*Thank you to Kids Fly Safe for providing us with this Restraint System for our flight* STOCK PHOTOS
Featured Review: CARES Child Aviation Restraint System
Bulky Winter Clothes Can Reduce Car Seat Safety
Bundling a child under mountains of bulky outerwear poses a problem, however. His or her car seat harness no longer fits correctly.
Car seats are not designed to be used with bulky clothing. The more compressible the outerwear is, the looser the harness becomes and the greater the risk that is posed to the child. The worst case scenario is that, in a collision, the loose harness may result in the child being ejected from the car seat. The straps of the car seat harness need to fit snugly against the infant or child’s chest with no more than two fingers fitting between the strap and the shoulder bone.
So, what’s a responsible parent to do? The kids have to be warm but they also have to be safe in the car. The key is to remember that bulky, compressible clothing doesn’t belong under the restraint system of a car seat but it can go over it.
Toddlers, in forward facing car seats, need to have their heavy outer wear removed before buckling the restraint. Once secured, the coat can be put on backwards, with the child’s arms through the sleeves. Alternatively, the child can be covered with a blanket.
Infants, in rear facing car seats, can be protected with blankets and an elasticised car seat cover, after being buckled into their seat. The blankets cannot be tucked under the harness or behind the baby’s back. When using a seat cover, double-check that the baby is buckled into the restraint. It’s an easy thing to forget when it is out of sight.
Often, parents dress their children too warmly. Don’t use the temperature of the baby’s hands or feet to decide if they are cold. Instead, feel their neck or the small of the back and see if the baby is sweating. A hot, uncomfortable baby will start to fuss during the car ride and that’s not pleasant for anyone.
Remember the basics:
- Adjust the straps of the car restraint so they fit snugly over the child’s chest and shoulders
- Use bulky clothes and blankets above the harness; not beneath
- Dress the child so that they are comfortably warm, not overly hot
Have a safe and happy winter. – Jen R.
Featured Review: Cybex Callisto
- continuous, height adjustable handlebar for more mobility
- central one-pull harness system
- ultra-light aluminum frame
- folded: L41 x W12.5 x H17 inches
- price $349 – Available in 4 colors in the United States which are: Chili, Slate, Purple, and Indigo. (shown above)
Featured Review: Peg Perego Si Stroller
For the last few weeks we have been testing it from one side of the country to the other!
Here is what we found.
Installation – Out of the box the Si was pretty much ready to go. All I needed to do was clip on the storage basket and open it up.
If you have problems, the Si also comes with a great booklet that shows you everything your need – step by step.
Getting Started – Unfolding this stroller is really easy. All you need to do is unclip the lever on the left side of the stroller, give it a bit of a shake and then lock the bracket in the back.
Comfort and Features – The Si offers a lot of great features not normally seen in this stroller weight class. For safety, it has a five-point harness with the 2010 version adding a bumper bar. There is a 3 position(almost flat) seat recline, height adjustable handle bars and a 2 position foot rest.
For older children, the Si has a good size seat (13inches wide) and a high canopy that will keep taller toddlers(up to 45lbs) comfy without brushing their head. When opened fully, the Si’s canopy offers some of the best coverage I have seen on a lightweight stroller. Moms who want to keep track of their little ones will also like the peek-a-boo window.
Underneath the seat is a good size storage basket big enough to hold a large sized diaper bag. The only problem with this is that the basket will drag if your bag is too heavy. For this I suggest you strap your diaper bag to the handle bars and use the storage basket for lighter purchases, if out shopping. This works well if your child stays in the stroller. But not so great if you need to carry your baby. Because the stroller is so light, a weighted handle will cause the whole thing to tip backwards once your child is removed. While this sounds simple, it’s easy to forget. I have tipped this stroller quite a few times leaving the mall trying to rush.
Travel System – 2 cables that come with the 2009 version stroller allow the Si to be converted it into a travel system. While Peg Perego strollers are normally only compatible with the Primo Viaggio SIP 30/30 Infant seat, the Si will accept most car seats that have a belt path on each side.
Folding – To avoid confusion, Peg Perego has numbered the two levers needed to close the stroller. I love this! No guess work – just pull here first and then here. Once closed, this stroller stands independently and it also features a carrying strap on the side.
This makes the Si a dream to travel with.
Cleaning – While on a recent trip, an unfortunate event ended with a whole breakfast landing on the seat of the stroller. Surprisingly enough, for the amount of food that landed on it, the stroller fared quite well. But when I got home and started to take it apart to fully clean it, I was surprised to find that it doesn’t come apart. It looks like it comes apart, but it doesn’t, unless I wanted to get into unscrewing stuff, which I don’t.
Improvements – With anything, there is always a wish list of thing you would like see improved.
I personally would love Peg Perego to make a good cupholder. The tiny one that comes with most of their strollers doesn’t many beverage cups, including my re-usable water bottle. Also, having some part of the seat come apart for easy cleaning would also be a bonus for parents who will be using this stroller everyday.
Overall, I like this stroller and I would recommend it to any parent who wants a nice looking stroller that can go anywhere.
Peg Perego Si Specs:
- Width – 20″
- Seat Width – 13″
- Seat to top of Canopy – 25″
- Ground to Handle – 41″
- Stroller Length – 33.5″
- Folded Dimensions – 39″ x 13″ x 13″
- Front Wheel Size – 6.5″
- Weight – 16.8lbs – to get this I weighed myself holding the stroller and then subtracted that number from my weight alone