It is crucial that parents have a baby car seat before they leave the hospital with their newborn baby! The newborn baby that rides in the back seat of the car that is rear-facing is the safest position that one can have them in their automobile. In fact, some hospitals and maternity wards may not even let you leave without have your baby's car seat properly checked out to make sure that it's safe. So here are a few tips to make sure that your car seat doesn't pose a problem for your baby.
Buying Brand-New is Best
For your baby's car seat, buying one that is brand new is best. Most of the second-hand car seats that you buy at a garage sale or from someone's ad in the newspaper may not be the safest and the best option. For one thing, it is crucial that you know the history behind the car seat. If you buy one second-hand, chances that you'll know the history of the car seat is slim, By history, I mean finding out whether or not the baby car seat has ever been in an auto accident or not. Has the car seat been dropped at all? Even though it might not looked damage, it is crucial that the functionality of the car seat remains intact. This is why buying a brand new car seat is best for your newborn baby!
No Extra Padding
Buying after-market padding for your car seat is advised against for so many reasons. One reason that it is unsafe is because your baby could potentially be harmed if you were ever in a car accident. The padding that comes with the manufacturer's car seat, however, is perfectly okay to keep with your baby. Usually these are the ones that have a specific place for the baby's head. But an after-market padding for your baby's head could harm him or her if ever in an auto accident or even by a sudden stop of the car.
Once you get to the hospital to have the baby there will be all sorts of things to be worried about. Thinking about the car seat then will be an after-thought and you won't want to run out and buy a brand new car seat for your baby. Buying a car seat before you go to the hospital is wise because you'll already have it in hand when you get to the hospital and before you are able to go home when you're released from the hospital. Also, a nurse at the hospital or an expert there will want to thoroughly check out the car seat; being ill-prepared for the routine will just make things all the more difficult.
Making sure you have a new car seat for your newborn is one of the most important things that you can do when you celebrate the arrival of your baby! Everyone will have a safe car ride home and you'll be relieved that you bought a new car seat rather than a second-hand one that you knew nothing about
By Matthew Schieltz
