Mom Obsession: Car Seats

Hi friends! How are you?

I missed posting yesterday because I had a great weekend just living life with my little family and, well, posting just wasn't in the cards. I'll have a recap later, but for today's Baby Talk Tuesday I want to talk about something I'm obsessed with: car seats.

 

I don't like to think of myself as a person who is afraid of life. But, I am afraid of things in life. I love life and I don't want to do anything to screw up my chances for a nice long happy one. Things like drugs, smoking, skydiving, motorcycles, fast cars and bungee jumping just never ever appealed to me. All of those things scream *death trap* loud and clear, like a ringing in my ears that just won't quit. I might be overreacting, but I have always led and continue to lead an optimistically cautious life.

When I became a Mom, more fears wiggled their way onto my plate and permeated my mind. Since I was pregnant with Penelope, I developed an irrational fear. I was terrified that she would somehow suffocate once she was born and I would lie awake in the middle of the night, feeling her beat me up from the inside and thinking about how to keep her safe. I was a lunatic about blankets (or lack thereof), just the right clothing, nothing near her face - ever - because I just had this fear plaguing me. I'm sure lots of moms feel this way about one thing or another. It could be possible choking, falling, or another myriad of safety hazards that parents need to contend with.

At the top of my list, right up there with suffocation, is car seat safety. Simply put, cars scare me. My child not being buckled in properly scares me. My child riding in a car with anyone else who isn't me scares me. And that's why I'm obsessed with car seats and safety. I feel as though it's the one piece that I can control. I cannot control other drivers or human error. But you can bet that I can control the safety of my child strapped into her seat.

I love that car seat safety is becoming a hot topic. It needs to be talked about. Putting a child in a car is probably one of the more dangerous things that parents do. I read all of the articles about what is and is not the right way to buckle in a child. I've watched countless YouTube videos on how to tightly install a seat (though having the fire department install it is obviously the best option). I follow The Car Seat Lady on Facebook and am psyched that she is working with uberFAMILY to install car seats, ensuring that families have a safe option for their children to ride. Check out her Facebook page as a great resource!

For both of Penelope's car seats (we started with the infant carrier seat and upgraded to the convertible seat once she outgrew the other), I researched for weeks, noting safety, ease of use, comfort and, most importantly, it's idiot-proofness in installation. I plan to keep her rear-facing as long as possible. She is tall and a little cramped this way and I discussed it at length with my pediatrician. Though she is tight, our doctor was adamant that she stay rear facing for as long as possible - and at the very least until 2 years old. She may not be the most comfortable that way, but the research supports the fact that she will be safe. In fact, it's 5 times safer this way. 5 TIMES!

I don't think that I'll ever feel like I have a firm grasp on all of the car seat safety issues. I'll always wonder if I'm doing it correctly, if it's safe enough, if my sweet baby will be protected in case the worst happens. But, I'm trying. I continue to read, research and work to make car riding the safest it can be for Penelope. It's now an obsession and I think it's an ok one to have.

What are your thoughts on car seats?

When did you turn your child from rear to forward facing, or when do you plan to?

Do you have any crazy Mom fears?

Comments

[emily (a nutritionist eats)]

So wait, what car seats do you buy? (I'm about to register...) :)

[Rachel]

Hi Emily!
I should have included that information :)
We had the Chicco Keyfit 30 as her infant seat, and then got the Chicco NextFit convertible seat. I love both, but the NextFit is bulky and heavy. If you plan to move it between cars, then I would recommend finding a lighter weigh model. But, Penelope seems very happy in it, it was rated the highest on Consumer Reports and the installation is a breeze.
Hope that helps and good luck! I left the store crying when I went to register!
xo,
Rachel