Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Bicycle Car Seats

When my children were younger I would take them out with me in the jogger, and then as they got older bike rides sounded like a great idea, and we saw lots of people doing it, we just never really made the plunge to putting that extra seat on the back.  But with Spring here it's got me thinking about it again. My youngest (just turned 4) sees the kids on the back of their parents bikes and wants to do it as well, but I keep trying to explain to her she is just to old at this point. So I've done a little bit of online research on the subject and thought I'd share. After all it is basically a car seat for your bike right! 

The primary determinant of when an infant can join his or her parents on bike rides is the strength of the the child's neck.  Because of the jostling and the additional weight of a helmet (8-10 oz.), this is quite a few months after a baby can first hold their head up.  Note: Some jurisdictions have laws requiring passengers on bicycles to be at least one year old.  And, most jurisdictions have laws requiring children to wear helmet, even when they are riding in a trailer.

Usually by age 12 months parents can start checking with your child's physician to see if they have the neck development to safely go for a bike ride.  Most toddlers' neck and shoulder muscles can tolerate the weight of a helmet and absorb shock from bumps in the road at 1 years old. [We do know that infants in Africa travel by bike.  They are tied tightly to their mothers back, with their heads well supported.]

We know of no comprehensive study on the best method to carry an infant on a bike and remember there are risks associated with all of them..   I saw a nice break down of the risks on this web site International Bicycle Fund. You can see what's right for your family the bike seat or the trailer. And remember they should ALWAYS wear a helmet.




Thank you to the International Bicycle Fund for this great information!

Below is a great quick glance guide of things to think about when using a car seat on the back of a bike. I grabbed this off the Consumer Product Safety Commisions website. 





Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Scootering Safely

As my oldest grows from his toddler car seat to his booster, he also becomes more active and safety becomes something we have to think about in everything he does. One of his FAVORITE things to do is ride his scooter! And what I love about the scooter is that it's so portable. We can fold it up and take it everywhere, and we do.  With Spring in the air and sunshine actually out up here in Vermont... I thought I might take a moment and remind of some of the things we should think about when riding a scooter.  Below is a great image I actually borrowed from the Consumer Product Safety Commisions website. 

Last year, over 40,000 people were taken to the hospital emergency rooms in the U.S. because of injuries from riding scooters. Most of the injuries were kids under 15!


You can find more Kid Safety Information on the CSPS website!

Happy Spring!

Monday, April 11, 2011

Never leave your child alone in your car.


With the warmer weather coming....  at least I think it is up here in Vermont! I thought I'd post a quick reminder about leaving kids in the car.  There seems to always be one horrible and inevitable news story early in the season that a child has died from heat stroke while in a vehicle.

It has happened in February with temperatures in the low 70’s.  But typically around the Ides of March we hear of the first event of the year – a disturbing, horrific incident of an infant or toddler dying from being trapped in a sweltering car.

The risks and causes of these hyperthermia deaths are well-known, and this tragic mishap occurred 49 times in 2010 – the worst year since records have been kept.

I found another great website with some safe tips for children in all aspects of your life at SafeKids.org.

Friday, April 8, 2011

Ultimate Blog Party!



Hey there, party goers — I’m so happy to see you!  It’s exciting to have party guests over here for the Ultimate Blog Party 2011
Okay, I’m late to the party but I just heard about it and had to jump in!
My blog is mostly just about car seats and safety while traveling, with a little bit of helping mom gadgets mixed in. But all are used while traveling with your little ones either in the car seat or stroller.  I’m a stay and work at home mom so you’re sure to catch a few “mommy blog” style posts thrown in here and there. I do try to keep it related to traveling somehow though. :) 

A bit about me and my family. Recently we made the move from Massachusetts to Vermont and everyone is adjusting well! We've really found a wonderful place to live and really enjoy the outdoors. I recently started being able to stay home with my children full time while doing my My Carseat Blankie business and a freelance graphic design business on the side and it's wonderful!  What a change for us all, but wonderful! Today for instance we spent 4 hours outside just enjoying the sunshine and laughing and then tonight I'm making up for it with a bit of work time after they go to bed. But I wouldn't change it for the world. I'm just enjoying it all right now! 

Thanks for reading my blog!

Car seat for preemie and low birth weight infants.

 
Take a look at this great product from Child Source! This transportation solution enables you to bring your newborn home earlier than ever before! Designed for low birth-weight and small infants weighing less than 9lbs and less than 21.5" long.  

Features:
  • Meets FMVSS213 - Improved vehicle installation system ensures a more secure fit.
  • Unique design allows infant to be positioned on back, stomach or side.
  • Patented, wrap-around harness creates added protection during a sudden stop or crash.
  • Five-degree surface raises infant's head to facilitate breathing.
  • Deep, fully padded shell combines impact protection with ventilation.

Take a look at Amazon.com online.

Thursday, April 7, 2011

The Mommy Hook!

This is one of those things that when I see it I say "why didn't I think of that"!


It's basically taking an item that already exists and repurposing it for another use. A great use!  We've used these in rock climbing, now they have added a rubber grip and renamed it (not knocking the invention at all)!  You simply clip it to the handle of your stroller and then hook all the bags on to it so they don't fall off. It's made out of a durable heavy duty aluminum and not the cheap plastic most other gadgets are made out of.  Great idea momdadandbaby.com!

You can visit their website for retailers that sell it at TheMommyHook.com

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Fly safely with your child.

CARES looks like a nice solution to safe and easy flying with children!


CARES, the Child Aviation Restraint System, is the only harness type child aviation safety restraint  ever certified for airplane travel by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

CARES
is an elegantly designed belt and buckle device for kids 22-44 pounds  that is easy to use and creates a safe airplane seat for your child without the hassle of carrying a heavy car seat with you.

CARES weighs just 1 pound and fits into a 6" stuff sack
!  It is simple to install, adjustable to virtually any size airplane seat, and keeps your child as safe as a car seat would.

CARES
is made of the same industrial-strength webbing as your own seat belt.  It is engineered and manufactured by AmSafe Aviation, the world's foremost manufacturer of airline seat belts.

Need your car seat at the end of the trip?  Check it as luggage  -- take
CARES on board in your pocket for a safe airplane seat for your child and a hassle free trip for you!


Check it out at:  Kids Fly Safe

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

National Public Health Week

April 4 - 11, 2011 is National Public Health Week



It only takes a moment for an injury to happen – a fall on a stair, a moment’s glance away from the road, a biking or sports-related injury, a medication mix-up. But it also takes just a moment to protect against injuries and make communities safer. The potential for injury is all around us. Each year, nearly 150,000 people die from injuries, and almost 30 million people are injured seriously enough to go to the emergency room.

Injuries are not "accidents", and we can prevent them from happening. Taking actions such as wearing a seatbelt, properly installing and using child safety seats, wearing a helmet and storing cleaning supplies in locked cabinets are important ways to proactively promote safety and prevent injuries.



During National Public Health Week 2011, the American Public Health Association (APHA) needs your help to educate Americans that "Safety is No Accident". Together, we can help Americans live injury-free in all areas of life: at work, at home, at play, in your community and anywhere people are on the move. We all need to do our part to prevent injuries and violence in our communities. Join us as we work together to create a safer and healthier nation.

Thanks to the American Public Health Association for the wonderful information. 
You can find even more on their website at: http://www.nphw.org/nphw11/first1.htm







Monday, April 4, 2011

Do you have a favorite car seat?

If I was switching over from the infant seat to a toddler seat here are a couple favorites I might choose and why. There are so many more choices now then even just a few years ago!





The Britax Boulevard sets the industry standard for safety.  A five point harness, side impact wings, and both the HUGS AND LATCH systems make this one hard to beat.  If there is no price too high for your child’s safety or your own peace of mind, stop searching here. You can use it rear facing until 40 lbs! (My little girl is 4 and weighs only 37 lbs.). And the forward facing until 70lbs. Britax also has a wonderful quick-adjust harness which I'm not sure most people understand until you actually have used it on a regular basis. But trust me it's great!

OR

The Sunshine Kids Radien80. This one folds well, has a great shoulder strap,  and is certified for use on aircraft.  It’s narrow width lends it to many uses – in addition to air travel. And fits 3 across in the back seat of our SUV much easier then others. This is a top-notch choice when used in forward-facing capacity.  You can use it rear facing until 45 lbs. and forward facing until 80 lbs.   The fact that you can be safe and still fit 3 across is great because once your kids are in pre-K and Kindergarten the play dates begin and with 2 kids I still have 3 car seats in the car because of how often we have an extra child in our car. 



OR
The Britax Marathon is durable, comfortable, and considered one of the best forward-facing convertible car seats in the industry. If the comfort of your child is your highest concern, your search may be over.  And it's a bit more affordable then the Boulevard. It's good for rear facing up to 35 lbs. and forward facing up to 65 lbs. (My 6 year old boy only weighs 47 lbs.)  If this car seat was an option for us when he was younger he'd still be in it! But we had a smaller sedan at the time and he was 20 lbs at 6 months so we used the Britax Roundabout since it fit rear facing nicely in our car.

Here are just a few places you can check out reviews from:

ConsumerSearch.com
BabyProducts.About.com

I also came across this nice article on BabyCenter.com on how to buy a car seat.

And remember you can check SeatCheck.org to find a car seat installation location near you!

Sunday, April 3, 2011

Perfect fit for the stroller!


This blankie doesn't get caught in the wheels while strolling around. It really is the perfect travel size!

My Carseat Blankie®, was originally designed for the car seat. It works just as well with the stroller. One of our moms that owns one made this observation for us in the first few months of selling out at craft fairs out in Gloucester, MA, and it has been a huge selling point since then! Thank you to whoever that was!! She walked up to the table, took a sample and placed it on her baby in the stroller and that was it. Sold she said, "now I don't have to worry about it getting caught in the wheels".

You can SAVE 20% on your own My Carseat Blankie using coupon code: BLOG at check out at www.mycarseatblankie.com