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“One night, my 3-year-old asked me if she could sleep in my bed. I told her no. She said, “That’s not fair! Why does Daddy get to sleep in your bed?” READ MORE
First Years (0-2)
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Car-seat safety for the first 2 years. Of all of the preparations associated with welcoming a child into the world, one of the driest topics of consideration is car-seat safety. I bought my son’s first car seat based on the fabric’s cute color scheme and his second seat on how easily the material would resist sippy-cup spills. When it came to the technical stuff – proper installation and function of the seats – I relied on my spouse. After all, he hadn’t helped decorate the nursery and was way behind on diaper duty. It was time for him to take one for the team. While they may not be as fun to pick out as baby booties, car seats are so vital to your child’s survival that they are the only baby accoutrement the law requires parents to purchase. And it’s not enough to buy a car seat – installing your child’s car seat correctly is just as important as the equipment itself. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) provides an excellent reference guide that includes everything you need to know about car-seat safety – from the first trip home from the hospital to the day your youngster graduates to a booster seat. Download the AAP guide by visiting aap.org/family/carseatguide.htm. You can also make an appointment at your local CHP office to have a specially trained officer take a look at how your car seat is installed and make adjustments, if necessary. Take a seat – but which one? Though it may seem logical that the higher the price tag the greater the car seat’s safety features, this is not necessarily the case. All new car seats sold in the U.S. must meet certain safety standards – it is the brand name and the bells and whistles that tend to up the ante. Just make sure to purchase an unused car seat, since there’s no way to track the history and safety of second-hand seats. Most retailers allow in-store “test drives” of the seats they sell to allow parents to check the fit, and see how easily you can buckle harnesses and adjust straps. Infant seats, convertible seats and booster seats, oh my! One car-seat size does not fit all. In fact, your child will probably need several types of seats over the course of his or her road-tripping years. The journey begins with a rear-facing seat. Many parents prefer the benefits of infant-onlyseats that serve both as child-carrier and child-safety seat. The carrier typically clicks in and out of a base that is permanently positioned in your car. These seats are generally appropriate for newborns up to 30 pounds. (Make sure to follow your manufacturers’ guidelines as to weight restrictions.) Convertible seats serve double duty: They can be used as a rear-facing seat for larger infants then turned around to forward-facing seats once your baby turns 1 and weighs at least 20 pounds. To switch the seat from rear to forward-facing, follow these AAP suggested safety steps: > Move the shoulder straps to the slots that are at or above your child’s shoulders. On many convertible seats, the top harness slots must be used when the seat is in the forward-facing position. > Move the seat from reclined to an upright position, if required by the manufacturer. > Make sure the seat belt runs through the forward-facing belt path. Once your child reaches the top weight and height requirements for a forward-facing seat, it’s time to transition to a booster seat. You can tell your child is ready for a new vantage point when his shoulders are above the harness slots and/or his ears have reached the top of the seat. Booster seats are fairly simple devices when compared with their cousins. They simply raise your child’s height so your car’s regular seat-belt restraint system properly aligns across your child’s upper thighs, for the lap belt, and across the middle of the chest and shoulder, for the shoulder belt. Buying and installing car seats aren’t going to be some of the best times you have as a parent, but it’s a responsibility you should take seriously. One oversight could mean serious consequences no parent ever wants to face. S. Danyelle Knight is a contributing writer to OC Family Magazine. |
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