One of the first things I purchased when I thought he may be smaller- or even just for the newborn time frame, was the car seat positioner/support. I figured it'd help keep him snug in there, and be more comfortable...
So the fact about these products are that they are "after-market" and are not tested with the car seat- more-so, that the head positioner can actually get behind the baby's head and push it forward, causing the airway to be blocked/compromised. It also can affect how securely they are strapped into the seat, creating a gap that could prevent the effectiveness during an accident. Crap- one thing I have to get rid of.
- The mirror for the car- so that I can see him in my rear-view mirror- especially on those long drives where I'm freaking out about whether he's breathing or not...
Buuuutttt... yet another thing that could actually be more harmful to the baby in the event of an accident. While we're at it, we have to add things like the "Baby on Board" signs, the sunshades, harness strap covers, the toys that hang on the seat, etc. They can become projectiles and seriously/fatally injure the baby (or anyone else in the car) during a serious accident. Hmmmm, more things to return...
- Turning the car seat around at 1 year of age or 20 pounds... I distinctly recall this when Kaely was a baby- she was stuck at 18 lbs forever, and we kept waiting to turn her around. She loved being able to look out the front and see all that was going on. However... it is now recommended to keep the seat rear-facing as long as possible, until at least 2-3 years of age, if not longer- even if their legs have to be folded to fit, the rear-facing seats protect the child from fatal injuries by cradling them and moving with the motion of the car to reduce the injury to their neck and spinal cord, especially considering the statistics of front impact vs. rear impact accidents- they say that it is 5 times safer to sit facing the rear. It really is a "no-brainer" to keep them facing the back. Sorry if it upsets them.
- Making sure they are strapped in correctly- apparently I never had Kaely strapped in tight enough. Basically if it seems to be too tight, it is probably right. First with Chase being so small, we used rolled up receiving blankets to make sure that he would not be slumped over to either side (this is approved for safety), and a rolled up washcloth at the crotch area to keep him pushed up/back. Then, you need to make sure the straps are at or just below the shoulders- not above. The chest piece needs to be at the chest- not at their neck, and not below the sternum- this could cause serious injuries to their abdominal organs. So around the nipple line. Then, the straps need to be pulled tight enough that you cannot pinch any slack in the straps. Trust me when it seems like it's too tight- but this way during a high-speed crash, there is no room for the baby to be ejected. I quickly found that you will need to adjust each time as well depending on what they are wearing. Be sure not to strap them in with any jackets, blankets, etc on because this can prevent them from being properly restrained- place the blanket or jacket over them after securing the straps.
- Using the anchor or LATCH system in your car- I love this system personally- but even that isn't simple or black & white... making sure to use the correct anchors in the back- you need to read your car's owner's manual. If there are only two "systems" in the car, it should be fairly straightforward. However, if there is a third, for the middle seat, you may need to locate which bar is where. You do not want to have the car seat strapped to separate bars, as it will not be as secure or effective. Do not use both the LATCH system and a seat belt at the same time.
- Ways to make the seat level in a car with bucket seats (like ours)... I tried to install the base at 3am the morning we were heading to the hospital for the c-section- I had no clue we'd spend nearly a month at the hospital and have all the time in the world to do this. However, there was no way of making the seat level without props because of how the seat was designed. So, the recommended way? Using a swim noodle cut up, or rolling up towel(s). You may have to play with this a bit- even when we thought we had it level, once we actually had Chase in the seat, his little bit of weight changed the angle. It's important for both the safety of the seat, as well as for his ability to be able to breathe and be positioned correctly.
- Other things include of course never placing the car seat in the front seat- the back is always the safest. Be sure to be aware of the car seat's "expiration" date- they are usually only good for 5-6 years tops. Each seat is different. Different seats for different ages- currently we are using an infant carrier, but will eventually have to upgrade to a convertible seat appropriate for his height/weight. Like Kaely, he'll be in some sort of car seat until probably 12+ years of age- the booster seats are necessary to keep the shoulder harness of the seat belt positioned correctly to prevent further injuries.
There are sooooo many more details that I'm sure I'm missing- but wanted to share my own ignorance, even though I have already been a mom- things have changed a lot. Considering the number of deaths & injuries that car accidents are responsible for, it's extremely important to make this a top priority.
I hope the family understands why I've always been hesitant to let anyone drive Kaely around- it'll be the same for Chase... but at least knowing ways to help prevent injuries is a huge step. So glad we had the chance to take the safety class!
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