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Baby in the Car – How Do You Know if the Seat is
In Right
Driving along with baby in the car is
a regular part of a parent's routine. With a busy schedule
to maintain, no wonder many parents feel frustration
at the task of buckling fasteners, adjusting belts and
dealing with crying babies that are not happy about
the fuss. Frustration can lead to shortcuts. How serious
are the risks?
Does Baby Have to Face Backward?
It can be very frustrating to a new
parent to deal with the piercing wails of a hungry or
tired infant who is facing backwards in the back seat
of the car. Sunlight may sneak into the baby's face,
he may have lost his pacifier or may just want to see
you. Unfortunately, keeping baby in a backwards facing
car seat until at least 20 pounds and one year of age
is crucial to their safety.
A baby's neck muscles are not as strong
as an older child's. Bumps and turns in the road can
easily strain a small neck when gravity takes control.
Seats that face backwards should be reclining at a 45
degree angle; this angle compensates for weak muscles
and cannot be attained when the seat faces forwards
(try it yourself).
Some seats are even equipped with a
gauge on the side which will indicate the perfect angle
for your baby's comfort and safety. If you feel your
child has the required strength and is over 20 pounds
before a year you can ask your pediatrician for advice
on when to turn the seat around.
How Tight Should Straps Be?
To determine the correct placement and
tightness of the harness you should just barely be able
to fit one finger between baby and the harness straps.
Any looser and baby could be ejected from the straps
in an accident. The harness straps should be adjusted
to come out at, or just below, baby's shoulders.
The chest clip needs to be across the
baby's chest bone. This keeps the harness straps in
the proper position and will absorb the force of a collision
across the chest bone, which is safest.
If the weather is cold you should avoid
bundling baby too much before putting him in the baby
seat since the extra bulk will affect your ability to
fit the harness properly. It is better to harness baby
and then cover him with blankets placed over the straps.
How Do I Know if the Seat is In Right?
Improperly attaching the car seat to
your vehicle is a common, and very dangerous, mistake.
In one study it was found that 63% of car seats were
not properly installed. Read the instructions thoroughly.
Some children's stores that sell car seats, as well
as local police, can check your installation and show
you how to make the corrections.
Often the seat is simply too loose.
Try installing it by placing your knee in the seat while
fastening it in. The seat should not move at the base.
Keeping your kids safe is a huge concern
for parents. Understanding the necessity of safely buckling
your kids up right from infancy will ensure that you,
and them, become accustomed to the routine and implement
it on EVERY trip.
1howto.com
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