As the due date approaches, it’s pretty normal to find yourself with too much left to do and not much time left. Prioritizing all the things during this hectic time can be overwhelming. However, before you prioritize everything else, you should ensure you have a car seat at your disposal.
Whether it’s a travel harness car seat or some other car seat, having one at your disposal is a must before the baby comes. No newborn or child under four feet nine inches tall should go in the car without a car seat. It’s a safety requirement you shouldn’t leave to the last minute.
At Beberino, we provide high-quality baby and mom care products at affordable rates. We have a curated list of products that range from travel essentials and feeding products to mom care products.
Our driving focus is always on ensuring proper care for babies and their mamas, and that gives us unique insight into what you need for taking care of the baby. That means we know all there is to know about ensuring car safety for newborns.
Whether it’s about feeding your baby in the car seat or finding car seat choking hazards, or helping you find the right car-safe snacks for your toddlers, we know it all and decided to create this simple car safety guide for you.
In the following passages, we will list some useful tips about car seats so that when the baby comes, you are fully ready. So without any further delay, let’s check it out!
When To Install The Car Seat During Pregnancy?
While buying a car seat isn’t the top priority, other high-priority items are right up there. First, you’d want to start saving up for one as soon as you know you are pregnant. The critical thing to remember is that your car seat should be installed before your labor is imminent.
GHSA child safety laws state that babies must be secured in a car seat. It’s one of the reasons why you’ll find hospitals require the vehicle has car seats installed as part of their discharge policy.
In some hospitals, the staff may even conduct a safety check on the car seat to see if it meets industry standards before the discharge papers. This is the primary reason why you should sort out the car seat long before because the last thing you’d want to worry about when you are going through labor is whether you have the right car seat or not.
How To Baby Proof The Car?
Getting your car ready for your baby is more involved than simply buying a car seat. If you have an older car lacking specific safety measures, you should consider upgrading to a newer one.
Babyproofing your vehicle is essential, and you will need to ensure several key safety factors for it. Here are some for you to check out:
- The first safety feature your car should have is child locks. Now, vehicles in the US have had child locks for decades; however, you should check it out if you have a car from the 80s. If your car is not from the 80s, you most probably have child locks, but you should double-check to make sure you do.
- Auto-reverse windows are another vital safety feature to have in your car. These windows are touch-sensitive and will roll back when moving as soon as it’s touched. That way, you minimize the risk of your little one getting pinched in the window.
- The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration issues ratings on cars, and you should make sure your vehicle has a good rating. Check out the location of accessible safety seat latches because that can be the difference between life and death.
- Another baby-proof feature for cars is advanced front and side-impact airbags. These go along with your vehicle’s ratings, and having good-quality airbags can be the difference between life and death.
- Interior truck release is another crucial safety factor. It’s a release mechanism inside the trunk of the vehicle. Children are curious by nature, and they have been known to injure themselves by trapping themselves in the car’s trunk.
- Rearview cameras are significant when it comes to babyproofing your car. These cameras help you see what’s behind you when reversing and ensure you know if any little ones are running around behind the vehicle.
You should also have all the emergency kits on hand for different situations to prepare for anything that comes at you. Remember that getting a good emergency kit for breakdowns and accidents is necessary.
You should keep an emergency kit for your baby; specifically, that has all the travel essentials like diapers, wipes, and ziplock bags for soiled diapers and clothing items, ETC. If your baby is feeding on formula, make sure your emergency kit contains unopened formula packs, baby bottles, and water.
However, if you are breastfeeding, then it must have e all the sterilized pump items and the pump car charger. Ensure you also have extra clothes for multiple weather conditions and update the kit as your baby grows.
Baby On Board Decal
Now, you may be thinking about the stigma surrounding “baby on board” decals, but it is one of the essential additions to your vehicle if you know how to use it.
These signs serve two primary purposes: to let other drivers know that they should treat your car with care on the road and the other is to let the first responders know there’s a baby inside in case of an emergency. So make sure you put it where it doesn’t obstruct the driver’s view and only use it when there’s a baby inside.
Safety Tips For Traveling With A Baby
Traveling with a baby can seem cumbersome, but it can be effortless to manage with the proper preparation. Here are some safety tips that you can follow when traveling with a baby!
Keeping The Baby Cool
Babies are sensitive to heat and can easily fall sick. That’s why it’s imperative that you keep them cool when traveling. Here are some things that you can do to keep your baby cool when traveling:
- Invest in some sunshades for the inside of the back windows to keep the sun out of your baby’s eyes. These also help limit the buildup of heat from direct sunlight.
- Car seat covers can work well in certain situations to keep your baby cool, as these are known to prevent car seats from heating up too much.
- It would be best if you always parked in shady areas. Do not leave your car in direct sunlight when taking your family out of the vehicle because odds are your vehicle will have turned into a furnace by the time you return. Now, it goes without saying, but we’re going to tell it anyway; do not under any circumstances leave your baby or pet behind when you go out of the car.
- Hydration is key to keeping your baby cool, so check their hydration levels at regular intervals. If your baby is old enough to hold a sippy cup, make sure they have it to self-hydrate when they’re in the car.
How Long Can A Newborn Be In A Car Seat?
Your newborn shouldn’t be in a car seat for too long. There’s something called the 2-hour rule that you should follow because in newborns, the spine is still developing, and they can have breathing problems if they are sitting upright for a prolonged period. So make sure your baby isn’t in a car seat for more than two hours a day.
Now, the rule can be relaxed once your baby grows, but the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends taking a break at least every two hours during long trips and getting out and stretching the body.
Tips On Feeding Your Baby In A Car Seat
We always recommend not feeding your baby in a car seat and only doing it under unavoidable circumstances. However, if you can’t avoid feeding your baby in the car seat, you should follow some safety guidelines. Here are some to help you on your way:
- You shouldn’t be feeding your baby in a car seat if the car is moving. Bottles can become projectiles in case there’s a crash. Feeding while driving is also a choking hazard. So make sure you don’t do it.
- Feeding your baby solid items in the car seat while driving is another choking hazard that you should avoid at all costs.
- If you are bottle-feeding your baby, hold the bottle until the baby is done. Do not just prop it up.
- Try your best to keep the car seat clean. If it does get messy, follow the manufacturer’s instructions on cleaning it up.
Car Safe Snacks For Toddlers
If you have a toddler and are going on a long trip, you will need an ample amount of snacks for the road. Here are some safe car snacks for toddlers that we found they love:
- Frozen Squeezable Yogurt Tubes
- Dry cereal
- Waffles
- Tortilla Roll-ups
- Granola Bars
- String Cheese & Raisins
- Nuts
- Squeezable Applesauce
- Mini Bagels or Muffins
- Dried Fruit
- Trail Mix
- Cut Veggies
- Pirate’s Booty
- Fresh Fruit
- Hard-Boiled Eggs
- Animal Crackers
- Graham Crackers
- Fruit leather
- Fruit snacks
- Hummus
- Fig Newtons
- Pretzels
- Pepperonis
- Popcorn
Now, we are not saying you have to take all of these snacks or that your toddler will like all of these items. But the odds are they will love some of the things listed here, and those are the snacks you should take with you on your trip.
Find The Right Place For Baby & Mom Care Products
As you can see, with the proper planning and the right items traveling with your little tyke won’t be as stressful as other people make it out to be. As long as you remember that safety is non-negotiable and that a bit of effort goes a long way, you should be all right.
Now, if you are looking for baby or mom care products or if you are looking for some baby travel essentials, then Beberino is the perfect place for you. Our curated list of products ensures proper care for the baby and their mama. So contact us, and we will hook you up with what you need.
Also, if you have any questions about our products or baby care and mom care in general, drop them in the comments below or hit us up on our socials, and we will answer them all for you. And with that being said, that’s about all we have for you today. We will come back with something new for you soon. Until then, see ya!