The Babysitter and the bumGeinius

Dental work. I hate dental work. But what must be done, must be done. So I dropped off the two under-school-aged little people with a good friend of mine so that I could go and be tortured in peace.

My friend has a bunch of her own children, including two close in age to my youngest two. Mine are 6 months and 3 years and hers are 1 year and 3 years. So I knew the kids would have a pretty good time.

She has never been one to understand my love for cloth diapering. It's just not her thing, and that is fine. To keep things easy for her I put Lily in a bumGenius and included both the bumGenius and a disposable diaper for any needed changes. I showed her my wet bag for the soiled diaper and told her she could just use a disposable diaper if Lily needed a change.

Imagine my surprise when I came back and she exclaimed, "That cloth diaper was just as easy as a disposable! I never imagined it could be that easy!" and then followed up with several more questions about cost and care of the diapers.

I'll convert her yet!

Things I Would Rather Buy

When my husband is working a lot of overtime I get tempted. Wandering through the grocery store, those cute little boxes of disposable diapers sing their siren song, "I'm so much easier, you can do a little less laundry since this week is so busy." I begin to falter, reaching out towards a particular favorite brand, realizing no, I don't want the smaller package, because then I have to worry about running out. But the price sets me back a bit. $20 for the big box. I look at my cart. $20 adds a lot to a grocery bill. Especially since disposable diapers are just trash. Trash I would have to pay $20 for.

My mind wanders some more. What else could I buy for $20? The possibilities are endless!

• A book for myself (or two or three)
• A couple of books for my kids
• A pair of shoes on sale
• A purse (never mind, I won't be carrying just a purse for a while now.)
• A special outing to the zoo or a movie with a child
• Here's an idea - just save that money.
  

Any one of those sounds much better than buying something that will just be trash two hours after using it. Really stinky trash. So, because I am selfish, I pass up the disposable diapers again and remind myself that no matter what I use on the baby's behind, I still have to change it anyway.

But wait a minute. What about all that money spent on cloth diapers? That is a heck of a lot more than $20. What could you have spent that money on? Good point.

First off, that money does not add to my already astronomical grocery bill. Let's face it, $150 for groceries looks different in the check register than $170. The money comes from the clothing part of the budget (floppy, lopsided budget that it is.) Secondly, cloth diapers are purchased and then you have them. They don't go in the trash. They are there for your constant use.

Still, that is a lot of money to fork out all at once. So here is an idea: don't fork it out all at once. Some people will want to buy it all at once and dive in, some would rather try out a few options first. Buy your diapers over three or four months and build a nice stash of cloth gradually. If you are ahead of the game, you can do this while you are pregnant and have it all ready to go buy the time the baby comes. If you are starting out later, it may mean that you don't jump to full time cloth right away, but that is no reason not to start at all.

For example:
Month 1 you might buy
bumGenius 3 pack - 53.10
6 infant prefolds - 9.00
2 Bummis Super Brite covers - 25.90
Total: $88 - Enough for free shipping! And also enough to cloth diaper at least part time.

The next month you might get more bumGenius, more prefolds, a wet bag, and some wipes. For more information about what to choose and how to get started, see Cloth Diapers - Just the Basics.

Before you know it you have a very well stocked diaper collection.

A Favorite Baby Toy

Fold a piece of clothing, hand Lily her toy, fold a piece of clothing, hand Lily her toy... so it went as I tried to catch up on folding the mountain of laundry while Lily was willing to sit in her Bumbo chair. Unfortunately though, Lily's grip is not the surest and she can't reach the things that fall on the floor from her seat. So up and down I went, handing her the toy and then folding something. It was so nice to see her interested in something besides me for a moment, even if her dexterity wasn't quite as in tune as her interest.

Choosing your baby's first toys can be a hard choice for a thoughtful parent. I like to choose things that are well made with fair labor and are safe, but I also want to make sure it is something my baby will really enjoy.

Keeping in mind that one of your baby's favorite toys are his parent's own fingers, I try to find toys that have several parts about that size that are easy to grab.

Triola is a nice girly example, Rally Clutching Toy is a boyish one and Trio is a gender neutral one.

Once your baby has gotten a little more coordinated and is playing with two hands at once and able to hold onto thing of different sizes, you might want to add in cute little things like the Moby Flexible Handling Toy.

I get hooked on baby toys. The lovely clacking sound of the wood is definitely preferable to a plastic rattle to my ears, and is usually a bit quieter. At least it is quieter until the child learns to bang it on other things to make different and better sounds. I love to place a baby down in the middle of the floor and spread the toys around and watch to see what she goes for first. Sometimes it is her own toe, but sometimes she will zero in on a particular toy and work hard until she gets it. That is a privileged moment for a parent; to see their child begin to form their own goal and to work to pursue it. And it all begins with a bright little toy.

(Cottonbabies has information about the testing and quality standards of the toys it sells: Plan Toys and Haba Toys.)

Car Seat Safety Part 2

I asked Maryanne to explain some of the mistakes she sees that she listed in the first post. Some are very self explanatory, but here are her answers:

• Facing forward too soon

How long should a child Rear Face? A child should remain rearfacing to the limits of their particular carseat. The limits being the carseat's rearfacing weight limit AND you must ensure that they have 1" or more of plastic shell above their head.

• Boosters being used too soon

When is a child old enough or big enough for a booster? A good goal is to keep a child in a 5-point harness through age 4. Once a child hits age 5, a booster might be an option depending on the child's size and maturity.

• Using LATCH for center positions when LATCH is not allowed in the center for that vehicle

How do I know what LATCH positions are allowed? You must read your vehicle's manual to find out which seating positions allow for usage of the lower anchors.

• Loose straps
  

How tight should the straps be? If you can pinch the harness vertically between your two fingers, it's too loose.

• Aftermarket accessories

What are aftermarket accessories? Aftermarket products include seat protectors, infant body pillows, carseat toys, seat belt tighteners, and anything that does not come in the original box with your carseat.

• Twisted straps (vehicle seat belts, latch straps, and harness straps)
• Using the wrong belt path or not switching the LATCH straps (seats have different belt/LATCH paths for RF and FF)
• Chest clips too low

Where should the chest clip be? The chest clip should be at armpit level.

• Using seats that are outgrown

How can I tell if my child's seat is outgrown? You must read your carseat's manual to find the weight and height limits for your seat.

• Seat belt installs where the seat belt is NOT locked

You must read your vehicle's manual to find out how your seat belts lock. There are several types of seat belts and your manual can provide instructions for locking.

• Not using top tethers
• Using both LATCH and seat belt

Isn't that more secure? Using LATCH and seat belts together causes all the straps to interfere with each other and, most importantly, the seat has never been crash tested that way. There is also a possibility that using both systems will double the crash force on the seat, causing it to fail.

• Not replacing a seat after a crash
• Expired seats

When do caresats expire? All carseat are labeled with a sticker and/or a stamp in their plastic shell indicating their expirations date. Your manual will also tell you. Most seats expire in 6-8 years.

• Thick coats

How do you keep a child warm then? Blankets, thin fleece suits, and ponchos can be used. You can also remove a child's coat, buckle them in, and then put their coat back on backwards.

• Usage of seats that are recalled

How can I check and see if my seat has been recalled? The best idea is to register your seat as soon as you get it to you will be notified of a recall. An online listing is available on the NTHSA page for Defects and Recalls.

• Children (12 and under) sitting in the front seat
• Not reading the carseat manual
• Not reading the vehicle manual
• Straps not in the right position (above or below shoulders)

Where should the straps be? If your child is rearfacing, straps should be AT or BELOW the shoulders. If your child is forward facing, straps should be AT or ABOVE the shoulders. Your carseat's manual will also have information about this, as well as directions on how to adjust the harness height.

Thank you, Maryanne for helping to taking the time to share this information and for your concern with children's safety!

Car Seat Safety Part 1

During the last year I have been reading up on Car Seat Information. I even briefly considered taking the course to become a Certified Car Seat Safety Technician, but the class fell on a week when I was 36 weeks pregnant and one of my babies was starting kindergarten… I just couldn’t miss that! Since I am not certified or really the one to ask about these issues here is the first part of my interview with Maryanne, a CPST.

How did you become interested in Car Seat Safety?

Maryanne: Thanks to some online parenting forums, I found out that you could find technicians to check your seats for you. When Mila was about 3 months old, I went to get our seat checked at our local police station. I made some very common errors that the technician corrected. Her next appointment never arrived, so she and I spent over an hour chatting about car safety, crash dynamics, car seat, etc. I found the whole subject fascinating and she told me that I should look into taking a technician course myself.

What is a CPST?

Maryanne: CPST = Child Passenger Safety Technician. Technicians take a 4-5 day course that includes 1 hands-on seat belt identification exam, 1 hands-on car seat installation exam, and 1 written exam. The course is a mix of classroom time and time spent in cars with car seats. We learn about child restraint laws, crash dynamics, physics, types of seats, types of seat belts, special needs, and how to work with the public. The course end in a seat check where the technicians work with the public. You can only be a CPST if you pass all the exams and participate in the seat check. Every 2 years, you must re-certify. Re-certification includes participating in seat checks or public education events, attaining continuing education credits so you remain up-to-date, and you must perform 5 different types of installations and have them reviewed by an Instructor. Certification is key because it ensures that all techs are staying current on best practices and all techs have been thoroughly trained to the same standards.

What do you do as a CPST?

Maryanne: Technicians spend time at seat checks where they inspect car seats, educate parents, and teach the parent how to install their seats properly. We also participate in public safety events where we hand out educational materials, speak to parents, and do demonstrations.

What are some common mistakes that you see when you check car seats?

Maryanne:

• Facing forward too soon
• Boosters being used too soon
• Using LATCH for center positions when LATCH is not allowed in the center for that vehicle
• Loose straps
• Aftermarket accessories
• Twisted straps (vehicle seat belts, latch straps, and harness straps)
• Using the wrong belt path or not switching the LATCH straps (seats have different belt/LATCH paths for RF and FF)
• Chest clips too low
• Using seats that are outgrown
• Seat belt installs where the seat belt is NOT locked
• Not using top tethers
• Using both LATCH and seat belt
• Not replacing a seat after a crash
• Expired seats
• Thick coats
• Usage of seats that are recalled
• Children (12 and under) sitting in the front seat
• Not reading the carseat manual
• Not reading the vehicle manual
• Straps not in the right position (above or below shoulders)

How can people find a CPST to check their car seats?

Maryanne: The fastest way is to look online at National Standardized Child Passenger Safety Training Program.

Anything else you would like to add:

Maryanne: Car safety is so important because vehicular crashes are the leading cause of death for those age 34 and under. Our children are particularly vulnerable because of their small size. Very simple changes in the way that parents use their car seats can literally save their child's life in a crash. It is always worth it to take the time to see a technician.