Car Seat Quip: 7 Reasons Why Rear Facing is Safer

I do not want to instill fear or guilt with this post.  When I first learned this information, I panicked a bit.  I became hyper sensitive.  I found myself becoming judgmental of other moms who were not rear facing.

I don't want to be judgmental.

I want to protect children.

What about the guilt?  Well, my goal is to present facts, not fluff.  If American Academy of Pediatrics guidelines or extensive research cause a mom to feel guilty, well, I'm ok with that. Should I withold facts to prevent guilt? What if a child is injured or killed because I didn't share facts?  That's guilt I can't live with.

Check the research behind each point.  Do better because you know better.

This information was taken directly from CarSeatBlog.com - your one-stop shop for great information on car seat safety (some items just copied and pasted because, well, they just rock).  There are some awesome videos (animated and with dummies) that demonstrate the difference between forward and rear facing in the case of an accident. Please click through and watch.

7 Reasons Rear Facing is Safer

1. Children under age 2 are 5 times safer riding rear facing than forward facing (research link ).  Forward facing children under the age of 2 are 75% more likely to be injured in a crash.   In a rear facing seat, the child is cradled in a crash. The child will ride up the back of their seat rather than flail forward like in a forward facing seat.
2. Infants and young toddlers have spines made of soft bone and cartilage that doesn’t begin to harden until around age 3.  As a result, the spinal column can stretch up to 2 inches; however, the spinal cord will rupture after being stretched after only ¼ inch.  This damage cannot be repaired.
3. A tightly installed rear-facing carseat allows the vehicle and carseat to absorb crash forces and increases “ride down,” the amount of time it takes a body to come to a stop in a crash.  The longer the ride down time, the less chance of injury.  (http://www.car-safety.org/rearface.html) 
4. Child passenger safety is very much based on statistics.  It’s more likely that a frontal or side impact will occur than a rear impact.  Rear-facing carseats provide the best protection against those types of impacts.  (http://www.crashtest.com/imgserver/angle468.gif ) 
5. Approximately 75% of kids in Sweden rear-face until at least age 4.  From 1999-2006, only 4 rear-facing children under age 4 were killed in crashes and their deaths were due to circumstances unrelated to the direction the carseat was facing (fire, drowning, excessive intrusion).  During that same timeframe, 6 kids under age 4 facing forward in booster seats were killed; 3 of these crashes were potentially survivable crashes had the children been in rear-facing carseats.  (http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/338/jun11_2/b1994)
6. Many children seem to want to switch to forward facing between 12 and 18 months because they fight being put in their car seat.  This is just a phase where they do not want to be restrained at all. Check the forums at www.car-seat.org to learn coping tips.
7. Rear facing is actually more comfortable for children.  Contrary to how adults sit comfortably, children are comfortable sitting in a variety of positions. By sitting rear facing, they have somewhere to rest their feet rather than having them dangle (being under 5 feet tall myself and having my feet dangle in regular chairs quite often, I can attest to how uncomfortable dangling is!).  Rear facing also allows them to recline.

In case that information was overwhelming, check out this video that covers these points and more!

Please pass along this information to parents you know - let's keep our kids safe!  Let's make rear facing past one year the norm!

One more link - MSNBC's article about rear facing safety.

Car Seat Quip: Outgrowing the Rear-Facing Car Seat

photo credit: eyeliam

Many people have been surprised to learn that both of my boys are still using rear-facing car seats - even my near-two-year-old.  I had one mother tell me that a POLICE OFFICER told her it was ILLEGAL to rear face after a year.

That police officer was dreadfully wrong.  It is perfectly legal for a child to remain rear-facing past twelve months as long as they fit their seat properly.  Rear facing is now recommended for children up until 2.  Again, this doesn't mean that children cannot rear face longer. In some countries, it is standard for children to rear face until age 4 and then move right to a booster seat.

But, how do you know if your child has outgrown the seat?

1. Don't rely solely on seat manufacturer specs.  The seat my youngest uses says it goes to 30 inches and 32 pounds.  Technically, my oldest might still fit in it. However, even though, at 26 pounds, he is well below the weight limit, he is quite too large height-wise.  BOTH conditions must be met.
2. Know your child's torso height.  The torso height matters much more than the overall height. My boys both have long torsos and short legs so they outgrow onesies and sleepers by torso length much sooner than by weight. Same with car seats. Measure your child's torso.  Have him sit up against a wall. Mark the top of his head. Measure from the seat to the top of his head. 
3. Check your child's head.  In rear facing seats, the seat is outgrown when there is less than one inch of shell above the child's head.
4. Check the shoulder straps.  When rear facing, shoulder straps need to come from slots BELOW the shoulders.  Forward facing straps must come from at or above the shoulders.
5. Know the specs for your vehicle for LATCH.  If you are using LATCH to install your seat, check your owners manual.  Many older vehicles only allow for LATCH installations up to 40 pounds.  Once the limit on your vehicle is reached, be sure to switch to a seatbelt installation (just as safe when done properly - can be a little trickier than LATCH).  This point is valid for both rear and forward facing seats.

If your child is too big for their seat or getting close, it's good to know that there are many seats that will accommodate a much larger child rear facing.  Most parents begin with an infant bucket seat or infant carrier. Once the carrier is outgrown, you may consider purchasing a forward facing seat. Be aware that by law, your child MUST be BOTH one year old AND 20 pounds.  Convertible seats are a great option. These seats can face both directions and can hold much larger children.  The seat we are currently using for Buggy is a Sunshine Kids Radian 65SL.  It can rear face up to 35 pounds (and Buggy is nowhere close to that at 2 years old) and forward face to 65 pounds.  Many new seats rear face to even higher limits - 40 - 45 pounds!

Don't beat yourself up if this information is new to you.  Once you know better, do better! I honestly had NO idea about any of this until we got pregnant with Scrunch and knew we'd need the infant bucket for him.

What seat are you using?  What questions do you have about car safety seats?

Good Links - Carseats and Shopping Carts, Breastfeeding and SIDS, and much more

I just have to share some fantastic links with you today.  I am just amazed at the fantastic blogs out there - so many very talented writers.  Just a warning - it's quite a mix of funny and serious.

Hope you enjoy!

• Carseats and Shopping Carts - Safety Warning
• Breastfeeding and SIDS and Guilt - an honest look at our culture
• God's Love is Greater - Affirmation of truth
• Taking Mother Blame to New Heights - PPD and AOL
• The Kid Curse - You know when your mother said, "I hope you have a kid just like you someday...."
• Small Notebook in 30 Seconds - a quick guide to an awesome blog - Small Notebook!

What was your favorite?

Carseat Quip: Safety First

I am amazed at how little I knew about car safety seat use before having babies.  I didn't even really learn much before hand.  I had a Baby Depot worker show me her favorite car seat and I added that to my registry.

Now that Buggy is 22 months and we have little Scrunch, I definitely am informed!  I want to make sure that other moms learn as much as they can about safety since we are all transporting very precious cargo!

Some basics:

• All seats on the market have passed crash tests and are safe. 
• The safest seat is one that you will use properly EVERY TIME.
• Infant bucket seats are NEVER to be installed forward facing (I just saw this recently and, short of duct tape, I cannot figure out how they installed the seat that way).
• Federal law states babies must remain rear facing until one year AND twenty pounds.
• Some convertible seats (seats that can face backwards or forwards) cannot be forward facing until more than 20 pounds - check the manual.

A friend of mine, Betsy, recently posted a blog about the basics of car seat safety.  Did you know:

• Car crashes are the No. 1 cause of death for children ages 3 to 14. Child safety seats are mandated by all 50 states for newborns through, in some cases, 9-year-olds. 
• It is now recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics that children ride in a rear-facing car seat "as long as possible to the highest weight and height allowed by the manufacturer of their convertible seat."
• The AAP also recommends using the 5-point system "as long as possible," also because of crash tests that show they are safer than boosters.
• Three out of four car seats are installed or used improperly.

Make sure you read Betsy's blog for even more information about car seat safety as well as her journey in rethinking her own use of car seats.

Car Seat Quip: 5 Step Test for Regular Lap Belt Readiness

When is my child ready to move out of his booster seat?  All of his friends ride with just a regular belt.  It would make carpool so much easier to not use a booster.

Children should be in a booster of some sort until they reach 4'9" tall (normally between age 10 and 12).    How do you know if they are really ready to safely ride without a booster?


Carseat.org has a great simple 5 Step Test to ensure that your child is ready to safely ride without a booster seat.

1. Does the child sit all the way back against the auto seat?
2. Do the child's knees bend comfortably at the edge of the auto seat?
3. Does the belt cross the shoulder between the neck and arm?
4. Is the lap belt as low as possible, touching the thighs?
5. Can the child stay seated like this for the whole trip?

If you answered "no" to any of these questions, your child needs a booster seat to make both the shoulder belt and the lap belt fit right for the best crash protection.  Your child will be more comfortable, too!

For best protection, all children should ride in the back seat until they are ready to drive. It's twice as safe as the front seat.

Carseats

Boy, as a first time mom, I had no cue about carseats or carseat safety.  I knew we needed one.  I knew he needed to face backwards until he was 1 year and 20 pounds.  I knew the carseat would keep him safe.

Beyond that, I had no idea.  I didn't know how to tell if he was outgrowing his seat besides what the box it came in said.  I didn't know what a convertible seat was.  I didn't know when I could use a booster seat.  I didn't know carseats expired.

Do you have questions about how to keep your child safe in the car?  This is the place to be.  I don't have all the answers but I am learning and will share what I am learning so we can all drive more safely with our precious cargo.

• Carseat Failure - Check Your Seat!
• Basics of Carseat Safety
• Carseats DO Expire

Do you have something to add to the conversation?  Please feel free to email me questions or ideas (penguinelk at yahoo dot com).  If you have a blog post about carseat safety, feel free to link up here at any time!

5 Crucial Car Safety Checks

Some may say I am a car seat crazy kook.  After some very sad news I received yesterday, I am even more adamant about ensuring the safety of my children when we travel.  Yesterday I learned that two more students from a school where I previously taught were killed in a car accident.  That school has lost far too many students over the past five years.  I know my children are far from driving age, but I intend to do what I can to keep them safe when we are on the road.

Car-Safety.org lays out some compelling statistics.  According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, motor vehicle crashes are the #1 killer of kids in age groups 1-14.  Safe Kids USA says motor vehicle crashes are the #1 cause of unintentional injury-related death for all children 14 and under.  While some crashes are unsurvivable, over 57% of deaths for children 0-15 were because the child was unrestrained.  Many more were improperly restrained.  Nationally, the misuse rate for child safety seats is over 80% and as high as 95% in some areas.   The good news is that correct use of car seats and boosters does save lives.  Infant seats have been shown to reduce fatal injury by 71%, and toddler seats by 54%.

Here are my top five ways to keep little ones safe in the car:

1.  Ensure that the driver is safe to drive.  Many things can play into a driver being unsafe to drive.  Obviously, we're not going to let a drunk person drive our children.  What about a person who is just buzzed?  On a new medication that may make them a little loopy?  On cold medicine?  Overtired?  Overstressed?  All of these things can make a driver unsafe.

2.  Ensure that the car is safe to drive.  Are the tires overly worn?  Are the brakes in good condition?  Are things in good mechanical order?  Does the driver understand how to shift into neutral should there be a problem with the accelerator?  Do the seatbelts work properly?

3.  Ensure that all children are in appropriate seats.  Are all babies under 1 year AND 20 pounds rear facing?  Are all other children in seats suited for their age, weight, and development that also follow your state's laws?  Have you considered extended rear facing?

4.  Ensure that all safety seats are used properly.   Have you followed the instructions in the manual?  Have you had a carseat safety check?  (ask at local hospitals, fire stations, and police stations)  Is the seat used properly EVERY time?  Is the seat expired?

5.  Ensure that the roads are safe to travel.  Are the roads slick after a rain?  How is visibility?  Are the roads snow covered or icy?

Stay safe on the road - be aware of other drivers as you don't know how safe they will be.  Let's keep our kids alive and safe!

This post is part of the 31 Days to a Better Blog challenge.

Car Seats DO Expire!

This information was recently posted on a car seat forum and was written by a certified car seat technician.  I want to note that SOME seats have a longer expiration date than 6 years (usually the seats that have steel frames such as Britax and Radian) - check your manual to be sure.  Better safe than sorry!  I will say that I honestly knew nothing about car seats before Buggy (and even for the first 9 months or so).  It has been a huge learning curve.  I have learned that the safest seat is one that fits the child and is used according to the laws and manual every time.

*****************

You may have spent $300 on your car seat or it's never been in an accident. It doesn't mean the carseat is still safe.

Did you know that car seats expire? After 6 years, the car seat can fail in the crash, killing the child! Also, car seat straps have to be hand washed, not washed in the washer. Straps that have been washed in a washer cannot withstand the forces of a crash as well as ones that have been hand washed.

Do you have an old seat, or a seat missing parts, or one that you do not know the background of? Recycle it!

Quick facts:
-Remember to tighten the harness "snug as a hug" so that you cannot pinch a horizontal fold at your child's collarbone. The clip needs to be at armpit level.

- The American Academy of Pediatrics now recommends rear facing your child until at least age 2. Convertible car seats rear face until 30, 33 or 35 lbs, depending on the car seat. Rear facing past the bare minimum of 1 and 20 keeps their unfused spine protected! A rear facing child is 400-500% less likely to die or be seriously injured in a crash.
For more info: http://www.joelsjourney.org

- The bare minimum for a belt positioning booster is 4 years and 40 lbs. However, a child shouldn't be moved to a booster until they are mature enough to sit properly 100% of the time - usually age 5 or 6. The seat belt will not protect a child if it is not correctly placed, flat across the shoulder and low on the hips at all times. There are many reasonably priced seats that harness from 65 - 80 pounds on the market.

- After the child is in the booster, they should remain in it until they can pass the 5 step test - http://www.carseat.org/Boosters/630.pdf

- Remember not to use anything in your car seat that didn't come with the seat. (extra head rests, car seat covers, etc). This video explains more:
http://www.ehow.com/video_4440678_aftermarket-car-seat-parts.html

Have a question about car seats? Visit http://www.car-seat.org You do not have to register to ask a question.

All car seats have a limited life span, usually around 6 years, due to the fact that the plastic starts to wear out, as can the straps. It doesn't matter if it looks good to the naked eye, you can be sure that after the stated time, the seat is unsafe. The precise date should be printed on the seat and in the manual. You have to make sure you are counting from the manufacturer's date printed on the seat and not from the date you purchased it!

Good Links - Recalls, Compassion Int'l, AAP Carseat Guidelines, and more

Sponsor a Child


Hi all!  I have so much on my mind that I want to share but just don't have time at the moment to get it all typed!  I definitely want to share some links today with you.

• First of all, there has been a massive baby sling recall.  Infantimo slings have been recalled.  Click through to read all the details.  I will say that babies have been in slings and "worn" for hundreds of years.  I am all for keeping products safe.  I am all for recalls when products are not safe.  I am not in favor of the following hysteria that claims every sling will kill babies (yes, I have heard that often lately).  I use a sling.  I will use it when Baby gets here.  The close contact is fantastic for both milk supply and baby's weight gain and transition into the outside world (think of the very popular "kangaroo care" that helps nicu babies grow better).  It is safest to have baby more upright until they have good head/neck control.  Read your instructions, watch proper use videos online, and be safe!

• I have been following the amazing journey of Kristen from We Are THAT Family as she traveled with Compassion International to Africa and blogged  about her experience.  Definitely check out that series of posts here.  Most importantly, check out this post regarding the importance of writing letters to those children you may sponsor through Compassion or other programs.  How eye opening!

• I found a link to the AAP's car seat recommendations.  I was surprised to hear that a 1 year old Graco carseat a friend has had in it's manual, "as soon as baby's feet touch the seat of the car while rear facing, you must turn them forward facing so baby can be comfortable."  It didn't mention the LAW of 20lbs AND 1 year.  It didn't mention the AAP's stance on staying rear facing to the limits of the seat and continuing if the limits are reached before 20lbs AND 1 year.  It didn't mention all the mounting research of how much safer it is to rear face until age two when baby's neck muscles are strong enough to support the head forward facing.

• Lastly, here is a link to some great Campbell's soup coupons!  Check out Penny Pinching Penguin for all sorts of deals - especially great deals on diapers this week!

Car Seat Safety - Are You Smarter than 80% of Americans?

Only 20% of car seats in the U.S. are installed correctly. Are your children’s seats among them? Here are the top 15 things you can do to ensure your child is safest in your car:

1) KNOW YOUR MANUAL – While car seat installation isn’t difficult, you do need to consult the manual to learn how to install your particular car seat. Keep your manual in a safe place so you can easily refer to it in the future. Understand the weight AND height limits of the car seat (kids typically outgrow by height first).

2) POSITION OF THE HARNESS – The shoulder harness must be at or below your child’s shoulders for rear facing, at or above for forward facing. Kids grow fast, check the position on the first of each month and after growth spurts.

3) IT’S A CHEST CLIP, NOT A BELLY CLIP – The top of the chest clip should be aligned with the armpits.

4) SNUG AS A HUG – Make sure the straps are tightened properly. Rule of thumb: you shouldn’t be able to pinch a horizontal fold in the strap.

5) UNDERSTAND HOW TO USE LATCH – In most cases “borrowing” outboard LATCH to install the car seat in the center is not acceptable. Approved LATCH positions should be outlined in your vehicle manual. Also, car seats are not meant to be installed using both the LATCH and a seat belt at the same time. One or the other, not both.

6) LATCH HAS A LIMIT – In most cars, you can’t use the LATCH system after 40lbs. Check your vehicle manual or contact a Certified Passenger Safety Technician.

7) EACH STEP UP IN CAR SEATS IS A STEP DOWN IN SAFETY – The longer your child can stay in each step, the better. This includes rear facing, harnessing, and staying in a high back booster (or even a backless booster) until the fit of the seat belt without the booster is better than with.

8) EXTENDED REAR FACING – Toddlers riding forward facing are five times more likely to be seriously injured than if they are riding rear facing. For this reason, the American Academy of Pediatrics states that toddlers should remain rear-facing until they have reached the maximum height and weight of the seat, or at least the age of 2 years. Yes, your child’s feet will touch the seat back; however this is perfectly safe since the forces in an accident are typically directed to the front or side of the car. Legs are actually more likely to be broken forward facing than rear-facing…and besides a broken leg is better than a broken neck!

9) EXTENDED HARNESSING – Child passenger safety advocates recommend harnessing past the 4 year and 40lb legal minimum, up until 6 years old. At 6 years, a child’s bones are more solid and mature to take crash forces from a seat belt, a child is better able to sit properly in a booster, and a child is more able to understand the importance of keeping a seat belt in place.

10) OUT OF THE BOOSTER – Your child should remain in a booster at a minimum until she can pass the five point test. High back boosters are recommended over backless boosters because they provide side impact protection, artificial hips, and tend to better position children in the seat.

11) COLD WEATHER CLOTHING – The filler in that adorable, bulky snowsuit prevents you from getting a tight fit with the straps. In an accident the filler will compress leaving your child essentially with loose harnesses that may not be able to restrain her. Don’t believe it? Try this test: strap your child in with her jacket on, unclick the strap, take off the jacket, reclick the strap. Did you have to tighten it? If so, the jacket is too puffy. Use a thinner jacket, like fleece.

12) EXPIRATION DATES – No it’s not a container of milk, but car seats do expire. The hot/cold cycling fatigues the plastic and it no longer has the original strength. The expiration date and/or manufacture date are stamped right onto the seat. Check your manual for more information. Also, a car seat “expires” when it’s been in any accident.

13) YOU LOCKED THE CAR DOORS….NOW WHAT ABOUT THE CAR SEAT? – If your child’s car seat is installed using the vehicle seat belts, you must check to make sure the seat belts will lock in a crash. Check your car seat manual and vehicle manual to understand what kind of seat belts your vehicle has and if you need to use a locking clip. Locking clips can be tricky to use. Here is a helpful reference.

14) USED CAR SEATS – It’s safe to utilize a used car seat only if you know the full history of the seat and have completed the used car seat checklist

15) DON’T LET YOUR CHILD BE A CRASH TEST DUMMY – Car seats are not often tested with add-on products such as strap pads, seat belt tightening devices, head cushions, car seat covers, or pads to contain diaper leaks. These items can interfere with harnesses and you should not use any of these products without the approval of the car seat manufacturer.


Have any questions on what you’ve read? Need to see some crash-test videos to be convinced? Visit the car seat gurus at babycenter

Please pass this on to your friends with children…you could save a little life!!