Now you have seen these standard recommendations, I would suggest
you look at your child and use your judgment as to whether your baby should move up to
the next seat. I had a patient of mine who weighed 40 lbs at 7 months old. There is no way
he would fit in the seat for his weight. And an infant could be too long and
outgrown it's car seat, but the baby is not yet 20 lbs. I think the seats should be
sold based on the length of the baby and not based on the weight.
If you baby has outgrown your seat and fits the next size seat, then move him
up. The main idea is that the straps hit his body where they are
supposed to make contact in order to hold him in the seat. It's just common sense. ....
We want the lap belt to be over the pelvis and not on top of the abdomen.
Many authorities recommend keeping them facing backwards as long as they are
able to. It would be safer to keep them backwards to 18 months.
Dr. Knapp
Here are the recommendations for good and bad seats as December 2009.
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's best bets for booster seats:
- Combi Dakota backless/clip
- Recaro Young Sport
- Recaro Vivo
- Maxi-Cosi Rodi XR
- Evenflo Big Kid Amp backless/clip
- Eddie Bauer Auto Booster
- Cosco Juvenile Pronto
- Britax Frontier
- Clek Oobr
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's list of "not recommended" booster
seats:
- Harmony Secure Comfort Deluxe backless/clip
- Combi Kobuk
- Evenflo Express
- Eddie Bauer Deluxe
- Safety 1st Alpha Omega Elite
- Evenflo Sightseer
- Alpha Omega Elite
- Eddie Bauer Deluxe 3-in-1
- Safety 1st All-in-One
- Alpha Omega Luxe Echelon
- Alpha Omega
Premature care seats.
Some times premes can have low blood oxygen from riding in the car seat because
their head to so large for their body. Their chin gets tilted forward and
pinches the airway:
If a role of towel or some pad is placed under their backs so the head falls
back, then the head will be in line with the body more anatomically, the airway
will stay more open.
One doctor even designed a pad to place under the premature to try and keep
the head from falling forward. You will have to cut your own since they do
not sell them.
Dr. Knapp
