SAFETY SQUAD: Empowing Your Family

It's a Safety Seat first... then a Stroller Seat

"Safety First!"  We hate this cliche. It says so little, so often.

But in this case, "Safety First" is actually an appropriate call to action. Parents are choosing their favorite stroller first and then a car seat that is compatible with that stroller. In the simplest terms, its a CAR SEAT first, then a stroller seat.

Why is this so important?
1. Some car seats are better than others, in general.
2. Some car seats fit better in your vehicle that others do.
3. Some infants fit better in certain infant carriers than others.

The point? The car seat that is compatible with your stroller, may not be compatible with your child or vehicle.

Just as important: It is not that important to match a car seat to a stroller. The AAP has found that infants are spending too much time in car seats... out of the car. This is leading to flathead syndrome. They recommend no more than one hour in the car seat, swing, stroller, or other seat.

We understand why parents are taking the Stroller-Car Seat route, but in the short term, the car seat is the most important piece of baby gear you can buy.

Don't Gamble on Infant Seats, Safety Squad's Top Ten is Coming

Over the last few months, we have been really light on the commentary. You probably noticed. We've had a busy summer and have plenty to talk about in the coming months.

This past May, we partnered with one of the largest birthing hospitals in the nation to provide personalized car seat installation training for parents. This fee-based service has begun to fill a tremendous need in Chicago. While providing premier service to parents focused on car seat installation instruction, it has also freed-up limited space for other parents in existing free or donation based services.

This summer we worked with hundreds of Graco, Chicco, Peg Perego, Maxi-Cosi and Orbit infants seats. The result: We know what is good and what is not. Before we talk more about our experience, we are going on a little trip.

Tomorrow, we are going back to Las Vegas to attend the ABC Expo. Last year, we got an inside look at the industry. We are returning this year to speak with manufacturers about the issues we have found and the solutions best for parents.

When we return, we will be publishing our Top Ten List of Infant Seats. This list will be based on our experiences with the actual base installation and carrier ease of use. 

On the convertible seat front, we are currently reviewing new seats including the Britax Boulevard CS. Stay tuned.

Chicco Key Fit: You can tell a CPS tech designed it.

If you read this blog, then you know that we call companies out when something's wrong, but we also praise those that care to "get it right".

While we don't endorse seats or take sponsorship from any particular manufacturer, we do have our favorites. One of our favorite infant seats is the Chicco Key Fit 30. The Key Fit 30 is a top-rated seat, but ratings often don't translate to actual ease of use or convenience for parents. In this case, they do!

Everything about the seat is thoughtful. While no seat installs itself, and everyone should seek out a CPS tech for assistance, this seat gives parents a fighting chance. We'll break down this seat into areas that relate to misuse of seats, in general....

It's for Turbulence, not the Crash!

On our trip out to Portland for the Lifesavers 2008 conference, we were surrounded by parents and kids. I was ready with my Bose noise canceling headphones, but alas.. no need. These kids were pretty well behaved. Two infants, two toddlers, one four year old, but no seats.   

We asked the flight attendant for a completely unscientific estimate of how many infants travel in seats on her flights. She guessed about 5%. Based on her rock solid numbers, we thought 95% non-use was worth a post. Let's cut to the chase.

Here are the most commonly cited reasons for not using a seat on the plane:

1. Too expensive to buy extra seat or two (most airlines don't give discounts for an extra seat)...

Why is installation so hard?

Before you bought your car seat, you checked with friends, family, searched the web and decided on a seat that had great reviews and even scored well on the "Ease of Use" charts. There were so many choices, but you picked a Graco or Britax or maybe a Peg Perego, to name a few. So why after all that research is your car seat so hard to use?

The same is true when you bought your car or SUV. Saab, BMW, Lexus, Honda, Mercedes, Toyota and others score well in crash ratings and come packed with dozens of safety features, but when you try to install that great car seat into your great car it doesn't feel or fit right.

First of all, it's not you. You are a parent that has cared...

When does a recall help a car seat maker?

Today, Evenflo issued a voluntary recall of over 1 million seats.  Why? Because it makes sense. If your product doesn't do what you say it does, we need to know. The best way to do that is to be as clear and open as possible to make sure parents get the message. Lives are at stake.

This definition is from the Evenflo site:

"What is a Safety Campaign or Recall?
Safety campaigns call the consumer's attention to products that need to be repaired, modified or replaced after the manufacturing process. Many times, a simple replacement part may be necessary to improve performance of the product.

It's important to us that you have the latest news about products or accessories, so we provide a list of current and past safety campaigns for Evenflo products."

By addressing the issue aggressively, your brand will be protected. Then again, if your mission is damage control, you will most likely become an example of what not to do.

A recall will have an impact on the bottom line, but for the right reasons and only temporarily. Britax had 4 recalls last year (Marathon, Decathon, Boulevard, Regent) and is more popular than ever. Why? Because we trust them.

Infant Carrier Handles: Up, Down or Somewhere in Between?

There are certain pieces of information parents or expectant parents often know, but just as often the information is not always accurate. For whatever reason, the information has been distorted... the old game of telephone. Here are some examples.

1. Center position is the safest! Most often, that's true.
2. LATCH is easier! Sometimes, but often has it's own set of problems
3. When my infant carrier is in the car, the handle must not be up in the carrying position. Well, it depends...

We're going to talk about #3 right now. We constantly hear from clients that they have been told that the handle on their Graco SnugRide must not be up while in the vehicle. This happens to be false. Like most car seat issues, the truth is often found lumped in with misinformation. People are well-meaning and fallible... this is why we always recommend reading your instructions.

Registration Cards: Easy to do, often neglected

To date, we've stuck to issues that in our opinion are most important to safety. This requires time, accuracy and an original thought (which can be difficult in this business). So, in an effort to post more, we are going to take issue with the little things we see as integral to your child's safety, as well as the big stuff.

Case in point: Registration Cards!

As part of our business in Chicago, when we open a car seat box, we take the registration cards and submit them for clients. Additionally, we file all the car seat information in our database. In the event of a recall, our clients will be notified by the manufacturer and Safety Squad. Redundancy for safety's sake!

Registration cards are the only way the manufacturer will contact you in the event of an advisory notice or recall. The store where you bought your seat may notify you, but by no means is this reliable.

Often parents will hear of recalls on the news, but not know if their model is involved. In a recent Britax recall, only a portion of Marathons were recalled. All those who registered their seats can expect a notice in the mail, while the rest are stuck investigating or unaware altogether.

It takes a minute to fill out... and while you're at it, register online too. Some manufacturers provide this option. Here are a couple:

• Britax Online Registration
• Graco Online Registration
• Dorel Juvenille Registration  (Cosco, Safety 1st, Eddie Bauer)

You can also fill out NHTSA's generic registration form

Is it time to go forward-facing? Read this first.

Determining the appropriate time to move baby from a rear-facing to a forward-facing installation can be confusing for parents.  There are specific requirements governing when this can occur.  Your baby must be BOTH 1 year old and 20 pounds before they can turn be turned forward. However, the safest thing a parent can do is keep their child rear-facing in a convertible seat until the maximum weight that the seat allows for rear-facing. For most convertible seats this is around 30-35 pounds.

Here are three common myths we hear from parents.  We've explained why each is wrong and what a parent should do.

MYTH: "My baby is too tall for her current seat.  Her feet touch the back of the vehicle seat.  She is ready to turn around in a new car seat."

FACT: Your baby's feet touching the vehicle's rear seat back is not an indication that your baby is too tall for her current car seat. Your baby's legs may look uncomfortable touching the rear seat, but their bodies are much more flexible than adults.   The key concern is that the car seat protect their developing spine, neck and back while supporting their airway as they develop. This is accomplished with a rear-facing installation. 

A baby is probably too tall for a seat if her head is less than 1 inch from the top of the seat. Check with the car seat manufacturer's instructions to check the exact height limit for your baby's seat. But remember that this fact does not mean it's time to turn around.   

MYTH: "My baby is 1 year old and 18 pounds. I should buy a new seat and turn him forward-facing."

FACT: Remember, the rule is 1 year and 20 pounds before a parent should consider turning him around. You could actually keep your current car seat until your baby reaches the weight limit for his infant seat. This is around 22 pounds on many models.  You could buy a new convertible seat if you wanted. However, you must keep him rear-facing until at least 20 pounds. Additionally, keeping him rear-facing until the seat's rear-facing maximum is still the safest choice.

MYTH: "My 10 month old is 23 pounds.  My infant only seat's max weight is 22 pounds.  I need to buy a new seat and turn her around." 

FACT: You are right it is time to buy a new seat.  But, make sure the new seat is a convertible that will accommodate her until she is the proper age to turn around.  And remember your baby is the safest when she stays rear facing until the maximum rear-facing weight of her new seat.

Hopefully, this entry has helped clear up some confusion. It's short for simplicity's sake.  Please post if you would like to hear about something in more detail. We also invite readers to post their questions about moving from rear-facing to forward-facing.  Actually, that goes for any material on this site. The more scenarios we can discuss here the more likely we are to address a parent's specific concern.

Can I get my car seat installed at the firehouse?

This may be true in many suburbs, but in Chicago.. this is not true. While the CFD does have a limited number of certified technicians at specific administrative facilities, firefighters at your local firehouse are not trained, insured or permitted to install car seats.