When I became a mom 16 and a half years ago I received lots of good advice from people who were already moms. Knowing that all parents are different and different things work for different kids I listened and learned all that I could, taking everything that I was told with a grain of salt. Some things were very beneficial, others, not so much. With all of today’s technology and advances in baby products some things that the older generation had to say were very out of date. Some of my outdated pieces of advice were:

• Baby has to have a bath everyday
• When babies run a fever rub them down with alcohol to help lower their temperature.
• Babies need to be woken up every 3 hours to have their diaper changed.
• Never apply sunscreen to a baby under 6 months of age.
• Babies need hard soled shoes to keep their feet properly aligned.
• If the baby is crying in the car seat mom should sit in the back and hold the baby.

Some of these just seem silly. Others sounded down right dangerous! The car seat one is just plain outdated. I remember pictures that my parents have of my brother in a car seat that hooked over the middle of the front bench seat in the car. At the time there were no laws about car seats.

Is Your Child In The Right Car Seat?

This week (September 14-20) is Child Passenger Safety Week. Visit SaferCar.gov/TheRightSeat to see if your child is in the right size and type of car seat for their age/size.

Did you know that motor vehicle crashes are a leading cause of death for children age 1 to 13 in the USA? The fatality rate could be reduced by about half if the correct child safety seat were always used.

Car seats have come so far not only in the past 50 years but in the past 15 years since my oldest was in one. Basically there are 3 types of car seats:

• Rear Facing – The best seat for your young child to use. It has a harness and, in a crash, cradles and moves with your child to reduce the stress to the child’s fragile neck and spinal cord.

• Forward Facing – Has a harness and tether that limits your child’s forward movement during a crash.

• Booster – Positions the seat belt so that it fits properly over the stronger parts of your child’s body.

• Keep your child in a booster seat until they are big enough to fit in a seat belt properly. Proper fit is when the lap belt lies snugly across the upper thighs, not the stomach. The shoulder belt should lie snugly across the shoulder and chest and not cross the neck or face. Children should still ride in the back seat because it’s safer there. Each state has their own laws on ages for front seat riding so please check with your local laws before letting the kids climb into the front and ride next to you.

Car Seat Safety Tips:

• Find a car seat that fits your child. As children grow, how they sit in your car will change. Make sure the car seat you purchase is designed to fit your child’s current size and age.
• Not all car seats fit in all vehicles so test the car seat you plan to buy to make sure it fits well in your vehicle.
• Before putting your child in a car seat, read the manufacturer’s instructions so you know how your car seat works.
• All-in-One car seats offer you the advantage of using the same seat for the following positions: rear-facing, forward-facing with harness, then booster. These seats typically have higher height and weight limits for the rear-facing position, allowing you to keep your child rear-facing for a longer period of time.
• Remember, the best car seat is the one that fits your child properly, is easy to use, and fits in your vehicle correctly. Keep in mind that:
  • Your child under age 1 should always ride in a rear-facing car seat.
  • Children ages 1-3 should be kept rear-facing as long as possible.
  • Keep your child in the back seat at least through age 12.
  • Be certain you’ve installed your car seat correctly by having it checked at an inspection station or by a certified child passenger safety technician. Bring the Car Seat Instructions AND the Vehicle Owner’s Manual with you to a seat check appointment!

Free Car Seat Checks: During Child Passenger Safety Week, there will be more than 600 events in 45 states across the country, where certified child passenger safety technicians will inspect car seats and show parents and caregivers how to correctly install and use them. In most cases, this service is free of charge.

Locate a car seat check event here: Car Seat Check

Remember, car seats are here to help save our children if there is ever an accident. I don’t know what I would do without these kids!

*I was not financially compensated in any way for this review. All opinions, as always, are my own.