Using a car seat here in the Philippines is still not very common. Most parents think that a car seat is still not a necessity. We are one of those and I feel bad about it. Out of 5 kids, it was only with our last that we seriously thought of it. I wish we had sooner.
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I am glad that the government is doing something to make car seat part of the law. Child Safety in Motor Vehicles Act of 2017 has been approved by the congress. Still not in law but that’s a good start. The bill requires the use of car seat for kids below 12 years old. It also states that kids below 12 years cannot occupy the front seat.
So if you are like us who have no idea about car seat, here are some guidelines. I came up with this guidelines while I was doing my research about car seat.
5 Things To Know Before Buying A Car Seat
Local brand vs imported brand? Always go for imported brand because the testing done on those products are very rigid. Imported brands such as Nuna convertible car seat goes through a lot of testing. And from time to time new tests are made.
Brand new or second hand? Since most car seat companies go through a lot of testing, what is considered safe a few years back may no longer be safe now. If you are going to use a second hand car seat, make sure that it is not too old. 3-5 years old car seat is a good option. Any car seat older than 5 years is not good.
When is the right time to buy a car seat? The right time to buy is during baby sales and of course before your baby is born. You will be using the car seat when the baby goes home from the hospital.
What’s the best type of car seat? Always go for car seats that can be used form birth up to when the baby is around 18-20Kgs. It can be pricey at first but it’s a really good investment. Just use baby carrier when you go out of the car. I love the wrap I use from Shadrach’s Collection.
What is the price range of a good car seat? A really good car seat that can be used from birth is usually around 10,000 Pesos and up. If you’re lucky, you’ll get a good discount from baby fairs.
Car seat is a non negotiable must buy baby gear.
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