Latest Baby Care posts
Monster Baby ‘too cool for school’
A company who creates rock-themed clothing for new-born babies has announced an extension to their line.
Monster Baby, which has been trading for two years now, will now supply additional sizes of their clothing, extended all the way up to children’s size five.
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10 September 2008
Ensuring a Safe Ride for Baby
Angelina and Brad may have whisked their twins out of the hospital in Nice via helicopter, but at some point, even these two megastars will need to get themselves a good ‘ole car seat. Car seats are one of the most important investments you’ll make for your child, from infancy until they are school-aged and ready for a car booster seat and later for an adult seat belt.
It’s sometimes daunting to know where to begin, but understanding a few simple guidelines will help make this important purchase a little easier. Overall it’s important to remember a few golden rules before you even begin the car seat hunt: don’t be swayed simply by price as a more expensive seat is not always a better one; never use an old or used seat when you are unsure of where it came from; don’t consider using a damaged seat or one that is missing parts, even if it ‘looks fine’; and always follow instructions, even if you feel sure that you know how to install the seat.
From there, the first place to get started is with an infant-only and rear-facing seat. Infants need to ride facing the back until they are one year of age and at least 20 pounds in weight. While it’s possible then to move to a forward-facing model, experts recommend that a child remain rear-facing as long as possible. There are a number of brands and models on the market, Maxi Cosi, Britax and Graco all have good models that will run you from £50 - £100. The Maxi Cosi, in particular, comes in a lot of bright colours. You can also opt for a base that stays in your car and a seat that snaps in, so you can take your infant in and out of the car without waking him or her.
Forward-facing and booster seats will take a child from one year through until they are big enough to wear a seatbelt properly at age 7 or 8. A forward-facing seat can run from £50 to over £200. The Maxi Cosi Priorifix, for instance, which is around £230 but contains cool features such as a colour indicator which shows immediately whether a seat has been installed correctly or not. Or, for around £140, the Britax Explora STS Seat which automatically tenses the belt so you know it’s as snug as can be.
After the car seat phase, there are still a number of safety rules to follow. Children who have grown out of their booster seats should use a lap and shoulder belt. Most experts also recommend that children continue to ride in the back until they are 13 years old.
22 July 2008
Seen Much While Strolling this Weekend?
With blue skies and warm temperatures around most of the UK this weekend, most of us probably noticed something even more bright in colour than the flowers – the many different hues and styles of buggies. Families everywhere were enjoying the sun while providing some of us with a runway show of styles. If you want to hit the buggy trail, here are some tips:
30 April 2008
