Child Passenger Safety Week

As a former nanny and a long time stepmother, I went into motherhood with an abundance of confidence when it came to carseat use. I'd always kept up to date with the current recommendations, and was extremely experienced in installing seats and buckling children in.

But, as I became a mother, carseat safety went from being necessary knowledge to a passion, not only for keeping my own children safe, but to help spread the word to other parents who may not otherwise be keeping their children as safe as they possibly can. I also found that there was a WHOLE lot more for me to learn. So much for confidence!

A few years ago, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) updated their recommendations for turning rear facing infants. While the law is still one year AND 20lbs, many parents are choosing to keep their children in rear facing seats to two years. AND BEYOND! The reason for this, is that it offers the best protection of the cervical spine in a crash. That's the area at the back of the neck, just below the skull. Until around 3 years old, children's spines are made of soft bone and cartilage and the spinal column can do a lot of stretching. But the spinal cord itself does not stretch as well and will rupture after only about 1/4 inch. Internal decapitation. Which results in paralysis or death. By choosing to follow the AAP's recommendations,  in the even of a crash, your child's car seat helps to absorb more centrifugal force so that your child does not have to. This helps to keep the spinal cord intact.

For us, it is a NO BRAINER. Rowan will remain rear facing until he maxes out the limits of his most frequently used carseat. Of course, it doesn't matter which seat you use, if you are not using it correctly.

For ALL seats, that means proper installation (find a Child Passenger Safety Technician in your area) and PROPER USAGE.

Read your manual. Follow it's instructions! Every single time, for every single trip.

And:

• place chest clip ON CHEST. At armpit/nipple level. A misplaced chest clip an cause internal bleeding in an accident.
• straps should be snug.
• For rear facing, straps should be at or below child's shoulders. For forward facing, straps should be at or above shoulders.
• No heavy coats or bulky clothing that can compress in the event of an accident and cause the straps to be loose enough for the child to be ejected from the seat!
• No aftermarket products. Strap covers, toys, Bundle Mes, head support, custom car seat covers. None of these things have been crash tested with your seat!

Keep your babies safe, and don't be afraid to offer help to someone who may be unwittingly placing their child in danger! It really COULD be a matter of life and death...