Real World Car Seat Installation Tips

Driving around in cars is freaking dangerous. It just is. I've lost my fair share of friends and classmates in car accidents, so I'm probably a little more paranoid than the average bear.

On the topic of kids in cars? I'm a bit of a nervous Nelly; especially when it comes to other people driving my kid(s) around [shivers]. I’m sure this is something I will have to get over as they get older. 

I decided to become a certified CPST (child passenger safety technician) so I could speak more competently about car seat safety. In fact, I just finished a whole week of car seat safety training (do I know how to have fun or what?).

Essentially, what I learned is... it's not surprising that most car seats are installed incorrectly; it's confusing stuff! There are just so many variables. Confession: the majority of the students in this class? Most of us had our car seats in wrong too... or we had screwed up some other critical aspect of the installation. Oopsie doops. Tee hee. 

On the last day of the class, we did a public car seat check at the local Walmart (snort) and believe-you-me, sister, we saw some f'd up s#it (yes, I felt it necessary to use two 4-letter words there). We saw a baby in the front seat, we saw 2 year-olds in boosters, we saw some really old, expired seats à la 1985. You name it.

Alas, there are some really interesting and useful tidbits that I want to share with every parent who has a kid in a car seat in hopes of clearing up some of the major misconceptions and points of confusion. Here goes…

An 80 lb limit car seat – really??

I used to think that the newer, high-weight limit convertible seats (like... 60, 70 or 80lb seats) were a marketing gimmick, but now I know a kid in a 5-pt harness is way safer than one who is already in a seat belt (i.e. a booster). Check out this video to see them crash tested side by side.

Also, as one of the instructors pointed out, "kids are fatter these days and need the higher weight limit". Oh yeah, that too. Bottom line: we should all keep our fat-ass kids in a 5-pt harness seat for as long as possible.

Onward.

Positioning

Rear-facing seats are soooooooooooo much safer than forward-facing seats. Generally speaking… children have fragile, flexible neck muscles. When a forward-facing child's heavy head is thrust forward in a crash, the child suffers an enormous amount of stress on the neck. If the spinal cord stretches too far in a crash (a mere 6mm) the child may suffer paralysis or death.  

In the real world, I’ve noticed that most parents turn(ed) their kid around shortly after his/her 1st birthday. Trust me, I understand the desire to hand food or a sippy cup back to your kid in order to shut her up quiet her down, but watch this video and you'll understand the huge difference in the crash dynamics of the two positions (cue to 1:35). In fact, a child is 75% more likely to sustain a serious injury if he is forward facing. 

A 30 MPH crash in a FF seat; ouch, my brain!

Essentially, a seat that is rear-facing inherently cradles a child's brain and neck. Try to wait until your young'un is 2 years old before turning them around -- or even longer if you can stand it!

"As a medical community, we are really, really good at fixing bones; we can fix almost any broken bone in your body. We are very bad, however, at fixing broken spinal cords and swollen brains." - Gina, CPST instructor and ER nurse

Side Impact
-- Frontal collisions are by far the most common type of collision, but side impact collisions are the most deadly (people running red lights, stop signs, etc). The good news is that many (most?) newer cars now have side and/or "curtain" airbags (and by 2013, they will all have them). The bad news is that – currently - there are no standards for side impact protection for car seats in America (Europe? yes, here? no), but MANY car seat manufacturers have taken this upon themselves. In my opinion, this is what separates a good seat from a great seat. Yes, you'll probably pay more, but it's worth it.

Front Seat

-- You can, if absolutely necessary, put a FORWARD FACING child seat in the front seat if it’s the last resort (with the seat pushed back as far as possible). A rear-facing car seat, however, should NEVER go in the front seat unless you're absolutely sure you can disable the air bags. Why? Here's the scenario: You get into a fender-bender and suddenly, your frontal airbags get deployed at 200mph. The rear-facing baby then gets catapulted into the seat and is instantly killed. If you don't believe me, I'll tell you some terrible stories from the ER nurses at my CPST training class. Really sad stuff.

Rear-facing in the front seat = no

Using LATCH in the middle seat

-- All things being equal, the back seat, center position is the safest place to install a car seat. However, vehicles are only required by law to have 2 LATCH positions -- and in 70% of vehicles, these 2 positions are in the "outboard" or side seats  (i.e. not in the middle). You will often only find center LATCH connectors in large, wide cars and trucks. Given the choice, I'd rather do a seat belt installation in the center even if it's a little more tedious than using LATCH.

-- As a follow-up, if your car doesn’t have LATCH hooks in the middle seat (and most don’t), you should not use the “inner” right and left LATCH hooks (i.e. the ones intended for the outboard seats) to install a seat in the middle (make sense?). There are vehicles where you CAN do this, but only if both the car maker AND the car seat manufacturer okay it. Read more here: ** This is a very common mistake that parents make.

Seatbelt Shenanigans

ELR vs. ALR seatbelts, whaaaat?

-- A bunch of confusing acronyms do exactly that: they confuse people. Most people are confused about when to use the locking clip (the "H" shaped clip that comes with your seat).

If your car was made after 1996, you probably do NOT need to use a locking clip. Long story short, cars after 1996 are required to have backseat seatbelts that have 2 modes: ELR mode (let's call this "adult comfort" mode, you can move around freely, etc) and ALR mode (let's call this "car seat installation" or “locked” mode). Thus, most lap-shoulder belt systems have "switchable" retractors, which means if you pull the belt allllll the way out, then let it slowly feed back in, you have switched it from "adult" mode to "child seat" mode, and thus, you do not need to use the locking clip because you are "pre-crash" locking it. Dig? (Just nod).

However, EACH time you install the seat with the seatbelt, you MUST switch the belt into ALR mode (a.k.a. child seat mode) by pulling the belt all the way out and letting it retract snugly in order to engage the locking mechanism. It's easy to forget! That's another big mistake that people make.

-- FAQ: "Which is safer: LATCH or the seatbelt?" There truly is no difference. They are equally safe. If LATCH is easier for you to use correctly, use it. If the seatbelt is easier for you, use that. Point: use the one you have less of a chance of screwing up. PS. Don't ever use them both at the same time.

LATCH 

-- The LATCH hooks in your car are typically only rated up to 40-45 lbs (remember I talked about those seats that go up to 80 lbs?). Most people don't know this and have 45+ lb children in car seats that are installed using LATCH. This is a major no-no (and again, how would anybody ever know this? It’s not exactly common knowledge). Check your owner's manual for your car's LATCH weight limit and – yes - you'll have to go back to using the good old-fashioned seat belt until auto makers can catch up with car seat trends and make their LATCH hooks hold more weight.

-- In the forward-facing position, the top tether (or as I think of it, the "rear" tether) is really, really important, yet most people don't use it. This top tether secures the back of the seat, thereby reducing "head excursion", which is how far the head and neck travel forward in a collision (see below).

If your car was made after Sept 2002, your car has LATCH (and thus, rear tether hooks), you just need to find 'em. In some cars, they are on the back of the seat, some are in the ceiling, some are on the floor behind the seat; check your owner's manual for location if you can't find them. In fact, even if you are installing the seat with a seatbelt, you can (and should) ALSO use the rear tether to secure the seat. 

-- Last but not least, my biggest peeve of all: your harness straps are not tight enough, mommy! 90% of you are guilty of this. You shouldn't have any slack in your harness straps. A friend said to me the other day "Ally is always pulling her arm out of her car seat". OMG, woman, if your kid can pull her arm out out of her car seat straps, it's waaaay too loose. Come on now!

Every seat has a button that allows you to release the straps and pull them loose, typically between the legs. You then tighten the straps again by pulling the big cord between the legs. Learn how to use it (seriously).

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That's all for now, stay tuned for Meg's "convertible car seat finder" wizard thingy coming soon. Mwaaaaa.

Peace,

Meg Collins, CPST <--- yeeaaaah baby, who needs an MBA when you can be a CPST?? (sarcasm)

Related:

-- The Lucie's List 0-40 week + postpartum archives are now available online!

-- The Umbrella Stroller Buyers Guide

-- Connect with me on Facebook

Top 10 Coolest Products I Saw at the Baby Show

Helleeewwww there!

I have just returned from the ABC Baby Show, where I’ve been test driving the new strollers, reviewing the new car seats, pumping the newest pumps (ok, not really, but you get the picture). All I can say is: my feet hurt and I need a martini.

I was thoroughly impressed; everyone brought the thunder this year (like… really, it thundered and poured every single day). Generally speaking, here’s what’s happening in the juvenile products industry:

• Car seats makers are really focused on side-impact crash testing and protection like they never have before. More on that later.
• All of the fancy pants strollers are starting to look (and function) Exactly. Tha. Same. (Quinny Buzz-esque).
• Gear, like play yards, are getting easier to use.
• EVERY thing is looking modern, slick (neoprene anyone?) and monochromatic. George Jetson would love this s#!t.

Here are the 10 coolest things I saw at the show. Let me tell you, it was REALLY hard to narrow it down to just ten. So here we go, I am NAMING names, people...

1. Maxi-Cosi® Pria 70 Air Convertible Car Seat

If you’re skipping the infant seat altogether, you should strongly consider this seat. It was specially designed to fit newborns and young infants with the TinyFit cushioning system, which is like a seat within a seat; 3rd party safety experts agree.

What impressed me the most is the Air Protect® advanced side impact protection (side note: currently, there is NO safety standard is the US for side impact crash testing (Europe? yes, here? not so much)), so some car seat makers are doing this purely on their own. I spoke at length with one of product managers, Ryan Hawker. This guy knew his stuff and his passion for keeping kids safe was apparent (I even got invited to their facility to see some crash testing - fun!).

This seat is super easy to install, easy to adjust and takes up less legroom in the back seat (as a side note, being easy to install is not just a convenience, it means you are waaaay more likely to install it properly. And proper installation is the key to safety…)

All in all, this is a fabulous, safe, great-looking car seat that will go from cradle-to-Kindergarten.

$250, available on Amazon, Buy Buy Baby and Giggle.

Onward.

2. The Beco Gemini

I’ll be the first to admit that I didn’t think anyone could top my precious Ergo.

Until I met Beco.

Since I still carry 19-month old Lucie in a baby carrier almost every day, I was viscerally excited by this carrier. Why? Because the Beco Gemini has the same great ergonomic, hip-riding design of the Ergo WITHOUT the terrible between-the-shoulder-blades clasp that only Harry Houdini himself can master.

Furthermore, the Gemini is much less bulky, is available in super cute colors and patterns, AND (omg, are you ready for this??), your baby can face OUT.

Face OUT? Whatchoo talkin’ 'bout Willis?

(this is about the time when a busybody chimes in and says “you know, you shouldn’t put your baby in a crotch dangler”). Please, people. Sometimes? Your baby doesn’t want to be smashed to your chest. He wants to look out and see the world. In these cases, it’s nice to have the option (you can infer a "so bite me" here….).

$130, available on Amazon and at your local specialty store.

*Note that many people report that the black ones fade badly after washing. You've been warned...

3. Inglesina Fast portable high chair

Let's face it, there is nothing more maddening than trying to eat your meal with a squirming baby in your lap.

The Inglesina Fast folds down flat and compact and comes in a convenient carry bag. At less than 4 pounds, take it with you when you eat out or travel. Heck, if your table or breakfast bar makes for a good fit, you could even use it as your permanent high chair.

For use from 6 months to 37 lbs.

**Take note that it doesn’t fit on every table, for example, round tables and tables with a lip are out of the question. This thing wants to hang off a SLAB of something.

$49, available on Amazon, BRU, BBB, and other local specialty stores

4. Play yard innovations: The Graco Pack 'N Play Napper/Changer and the Aprica Haven

Yes, I realize I’m cheating by sneaking 2 in here, but they are both worth mentioning.

The much-beloved Graco Pack N Play with Newborn Napper has gotten EVEN cooler. First, they’ve combined the Napper and diaper changer into one piece. Get access to the other one simply by flipping it over. Bada boom, one less piece to worry about. (I didn't link to it here because it's not available until Feb 2012!)

This play yard reigns supreme because it can be used from newborn-hood through the toddler years and -at less than $100 - it continues to be a great value all around.

Next: The Aprica Haven™

My other favorite play yard innovation comes from Aprica, Graco’s Japanese product line. Aprica is generally pricier than its Graco counterparts, but way more sleek, stylish and, well… Japenese-ey (I really think so).

The awesomeness of the Aprica Haven lies in the quick, one-motion set up (and collapse) of the play yard. That’s right kids! No more thumb-numbing button smashing. Design-wise, it's meshy all the way around, which makes it very cool and airy.

It doesn't have any of the bells and whistles of other play yards, but it’s a solid piece of equipment. At $160, compare this one to the other one-motion collapsing play yard by 4moms called the Breeze ($250), this one is a better value.

Available at Amazon, Diapers and BRU.

5. Mountain Buggy +one

Can your friend BOB convert from a single to a double and back again? Nehh, I duhnnn't think so.

Hence, my excitement...

Admittedly, this is the first time I laid my hands on a Mountain Buggy stroller, the pride of New Zealand (buggy, pushcart, pram, or insert or whichever funny Queen’s English word of choice here).

If you’re in the market for a single to double conversion stroller, the +one melts my baby-product-loving heart. It’s an “inline” stroller (as opposed to a side by side) that doesn’t have the poor 2nd kid nearly dragging on the ground.

Why I love it: the front wheel locks (for jogging) or swivels (for maneuvering narrow aisles at Whole Foods), the handlebars are adjustable for height (which is rare), and it has a huge, adjustable "follow-the-sun" canopy. More? okay. It comes with the newborn “cocoon” (shown below), a second seat, and can also be used as a travel system with a infant car seat. To see all of the (ahem) positions, click here for the demonstration video.

ALSO (yes, it gets better), for an older kid (who's too cool to be in a stroller), just attach this rad little skateboard thingy (the Freerider) to the back of the stroller, and you have yourself a nice little impromptu sit n' stand (err, sit n' skate). Yeeeeee.

Compared to similar single/doubles in his price range, like the UPPABaby Vista or the BabyJogger City Select, this guy is more for you runners, joggers and consumers of rugged terrain. At $650, the price is right.

Look for him sometime in 2012.

6. Fisher Price Rock n Play™

Use it in your bedroom for co-sleeping or in your living room for an impromptu nap, the Newborn Rock 'n Play™ is a must-have for any new parent. The awesomeness of this product lies in the fact that it serves the purpose of a portable sleeping venue and a seat to hang out in – all in one; and y'all knowwww (makes exaggerated gesture with index finger) how I love multi-taskers. See it in action here.

It rocks with a gentle push and collapses easily to bring along on trips. Also, the inclined positioning ensures that baby’s head will be elevated, which is imperative for babies with reflux to catch some zzz’s without distress.

One, please! (or… “two, please” for twins).

$45 - $70 available, like, everywhere baby stuff is sold (Amazon, Diapers.com, all the usual suspects...)

Who's next?

7. MAM Perfect Passy

This was my first introduction to MAM, founded by an Austrian plastics designer in the 70s. Their pacifiers, bottles, teethers and toothbrushes are designed by pediatric dentists and orthodontists. Yes, they are looking out for your baby's grill (you wanna see my WHAT?)

Me likie.

In response to the fact that most pacifiers on the market have nipples that are too thick and hard, the Perfect passy has a thin nipple neck, which reduces the risk of misaligned teeth. Also, these passys (pacii?) are vented to prevent skin irritation around the mouth. They come in 2 sizes (0-6 month and 6+) and the designs are SUPER CUTE to boot. Get more details here.

$11 ea (YAH, so don't lose it). Available at Amazon, Walgreens, Target.com, and Bed Bath & Beyond (if you can find it in stock, snatch it up!)

8. Bloom Baby Furniture

If you are a lover of modern design, you must check out the baby furniture from Bloom.

Specifically, I am loving the Alma Papa crib and dresser. Simple, urban, eco-friendly, their cribs (and other stuff) will inspire major furniture jealously among your friends.

This crib folds away in a cinch for people who don’t have a lot of space -- see video here (mind you, this video is for the mini-crib). It also converts easily to a toddler bed by removing the gate piece, so it can be used for years to come.

$700, available at selected baby stores.

9. Graco LiteRider®

I test drove some REE-DIC-YOO-LUS-LY expensive strollers at this baby show: Bugaboo, iCandy, Quinny, Peg Perego... their PR agencies would say things like "do you want to know which celebrities are pushing our strollers?"

Um, no. I really don't give a crap which Kardashian you paid off to "push" your overpriced, heavy, status item. I think a good stroller should speak for itself, no?

So, I know I'm luvin on Graco a lot, and there's good reason for it: they make a nice product (the best on the market? no, but a very nice one) at a price that most American families can afford. And these days? that's all that matters. Giving you a good value for your money.

Coming in at $69-$99 (btw, you should buy this through the Graco online store, it's cheaper!), it's about the same price as a plain stroller frame, like the Snap N Go, but this one can actually be used as a regular stroller after you're done with the car seat. And the best part? It weighs less than 20 lbs, so it's not the huge, heavy behemoth that most other travel systems are. HOO ray.

Want more? It folds very easy and is generally easy to steer and manage. I give this 2 thumbs up in the value department.

10. Lassig All Over nursing cover

I fell in love with Lässig (a German company partnered with Moby) at this baby show.

You know how most nursing covers scream "nursing cover! right here!"? This one does not.

This incredibly soft, delicious wrap covers you up while nursing, but it can also be used as a scarf or wrap when it's not covering baby. Plus, it's super thin, light, and easy to fold away in a diaper bag. Did I mention soft?

At $45, I think you'll love it too.

Available on Amazon and at some other incredibly obscure web sites.

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This is IT (das ees eeet). Now go forth and procreate!

~ Meg

Holler at me

** Have a friend who is pregnant and doesn't hate fun? Send them here

My toddler is a racist

There, I said it. 

In a frantic effort to pack for the upcoming move, I've had several substitute babysitters from one of the local sitter services (Wondersitter, for those in SF -- they are FABULOUS!). Last Wednesday we got a very awesome African American sitter named Sara. I was introducing Lucie to Sara and she absolutely flipped out. I mean, just... really lost her shit.

My normally warm-and-friendly toddler wanted NOTHING to do with her. She clung to me screaming as I tried to leave, nails dug into my shoulder. If nothing else, it was completely mortifying. I was all, "heh heh, she's just... really shy." But Sara knew what was up (maybe). Perhaps this isn't the first time it's happened to her.

I felt terrible. I was secretly praying that she'd see my Dave Chappelle DVDs on the console. Or maybe notice my Obama '08 paraphernalia scattered about the house. See? I'm cool, I promise!

I told my hairdresser about the incident a few hours later. "Oh! My boy went through that phase too! He was terrified of dark-skinned people and it was soooooo embarrassing," she said, "his pediatrician says he's not exposed to enough people and I should put him in day care."

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This is all very apropos because we are currently in the process of figuring out WHERE on earth we are going to live when we move out of the City.

"Marin County," says everyone who lives there, "is heaven on earth."

Yet we visited Marin County and something just didn't feel right. There was a certain je ne sais quois that something was a little off. Then it dawned on me -- everybody there is white! Very white. Not a hint of color anywhere.

BOR-ing.

If I wanted to live in an all-white community, I would have never left my hometown of Dunwoody, Georgia. We had exactly one black kid in my Elementary School class. No Hispanics. God bless her, she must have felt so alienated. And THAT was public skew-elll (Southern for "school").

I want my child to grow up in a rich, diverse environment full of people of all colors and backgrounds (and no I'm not just saying this to be PC, you all know I don't give 2 shits about political correctness). This is very important to me.

In retrospect, I'm really glad the incident with Sara happened. It highlighted how important it is not to live in a bubble.

Easy Bay, anyone?

Afraid to Ask

One of my dearest friends has been trying to get pregnant like... forever. For whatever reason, it just hasn't happened for her.

I want NOTHING ELSE in this world for her to be pregnant. Last week, she went through her umpteenth round of IVF (using a new 'protocol' this time, however). Her pregnancy test is today. 

I've been waiting by the phone. Waiting. W A I T I N G.

I'm so afraid that no news is bad news.

Here are the various ways I have thought about asking (via SMS):

"Hey -- want to get together this week for a drink? or would you prefer tea?"

"Thinking about going surfing, scuba diving, skiing or rock climbing (and other dangerous sports) in a few months, wanna come along?"

"What kind of cheese should I bring over later: brie or cheddar?"

"Why did the chicken cross the road? I don't know either." (Are you pregnant or not??)

Please be pregnant. It's just not fair that some people have to work this hard at it.

Not fair at all.

Update on Saturday, May 5, 2012 at 5:54PM by Meg Collins

Baby O was born today at 3:37pm, healthy and happy. We couldn't be more thrilled!!! 

Breastfeeding Infographic

As I sit here on the eve of launching the breastfeeding infographic, I must admit, I'm a little edgy about the whole thing. 

Yes, I think breastfeeding is the way to go, but I don't want to come off as some smug, know-it-all, holier-than-thou bystander who doesn't understand the complexities of modern women's lives and the choices that we face on a day to day basis.

I even thought for a moment that I would reserve it just for my subscribers (am I really that gun shy? maybe). But at the end of the day, I just don't think that the average American woman HAS good information about breastfeeding prior to giving birth.

I just don't.

So to celebrate World Breastfeeding Week, it seemed like the right thing to do. So the hell with it! Here goes... (deep breath)...

--- "We're women. Our choices are never easy." Titanic (1997)