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Chances are, you probably know someone who just had a baby or is currently pregnant, right? Along with a pregnancy wave usually comes an increased demand for childcare products. Researching baby items can almost feel like you’re looking for a very small (almost microscopic) needle in a haystack. Truthfully, it can be overwhelming.
While searching for baby products consumers typically ask questions like, “Which has the best safety ratings?”, “Is it really worth the hype and money”, and “Is it durable?” These types of processes can even make us think of larger-scale purchases. For instance, research car seats can lead to questioning the safety of a vehicle you already own. If you’re in the market for a new car, check out our post about Top Safety Rated Cars, investigating vehicle safety ratings.
While we may not be experts, hopefully we can help remove some of the hay in your never-ending search for child safety information.
Top-Rated Car Seats for Safety
safewise.com for more information
One of the top necessities for every kid from infant to toddler is a car seat. According to safewise.com, these are some of the best car seats in 2021:
Many people love the Cybex Aton 2 because it has a load leg, which typically makes a car seat incredibly expensive, but the Aton 2 is somewhat affordable in comparison. Wondering what a load leg is? It’s a structural element to the car seat or car seat base that extends from the safety seat down to the vehicle’s floor. These can be valuable in the event of an auto accident because it can transfer crash forces away from the child and is intended to significantly reduce the car seat’s movement during an impact. The biggest cons is that its height limitations mean many kids will outgrow this infant car seat before their first birthday.
This car seat is a 4-in-1 that’s meant to protect your child from infancy until they’re around age 10 or the maximum booster size of 120 pounds. It performs very well in third-party crash tests and is fairly easy to clean. A known con is that installation for rear-facing is a bit more difficult than some competitors.
This is the most affordable option in our list, starting at $150. It doesn’t lack safety features for the price, with the third-best head injury criteria test results from evaluations. It’s very easy to clean since its padding can easily be tossed in the laundry.
The UPPAbaby Mesa stands out as one of the only car seats you can buy that has a perfect score with the NHTSA when it comes to ease of use. Although it is not one of the top brackets when it comes to crash test scores, and has a higher price tag.
This is a car seat that is basically all-in-one, going from rear-facing to forward-facing to a booster seat. Children can ride safely in the rear-facing position until they weigh more than 50 lbs or over 48 inches tall.
Most of these car seats will have stroller frames they are compatible with, or you may even be able to buy them together as a set with a stroller. Have more questions regarding safety, or not seeing your top pick on the list? Check out safewise.com for more information regarding safety ratings.
Infant Sleep Safety
According to cdc.gov, about 3,500 babies in the United States alone are lost to sleep-related deaths each year. As more and more findings are released about SIDs and these unexpected deaths, we get closer and closer to being able to prevent a greater number.
Here are also a few tips we’ve researched said to help prevent sleep-related accidents:
- Back is best. Always place babies on their back for sleep times – nap times and overnights. Even if the child rolls over on their own each time, it’s important to start them on their backs.
- Use a firm sleep surface or safety-approved mattress. There are now breathable mattresses that can help prevent suffocation such as the top-rated Newton Mattress and Moonlight Crib Mattress.
- Remove blankets, pillows, crib bumpers and toys from the baby’s sleeping area. Babies should sleep without anything else in the crib, at least for the first 18 months of life.
- If you want your baby close, it is recommended to share your room with the baby, but not your bed.
- Consider purchasing an infant monitor that keeps an eye on things like heart rate, oxygen levels and more. These aren’t always a necessity and are newer to the market, but they can provide relief to parents who need it.
