[earthmama17]

I know it's not rocket science, but want to make sure I get this right. I know there are some "common" mistakes, just don't know what they are! I thought I read on here, that you can go to your local police station and have it installed there.

[sb123]

earthmama17,

I was afraid to install ours wrong. so, we took our car seat to our local police station and an officer showed us how to properly install it. We had to make an appointment and bring our instructions for he car seat.

sb123

[bb3009]

In Ohio the Highway Patrol is pretty good at helping with car seats. The county health department, local police departments, and local fire departments are also good resources for you. One of the most common mistakes parents make is that they don't have the straps on tight enough on the child.

[wannahave3]

Having it installed at a carseat clinic or by your local police station is a great idea!

I'm going to stand on my carseat soap box for a minute...

Having the seat properly installed is only half the equation. What we do every time we buckle the child into that seat is the other half.

I can't tell you how many children I see buckled in carseats where the straps are so loose I could probably fit my entire head under them. The straps should be untwisted and should fit snugly against the child's body. You shouldn't be able to get more than one finger between the child's shoulder and the harness strap.

I was in Babies R Us the other day and saw an infant buckled into an infant carrier with the chest clip down around her stomach. This is very dangerous. The chest clip should always be at armpit level.

These are two major pitfalls I see. The safest carseta in the world can only do its job if it's used properly

I'm off my soapbox now.

Safe travels,
Shannon
PS - Congrats on exiting PGN! Wishing you a speedy pink!

[brinawynne]

I also suggest taking it somewhere and having them install it. We took ours to a local hospital where they have people certified in carseat safetly. They showed us how to install it ourselves, although they advised us to come back if we needed to move it to another car, but I do know how just in case I have to in a pinch. And as wannahave3 touched on, they also put Alex in the seat and adjusted all the straps for us and showed us how the straps should fit and how to adjust them correctly as he grows. Make sure you take the seat booklet along with the booklet that comes with your car. We always thought that the middle was the safest place for a carseat, but found out that it is NOT safe in the middle in OUR car, only the outside seats...

[Amykk]

I echo what everyone else says - it is a really good idea to have someone install it and they will give you a little mini-lecture about proper use and installation. Here's a link that will help you find someone in your area:

http://www.nhtsa.gov/cps/cpsfitting/