Instruction for Mom-drivers: safety in road trips with a toddler

Woman's Day will tell you what you need to know about the correct transportation of the baby and how to make a joint trip by car comfortable and safe.Photo: Getty

In a car with a baby

When you think about what you need to buythe birth of the baby, the car seat is one of the first on the list. If you can wait a little with the stroller and crib, then the child will need a car seat already by the time he is discharged from the maternity hospital, of course, if you are going to go home by car. And yet it is better to buy a seat or car seat a little in advance to have time to figure out how to properly place it in the car. Otherwise, without understanding how to secure it, you and the child will go home on foot, because it is prohibited to transport the baby without a seat! Even if it seems to you that the newborn will be calmer in his mother's arms, remember that this is a very big risk to the child's life. In a collision, even at low speed, the child's weight will increase several times, you will not be able to hold him. Therefore, even if the baby does not calm down on the way home, being buckled up, be patient or stop the car to feed him, but do not take him out of the seat while driving. Remember that until the child turns 12, transporting him, limited to just the car seat belts, is not allowed! The little passenger must be in a special restraint device.

Car Wash

Now let's figure out which car seatneed to start. If you think that a car seat (even with the 0+ mark) can somehow harm your baby's spine, then for the first months of life you can buy a car seat with the 0 mark. In it, the baby will lie strictly horizontally. This position normalizes the baby's breathing and will definitely protect his fragile bones from stress. This restraint device is placed on the back seat of the car and is located perpendicular to the movement. Accordingly, the child is fixed inside the cradle with the help of belts, and the cradle itself is fastened with the standard seat belts of the car. Keep in mind that such a car seat cannot be placed on the front seat of the car and can only be used up to six months.Photo: Getty

Car Seat 0+

A good alternative to the cradle iscar seat. Inside it, the child is additionally held by special belts that wrap around the baby's tummy, and the seat itself is fastened with the car's seat belts or with the Isofix system. This system is extremely reliable in terms of fastening the car seat, since it is attached directly to the car body with special locks, and you do not need to use seat belts to fasten the restraining device. However, not every car has such a system, and the seat itself, equipped with it, will cost twice as much. In appearance, the car seat resembles a bag with hard handles and a bottom, its backrest tilt is adjustable within 30-45 degrees. The soft headrest securely holds the baby's head and minimizes the load on the neck. A car seat for the smallest, that is, marked 0+ (up to 13 kg) is placed with its back to the direction of travel, that is, the driver will not be able to see the child's face, which means it is better if someone is next to the baby in the back. However, if necessary, the car seat can be placed on the front seat, this is not prohibited by traffic rules, but a mandatory condition is the deactivation of the airbag, which, when activated, can seriously injure the baby. According to statistics, the safest place for a child seat is the central rear seat. The first car seat can also be used as a carrier. This is convenient because you do not need to disturb the baby if he falls asleep in the car. By the way, some models of car seats come with a stroller and can be placed on the chassis. However, it is important to consider that you can only put a child in a car seat in a suit or overalls; you will not be able to fasten him in a blanket or envelope. Read also: