Mom and Baby – Car Seats

Every state requires infants in automobiles to ride in government-approved car seats. In fact, you’ll need a car seat within days of the birth, for that momentous ride home from the birth center or hospital. Your child should always ride in the back seat and, until his or her first birthday, always ride facing backward.

Infant seats, designed for children up to 20 pounds, have a handle so you can easily carry your baby to and from the car. Some seats snap into bases (which you leave belted in the car), and some can be snapped into a stroller so you don’t have to disturb a sleeping baby when you’re out and about. Other “convertible” seats can be used (with a supportive insert) for infants in the rear-facing position. After your child turns one, you can turn the convertible seat around to face forward and use it until your child weighs 40 pounds. After that, your child will graduate to a booster seat.

Features to look for include: a five-point harness system (the safest, according to several studies), an easy-to-release locking mechanism, straps that are easily adjustable as your child grows and a cover that can easily be removed for washing. Whatever car seat

Baby Clothes

Don’t be swayed by department-store registries that call for an endless array and supply of infant clothing. Certainly, for starters, you’ll want to purchase several pairs of socks or booties, two hats (one for warmth and one for sun protection) and a few body suits, undershirts and sleepers or gowns, preferably in soft fabrics. But some babies, for example, dislike the confinement of blanket sleepers, and some mothers find one style of clothing easier to change than others. So don’t fill up the closet until you and your baby have gotten to know each other better.

Related Posts:

1. Mom and Baby Basics
2. Mom and Baby: Strollers
3. Mom and Baby: Books
4. Mom and Baby: Blankets
5. Mom and Baby: Co-Sleepers