Car Seat Newborn
Car seats for infants are made to fit snugly and securely for babies. Most are "click in and snap" models that make them very convenient.
The chest clip should be placed between your baby's armpits. If the manufacturer of the seat allows you to use a tightly-rolled receiving blanket to cover any gaps between your baby's bottom and their crotch strap to prevent the slouching.
Safety Seat Labels
Be sure to read all labels before buying a car seat for newborns or other baby products. Those labels can give you a good idea of how to use the product safely, and how to maintain it properly. They can also be used to identify products that aren't compliant or counterfeit.
For infant car seats best , if find that a child safety seat has been marked down substantially from the initial price, be wary. This lower price could be a sign that the car seat has been played with, isn't in compliance with U.S. standards, or was created for a market outside of the U.S. In these instances, a lower price may make the car seat less safe and could result in serious injury to children in the event of an accident.
The requirements for labeling car seats are very specific. They must be met in order to pass inspections, and to be legally sold in the United States. This includes a white label with black and red lettering that indicates that the seat is in compliance with federal requirements, and a label on the back of the seat that provides the model number, serial number, date of manufacture and the instruction for using the car seat. A valid car seat will also include a user's manual and a registration card to verify that the seat was purchased through an authorized dealer.
The label of the car seat also contains information about the maximum weight and height of a child. These limits will tell you if the seat is right for your child. If your child is short and weighs less than 22 pounds, you'll need a rear-facing child's seat.
Certain seats, especially convertible seats, have the label that tells you how to recline it properly. It could be a line that aligns your seat with the floor or a ball that is in a specific slot. This is important as the seat that isn't properly reclining can cause injuries to your child in the case of an accident.
Most manufacturers put the warning label centered on the front of the cushion for the booster seat. This is the preferred location because it is easily accessible to the child while sitting in the booster seat. It is also easy to read and will not be covered by clothing or other objects that could obscure the message.
Harness Straps
If your child is a stroller, car seat or any other type of carrier it is important to ensure that the harness straps are secure and correctly positioned. This is particularly important for newborns, who can easily fall out of the loose harness or get ejected from the seat in the event of a crash.
The 5-point harness is designed in a way that it connects five different points of your child's body. These include the hips, shoulders and the crotch between. This allows you to distribute any crash force evenly. Ideally, the straps should be snug but not tight or uncomfortable. If you aren't sure about the fit, you can use the "Pinch Test". Using your thumb and finger and pinch the strap to your infant's shoulder. If the strap is too tight that it causes discomfort, it's too tight and should be loosened.
It's also common for caregivers to believe that their child's harness straps are too tight, but this can actually be more hazardous than a strap that is too loose. A loose strap can move around the body of your child during a crash, compressing down on their spinal column, potentially leading to injury or death.
If your child is a forward-facing infant the harness straps must be placed comfortably over or above the shoulders. A strap positioned below the shoulder can allow their torsos to move too far forward in a crash, causing them to fall out of the car seat or to be to be thrown into the windshield. This could cause them to strike their head against the shoulder restraint, causing grave injuries or even death.
If the chest clip of your child is higher than their armpits, it's an ideal idea to place a couple of blankets or washcloths on the side of the infant to provide neck and head support. This will prevent them from squirming on the back of the car and getting their neck caught in the chest clip, which could cause strangulation if the car crashes.
Chest Clip
The chest clip is among the most misunderstood functions on car seats. Many parents are conditioned to believe that it is used to secure the child in the car seat and even when properly placed, it can have some scary myths about it (low chest clips that puncture stomachs, for example).
The chest clip isn't sufficient to protect your child during a crash. The crotch clip is the primary reason for this, which is why it is essential to buckle the harness around your crotch rather than the chest. If the chest clip is positioned too low, the harness straps can slide off the shoulders in a crash. This could lead to being thrown from the car seat. It is recommended that the chest clip be placed at armpit height, as most car seat instructions recommend.
Chest clips serve as a pre crash positioner that helps keep the harness straps aligned and on the child's shoulders. It's not common for a chest clip to break during a crash due to the force applied. However, this will not affect the safety of your child so long as they are wearing the crotch buckles.
If your child is wearing blankets or jackets, be sure you remove it before you tie the harness. This could prevent the straps from fitting correctly on shoulders. When taking your child to the car seat, you should leave any bulky outerwear at home.
A chest clip that isn't properly positioned can prevent your child from reaching their seat belt buckle and unfasten the buckle. This could be risky particularly if your child is trying to escape from their seat while driving. It can also cause them to unbuckle themselves in a stop or crash. An easy solution is to put a Buckle Guard on your car seat, which prevents your child from pushing the release button and releasing their chest clip.
Crotch Buckle
The crotch strap is situated either beneath the baby's shoulders if in a rear-facing car seat, or above them (if in a forward-facing car seat). It should be as close to their body as is possible and placed between their legs.
Newborns have floppy little legs which are often tucked into the crotch of the harness and don't sit in the correct position. This can restrict their airway and cause them to choke or even become unresponsive in a crash.
The cover for the buckle can be made with a simple crochet pattern to hold the legs in place. The pattern should not have any loose threads around the buckle. The cover should be made from a soft, stretchy material.
For more information on your car seat and how to secure it, you may want to consult an expert on child safety. Even if you've followed the instructions for your car seat there is always more to know than what is apparent.
Car seats for infants are designed specifically for infants and infants who are small. They attach to a base which stays in the vehicle and is removed with the click of a button. They have several safety features, including an integrated recline indicator that ensures the baby is seated straight.
Many parents prefer infant car seat because they are easy to use and portable, especially when traveling. But, it's important to keep in mind that they're only safe to use until your child reaches the maximum height and weight limit of the seat.
When your baby is no longer in the infant car seat, they should be able to switch to a convertible car seat. These seats offer excellent safety features, like carefully engineered side impact protection as well as a five-point harness. However, they're more difficult to move from vehicle to vehicle and take up more space than infant car seats.
A large hook and five crochet thread are required to make a crotch-buckle cover for your convertible seat. The cover should sit over the buckle of the car seat, and have a few inches to drape over the edge. Begin by making a standing sc on the first chain at the bottom of the belt. Work in sc around the entire strap, including the chains from the previous row. Repeat this process to the other end of the strap. Attach the strap and weave ends.