The Car Trip
The most important item for the trip home is a proper child safety seat (car seat).
Every state requires parents to have one before leaving the hospital because it's
one of the best ways to protect your baby.
Even for a short trip, it's never safe for one of you to hold
your baby in your arms while the other drives. Your baby could be pulled from your
arms and thrown against the dashboard by a quick stop.
Consider buying, renting, or borrowing a car seat before your baby's born, when
you have time to choose carefully. There are two kinds of car seats for babies: infant-only
seats (which must be replaced when your baby weighs 22 to 35 pounds, depending on
the type of seat) and convertible seats that accommodate both infants and older children.
Infant-only seats are designed for rear-facing use only and fit
infants better than convertible seats. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends
that infants and toddlers ride in a rear-facing seat until they are 2 years old or
until they have reached the maximum weight and height limits recommended by the manufacturer.
(If your baby exceeds the weight recommended by the manufacturer before the second
birthday, you'll need to use a convertible seat designed for bigger babies.)
Some parents of newborns find that a "travel system" (which includes a stroller
and an infant-only car seat that can be attached to the stroller) makes it much smoother
to transition babies — especially sleeping ones — from the car to the
stroller.
Convertible seats face toward the rear until your baby is at least
2 years old or has reached the maximum weight and height limits recommended by the
manufacturer. A child who reaches the height and weight limits before age 2 is safest
in a bigger convertible seat and kept rear facing. Kids who are small can remain in
rear-facing seats even after age 2. (Follow the manufacturer's guidelines for when
to turn the seat.)
Never put a rear-facing infant or convertible seat in the front
seat of your car — always use the rear seat. Passenger-side airbags in the front
seat cabin are hazardous for both rear- and forward-facing car seats, and most accidents
happen at the front passenger area of the car. When it's cold, strap your baby in
snugly first, then put blankets over the baby.
If you borrow a car seat, make sure that it's not more than 6 years old and was
never in a crash (even if it looks OK, it could be structurally unsound). Avoid seats
that are missing parts or aren't labeled with the manufacture date and model number
(you'll have no way to know about recalls).
Also, check the seat for the manufacturer's recommended "expiration date." If you
have any doubts about the seat's history, or if it's cracked or shows signs of wear
and tear, don't use it.
Ask at your prenatal classes, health care provider's office, hospital, or insurance
company about rental or loan programs for car seats — they're quite common.
When buying a new seat, it's important to remember that there isn't one type of
seat that's safest or best; get one that fits and can be correctly installed in your
car. And higher price doesn't necessarily indicate a seat's quality — it could
simply mean the seat has added features that you may or may not want or use. Also,
be sure to register your new seat so you can be notified of any problems or recalls.
The most common problem involving car seats is improper installation. According
to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the majority of all car seats
are installed incorrectly. LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children) is a system
that makes it easier to install car seats. It uses built-in hooks to connect the seat
to anchoring hardware in the car. Even though LATCH is standard in the United States,
many seats are still improperly installed.
Don't trust illustrations or store displays. Follow the manufacturer's instructions
(and keep them handy). Ask your doctor or nurse about local resources where your car
seat can be checked by someone specifically trained to evaluate car seat installations.
Many hospitals, police and fire stations, and even car dealerships offer this type
of service for free. Make sure that the evaluation is done by someone trained and
experienced.
If you're bringing your baby home from the intensive care unit, bring the car seat
to the hospital ahead of time, so the staff can see if it will work for your baby.
If special health concerns rule out a standard restraint, ask your child's doctor
to recommend car seats for children with special needs.
For more information on the proper use of child safety seats, read our article
on auto safety.