Good morning! How are you guys today!? I hope your Tuesday is off to a good start! We’re talking about car seat safety on the blog today, so buckle up and enjoy the riiiide! (<— Oh the puns! I just can’t help myself.)
A couple of weeks ago, I asked you guys to submit your car seat safety questions so I could pass them along to Chicco’s Child Passenger Safety Advocate and share a Q&A on the blog. The questions came rollin’ in and many of you guys had similar questions related to car seat safety. (Many of your questions were also questions I personally had for Chicco which was great! Thanks for covering my bases, friends!)
Last month was Baby Safety Month and I am partnering with Chicco to help spread the word about car seat safety to encourage parents and caregivers to keep their little ones as safe as possible. A car seat safety Q&A may be found below that incorporates your questions and at the bottom of this blog post you will find a pretty awesome giveaway for a Chicco KeyFit 30 car seat!
Now let’s get to it!
Car Seat Safety Q&A
- How long do we keep the newborn/infant inserts in the car seat?
The infant insert is the smaller contoured seat pad that fits inside your infant car seat. These pads are engineered to position a smaller baby at the correct seat angle, as well as ensure that the harness fits tightly. You can remove the insert when you feel it is no longer necessary, but it must be removed once your infant reaches 11 lbs.
- When do I need to get the next car seat up from the infant car seat? Is it by weight or height?
You may transition your child to a convertible car seat that allows them to remain rear-facing until at least two years old at any time, but must make the switch from an infant car seat to a convertible car seat when your child outgrows either the height or weight guidelines for their infant car seat.
- I can’t find anyone who will check my car seat! The local fire department, highway commission, police, etc. are no longer allowed to due to “liability concerns.” Any tips to help ensure I’ve done a good installation, or other resources I haven’t thought of?
If you’re having trouble finding a certified child passenger safety technician in your area, check out Safe Kids Worldwide’s navigator here or visit SeatCheck.org.
- Is there a difference in an infant car seat and a convertible one as far as safety is concerned?
As long as your convertible car seat is being used in rear-facing mode as instructed and it’s installed correctly, your infant is protected in a convertible car seat. As a reminder, it’s recommended that child passengers be kept rear-facing until two years of age, whether that is in an infant car seat or convertible car seat.
- Why on earth do car seats expire? And will I get in trouble if I use an expired car seat?
Car seats expire for a few different, equally important reasons. First, over time, car seat technology improves and safety standards change. Additionally, materials used in car seats wear down with extended use, which could compromise safety features down the road. It’s also important to note that car seat manufacturers stop safety testing seats after a certain period of time, meaning that past expiration, manufacturers cannot guarantee how a car seat will perform in an accident.
- I heard that we shouldn’t put babies in their car seats wearing winter coats? We get some pretty COLD winters in New Jersey so I’m curious to see if there is any truth in this?
Don’t buckle your child into a car seat with bulky clothing, blankets or add-on products like a car seat bunting. The harness should be as snug as possible, and the added padding can interfere with the harness fit and crash performance of the seat. If you are using an infant carrier, put your child in the carrier and tighten the harness before you head to the car, then put blankets on your child to keep them warm. If you are using a car seat that is installed in your car, have your child take off their coat, get them in the car seat and tighten the harness, then put their coat on backwards until you arrive at your destination.
- What age/weight/height is safe to switch your little one to a forward facing car seat position?
Keep your child rear-facing in their car seat until at least two years old. Are your kid’s feet touching the seat back? Do they look a little cramped? That’s okay. Kids are a lot more flexible than adults. Kids need to stay rear-facing for as long as possible to protect their head and neck in the event of a crash. Kids do not need to be turned forward-facing until they reach the maximum height or weight of the car seat. Kids are fragile, and they are best protected rear-facing, even if that means they have a little less leg room.
- Is there a way to clean a car seat safely? I’ve heard that soaking it in water can make it unsafe…
The best way to clean car seat straps and other non-removable pieces is with mild soap and water, and then let it air dry. To simplify the process, Chicco’s line of Zip car seats include easy to remove zip-off features, such as a removable seat pad, that make clean-up a breeze.
Chicco KeyFit 30 Giveaway
And now it’s giveaway time! Chicco is giving away a KeyFit 30 car seat to one lucky PBF reader!
We absolutely love our KeyFit 30 car seat and I cannot recommend it enough. It easily clicks into our travel and jogging strollers and Chase seems comfortable and secure in it.
If you would like to be entered to win the car seat, simply leave a comment on this blog post, telling me about one thing that surprised you about pregnancy or becoming a new parent. I will randomly select a winner next Friday.
Good luck!
Looking for additional car seat safety information? Check out Chicco’s Car Seat Safety Guide and the Car Seat Education page of their website!
Thank you to Chicco for sponsoring this post and to all of you for your continued support. I truly appreciate it!
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The thing that surprised me the most is how interactive and smart babies are from such a young age! You can just see their little wheels turning and it is amazing!
I’m 19 weeks now with our first and cannot wait to find out gender next week. I’m surprised at how overwhelmed I am at the baby registry task…phew! Your guide was my starting point but man there is a lot to learn!
My husband and I are expecting baby #3 and this car seat would be perfect!
What surprised me about being pregnant is every pregnancy is different. Being pregnant with baby #3 is so much easier compares to my 1st 2 kiddos.
I am becoming a new parent March 2017 and this car seat would be perfect!
I’m surprised at how quickly my house was taken over with baby stuff! Every room has a toy so when we are moving from room to room we have something to do!
I always knew babies were expensive but as I start to calculate everything we need – I didn’t realize just how expensive they were! All worth it though 🙂
The biggest surprise is the amount of love we have for our baby as soon as we met her.
My husband and I are trying right now, and I’m surprised by how much information is out there! It’s overwhelming!
I’m still surprised at how much I love our child. He is the absolute best thing in my life.
There are so many things to learn during pregnancy – how will I ever remember everything?!
I was surprised about how long it can take to get pregnant! I feel like people rarely share about how long it took.
How much I worry about so many things that I always thought I would be relaxed about.
After three boys, I’ve been most surprised by the fact we’re now pregnant with a girl. I’m not sure what I’ll do come December!
I never quite grasped how much time and energy would go into researching every decision and purchase! The number of options for everything is crazy and it’s so easy to become overwhelming reading different people’s options. That’s why I think the best resource is moms themselves, who like everyone, are doing the best they can and figuring it out as they go!
As a first-time mom of a 14 month old, I am constantly surprised by the way my husband I always seem to “figure it out.” Between eczema, solid food, growth & development milestones, teething, sickness, work schedules, etc, we have anxiety when we initially enter into the situation, but we always problem solve and work it out!
Great car seat info! Thanks for sharing!
My husband and I were surprised at how much genuine love we feel for our, as of yesterday, one year old daughter. I never knew my heart could feel so full! It makes the sleepless nights and dirty diapers bearable knowing that we are able to provide her with all the love and care that she needs.
I am currently pregnant and working on my baby registry. The one thing that surprised me is how many choices there are for EVERYTHING your baby might need!!
I am currently 20 weeks pregnant (we find out the gender tomorrow!), and I am surprised how much I can feel the baby moving around already. It’s more like a flutter now, but so amazing!!!!
I was surprised at the amount of LOVE I could feel instantly when becoming a parent <3
As a mom, I was surprised at the way I feel when I see my husband with our baby. I knew it would be a good feeling, but WOW. It brings tears to my eyes!
As a new Mom of a 3 month old, I’m surprised at how in awe I am of my Baby. Everything he does is amazing and adorable. His little babbles, the way he looks when he sleeps, his little personality traits, his smiles and coos, etc. Things only Parents think are incredible. I love them all.
I am constantly surprised by how much I love my little guy, I fall more in love each day with him!
I was super anxious right when I got pregnant thinking about if we would be good parents, what we would do in certain situations and, of course, anxiety about labor. But now that I am 25 weeks, all of a sudden the anxiety has subsided and I feel ready because I already have so much love for out little one!
I am newly pregnant, 12 weeks, and I am surprised at how much needs to get done before the baby arrives!
I did not expect how simultaneously mundane and profound each day would be.
I am in my first trimester, and it will sound silly but I am still so surprised/amazed that my body is capable of growing a human! I know the changes I’ve noticed so far only scratch the surface of what my body can and will do before and after birth, but it just amazes me that women are capable of doing this 🙂
At 35 weeks pregnant, I have been so surprised how connected I feel to our little one even before he or she (we’re keeping the gender a surprise!) has arrived. We are so excited for the big day!
I am shocked over everything I need to prepare for the baby right now!! Safety is our most important goal, and it seems as though this car seat fits the bill!
I would love to win this car seat! What surprised me the most about becoming a parent is how I can function on little sleep ha!
I’m 18 weeks today, and have been surprised at how anxious I’ve been feeling since day one! My nerves ease a little bit with each doctor appointment, but I’m still always worried about the health of my baby. I’m sure it’s something I’ll have to get used to – just a part of being a mom!
I feel like nothing can prepare you for the consuming love that is motherhood. I was prepared for a lot but definitely not this love! ❤
I’m going to be a 1st time Grandma in November. I would love to win the car seat for my own vehicle. My kids are in their 30’s and grow up in the early days of car seats. My son the father to be use to unbuckle his sister from her car seat when he was little. Not good. Thanks,
My best friend is pregnant with her second child and has a 10 month old. I would absolutely love to win this for her because she would appreciate it so much
Thank you so much for the great car seat advice! I am 22 weeks pregnant and am so surprised at how much I can feel the little guy moving around already! My husband can already feel him kicking, too, and we can even see his movements from the outside now, too – it blew my mind we could see it that early! We are sooo excited and I am so grateful for blogs like yours so I can learn from all your experiences and advice!!! Thank you! 🙂
How much these little stinkers keep us on our toes. Also, I wasn’t prepared to have a sick baby all the time (thankfully it is just the common cold etc from daycare) but it is exhausting.
I am pregnant with my first. I am almost 20 weeks, so half way there! The thing that surprises me the most is how nervous I am about everything and baby isn’t even here yet!
I have a 15 month old as of yesterday. I was so surprised to find how much research was needed in choosing a car seat! I thought all car seats were created equal! boy was i wrong. I had a very cheap infant seat that she seemed to hate! So we bought a chicco nextfit when she was 4 months, and all our car rides after that were 100% better! We have our eye on the keyfit for our next baby. It would be even better to win one!!! 🙂
Currently expecting our first after a very long, difficult journey in which we never thought we would be able to have our own children. I am surprised at how much love and worry I already have for this little one! Can’t wait to hold him or her in my arms soon!
This is a great post because I have a tall 7 month old and have been wondering about her legs touching the seat. I would say I have been surprised how much my love for her grows everyday. Sounds super cheesy but I feel like I love her more with each day!
What a great giveaway! I used to be totally clueless on all this carseat stuff 🙂
I am surprised by how much I value time now and how truly precious time really is with these little ones. I used to be a multi-tasker and try to get everything done as fast as I can…now I just enjoy baby snuggles on the couch and the rest of the “to-do” list can wait!
As a soon-to-be mom, figuring out the carseat is definitely a big concern. I’ve always been a very cautious driver but the idea of driving with my infant in the car sends my barometer through the roof!
I was surprised by how sexy pregnancy has made me feel. Sounds strange, but I have a whole new appreciation for my body!
I don’t know all that much about being a parent yet, but my husband and I have a baby girl on the way and we’re so excited!
One thing I can’t believe is how fast our baby is growing already. The first time we saw her on the screen of the ultrasound, she was just an itty bitty dot and the screen and just 3 weeks later, she was an undeniable baby! I also can’t believe how incredibly sick I have felt for over 12 weeks now – morning sickness is no joke!
FYI – As soon as I found out I was pregnant, I started to read all of your pregnancy posts again and they were so helpful!
I am not pregnant or a mom, but would still love to be a part of this giveaway. My husband and I would love to expand our family soon!
I was surprised to find out how naturally a lot of things come when it is your own baby. I was always nervous about not knowing how to do certain things, but when it is your own child, you just know! 🙂
I’m 33 weeks pregnant for our first baby, and what has surprised me the most is just how many changes the female body goes through while being pregnant. It’s not just a growing belly, but appetite, moods, skin, hair, body temp- the list goes on and on 🙂
I think the biggest thing for me was how much my little boy ONLY wanted me. Yes others wanted to hold and help (even dad) but Quinn was very much a mommy old kiddo. He still wants me 90% of the time but daddy is gaining on me! I always tell new moms yes others will help but expect the baby to want YOU and you only most of the time.
Mom is the spot they know and have heard the most so just be ready to take on baby and let others help with dishes, laundry ect!
I’m due in February with our first ! Let’s see- a few things that surprised me are the random symptoms, how different parts of your anatomy change/get bigger and how much it’s hard to feel like yourself at times. On a positive note, how much I see my husband be “all in” with participation- how big is baby this week, etc. It is really heartwarming process at times = )
I’m 9 weeks pregnant, and the biggest surprise so far has been that we just found out we’re having TWINS!! Since we’ll have to have 2 of everything, winning a great car seat would be awesome!