How To Prepare Your Car For A New Addition To The Family?
Expecting parents are often overwhelmed by the sheer number of things they must do in order to prepare for their new arrival. Things have to be bought and the home has to be baby-proofed. One thing that often gets overlooked, however, is preparing the family car for the new baby.
Most expecting parents think that they only have to buy a new car seat for the vehicle and that part of the job is done. That isn’t the case. Purchasing the baby seat is only one step, out of many, that has to be completed to keep the child safe.
The Baby Seat
The car seat is one of the most critical components that you can buy to ensure the safety of your child. You should choose a baby seat that is appropriate for your child’s age and has all of the modern safety features equipped. The baby seat that you choose should also be one that will fit properly into your vehicle. Not every baby seat fits in every single vehicle, so it is important that you purchase the seat prior to the birth of the child and test it out to make sure it fits properly.
One final note on purchasing a car seat for your child. You should always make sure that you buy a brand new one and not one that has been used previously. That’s because if the baby seat has been in a prior accident, then its safety features could be compromised.
Cleaning Up The Vehicle
Before you install your baby seats, you need to look through the car as thoroughly as possible. You should remove any objects that could present safety risks to your child. This includes any objects that could become deadly projectiles in the event of a crash or sudden deceleration. The interior of the car should also be vacuumed to make sure that it doesn’t contain dust that could negatively affect your child’s respiratory system.
Installing The Baby Seat
The car seat should always be placed in the middle of the back seat, facing backwards. The child should never be seated in the front seat, especially if the vehicle has passenger-side airbags or front airbags that can’t be deactivated. It is also important to make sure that if the car seat comes with special locking clips for the seat belts, then they should be properly installed. There is a number of video guides available on Youtube to help you with this!
Check The Vehicles Safety
The vehicle should be given a complete inspection before placing your child into it. The windshields should be clean and free of any cracks or damage. The tires need to have sufficient tread and should be kept at the proper pressure level. The exterior lights and turn signals should be in good working order. You should also check that the brakes, steering and suspension are all in good working order.
If your vehicle has child-safety locks, then these should be engaged. You also need to realize that many newer vehicles, especially newer Fords, have begun placing air-bags in the back seats. These should be deactivated prior to placing the child in their car seat.
Entertain Your Child
Providing entertainment for your child not only makes them happier, but it also makes it less likely that they will distract you while you are driving. The entertainment provided should be age appropriate. This may include age-appropriate music or DVDs.
Andrew is prepared! Reading up on all of the literature on pregnancy, deliveries and child-care (and there is a lot!), he decided to write up a short guide to preparing your car for the upcoming baby. You can read more of his stuff on the site he writes at, or at his Facebook profile.