Car seat accessories for your baby
More and more of our lives are spent in and around the car. Babies have popped in the car for the journey to the nursery and home again; back again for a short trip to the shops; the long drive to see grandma. Of course, baby will be suitably seated in a car seat, but what else can you do to make life easier – and safer?
Extra support
head cushions are very important for a young babies, especially if they were premature. Being slumped in a car seat is definitely not a good idea for babies who cannot yet support their head! Car seats are designed to protect a baby in an accident and it is not very good for them to sit in them for very long. Keep the time spent in a car seat to a minimum and use head supports.
Car seat protectors
Some protectors go underneath the car seat and these can reduce the wear on the fabric of the seats in your car not only from the weight of the child’s car seat but also from dropped food and little accidents! Things can get quite messy as we often help keep baby happy on a journey by feeding them snacks. A different design of protector fastens on the back of the front seat and keeps it protected from kicks in dirty shoes!!
Sunscreens
the sun can be quite fierce, and baby’s skin is very delicate, so a shade is essential when driving in sunshine. It is all too easy to forget that the sun is streaming in during a long trip up the motorway. There are several varieties but the most common is one that is fastened to the window with suckers.
Toys
let’s face it: long journeys are boring, so something to entertain baby is important. The toys need to be attached as you can’t play ‘pick up’ on the motorway, and safe – anything even slightly sharp can be a killer in an accident. Be particularly aware of pencils or crayons. Some children enjoy drawing and it is tempting to give them a pencil. However, think where the pencil will go if you have to brake sharply – right into the child’s eye!!! So if you plan a long journey investing in a special car seat toy can save a lot of stress for everyone. A bag that hangs on the back of the front seat, can store toys, snacks and other useful items so they are always to hand. Something playing music can often keep a child happy, although playing The Wheels on the Bus umpteen times can be wearing on the adults!
Footmuffs and Sleeping bags
baby needs to be kept warm in the car and even warmer when taken out of the car. It can be difficult to keep a blanket in place and other items of clothing can cause the baby to overheat or prevent the proper use of the shoulder straps. However, there are a number of wraps which can simply, easily and safely be used in the car. You can wrap them up when leaving the car and open them out when settled. They are designed so that the car seat straps fit properly. A raincover for the car seat can be useful to stop them getting wet while out of the car, especially if it fits onto your pushchair chassis.
Mirrors
the safest place for a car seat is in the middle of the back seat of the car where the effect of an impact is at a minimum. However, if you cannot see your baby, then you can easily be distracted, taking your eyes off the road to look at baby and cause the accident! Some mirrors reflect baby in a rear-facing seat into the normal car mirror. Other types can be angled so you can see a toddler in the back seat without having to turn around.