Which is Best: High Back or Backless Booster Car Seats?

This post is brought to you by BestCarSeatHub.com. 

When your child outgrows the harnessed car seat, it's time for an upgrade. Boosters are essential safety devices that position the child so the seat belt fits them correctly. Between the ages of 4 to 8, studies show that they've reduced injuries from car crashes by 45% versus kids using only the seat belt.

When your child is at least 4 and weighs 40 pounds or more, if she is too tall for her car seat (meaning shoulders higher than the tops of the harness straps), and if she can sit up properly for the whole trip, she may be ready for the booster upgrade. But, be sure to check SafeKids.org to find your local regulations.

If your child is ready for an upgrade, now you must choose which one is best. Choosing from the myriad of booster seats on the market is challenging. Do you pick a simple backless model or a high back one?

Let's look at the pros and cons of each to help you make an informed decision.

High Back Booster Seat Pros

• Keeps the shoulder belt in place
• Keeps the neck in a safe position
• 
  Wings on the side protect the child's head and supports the head when sleeping
• Better latch connections offer more protection for a side impact crash
• Some can convert to backless booster seats
• Many have a lower weight minimum than backless models

High Back Booster Seat Cons

• Price – usually costs a lot more than backless
• Weight – heavier than backless, which makes switching vehicles more difficult
• Can leave imprints in your back seats (could be prevented with a seat guard)

Backless Booster Pros

• Usually cheaper (some are under $20) than high back car seats
• More head and leg room space for taller, thinner children
• Lightweight – much easier for those who switch vehicles often

Backless Booster Cons

• Not as comfortable for longer car trips
• Lack of protection around head
• Higher weight minimums than high back models
• Doesn't keep shoulder belt in place for smaller children (some come with a clip to help position the belt)

Ready to start shopping? Check out the top ten booster seats 2017!

There are other important things to remember when buying a booster seat. Don't add strap covers or other accessories if they don't already come in the box or aren't approved by the manufacturer. It could actually void your warranty if the need arises. Be sure to read your manual thoroughly and read it again every so often.

It will help you remember height and weight requirements and other safety measures you might have forgotten. Also keep yourself updated on any product recalls so you'll always be using a safe product. SaferCar.gov is a great place to look for recent recalls. Still unsure about which is the safest? Check the American Academy of Pediatrics' list of approved car seats.  

Graduating from the Booster Seat

At some point, children do grow out of needing a booster seat. But how do you know when it's time? If you answer yes to all these, then your child is probably ready to ditch the booster:

• When the child moves, does the seat belt stay in place?
• Is the lap belt positioned low on the abdomen, near the top of your child's thighs?
• Can the seat belt cross evenly over your child's shoulder between the arm and neck?
• Is your child able to sit all the way back against the backseat without slumping?
• Can your child's knees fully bend over the backseat's edge?
• Can your child remain still and comfortable for the entire car ride?

Again, be sure to read your manual to get age/weight guidelines, then verify with your local regulations and the AAP's recommendations.

Don't forget to register your car seat in order to be notified if there is a recall. Read more about registering your car seat here.

3 things you may not know about car seat safety {Guest Post}

by Emily Parker

Car seats are vital to keeping our children safe in the car. The tough things is that things are constantly changing...including our kids! Even people who strive to be "on top of" all things car seat safety can miss something along the way. It's important to be vigilant in keeping our children safe while riding in the car...from birth till adulthood let's do all we can to protect them! 

I've written posts in the past about car seat safety but felt lead to write on this topic again because I've noticed a trend of three things that parents are often not being mindful of when it comes to car seats!
As a refresher be sure to read over this post on car seat safety and this one on car seat safety beyond age 2. 

Even with all the information I included in the posts above, here are three things you still may not know about car seat safety:

1. Do Not Add ANYTHING To Your Car Seat: I had a friend post on this recently and it's something that is very, very important. Yes. Baby stores sell TONS of cute little things you can put on your baby's or child's seat. Strap covers that are soft and cuddly. Cushions to give them extra comfort. Just because a store sells it does not make it safe. Adding things to your child's seat not only causes a safety concern but will actually void your manufacturers warranty with your car seat. So in the event that an accident does occur with the seat, the company won't be helping you out. This is an excellent post with more information about the importance of avoiding "extras" with your car seat!

2. Read and Re-Read Your Manual: Every single car seat on the market is unique in it's own way. Even different production years of the same model of car seat vary. It is VITAL to not only read through your seat's entire manual when you purchase the seat, but also to re-read through it on a regular basis. As your child grows, the seat has to change to still be safe for your child. I learned this with my first child. I never thought to check the car seat manual and at a couple months old I still had the newborn insert in the seat that was supposed to be removed by 11 pounds! It was a rookie mistake but one I've been mindful of not to make again. I constantly see pictures of kids on social media who are in the correct seat for their height/weight/age but they are not in it correctly. A top quality seat still can't protect your child if it's not being used the way it's meant to be used. Each seat has different specifications for the strap locations, headrest locations, tilt of seat, even how to latch the seat into the car. All of these things change as your child changes so it's imperative to stay current with it!  My son is 48" tall and his seat can only use the harness up until 50 inches. I am aware of this and know by his 8th birthday he'll probably need to convert to the high-back booster. It didn't surprise me to read this when I read over his manual last week...but what did surprise me was that at 50 lbs we have to use both the latch and the seat belt system to install the seat. He's right at 50 lbs so it's important that we make sure we have it installed correctly! Even the smallest things make a big difference in keeping your child safe.

3. Recognize The Importance of the Word AND: And is a much different word that Or. Many people look at car seat safety guidelines and replace the word AND for the word OR. Back when the recommendation for forward facing was 1 years old AND 20 lbs often people would say "oh I can turn my kid forward on their first birthday!" and never look at the rest of the recommendation. This happens often with car seats. I see all the time people saying "my child is two so they can forward face!" when in reality the rule of thumb is age 2 AND the max height/weight your seat allows. Same goes for graduating from a booster to a regular seat belt. Car seat safety is NOT about an age. I'm so happy to see things changing in the world of seat recommendations. Every child grows at a different rate and it's wonderful to see more of a use of weight/height recommendations than age. 

The goal when purchasing a seat should always be to keep the child in the safest possible position for as long as possible. Rear facing - buy a seat with a high weight/height limit. Forward facing - buy a seat that allows for a 5 point harness to be used for as long as possible (my son is 7 and still in a 5 point). Booster - buy one that has both a lap and shoulder belt then keep them in that booster as long as possible (most kids are between the ages of 10 - 12 when they graduate to a regular seat belt without booster use). This is an excellent post on booster seat safety and when it's appropriate to switch from the booster to a regular belt!

For people who are passionate about car seat safety, such as myself, we can be the ones that people whisper about. I'm sure Kye is among the very few kids still in a 5 point harness in the drop off line. Tess will be rear facing until kindergarten for sure and I'm pretty sure she'll be one of the only ones then as well (I'm sadly pretty sure she's one of the few still rear facing at a couple months older than 2). It's not about what everyone else is doing. It's about what is best. What keeps my children as safe as possible. When you know better, you should do better and I hope that sharing these things with others will help spread the knowledge about car seat safety! 

Emily is a mother of three and blogs at The Journey of Parenthood. 

Related Posts:

• Coats and Carseats {Coat Compression}
• Car Seat Safety Tips {Guest Post}

You can check me out today at Team Cartwright. I am talking about ways to reward children for good behavior. 

Front Seat Fun v. Back Seat Boredom {Guest Post}

image source

By Valerie Cox

As parents, one of our greatest responsibilities is to protect our children, and ensuring your children’s safety can be any action from holding their hands when crossing the street to knowing their whereabouts on a playground.  At the top of a parent safety checklist should be to know and abide by proper car safety guidelines, and while your children might whine about their seating arrangements, their safety is far more important than their liking.

In the past decade, numerous studies have confirmed the importance of car seats and the value of protection they bring to your child, and in the car seat industry, four typesof car seats are available.  Rear-facing car seats feature a harness and will cradle the child to protect the neck and spinal region, and forward-facing car seats have a harness and tether to decrease the child’s forward motion.  A booster seat lifts the child up from the seat so the seatbelt fits properly over the child’s body, and a seatbelt restrains the child by holding them back in proper position.

One ofthe largest misconceptions about car safety is when to make the switch from rear-facing to forward-facing to booster to backseat seatbelts to front seat seatbelts.  According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, children should stay rear-facing for as long as possible or at least until 2 years of age.  Children should remain in booster seats until the seatbelt lies across their upper thighs and fits snug across their shoulders.  Car seats have specific height and weight requirements listed on the back or sides and should be consulted for precise information.  A general rule is rear-facing until age 2, forward-facing until age 5, and a booster seat until a seatbelt fits correctly, but each child is unique because of height and weight differences.

Each state has specific laws and fines regarding transporting children safely in a vehicle, and you should stay current with your state’s restrictions and also those of any state you will be driving in.  To make certain your child is in the proper car seat, BabyCenter has an interactive tool based on your state and child’s weight and height to make certain your child is in the proper car seat.

Children cannot wait to move from the back seat to the front, but this decision should not be made lightly.  They need to be both tall and heavy enough for the seatbelt to be effective during an accident, and the dangers of moving to the front seat too early include being thrown through the windshield and not sitting in the proper position for an airbag to work correctly.  Because airbags inflate so rapidly, the impact alone can turn a 30 mph crash into what feels like a 200 mph crash.  Children should be at least 4’9” and weight at least 80 pounds to switch from the back seat to the front seat, but just because your child meets the height and weight requirements does not mean you should allow the change.  Most studies agree that 12 to 13 is the proper age to switch your child.  Similar to keeping your child rear-facing for as long as possible, having your child remain in the back seat for as long as possible is the smartest decision.

Under certain circumstances, your child is safer in the front seat despite not meeting the height and weight requirements.  For example, if your back seat seatbelts are broken or if the car seat will not properly install in the back seat, then the front seat with a working seatbelt is better than the back seat with no seatbelt at all.  As the parent, you should use your best judgment, but as a general practice, the back seat is the safest place for your child.

For children, it can be hard to understand the importance of remaining in a car seat and sitting in the back seat, but as parents, it is our job to teach them the significance of proper car safety.  We need to make sure they understand the importance of abiding by proper car safety practices no matter who is driving.  Keeping up with safety requirements might seem tiresome, but when you think of your precious children’s faces, their smiles make it all worthwhile.

Valerie enjoys reading, traveling, baking, and playing with her puppy, Emma.  Some of her favorites include Taylor Swift, Sprite, and Grey’s Anatomy, and she believes in making every moment count.

Coats and Carseats {Coat Compression}

Why you shouldn't put a coat on your baby in the car seat. 

Baby, it's cold outside. The polar vortex has come and gone. We are in winter. Now "cold" is relative. I know some of you bundle up when it dips below 50 degrees F. I know some of you are like me and still don't wear a coat when it is 3 degrees F. But no matter the exact temperature, we are all cold. Except some of you in special parts of the world but for my winter sanity, we will pretend your climate does not exist unless I am headed there for a vacay.

But cold or not, life (typically) goes on. We still need groceries. Kids still have school. You still paid for that dance class. So you need to leave the house. And if you have a child in a car seat, you will be driving with that child in the car seat.

And it is cold so like any good responsible person, you put a coat on your child.

And here is where we pause. 

Most items that are actually classified as a "coat" CAN NOT be on your child while your child is buckled in the car seat. I know some of you know this. If you do, feel happy this is being shared to a large audience. Go ahead and share it to help spread the word. Some of you, however, do not know this. 

Let me repeat.

A child can not wear a coat in a car seat.

Why?

Put simply, a coat creates a cushion preventing your child from being strapped into the seat firmly. In the case of an accident, your child will not be secure enough in the seat with a coat on. So your child can come out of the seat. This is called "coat compression."

Put officially, “Anything between the child and the straps is compressible; it’s like having space, which creates more risk that the child could thrust forward into the straps in the event of a crash," said Dr. Benjamin Hoffman, medical director of the Tom Sargent Safety Center at Doernbecher Children's Hospital in Portland, Oregon." source

But it is cold!

Yes I know it. Guess what, where I live it is pretty normal to dip below zero throughout much of the winter at night and we usually have some snap where we are under zero for the high even in the day for about two weeks. So yes, I know what it is like to be out and about in the cold with the little ones. But the big coats that seem like the right thing to wear in the frigid weather are not safe in the car seat. So what do we real parents living in the real cold world do about it?

Consumer Reports suggests figuring out what coats can be worn. You do this by putting the child in the coat, adjusting the straps, then taking the child out of the seat and out of the coat and putting the child back in the seat and see if it passes the pinch test (if you can pinch the straps, it isn't safe).

I think that is a great idea, but I think I have an easier way. Put your child in the coat. Put your child in the seat. If you need to loosen the straps to get your child buckled in, the coat is too big.

Back to being real people who really have to go out in the cold. How do you keep your child warm without being able to use the nice big coat?

I am a minimalist when I am running errands. Each week when Brinley and I run errands together, she and I both go without our coats. We get into our vehicle that is parked in our garage so it takes about two minutes at most for the engine to be warm enough for the heater to warm us up. Then we get to the store and have to walk for maybe a minute to get into the heated store. So I could stand there in the cold for two minutes while I put a coat on her or I can grab her and walk inside. Stores are kept warmer in the winter than they are in the summer (when the air conditioning is blasting you back into January memories) and we are dressed way warmer than we are in the summer, so we don't need our coats in the store.

But maybe you don't like the minimalist approach. Here are some other ideas.

• Strap before you wrap. No matter what you want to use to keep your child warm, you want to strap your child into the seat before you add anything warm.
• Blankets. Use blankets in the car to warm up. I love blankets for longer car rides because those who like to be warmer (me) can bundle up and those who like to be cooler (my husband) can ignore the blankets. You can also use a blanket to wrap around younger children as you carry them into the store. This is nice if it is windy outside--cold plus wind is a whole different game than just cold. But even with wind, spending as much time standing in the cold putting a coat on as it does to walk into the store doesn't make sense. So you can wrap a blanket around your child and carry her in all snuggled up to you. You can keep a blanket in the car at all times so you don't have to remember to pack it each time you go out. 
• Backwards coats. Did you ever wear your coat backward in Jr. High or High School? For some reason, I did it all the time! You can strap your child in and then put their arms in the coat arms. This is handy for when you are driving somewhere where you need a coat on. 
• Snuggies. Merge the two ideas and get everyone a snuggie! Okay, those poor blankets are laughed at by many, but my grandpa got us a couple and my mother-in-law got each of the kids one a couple of years ago and sometimes they really are nice! (though I still think you could use a backward robe instead).
• Hats. A lot of warmth is lost through the head, so a nice warm hat can do a lot for keeping your child warm.

What is your approach for running errands in the cold with children? How do you keep your kids warm in the car?

Car Seat Safety Tips {Guest Post}

by Emily Parker

For me, car seat safety is a no-brainer. It's something I take very seriously and consider it a top priority of mine to make sure I stay on top of the latest recommendations. I'm sure every single person reading this drives a car. Most likely at least once a day. And most likely you child also rides in a car, at least once a day. The centers for disease control and prevention's website states: "Motor vehicle injuries are a leading cause of death among children in the United States. But many of these deaths can be prevented. Placing children in age- and size-appropraite car and booster seats reduces serious and fatal injuries by more than half."

While we ALL know that car seat safety is important. It also feels overwhelming. The standards continue to change constantly and it's difficult to keep up! I do the best I can to stay "in the know" yet I am still learning new things every day and will probably miss some of the recommendations in this post. Hopefully even just this bit of information will help others in the quest for car ride safety!

1. Proper Seat: It all starts with making sure your child is in the correct seat. Do your research when buying a seat and make sure it has the top safety features available. Never buy a used car seat (I'm all about some bargain hunting and buying stuff at consignment sales but a used car seat is not safe and not worth saving a little money) and make sure your car seats aren't expired. I found this chart from Chicco and it illustrates how to know which seat is the safest one at each age for your child:

2. Rear Facing: I think, by now, it's common knowledge that keeping your child in a rear facing car seat is the SAFEST way for them to travel. Even if they are older than the law requires. Even if their legs look "cramped" or they just "seem uncomfortable." You child should remain rear facing until they reach the height or weight limit required by the manufacturer. My tip? When you start shopping for a car seat, find one that has a taller height limit and heavier weight limit so you KNOW they will get to stay rear-facing for an extended period of time. I know rear-facing isn't as easy as forward facing. It's a pain to put them in, it's a pain to keep them entertained. But it's the safest and that really is what matters most. I try to remind myself that my child doesn't know any different...all they have ever known is facing backwards in the car so it really probably doesn't bother them as much as it annoys me! My daughter will be two in December. She is still rear-facing and I'm hoping she will be able to continue to be rear-facing until her third birthday!

This is a statement taken directly from the AAP's website: "All infants and toddlers should ride in a rear-facing car safety seat until 2 years of age or until they reach the highest weight or height allowed by the car safety seat manufacturer."

3. Harness: Once your child is forward facing it's also important to keep them in a five-point harness for as long as the manufacturer recommends. I've seen many children in booster seats who could have still easily fit into a harness seat. The harness and the top tether provides upper torso, head, and neck protection. (source) My son will be five in March and will stay in his five point harness as long as possible! 

4. Proper Install: Bottom line, read the instruction manual that comes with your seat!!! Every single car seat is different. There are different instructions on how to properly install it. Most parents I know will spend top dollar on the best quality and highest safety rated car seat, but if it's not installed properly then it can't do its job. 

5. Buckle Up: You buy a good quality seat. You get the proper one for your child's age, height and weight. You read the manual. You install it properly. You'd think you'd be good to go, huh? But actually there are many important things to remember EVERY time you buckle your child into the seat!!! Each car seat manual should also go over all of these instructions as well as many more that I may be missing, so again, read it ;)

• Strap Location: This gets me confused every time! I have one rear-facing child and one forward facing so I am always looking up what the correct location of their strap heights should be. As the kids grow and I readjust the levels I want to always make sure they are in the proper location. Rear facing straps go at or below the shoulders. Forward facing straps go at or above the shoulders.
• Straps: Make sure the straps are never twisted! It's a pain to always make sure they are laying flat but it's also important!
• Chest Clip: The chest clip should be across your child's arm pits. Both positioned too high or too low is dangerous! For me it's higher than feels natural and it's something I'm constantly making sure of each time I buckle the kids in. It's an easy one to get wrong (just look on your Facebook newsfeed...bet you can count 10 kids pictures pretty quickly who probably have the chest clip too low!) and something that is very important to always double check.
  
  
• Pinch Test: Another "easy miss" when buckling the kids in is making sure the straps are tight enough on them. A simple way to know if the straps are tight enough is to pinch them! If you can pinch the strap then it's too loose. Simple and quick way to ensure your sweet one's safety!
• Jackets: I don't personally live in an area where we even need to wear heavy coats often but it's important to always remember to have your child remove their coat before getting in the car seat. I saw this image awhile back and it really opened my eyes to just how dangerous wearing a jacket in a car seat is! If you do want your child to wear their jacket in the car then adjust the straps on them without the jacket on and then have them wear it. The material in the jacket will compress (which is also why it's so dangerous to fit the straps with the jacket on).
  

I know there are MANY other safety tips out there about car seats but I hope this post will help raise awareness about car seat safety and encourage others to read those manuals and do all we can to protect our children. If you have some tips you recommend or sites with great safety recommendations then please share!!! Knowledge is power and education is essential when it comes to car seat safety! 

~Emily www.journeyofparenthood.com

Poll Results: WOULD YOU USE A CARSEAT THAT HAS EXPIRED?

Yes	42 (27%)
No	91 (58%)
Unsure	22 (14%)

Votes so far: 155 

RELATED POSTS/BLOG LABELS:

• Poll results
• carseat 

Reminder: You can leave comments on poll results posts if you would like to add to the poll after it has closed. This would be helpful for those who have more than one child, those whose children have reached certain ages after a poll closed, and those who didn't visit the blog while that poll was open. To find closed polls, click on the poll results link above

Reader Carseat Questions

CARSEAT QUESTIONS


becca & nathan said...
do you think that its a common thing with babywise babies that they don't sleep in the car? my baby has not slept in the car since he was really young. i would love for him to be able to when we travel, etc...i wonder if there's anything i can do about it?
August 28, 2008 8:08 AM
The Traveling Turtle said...
I wondered the same thing! My child doesn't like sleeping in the car either. She will if she has not had a nap ALL day - but if she is not 100% worn out she refuses to nap in there. I have tried everything. We have a noise maker that we use at home when she goes to sleep and I got a smaller one for traveling and that did not work. I have also tried to place a blanket over her infant seat so she is not so stimulated thinking it would help some. When I read this post yesterday though I started to wonder the same thing!
August 28, 2008 8:14 AM
Abby's Mom said...
My 8 month old will not sleep in the car either. She stopped sleeping in the car when she was about 3 months old. In fact, the ONLY place she will sleep is in her bed. Glad she sleeps there, but it makes it hard to go anywhere!
August 28, 2008 10:51 AM
Mockabee News said...
My 2 yr-old has always slept in the car for road trips.. he's a Babywhisperer baby (similar to babywise w/o the cio). He's also a thumb sucker, though, so we give him his blankie (only for naps and bedtime), he then sucks his thumb and is out.My 5 month old is a different story! He's a babywise baby and will only sleep for one sleep cycle (45 mins) at a time in his car seat for road trips. This makes 6 hr drives intersting, as we are definitely "off" our routine.For sleep training for my second, I just let him CIO for 20 mins as that's the avg amount of time it takes a baby to fall asleep. On the rare occasion that he cried longer, I would just pat his bum until he was fully asleep. This way, he's still falling asleep on his own, without any props, but you're helping him calm down a bit.
August 30, 2008 3:28 PM
Plowmanators said...
Mockabee, isn't it interesting how different kids are from each other?
September 4, 2008 4:11 PM
Rachel Stella said...
I liked someone's advice they gave a couple months back about having their baby take 1 nap in the car in her car seat almost every day to get her used to napping there. (she had older children and had to be out and about more) I know they don't nap as well there, but I sure wish I could get my son to take even a short nap in his car seat sometimes! I think with my next child I'll try to have him nap in his car seat at least once every other day when he is a newborn, then maybe at least once a week when he gets a bit older.
September 2, 2008 1:54 PM
Plowmanators said...
Thanks Rachel!
September 5, 2008 10:36 AM
Emily said...
LOL Rachel, I think that was me! And I think it's backfiring with my little one!I always had my second daughter take one or two naps in the carseat (out of necessity, not choice) and it worked out great...BUT, I've been so bad with my third. She takes ALL of her naps in the carseat. We actually have a graco sweetpeace swing that holds a carseat so she is ALWAYS in the thing. It was fine up until now, but I think it is not working anymore. She has been sleeping worse and worse. The first nap is still fine, but subsequent naps, she wakes up etc., can't fall back asleep. SOOO tomorrow it's nap training in the crib time! I still have to to morning nap in the carseat so I can take my son to school, but the afternoon nap ALL the kids are in their rooms.Ugg...so a little bit of carseat sleep is a good thing, but too much is noooottt good...I learned my lesson!
September 2, 2008 8:48 PM

Plowmanators said...
Emily, that is so interesting. I am glad you shared that. Oh, I want to get one of those Graco swings with the next child! Do you like it?
September 5, 2008 10:37 AM

Plowmanators said...
Becca, I think it is pretty common. If you are well-rested, you aren't going to need to sleep in the car. I know for my SIL, the car is one of the only places her kids will sleep.For traveling, yes it would be nice. But you have to realize the kids are used to sleeping in their beds and are comfortable that way. Even if they are in the car at a normal naptime, they are not overly tired, so they don't need to sleep. The car is not a comfortable place to sleep for anyone, especially a child strapped in a carseat (I imagine...lol).
September 2, 2008 9:56 PM

Plowmanators said...
Traveling Turtle and Abby, it can be hard, but I always have to tell myself I would rather them sleep well the 98% of the time we are home than the 2% of the time we are out.
September 2, 2008 10:01 PM

Matt and Brooke said...
My 5-month old has recently started arching her back and crying when I place her in her car seat. Is it sheer defiance or is there something she may be trying to tell me? Once she's in and buckled, she's good to go. It's just getting her in the seat that's so exhausting. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
August 28, 2008 8:34 PM

Plowmanators said...
Brooke, at 5 months, I might wonder if there is something bugging her about the carseat, but it could just be that she hates it (my son certainly did). See this post:Teaching Your Baby "No": http://babywisemom.blogspot.com/2008/01/teaching-your-baby-no.html
September 2, 2008 10:23 PM

Baby Stuff I Love: Newborn List

I have a list I compiled while I was pregnant with Brayden of things you "need" for your new baby. I made it from several different lists that I had found in books and online. I was just going over it for my next baby, and thought I would post the list here. Then you all can add anything you want to. This post contains affiliate links. That does not increase your price at all.

CAR ITEMS

• Car Seat: I use this early on--obviously. I recommend that before you buy a car seat at any age, you consult Consumer Reports. It is nice to get opinions from other moms and read reviews online, but moms and reviews don't know the safety level unless they have been in an accident with it. Infant Car Seats
• Hanging Toys: I hook a hanging toy on the carseat handle from birth, though the baby doesn't enjoy it immediately. Hanging Toys
• Mirror: I love the car mirror. It is a must from day one for me. It is a mirror that is in front of baby, then the driver can look in the review mirror and see baby. The front passenger can look back and see baby in the mirror, also. I use the Fisher-Price Rainforest Deluxe Auto Mirror. It will not match the decore of your car, but it will be interesting to baby.
• Blanket: I like to have a designated blanket for the carseat. I am planning on making a blanket this go around that is attached to the carseat. That way, it won't fall on the ground!
• Cover: I also like to cover baby with a blanket if she is sleeping. I have always used an afghan that my grandmother would make for my children. She has passed away since Kaitlyn was born, so I am going to make something a friend of mine has that attaches to the car seat. Once again, it won't fall off.

GEAR (see also Big Toys for Baby (not BW))

• Stroller: With Brayden, I used my Graco stroller/carseat combo. By the time Kaitlyn came along, I didn't really enjoy the big bulky-ness of a stroller like that, so I didn't use a stroller until she was old enough to sit reclined and go on walks (she was about 6 weeks). But I love strollers for walks. I am just not a stroller-in-the-store kind of gal. There are a lot of strollers out there. When choosing one, if you want to be able to take baby for walks in the stroller at a young age, be sure it either reclines or can have the car seat hooked on. Strollers
• Playard: This is also known as a playpen or pack-n-play. I love having this. It is where I do independent playtime. It is also our portable bed we take places when we travel. Even when we go camping, we bring the playard. Playards
• Playard Sheets/Protectors: If you get a playard, be sure you get a mattress protector and a a sheet. I like two so one can be in use while the other is being washed. It is much easier to clean sheets and protectors than the mattress. Playard Sheets and Playard Mattress Pad
• Bassinet: This is not something I had for Brayden. We got it for Kaitlyn and I loved it. They are small, so they take up little space. I kept it in my room for about 7 months and she took a nap in there a couple of times a day. Bassinet Of course, if you get this, then you will want a couple of sheets: Bassinet Sheets
• Carrier/Sling: I have a front carrier. It can also go on your back when baby is big enough. Both of my children disliked this. However, I have had several friends and family members who have borrowed it and loved it. Front Carriers. Since Brayden was born, slings have really come to be a popular item. While I wouldn't use it for napping as I moved about the house, it appeals to me for replacing with the carseat or stroller when you go out. I have a couple of friends who had babies in December. They each have a sling that they put baby in at church to sleep. It isn't cumbersome and people don't disturb the baby. I am going to try it out with this baby. I am not sure which brand they have for sure, but it looks similar to this: Infantino Sling Rider Baby Carrier
• Swing: I love swings. This is also not a need; I have a good friend (and fellow BW mom) who has two children and has never owned a swing. But I love my swing. Swings

NURSERY ITEMS

• Crib: I love the crib, naturally. I think most Babywise Moms like the crib. That is where baby sleeps :)
• Crib Sheets: I would get at least two so one can be washed while the other is in use. Crib Sheets
• Crib Mattress Pad: I would get at least two of these also: Crib Mattress Pad
• Changing Table: I love a changing table, though I know people who get along just fine without one. Changing Tables
• Monitor: We got an inexpensive monitor when Brayden was a baby. We then bought a really nice and expensive one when Kaitlyn was born. The inexpensive one was totally fine for short range. We got a more expensive one for Kaitlyn because we had moved into a house with a lot of land. We wanted to be able to be out in the garden and still hear her. Baby Monitors
• Video Monitor: Many readers have sung the praises of the video monitor. I am getting one of these for baby #3!
• Blankets: You might want some receiving blankets as well as some blankets to swaddle. Receiving Blankets and Swaddle Blankets

BATH ITEMS (see Baby Stuff I Love: Bathtime)

• Bath Tub: I like to put baby in the bathtub once real baths can happen. I know people who do the sponge in the tub or just put baby in the sink. I like the baby bathtub. You don't need anything right away, though, since you don't give baths until the umbilical cord falls off. I think something like this is nice: The First Years Sure Comfort Newborn to Toddler Tub
• Towel: I use hooded towels. I like to have two so one can be washed while the other one is in use. Super-soft Hooded Bath Wrap
• Washcloths: I used washcloths also. I like to have about 5-6 so we can have fresh washcloths for each bath. Also, I buy new washcloths for each baby and use them only on baby. Baby Washcloths
• Shampoo
• Soap: Some soaps and shampoos are combined. That is nice and convenient for the newborn.
• Baby Lotion
• Cotton Balls: These are good for cleaning the face--especially the eyes. Kaitlyn had a plugged duct for her first few weeks, so we went through quite a few.
• Baby Oil: I have never used baby oil for any of my children thus far in life.
• Baby Powder: I also have not used baby powder for my children, though I did discover it is useful for keep insulation off of your skin, so if you and/or your husband ever work with insulation, rub baby powder on your exposed skin first.
• Brush and Comb: I use the brush on my babies, but the comb comes much, much later. I have actually never used a comb for Brayden--except when I cut his hair. Baby Brush and Comb
• Nail Clippers: If you are like me, you will definitely want baby nail clippers (not the ones you use). Some people prefer a nail file. You do need these rather soon after birth. Nail Clippers

DIAPERING ITEMS

• Diaper Genie: This is what I have always used and I have no complaints with it. I know there are a lot of diaper systems out there, so if you have one you love, share! I always just throw wet diapers in the garbage and use the diaper genie for soiled diapers. I am frugal like that. Diaper Genie
• Diaper Genie Refills: If you use a system like this that requires refills, I suggest you have at least one for the system and one extra. Refills are also found here: Diaper Genie
• Wet Wipes: I really like Huggies Natural Care unscented. The thing I like about the Huggies over a store brand (because I have tried them; I am frugal) is that you need fewer Huggies wipes to clean a poopy bum. I figure this makes up for the extra money spent on them in the first place.
• Rash Cream: I use Boudreaux's Butt Paste. I love it! It is expensive, but it will really last you a long time. We put it on each night to protect skin through the night. We have only purchased a few tubes in the last four years. Boudreaux's Butt Paste
• Diapers: You might use disposable, you might use cloth, but you must use something :). With a newborn, I do buy the more expensive diaper brands and get the diapers made for a newborn size. As baby gets a little bigger, though, I move to just the store brand.

MEDICAL ITEMS (see Baby Stuff I Love: Sickness)

• Rectal Thermometer: I don't use this. I use a temporal scanner. Exergen Temporal Artery Thermometer MODEL# 2000C
• Infant Acetamenophine: You won't be using this right away, but you can use it relatively soon. I would consult with your pediatrition before your first time, though.
• Mylicon Drops: These are gas drops. I used these a lot with Brayden. Kaitlyn never needed it.
• Bulb Syringe: AKA Nasal aspirator. Bulb Syringe

NURSING ITEMS (see Baby Stuff I Love: Nursing/Bottle Feeding Stuff )

• Lansinoh: I sing its praises all the time. I love Lansinoh. I put it on once a day a month before I have the baby. Then at first, I put it on after every feeding. It really makes a HUGE difference for me. I have only had to buy a few tubes over the years. Lansinoh Lanolin Nipple Lotion 2 oz
• Nursing Bras: Get a good one. Also, you might want to wait until after you have had the baby to get one so you can be fitted. I bought a few before Brayden was born based on what the clerk told me should happen. They were really uncomfortable. When he was two weeks old, I bought another one, and I love it! I now purchase these a couple of weeks after baby is born, though I have some to use until then.
• Nursing Nightgown: My mother-in-law gave me one of these when I had Brayden. I really like it. I don't use it the entire time I am nursing. I only use it for the first few weeks, but it is really convenient. You don't have to hold a shirt up or anything, which is great when you are so tired. Nursing Nightgowns
• Nursing Pillow: I love the Boppy. Boppy Bare Naked with Miracle Middle Pillow. If you get this, you will also want at least one pillow case. Two are nice so one can be washed while the other is in use.
• Nursing Pads: When I was nursing Brayden, I used the absolute cheapest nursing pads out there. I figured there was no reason to use more expensive pads. I had been given lots of samples of other brands while in the hospital and wasn't impressed. Well, one time while nursing Kaitlyn the store didn't have the cheapest ones and only had Lansinoh. I had never tried it, but was forced to buy them. What a difference they made! They never got soaked all the way through, so my shirts never did either. They also were less conspicuous and more comfortable. I only ever had to change them because that seemed like the right thing to do. With the next baby, my plan is to use the cheap ones for my heavy engorgement time at first (except for when I am out in public). Once that is over, continue on with Lansinoh brand Lansinoh 20265 Disposable Nursing Pads, 60-Count Boxes (Pack of 3)
• Breast Pump: The breast pump you get will depend on how often you pump. I don't need to pump often, so I just have a couple of hand pumps. One is Medela and one is Avent. I like them both. Breast Pumps

FEEDING

• Bibs: I don't use bibs until my baby is eating solid foods, but if I fed with a bottle, I would use it sooner. Just as an FYI, when I did the Baby Stuff I Love: Mealtime post, I had several readers rave about the Kiddopotamus Bibbity Rinse And Roll Bib . I have since bought one. It is awesome. But it isn't for a newborn. This was just a heads up :). Bibs
• Cloth Diapers: These are great as burp cloths. Cloth Diapers. Or you can of course buy actual Burp Cloths

BOTTLE STUFF

• Bottles: I like to give my baby a bottle once a week to ensure baby can and will eat from the bottle. I have previously used Avent, which I have have loved. The bottles I have, though, have BPA in them, and I figure better safe than sorry, so I am purchasing new bottles for baby #3. I am going to try the Adiri Natural Nurser

LAYETTE

• Onesies/Bodysuits: These are great for a newborn. You can have them as undershirts or as the shirt. I find them great for the 0-3 month old especially. I then just put some pants or skirt with the onsie and I have an outfit. Onesies
• Nightgowns: These are nice for an easy diaper change at night. The thing I don't like about them is that they creep up. Nightgowns So then I use something like this: Sleep Bag
• Footed Pajamas: This is what I have my babies sleep in unless it is too hot once they are past the nightgown stage. Footed Pajamas
• Outfits: You will want a few outfits for your baby. Newborns are handled easiest in clothes that are all snapped up like the onesies I mentioned above. But there are still times you want baby to be all cute and dressed up. I just don't use a lot of outfits for the 0-3 month stage.
• Hats: You will need winter or summer hats depending on the time of year. Baby Hats
• Jacket/Sweatshirt: If you have a baby in cooler weather, you will want one of these for newborn stage.
• Socks/Booties

TOYS (see also Big Toys for Baby (not BW) and Best Toys for Baby: Ages 0-3 Months)

• Bouncy Seat: Your baby will be able to sit in a bouncy seat relatively soon after birth. I like to be stocked up for several months, but if you aren't that type, you would wait a month or so before looking into getting one. Fisher-Price Kick & Play Bouncer
• Gym: The gym is a place that can be used from birth. Baby Gym
• Soft Book: I start reading to my baby each day from birth. I got Brayden a little soft cloth book that I read to him each day for quite a while before I started varying which book we read. I used the same for Kaitlyn and plan to do the same for baby #3. Baby Cloth Books

OTHER

• Pacifiers: I don't use them, but I always have a few in case. I don't know why I have them since I don't use them, but I do.
• Anti-scratch Mittens: I bought these before Brayden was born, but I never found a real use for them with him or Kaitlyn. I do know people who love them, though. Mittens
• Nightlight: I use this at first at night while there are several feedings, but I don't like to keep it a constant in life. Not that there is anything wrong with it. I just avoid things that would have to be transported when we travel.
• Diaper Bag
• Scrapbook: Okay, this is definitely not a need. I love to scrapbook and prefer to do pages as we go rather than falling behind and playing catch up (not to say this is the way it always goes, but it is what I prefer). So I like to have it from the beginning.
• Baby Book: If you don't get a baby book right away (or ever), be sure you have somwhere you record things. You think you will remember it forever, but you won't. I really like the Carter's Baby Books or other brands owned by Carters (Just One Year & Child of Mine).