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Home › Articles › General Safety Issues › Car Seat Crying

Car Seat Crying

When the Buzz of the Engine Doesn't Lull Your Baby to Sleep

By Laura Cone

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She says her children were less likely to cry if she timed the trips during the morning hours between 8 and 10 a.m. Some safety car seats can be taken into the store, which allows a baby to continue sleeping. "The biggest thing is timing," Stockburger says. "Take infants at naptime if you can."

Ride Rear-facing
Before finding ways to entertain your baby in the car, make sure your car seat has been checked for proper installation. According to national statistics, four out of every five car seats are used improperly. Motor vehicle crashes are the No. 1 killer of children today.

Lorri Walker, a technical advisor and manager for the Safe Kids Worldwide Buckle Up program based in Washington, D.C., says parents should use infant seats that are designed for babies from birth until at least 20 pounds and 1 year of age. They must ride rear-facing in their safety seats until they are old enough for convertible safety seats.

Walker points out that in airplanes, the flight attendants always ride backwards, as that gives them the best chance of survival in an accident. The No. 1 car crash is a forward frontal collision, which could snap a baby's heavy head, as he has weak neck muscles.

Children remain in forward-facing seats with harnesses from 20 pounds until they reach 40 pounds and 4 years of age when they graduate to booster seats. Walker says all children under the age of 13 must ride in the back seat. Adults should be good role models for their children of any age by properly wearing their seatbelts.

Designated Driver, Not Caregiver
Walker says it's important to be seletive and communicate your safety standards when becoming involved in a car pool or letting a babysitter or grandparent transport your child. "You have to talk to them about it," Walker says. "You can't assume everyone believes as you do [about safety]."

Walker says many new parents worry about the fact they can't see their baby when he is riding rear-facing in his safety seat. It's similar, she says, to the way you check to see if your newborn is breathing by hanging over the crib for the first week. Most parents gain confidence their baby will be fine when he sleeps.


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