car seats

[Guest guest]

Here goes...remember you asked for it......children must ride rear facing until

they are at least 20 lbs AND 1 year old. Many pediatricians (say hooray for

peds again!!) will say that it is ok to turn a baby around if they reach 20 lbs

prior to one year if they can sit up but it is very WRONG. It has nothing to do

with muscular strength; it has to do with the ossification of the vertebrae.

This information (which is apparent to the rest of the world, but not to us in

north amarica) is based on autopsy findings. In addition to this, the baby's

height is important....the baby's head should be 1-2 inches from the top of the

seat. In a typical collision the baby's head ramps upwards and it needs the

support of the car seat. It does not matter if the baby's legs reach the back

of the seat or are bent. In a serious collision the worse that would happen is

broken legs (which I would prefer to potential decapitation (yes it has

happened) and serious spinal injuries if the baby was forward facing

prematurely).

Also as Sara was kind enough to point out....5 pt harnesses are much better

that the sheild or the bar. In a typical collision....all loose articles move

forward....this includes baby's head and chest. The shield and bar do not move

forward. Baby wacks head and/or chest into the sheild or bar causing

potentially life threatening injuries. The harness should also be on snugly.

There should be no more than a finger or two between child and harness. The

child should not be padded....technically some say that the child should not

even have a coat on (never mind blankets) because the force of a collision would

compress the fluffy clothing and provide too much slack (I just put the harness

on tightly in the winter... is used to it). It is also best to use a car

seat with a tether strap (not yet manditory in the US). A rear facing tether is

a very good idea also. When installed...the car seat should only move a maximum

of 1-2 inches. Preferably it shouldnt move at all.

For us Canadians the weight restrictions for rear facing car seats does not

exceed 22lbs. So if you happen to have a big baby (as I do), technically you

are supposed to turn the car seat around. However, Britax is now availlable in

Canada....the manufacturer says that the car seat is exactly the same as the US

which allows rear facing up to 30 lbs. The problem is that in Canada they only

test car seats using a 22 lb dummy....they dont test with the 35 lb

dummy...obviously the Canadian officials dont think that big babies exist.

There are other car seats that allow for rear facing past 22 lbs...I just cant

recall who they are right now (sorry).

Car seats should not be second hand unless you are absolutely sure about the

history (ie not in any crashes), and car seats do have an expiry date.

Geez....did I forget anything???

PS As for Shelby's problem...Im not sure what to do about your little

Houdini....I havent researched booster seats as in depth as I have the car seat

stuff. Ill look around. They may say 3 years because of weight and height

restrictions.....but Im not sure what they really should be. Maybe a different

car seat with a different type of latch would help.....its expensive but Im not

sure what else to suggest....wow.

Here are good sources:

http://www.parentsoup.com/library/babyres/carseat.html

http://rainforest.parentsplace.com/dialog/get/carseats3/11/4.html

http://boards2.parentsplace.com/messages/get/ppcarseats98/36/1/1.html

http://www.childsafety.org/

my favorite....a good long read:

http://www.carseat.org/

Happy reading,

and her car safe, breastfed, unvaccinated 13 month old ...

> Message: 16

> Date: Wed, 21 Jun 2000 23:16:29 EDT

> From: nnu29@...

> Subject: Re: Baby center/carseat?

>

> In a message dated 6/21/00 7:49:10 PM Pacific Daylight Time,

> helminger@... writes:

>

> <<

> Jeeze, why would people get bent about carseats?

> S. >>

> Must be the shield vs. 5 pt harness debate.Ofcourse we all know how dnagerous

> shield/bar seats are!!!!!

> Sara

>

>

>

________________________________________________________________________Message:

21

> Date: Wed, 21 Jun 2000 23:21:58 -0400

> From: Shelby <helminger@...>

> Subject: Re: Car seats

>

> Well, I have a question then.

> My 22 month old can undo the clasp on his car seat (5pt harness, Britax

Roundabout). I have been considering getting him a booster seat that uses a

regular seat belt so he couldn't do this anymore. I like Britax so I was looking

at the Cruiser, it says 30-80lbs (good), but 3 to 6 years. Why 3 years? Would

putting

> him in it at 2 be dangerous?

> They make ones that don't have any age limits but I either don't like the

manufacturer or they are 5pt harnesses, which would be pointless.

> Any thoughts?

> S.

>

>