Time for a booster seat: BubbleBum brand to be reviewed
The inflatable BubbleBum booster seat
I’ve had a child safety seat in my vehicle for 18 straight years.
My children’s births were spaced out so that when one child was old enough or heavy enough to graduate out of the child safety seat, another child was already in another car seat.
I hadn’t thought about that until today.
However, what I have been thinking about is my youngest son and how he needs to move to a booster seat.
I bought a Britax car seat when he was big enough to sit in an upright position. I considered it the top of the line at the time. Now, at more than 50 pounds, the lanky, long-torsoed little guy has outgrown the safety seat. He prefers to take the straps down from his shoulders, so having him in the seat defeats the purpose of trying to keep him snug and safe.
I’ve been trying to decide what booster seat might be best for him. So, when BubbleBum contacted me about doing a review of their seat, I was ready to put their product to the test.
BubbleBum is sold through select Target stores.
I’ve opened the box, so read more in an upcoming blog about my and my son’s experiences with this new booster seat.
–Linda Lynn
Follow me on Twitter @OKNewsResearch
Car seat recommendations change
The American Academy of Pediatrics has changed its stance and guidelines on infant car seats.
The AAP now advises parents to keep their toddlers in rear-facing car seats until age 2, or until they reach the maximum height and weight for their seat. It also advises that most children will need to ride in a belt-positioning booster seat until they have reached 4 feet 9 inches tall and are between 8 and 12 years of age.
The previous standard was 12 months/20 pounds as a minimum for facing backward.
To read the full report, go to www.aap.org/advocacy/releases/carseat2011.htm.
A reference guide for all age groups can be found at www.healthychildren.org/English/safety-prevention/on-the-go/pages/Car-Safety-Seats-Information-for-Families.aspx.
-Erica Smith
esmith@opubco.com
Get your car seat checked
Safe Kids Oklahoma is urging all parents and caregivers to get their car seats checked at their 3rd annual “National Seat Check” this Saturday, Sept. 12 at Hope Pregnancy Center, 1624 SW 82, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Experts will be available to give hands-on instruction on installing car seats and booster seats.
“We are urging everyone to have their child checked to be sure they are using the right restraint – a car seat, booster seat or seat belt. When it comes to the safety of a child, there is no room for mistakes,” said Christy Cornforth, local coalition coordinator, in a news release. “Parents should not guess on the installation of their child restraint.”
The coalition says that according to a 2008 study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 4 out of 5 child restraints are critically misused.
Don’t be one of the 4. Our children’s lives are too precious.
-Erica Smith
esmith@opubco.com
