Safety First, Car Seat is Must

Using a child safety seat (car seat) is the best protection you can give your child when traveling by car. Do not ignore it even if it’s not mandatory by law. Here are some whys,whats and hows of bay car seat:

-Very young children are especially at risk for head and spinal cord injuries because their bones and ligaments are still developing. Their heads are also proportionately larger than their necks, so the structural support system is still a little wobbly. Rear-facing seats give the best support to your child's head, neck, and spine, and prevent your child's head from being thrown away from his body in the event of a car crash.

-Children are of smaller size, which makes it easier for even a relatively light bump to your car to send them flying.

-Children's lower self-control; an adult knows to sit still in his or her seat. But your child may squirm in his car seat or booster seat if he is not properly secured; making him more vulnerable if you get into a crash.

-Shop for car seat around your sixth to eighth month of pregnancy that should give you plenty of time to choose the suitable seat and install it properly.

-The most expensive car seat is not the best car seat. Find the one that best fits your child and your car and is easiest for you to use.

-Children should not sit in the front seat until they weigh more than 90 pounds.

Put car seats in the back seat of the car. 

-The car seat base should be fully secure, and flush against the seat. If it rocks or moves, it is incorrectly installed.

-The straps should fit snugly against your child's body, with the buckle flush against your child's chest—not at his stomach or chin. If you can pinch the harness straps together, it's too loose.

-Keep your child in a rear-facing car seat until she is exceeds the weight recommended by the seat manufacturer. 

Types of car seats:

-Baby (For infant only. Always face the rear of the car. Weight limit is between 22 and 35 pounds.)

-Convertible: (For infant-toddler, Functions as both rear-facing seats for babies and toddlers and forward-facing seats for older children. Designed to hold a child of up to 40 pounds rear-facing and up to 70 pounds forward-facing.)

-Belt-positioning booster seats: (For kids who are at least 4 and weigh at least 40 pounds. They use the regular car lap and shoulder belts to secure the child.)

*Most common issue is to keep baby in the baby seat.  Here are few tips that worked for us:

Get your baby used to of car seat.

From day one put her in car seat.

Don’t give her an option, condition car drive with car seat.

If she is in the car she is in the car seat even if it’s a short drive.

Stay committed.

Tape or hang toys on the back of the seat that your baby’s facing for her to check out during the drive.

Put up a sunshade in the window if you suspect that sunshine in your little one’s face may be a problem.