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| My New Car Seat |
I just got my car seat yesterday! While most sites will recommend never buying a used car seat because you don't know if it's been in an accident and they have expiry dates - I'm lucky enough to have a sister who is one year ahead of me in the reproductive cycle and likes to shop! Thus I know it's not been in an accident and she was happy to pass her really sweet seat down to me and go buy a new one. The stars are in alignment!
Anyway - the litany of instructions for making sure I didn't risk puncturing my little bundle of joy was a bit overwhelming and while many of you may already know this - or not care - I thought I would pass it on.
Did you know that that useful handle you use to carry the seat around is designed to absorb part of the impact if the car is in an accident? The problem is that it absorbs the impact by breaking and if you leave it in the upright position there's a chance it could puncture your baby. Mental note - always move the carry arm to the very bottom of the seat when installing in the car. With my model this means the carry arm is almost under the seat.
Car seats and restraints are made for adults which is why things like car seats and booster seats are mandatory. That being said, buying just any seat or the most expensive seat isn't necessarily the answer. ICBC has a brochure for tips on properly fitting your child into your car. Transport Canada also has some useful information on child car safety including car seat safety ratings.
As a soon to be new mom all this information can be quite overwhelming - but with some preparation (start reading/researching early), a dash of practicality and the generosity of others this crazy awesome journey will prove as safe as a well installed car seat.
Happy Driving!
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