Car Seat 101
Apparently 1 out of 5 people do not have their car seats installed correctly in their cars. Or they are installed correctly, but not being used correctly. Hopefully we will not fall into this category.
Charles and I were supposed to go last night to have our car seat installed as a last meeting of our childbirth class. Did we make it? Afraid not. We weren't even sure where it was we were supposed to be meeting, so we just didn't show up, which I know is horrible of us, but really. We are competent people, surely we can install a car seat without too much trouble. It came with very detailed instructions and I have to think that the 1 in 5 who install it wrong, probably didn't bother with the instructions.
Although car seat safety is much more detailed than I expected it to be. Just for your information, I'll post a few car seat tips. I'm going to assume you are all intelligent people and already know not to put your baby in the front seat or anything like that.
~ When buckling up a baby in a rear facing car seat, the harness should always be at the level, right at or below the shoulders, never above.
~You should not be able to move the car seat, once it is installed, more than 1 inch side to side, or front to back. If you can, it's not tight enough.
~ A baby should sit in a rear facing car seat until they are 20 lbs. AND 1 year old. Not one or the other, but BOTH.
Well there you have it. Those are the top car seat tips in my book, and will be followed to a T by me and Charles. After all, what's the point of getting some nice car seat if you aren't going to use it the right way. We want to keep our baby safe!
Charles and I were supposed to go last night to have our car seat installed as a last meeting of our childbirth class. Did we make it? Afraid not. We weren't even sure where it was we were supposed to be meeting, so we just didn't show up, which I know is horrible of us, but really. We are competent people, surely we can install a car seat without too much trouble. It came with very detailed instructions and I have to think that the 1 in 5 who install it wrong, probably didn't bother with the instructions.
Although car seat safety is much more detailed than I expected it to be. Just for your information, I'll post a few car seat tips. I'm going to assume you are all intelligent people and already know not to put your baby in the front seat or anything like that.
~ When buckling up a baby in a rear facing car seat, the harness should always be at the level, right at or below the shoulders, never above.
~You should not be able to move the car seat, once it is installed, more than 1 inch side to side, or front to back. If you can, it's not tight enough.
~ A baby should sit in a rear facing car seat until they are 20 lbs. AND 1 year old. Not one or the other, but BOTH.
Well there you have it. Those are the top car seat tips in my book, and will be followed to a T by me and Charles. After all, what's the point of getting some nice car seat if you aren't going to use it the right way. We want to keep our baby safe!
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