Friday, October 17, 2008

Winter Coats and Car Seats

Instead of putting your child in a car seat with a heavy winter coat, the Texas Department of Public Safety recommends that you 'keep your child in the clothes they will be wearing when they are indoors. Place the child in the infant seat or car seat, making sure the harness straps are snug over the shoulders and that they lie straight and flat down to the buckle. Buckle the child in and THEN put the coat or blanket OVER them -- on TOP of the harness system. You can even turn the coat around and put his arms through the sleeves after he is buckled into his car seat. This will ensure your kids are kept snug in their seat, the harness system is able to do its job in the event of a crash, and that the kids stay warm.'

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration also recommends that 'to keep your baby the safest, always remove bulky clothing or blankets before you place the child in the seat. Then, put the blanket or coat over the baby. You should never place anything thick underneath the baby, unless that item came with the car seat originally — which tells you it's been tested by the manufacturer. When a child is wearing a thick coat, it's hard to tell if you have a good harness fit, which is crucial. A coat can add a lot of slack, reducing the level of protection for your child in a crash.'

Read this full article at http://pediatrics.about.com/od/carseats/a/0107_wintercoat.htm


Sources:

American Academy of Pediatrics. Car Safety Seats: A Guide for Families 2006.

Fast Facts from the Texas Department of Public Safety. Child Safety Seats: Winter Safety.

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Frequently Asked Questions.

Thursday, October 9, 2008

Does your toddler try to escape their car seat?

My child escapes his carseat. What can I do?

Some children can twist out of harnesses at an early age. Others can easily undo the buckle mechanism. Children may also be able to put too much slack in a seatbelt, and some children don't want to use a child restraint or seatbelt at all. Driving is a dangerous activity, and like any other, it requires proper supervision at all times.

Parents can try many things. You can try calling the manufacturer of your carseat to see if they have a buckle that requires more force to release, or a 2-piece chest clip instead of a "paperclip-style" chest clip. Using a seatbelt yourself sets a good example. Refusing to put the car in motion unless the child stays in their restraint is another. Also, try to keep your child entertained or distracted if possible, and NEVER make an exception and allow them not to use their child restraint. For severe cases, you can try a safety vest by E-Z-On (800-323-6598) that may be more difficult to remove.

Source www.car-safety.org.

Support My Carseat Blankie in the 2008 StartupNation Home-Based Business Competition

Support My Carseat Blankie in the 2008 StartupNation Home-Based Business Competition

Posted using ShareThis

Monday, October 6, 2008

Baby Coordinators

The Baby Coordinators
I wish I knew this type of help was available when I was pregnant with my first! We all know planning for baby can be overwhelming and exhausting. Check out The Baby Coordinators! They're based out of Natick and Wayland, Massachusetts. They take the stress out of having a baby. They've done the research, and know exactly which products you should buy. They offer a variety of different packages such as, assembling your baby registry, shopping for maternity clothes, baby proofing your home, childcare consultations, and many more!

Check them out at http://www.thebabycoordinators.com/.

Friday, October 3, 2008

Car Seat Safety Tips

Another great article with some car seat safety tips.

(SOURCE: Children's Car Seat Safety Guide,
Introduction to car seat safety
--- by Vincent Iannelli, M.D., About.com)

General Car Seat Safety Tips:

  • All children under 12 years of age should be placed in the back seat of the car, especially if you have passenger side air bags.

  • Infants should be in a rear facing infant only seat or convertible seat until they are 1 year old AND twenty pounds. Children who reach twenty pounds before their first birthday still need to face backwards and can be moved into a rear facing convertible seat.

  • After they are twenty pounds and have passed their first birthday, toddlers can use a forward facing car seat until they are about 40 pounds or their ears have reached the top of the car seat.

  • Children over forty pounds should be placed into a belt positioning booster seat.

  • You should not use your car's regular seat belts until they fit correctly when your child is 8 years old, unless he or she is already 4'9".

  • Your child will not be ready to use regular seat belts until the shoulder strap fits across his shoulder and not his neck, and the lap belt fits across his hips and not his stomach.

  • Be sure to read the car seat manufacture's instructions and your car owner's manual to be sure that you are installing and using the car seat correctly.

    You can read more of this article at http://pediatrics.about.com/cs/safetyfirstaid/a/car_seat_intro.htm

    Thanks for reading my blog. I'll continue to try and find things I think would be helpful to new parents!
    www.mycarseatblankie.com