Are car seats a necessity?

Yup, you read that right. Some people still think it’s a luxury and that it’s not the first item you need to get when you see that little positive sign on that stick.

I feel differently. So do many people actually. A car seat is way more important than that beautiful crib you were thinking of buying. Let’s face it, how often do they sleep in their crib? Both my kids co-slept/co-sleep and the crib was a total waste. Why are we willing to spend more on certain things but moan when the important things are expensive?

Guys, I get it, some seats are totally ridiculously overpriced and it sucks. Then again, you also get very cheap ones but they don’t have the proper safety features you need. But remember this: you absolutely CAN NOT put a price on the safety of your child. Save up, don’t go out for dinner and rather cook at home or rather buy cheaper clothes than the expensive name brand ones. Do what you are ABLE to, to buy your kid the best seat your budget can allow.

I know there are moms that struggle, trust me, I KNOW. Did you know there are organizations that gift seats for free to struggling moms? There are people trying to help – people that are trying to get the word out there that a car seat is the ONLY choice. For example, here is one incredible page with quality Maxi Cosi, BebeConfort and Quinny seats for MUCH less than the original price. https://www.facebook.com/groups/1530441973735165/?fref=nf

Buying a new cell phone? A new designer pair of sneakers? Shopping at Woolworths instead of Checkers? Yeah, you have no excuse to not have a car seat or complaining about how expensive they are. Look at it this way – the once off amount is rather large, but do the math. Work out the monthly cost – won’t cost you much more than your Netflix subscription right? Did you even think of it that way? It’s totally normal to focus on price rather than quality, it’s human. But I beg of you to do thorough research before you purchase your seat.

Your role as a parent is to keep your baby safe, no matter what. Accidents on the road happen and unfortunately, it’s not something we can avoid. A car accident is probably my biggest fear, but knowing my kids are strapped in seats that are crash-tested, puts my mind at ease.

Here are some suggestions for parents heading out to purchase a car seat:

Do some online investigation on car seats in South Africa before leaving the house.
Contact the car seat manufacturers directly. Most of them are on Facebook, so reach out and engage. No question is silly. They will gladly assist you.
Do not take social media platform conversations and forum chatter as factual. Rather contact the brands directly for more information
Query the manufacturers about warranties and what customer services they offer.
Some car seat manufacturers offer to replace your car seat free of charge if you and your child are involved in an accident. Check http://www.maxi-cosi.com/service/replace-your-car-seat.aspx
Lastly, head to your retailer and buy the seat you have decided on. Sales people are sales people, but by now, you will be able to make an informed purchase decision.

I know it’s overwhelming with all the brands and all the information out there, but I am going to give my advice, review and thoughts on our seats and why I would recommend them to you.

So now that we have covered this, I will be back soon with a post on proper installation, car seats for different ages (PS : up to 7 years old) and how a car seat saves lives. Get ready for some scary statistics!

Have you heard of the Baby City sale? 4 awesome car seats on special – big discounts! See below images for more details on those: