Three Things You Should Know About Car Seats
I had a lot to learn about many things whenever my wife and I were expecting our first child. I barely knew the difference between what a booster seat was, or a car seat that was designed specifically for a newborn. I still remember the first time I went to the baby store and I was looking at all of the items there, and my eyes started to roll in the back of my head as I felt so overwhelmed. I saw dozens and dozens of strollers and car seats, and I had no idea which ones we had to buy, and which ones were the best for our baby. I slowly started to read and learn about everything I needed to. Now that I have been a parent for some time, a lot of my friends always come to me for advice, and one of the most important things I always stress to them is the importance of buying a quality car seat.
If you are an expectant parent, there are three things I feel that are essential for you to know about these seats.
The first thing that is extremely important that you need to know, is the fact that seats manufactured in the United States and Canada, now come with an expiration date. In general most of them have a five-year expiry date on them. This is because the government is continuously changing the strict guidelines for the seats every several years. So you never want to use a car seat that has expired, as this can put your newborn at severe risk.
The second thing you must know ties into the first point, because a lot of people end up accepting used seats from friends and family members. This can be a good way to save money for many new parents who are on a tight budget, but again, you could be placing your baby at severe risk. If it is an older seat, then you need to avoid using it at all costs. If it is a newer car seat and has an expiry date on it which has not passed, then and only then, would I suggest you use this car seat.
The final thing that I want to stress, is the fact that any seat that has been in an accident, needs to be discarded. Many parents are unaware of this, but even if you have been in a small accident, you should no longer use the seat anymore. This also touches on the second point as well, as sometimes accepting use car seats come with hidden dangers beyond the expiry date. You often don't know if these used car seats were in an accident or not, and that is why I always suggest that the best thing you can do for your newborn is to invest money into a new car seat.
About the Author
William is a freelance writer living in Kitchener with his wife and baby daughter. He currently publishes a helpful baby product site based on his experiences with his own baby at http://babydollstroller.net/
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