As children progress through different stages of growth and development, their child restraint needs change. Infants ride rear facing in an infant or convertible seat as long as possible but until they weigh AT LEAST 20 pounds AND are AT LEAST 1 year of age. For toddlers and preschoolers use a child restraint with a harness until the child outgrows it (Always check the instructions of each individual car seat to be sure of the age and weight specifications for that car seat) Next, the preschool or school age child moves to a belt-positioning booster to raise them up and improve the fit of the vehicle shoulder and lap belt. A shield booster, which has a bolster in front of the child and no back, is NOT certified for children over 40 pounds and not recommended for children under 40 pounds.

As of January 1, 2005, California law requires all children to ride properly restrained in the back seat of a vehicle in a child safety seat, or booster seat until they are at least 6 years old or weigh 60 pounds. Children prematurely riding in a seat belt can suffer life-threatening injuries, including injury to the spinal cord, the brain or the internal organs of the abdomen. Most children need to use a belt-positioning booster seat until they are at least 8-11 years old, depending on the child’s height and how the vehicle lap and shoulder belts fit. Safety belts don’t fit children until they can sit with their back straight against the vehicle seat back cushion and their knees bent over the seat edge for the entire trip. The lap belt should fit low and snug across the child’s upper thighs and the shoulder belt should cross the shoulder, not the throat or face, and be close to the child’s chest.

Contact Safely on the Move at (866) 700-7686 or (619) 594-0784 for a low-cost car seat

Sources:

1. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (n.d.) Traffic Safety Facts 2004: Children, DOT HS 809 906 Washington, DC: NHTSA.

    

2. “The Danger of Premature Graduation to Seat Belts for Young Children,” by FK Winston, DR Durbin, MJ Kallan, EK Moll. Pediatrics 105(6):1179-1183, June, 2000. pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/reprint/105/6/1179

    

3. Occurances, and Consequences. Child Passenger Safety: Fact Sheet. National Center for Injury Prevention and Control.

About The Article
This information provided by San Diego State University Foundation.

A car seat is a very expensive part of baby gear that you HAVE to have for your baby. It is against the law to have your infant or toddler not in a car seat and many states have laws that say all kids under 60 or 80 pounds have to be in some type of car or booster seat. The cost can certainly add up because until your child is one year old he has to be facing the rear of the car for safety purposes. This means if you have just an infant car seat, at a year you will have to buy a new car seat that can face forwards.

Because of the cost of baby gear, many people try to cut corners and buy used items. Most experts agree that buying used baby gear is a great way to make the most of your money. However, many suggest that parents should draw the line at buying used car seats for safety reasons.

When in a moving vehicle, the only thing protecting your infant or toddler is the car seat that they are in. When you buy a used car seat there are several things unknown to you about it. Until you research it, you don’t know if that car seat has had any recalls done on it for safety purposes. If you are buying it from a stranger, you also do not know if it has been in a car that was in an accident, possibly making it unstable. Even if the person you are buying it from says it wasn’t in an accident, can you trust a stranger to tell you the truth? You may not know how old the car seat is which can make it hard to judge how safe it will keep your child.

Borrowing a car seat from a relative or close friend may generally be okay because you will know already if it was ever in an accident which can take one worry off your chest. If you do your research and feel confident that the car seat is safe, as well as research any recalls that may have been done on the car seat, then a used car seat from a friend or family member may be a good way to save a bundle.

If you buy a new car seat you know that at the point you buy it there have been no recalls done on it, or else the store would have taken it off the shelf. In the box is a postcard you can send into the manufacturer so that you will be contacted when and if there is a recall on your car seat. You will also know for a fact that the car seat has never been in an accident and is stable for your baby. Buying new however you are more likely to spend more money than you would if you bought used.

When it comes to used car seats it is most important that you do your research. After all, it is the health of your baby that is at stake. The US Consumer Product Safety Commission keeps a list of recalls that you can find by clicking here.

Don’t Start Shopping Too Early
The sooner you start to shop for your baby the more you will spend. It is like an addiction. As soon as you buy that first cute outfit, you want to go buy another and another. You buy one toy and then you see another toy that you just have to have. The longer you wait the less money you will spend before the baby is born.

Hit the Sales
When you are shopping for baby, go to the back of the stores and hit the sales racks. You can often find great baby clothes at a huge discount. If you get a coupon, use it to make your savings even bigger. Watch the ads and shop smart.

Buy Big
When hitting sales racks you will often find that the clothes available are for the season you have just passed. This is a great opportunity to buy clothes that will fit your baby the next time summer or winter comes around. You can even buy for several years. The more clothes you buy for your baby now, the less he will need later.

Garage Sales
Garage sales can be a great place to buy cheap used baby clothing and toys. Babies often outgrow things so quickly, especially during the first year that you can find clean and sometimes brand new baby clothes for pennies on the dollar. You can even get used baby gear much cheaper at garage sales. Be sure to always check out recall lists for any toys that you buy your baby before you let your baby use it in order to keep your baby safe. Also, don’t forget to completely clean and sanitize any item you buys used from a garage sale.

Wait For Gifts
Before you start spending your money on expensive baby items and clothing that will add up for your baby consider what gifts you will get. You are likely to get gifts of clothing, gear and diapers from friends and family, especially if you have a baby shower, and all these gifts are items that you will not have to buy. Many times it will be family that buys the big items saving your pocket book from the huge dents that strollers and pack-n-plays can cause.

Choose the Best Toys
When shopping for toys, remember that your baby does not need EVERYTHING made for a baby. Your baby can quickly become over stimulated when offered too many choices. Be choosy when shopping and pick out the best toys that you think your baby will use. No need to buy multiple items in different colors or patterns. If you choose the best and what your child needs then you will save money in the long run.

Spend More, Get More
There are huge price differences in items like car seats and strollers on the market. Like anything else, most of the time the level of quality on an item is shown by the price of the item. This doesn’t mean that the lower priced choices are bad or dangerous, just that in many cases the higher priced items will hold up better and last longer. If it is possible in your budget, try to steer clear from the least expensive big baby items. In many cases it will mean that you have to replace the item less frequently or sometimes not at all, saving you money down the road.

Cribs
Traditionally the place that a baby would spend most of his time while asleep, a crib is a big purchase made by parents. A crib in many ways is a baby’s only spot that is all their own. When you buy a crib for your baby you not only buy the frame, but you must buy the mattress and crib bedding as well. This can become an expensive purchase.

Pack-N-Play’s and Play Pens
Some people choose to use a pack-n-play in place of a crib, or buy a pack-n-play or play pen for trips and to give their baby a safe place to play and be alone. It can easily be used as your baby’s main bed during the first few months of life while you want to keep the baby close to you in your room, before you move him to his own room down the hall. It may not be a necessity, but it is a great item to have when you bring your new baby home.

Car Seats
One of the only true “must haves” in a baby’s world is a car seat. There are many different types of car seats on the market including infant and convertibles, all of which have their pros and cons. It is against the law to not have your baby in a car seat when in a moving vehicle so do your research and pick the best car seat for your family.

Strollers
Whoever invented the stroller should be given a Nobel Prize. The invention of a stroller had to have saved many arms from being broken from carrying around heavy babies and toddlers. There are so many different types of strollers, from travel systems to umbrella strollers, in so many price ranges that just about everyone can afford a stroller.

Dresser/Changing Table
A dresser is definitely nice to have for your baby. Just like you need a spot for your clothes, your baby needs a spot for his. The dresser can grow with your baby, but a changing table will only last for a little while. As your baby gets older, even while still in diapers you may find that you don’t using the changing table as often to change him. A good way to get the essential but save money is to get either a dresser/changing table combo, or just get a changing pad to place on top of the dresser while it is needed.

Entertainers
There are several different types of entertainers on the market. Years ago it used to just be walkers but now there is variety to choose from. Walkers have gotten increasingly less popular by experts and pediatricians with there being some concern on the safety of your baby being able to walk around the house and get hurt. Because of this they have created exersaucers where the baby can sit in the middle of a bunch of toys and spin around. The latest entertainer is the Around We Go which has all the toys in the center and your baby on the outside about to walk his seat in a circle to get to the toys.

Swings
A swing is a great way to rock and calm your baby when your arms are feeling tired. Swings today come in all shapes and sizes including the newer take-a-long swings. There are so many designs now that they range from simple to complex with toys attached for your baby to enjoy. They even have swings that go side to side, instead of the traditional back and forth.

Highchairs
Once your baby starts eating cereal and other baby foods it is important that you get him his own chair to pull up to the table. Not only will your baby feel more like part of the family as he gets older but a highchair makes it much easier to feed your baby. There are many more options today for a highchair than there were 20 years ago. There is the old traditional chair that stands on its’ own legs, but there is also a seat that can be strapped onto one of your dining room chairs, or a chair that hooks onto the table that can be taken with you when you go out to restaurants.