Out of the many different types of baby gear, a car seat is an absolute must-have. In fact, hospitals require that you have one installed in your car before you can take your baby home. But how do you know if you have the right car seat? Or if you've installed it correctly? Or if you're following all the rules to keep your baby as safe as possible?
Start by researching which car seat is best for you. Two that have gotten great reviews:
• The Graco Extend2Fit Convertible Car Seat protects rear-facing babies from 4 to 50 pounds and forward-facing toddlers from 22 to 65 pounds. It includes a six-position recline mechanism and 10-position headrest to keep your child comfortable. At 23 pounds, it's also incredibly light, which makes transportation a snap. $199.99, available at gracobaby.com.
• The Britax Marathon ClickTight Convertible Car Seat features Britax's patented ClickTight installation system, which makes installation as easy as buckling a seat belt. This seat is incredibly safe, with a deep energy-absorbing shell. It fits rear-facing infants from 5 to 40 pounds and forward-facing toddlers from 20 to 65 pounds. The harness can be set in 14 different positions. $279.99, available at us.britax.com.
Once you have purchased your car seat, read the instructions and practice installing it. Then it's time to check your work. You need to find a certified child passenger safety technician who will inspect your installation to ensure it's safe for your baby. Every community is different, but start by calling your local police or fire department to see if it has a safety technician on staff. Often, social service networks such as the YWCA or hospitals also will schedule days on which they check car seat installations.
"The number of children who die in car crashes has dramatically dropped in recent years, and it's because car seats have become much safer," said Jill Braselton, a nurse and lead outreach specialist for ThinkFirst Injury Prevention at Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital in Winfield. "But you need to make sure the strap is tight enough when it locks, and a certified child passenger safety technician can help you do that."
Other safety tips you should keep in mind regarding car seats include:
• Never buy a car seat from a garage sale. "Safety experts recommend that you should never use a car seat after it has been in a wreck," said Susan Bard, a nurse and system coordinator of perinatal education at Edward-Elmhurst Health in Naperville. "When you buy a car seat from a garage sale, you have no idea what has happened to it."
• Register your car seat with the manufacturer or at safercar.gov/parents so you can be notified if there is a safety recall.
• In case of an accident in which parents are not able to give information, tape identifying information to the back of your child's car seat.
• Beginning last year, Illinois law dictates all children should be in rear-facing car seats until the age of 2. "Kids are much safer facing the back of the car," said Braselton. "When they're facing the back, the seat absorbs the impact of a crash. When they're facing the front, the straps - and, therefore, the child - absorb the impact."
• Car seats are designed for travel, not for sleeping. If your child falls asleep in the seat, Braselton said, transfer him or her to a crib when you return home. "Because of the angles of car seat straps, your child's airway can be restricted while sleeping," Braselton said.
If you have more questions about car seat safety, visit safercar.gov or thecarseatlady.com. There's a lot to learn, but there are plenty of resources to find the information!