Travel Baby

If a child is using either a toddler only seat, or a ‘convertible’ infant/toddler seat, its time to transition the child into a booster seat when he or she has outgrown the existing seat restraints (usually at about 40 pounds), but is not yet ready for just seat belts (the minimum height recommended for a child to start using just seat belts is 4′9″). These seats can typically accommodate a child from 30 to 100 pounds (usually 4 to 8 years of age). Child car seat manufacturers are bound by very strict guidelines, and you may be surprised to find that some of the more expensive seats don’t provide any better level of protection than those which are more moderately priced.

Many State laws require children to be in a safety seat only up to age 4 or so, and many parents assume that children who are older than this will be safely restrained by just an adult safety belt. This, however, is not the case. An automobile’s seat belt system is designed for use by adults, not small children, and it usually will not fit a child properly. A booster seat is designed to improve the fit of the vehicle’s safety belt system across the child’s body, for greater comfort and safety. (These seats should never be positioned in front of an air bag, as deployment of the bag can cause serious (even fatal) injuries to a child.)

Booster seats are available with either a “high back” or a “low back”. High back seats should always be used in cars without headrests, or with low seats, both to provide the child with a comfortable place to rest his or her head, and to provide protection against “whiplash” in an accident. Low back seats are generally cheaper than high back seats, and are easier to move from car to car, but should only be used in cars with headrests and high seat backs.

High back seats are often available with a 5 point harness (when car seats are not being used with a harness, they are considered being used in the “belt positioning” mode). Using a harness is generally the safest way to restrain a child, and it is recommended that, if a harness is used, it be used until the child outgrows it (usually at about 40 pounds). There are also ‘convertible’ toddler/booster seats available. These seats can be used for children from the time they are ready to start using a toddler car seat until they are ready to start using just the car seats belts.

Booster seats are designed to raise the child up so that the lap and shoulder seat belts fit properly. Belt positioning seats must always be used with a car’s lap and shoulder belt (never with a lap only belt). The car seat will raise a child so the lap belt goes over the child’s pelvis and hips (instead of his or her abdomen), and the shoulder belt crosses the middle of the child’s chest and shoulder (the seat may have a clip that can be adjusted to ensure that the shoulder belt does not cross the child’s face or neck).

By: Tom Littlepage

Any person who has ever been out shopping for baby shower gifts or baby travel accessories will have discovered that there are a multitude of products on the market that carry the Graco Baby brand name. Graco Inc. has a long history in the baby product market and they have developed a very good reputation for making products that are not only of high quality, but also affordable.

The Graco line of baby car seats, as well as the Graco strollers, are probably the best known and most popular of all their products. Because safety is of such great concern when it comes to anything related to babies, and especially when it comes to car seats and baby strollers, it is comforting for parents to know that Graco products are highly rated, with regard to safety standards and overall quality and durability.

There is a great selection of Graco baby vehicle seat models that a new parent can select from. Some models are very lightweight and easy to move from one vehicle to another and are great for use with toddlers. These can often even be used later as a booster seat when the toddler has outgrown the baby seat, yet isn’t big enough to ride without some type of car seat.

There are also several baby car seat models made by Graco that are designed especially for newborns and infants. They provide the maximum amount of support and comfort to the baby while also offering all the safety and security for the child that a parent could ever hope for. Some models have adjustments that allow the car seat to be used as the child grows into the toddler stage. Of course, the more adjustable and adaptable the model is the more you can expect to pay for it.

While some people think that they might as well buy a baby car seat that can be used from the time a child is newborn all the way though the toddler stage and even beyond, for many new parents the cost is just prohibitive to do that. Fortunately, Graco provides lots of options to parents so that they can find just the right thing that fits into their budget.

Sometimes, it just makes sense to purchase the lower priced item even when you know in six months to a year you will have to buy something else to accommodate the child as they continue to grow. While this often is the least expensive approach, sometimes it is the only way to fit the necessary baby travel gear into the budget at that stage. With all of the models of Graco strollers, baby car seats, and other baby products, the parents always have a choice no matter what stage of development their child is in and what type of baby travel accessories they need at the time.

One very popular Graco baby product is the Graco Duo Glider baby stroller. It is able to handle either twins, or a newborn and a sibling who is still in diapers.

This Graco stroller has a large storage bin for carrying the necessities that are needed, and it has a tray for each seat as well as cup holder. In addition, the rear seat is slightly higher, giving the child in the back a view of where the family is headed.

By: Mike Selvon