Car Seats

Mauranda & Shane · September 2010

DH had the hardest time finding someone around here that would inspect DDs car seat before she arrived. He went to the Fire Departments, Police stations, etc. We have 'Car Safety' checks here but only once a month in most towns. Luckily, our neighbor is one of the car seat safety people and she was able to help us out. With that being said, I have noticed that our Pedi has NEVER mentioned any type of car seat safety information to us, which I find odd. Also, our friends came over last night who have a 4 week old baby and we noticed that she was in her car seat wrong. The buckle was acting as a 3 point harness instead of a 5 point. When we said something to them, they said "That's how the nurse at the hospital showed us.".... GRRRRRRR... They took our advice and went home to read the manual again that came with the car seat and we were right, they had been buckling wrong. It needed to be the way that we showed them. We felt horrible saying anything as we were not trying to 'step on anyone's toes', but when it comes to car seats, it's better to be safe then sorry!

This again got me thinking.... do most Pedis go over car seat safety? DD and our friends DD have 2 different Pedis and neither of them did this.

Has your Pedi ever gone over car seat safety?

SuperCuteBenz · September 2010

No. Car seat safety is not part of their education. In fact, it is apparent by a lot of post on here, that many pediatricians are not up to date on the latest information.

Our pedi has only discussed extended rear-facing with us. She has articles posted in the offices in regards to this, and made sure that we knew that rear-facing as long as possible (or at least until 2) was safest. We already knew that we were going to do that but it was awesome to know that we were on the same page.

Mauranda & Shane · September 2010

This is just so frustrating to me! My Pedi found out that DD was still on the bottle at 13 months and FREAKED OUT, yet they know nothing about car seat safety!??!??! This just boggles my mind. Especially when the rate of people who have their babies in their car seats incorrectly is 90% nationally.

Well, I just found myself a new project - I'm on a mission to get car seat safety into the Pedi offices!!!!!!!!

jnealet · September 2010

Nope, my pedi hasn't said anything to us abotu carseats.

And FWIW, in Australia they only have 3-point harnesses. You can buy something to hook the straps on the chest but I was told they only get those if the baby is trying to climb out of their seat.

SportyChic24 · September 2010

Nope, it would be nice if they did though. Maybe at least give information on where to go for inspection. Maybe also the hospitals should actually check before you leave after your LO is born, ours did not. If not the pedi maybe your ob doc could talk to you about it or give you information as well.

Mauranda & Shane · September 2010

I'm on it!!! I'm on a mission gals!! Idea

sunnyday016 · September 2010

Our pedi has never mentioned a type of seat to us, and the nurse at the office tried to push FF on us at her 1 year appt (when she weighed DD she was all like "if you weight 20lbs, Mama can turn your car seat around!"). I politely informed the nurse of the AAP's latest recommendation of 2 years or the limits of the seat, but she just nodded and smiled like I was some super over-protective parent.

shoregirl75 · September 2010

I am probably going to risk getting flammed by saying this - but why should it be a peds job to instruct on or learn about car seat safety? You don't go to your primary care doctor for advice on wearing a seat belt.

Personally, I'd rather my ped focus on the medical aspects of my child's development, rather then spending their education and time learning about car seats. It should be either the police or sheriffs department's job to help parent's learn about correct car seat safety (just like they do for adults wearing seat belts and other safety topics)

sunnyday016 · September 2010

shoregirl75:
I am probably going to risk getting flammed by saying this - but why should it be a peds job to instruct on or learn about car seat safety? You don't go to your primary care doctor for advice on wearing a seat belt.
Personally, I'd rather my ped focus on the medical aspects of my child's development, rather then spending their education and time learning about car seats. It should be either the police or sheriffs department's job to help parent's learn about correct car seat safety (just like they do for adults wearing seat belts and other safety topics)

Nah, I won't flame you. I tend to agree anyway.

mavs_girl07 · September 2010

shoregirl75:

I am probably going to risk getting flammed by saying this - but why should it be a peds job to instruct on or learn about car seat safety? You don't go to your primary care doctor for advice on wearing a seat belt.

Personally, I'd rather my ped focus on the medical aspects of my child's development, rather then spending their education and time learning about car seats. It should be either the police or sheriffs department's job to help parent's learn about correct car seat safety (just like they do for adults wearing seat belts and other safety topics)

I kinda understand this, but on the other hand...when we go to our pedi he gives us all kinds of information on dd. He focuses on medical, but he also talks to us about her development, behavior, sleep, eating, playing, choking hazards, etc. He even went over baby proofing the house when she started crawling and walking. So you'd think somewhere in there it would also be important to add in a little bit of car safety. Heck, even a pamphlet on carseat safety sitting out in the waiting room would be helpful. There are a million pamphlets in our waiting room on various childcare places, immunizations, healthy eating, even clothing stores. But nothing anywhere on carseat safety.

penguingrrl · September 2010

No, my ped has never mentioned carseat safety at all. That might be because we're in a major city, though, where the majority of residents don't use cars on a regular basis. I would never trust a peds information on carseats anyway since they have absolutely no training on it. My SIL is a ped and does not know how to install a carseat, her DH (a doctor in family practice) installs them wrong but doesn't believe me that it's incorrect (he's the type who is always right) and they use heavy coats in the seat as well. I realized very quickly that peds know nothing at all about carseat safety.

emiliemadison · September 2010

shoregirl75:
I am probably going to risk getting flammed by saying this - but why should it be a peds job to instruct on or learn about car seat safety? You don't go to your primary care doctor for advice on wearing a seat belt.

Personally, I'd rather my ped focus on the medical aspects of my child's development, rather then spending their education and time learning about car seats. It should be either the police or sheriffs department's job to help parent's learn about correct car seat safety (just like they do for adults wearing seat belts and other safety topics)

I agree. HOWEVER, many parents do ask their pedi about car seat safety because they feel it's a trusted, professional source of information and they dont know who else to ask. And based on many posts I've seen here, there are plenty of pediatricians who freely offer up their advice on car seats. The problem is, as you said, that they DONT have education or training about car seat safety. NONE. And unfortunately, many of them give outdated or just plain ignorant advice.

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