car seat question

jstrat53

Do you have to put the handle down on the car seat carrier when it is in the car and you're driving? I think the answer is yes, so my next question is this... are those activity/toy arches safe to use on the car seat when you are driving?  

My daughter does better in the car when she has something to look at.  I have some toys that attach to the handle of the carrier but when I put her in the car and put the handle down she obviously can't see them anymore.  I found on toys r us website these activity arches that clip onto the sides of the car seat and thought about buying one.  

 https://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3922162

Rachel.lilly

I'm not sure about the handle being up/down. I thought it would work like a roll bar if the car flipped but the handle toys have a warning not to use them while the car is in motion. The one I have is a bright starts hard plastic toy that goes across the handle. I'm not sure of soft toys though.

m&m2006

we put the bar down with DD1.  when we were taking DD2 home from the hospital, the car seat technician said it was ok to keep the bar up, so that's what we have been doing.  makes it even easier to pop the seat in and out.

cmsdouglas

I've heard to put it down so that if the car seat slams against the seat, there's not as far for baby to fly because the seat will cradle right up against the seat, kwim?  As far as the toys, we have a mirror that has hooks for toys that goes on the seat behind the car seat.  LO could really care less at this point, though, so we haven't been using it.

Kristinmo

Depends on the seat. We have a chicco infant seat and it specifically says in the manual that either position is ok. Other seats specifically say the handle must be down. 

SLAHSarah

Our car seat tech said specifically NOT to use the toys unless they come with the car seat from the manufacturer.  Some of them have a hard piece inside that would cause SERIOUS damage if it were to hit the child during an accident.  So we only use them on the stroller.  Car seat, she does just sleeps.

kel716

Read your manual.  Every seat is different, so it really does depend on the seat. 

As for the toys, if the bar can be up, I'd only hang soft toys and not one of those plastic bars. 

Wipz

we put ours down asnd it gives exta hold because it's wedged in tight behind the front seat.. I hung a rattily soft toy from the headrest on the back seat.. he seems ok with that

lulling

The manual for my carseat said to put the handle down.  So we do.  We have a little toy to hang on the top so it seems kind of pointless, although he usually spends his time looking out the window so it does not matter that much to us.  I am not quite sure why you put the handle down though.  There have been a couple of times that we have forgotten.

sunnyday016

Go by the manual.

As for the toys, technically, no they're not safe even if your seat allows for the handle to be up. In the case of a crash they could become a projectile. However, I think the benefits of soft toys outweigh the possibility for injury so I'd use them if your seat allows the handle to be up. 

countrygrl5533

Interesting. I never thought about the handle having to be in a certain spot so I looked it up. Ours is any locked position is fine. I always leave it up because I'm lazy. DH always puts it down so he can see DD easier in the mirror.

 No idea about toys. We don't have any. She sleeps in the car.

lawright

Find something to clip to the seat/headrest instead.  We have: https://www.amazon.com/Bright-Starts-Play-Auto-Mirror/dp/B002C1ABOU

You can clip toys to the loops on the bottom as LO gets older, but almost all newborns like mirrors.