Those mums who are obsessed with car seat safety need to chill tf out

I agree. And idk about the UK, but in the US. All car seats have to be tested the same. And pass the same standards or they can't be sold. So buying a $99 car seat is still just as safe as getting a $400 one. It's no different. I have 2 $99 ones because I sold my other two for being too bulky and not practical. I needed something smaller for my car.

No one should be berated or belittled for not having the most expensive seat. I’m a firm believer on either myself or someone else not giving unsolicited advice - unless it’s in a situation where if I stayed silent, the child would die. Like idk, a toddler climbing some really high and unsafe structure or something with a parent stuck in their phone instead of watching (struggled to think of a scenario where unsolicited advice would be ok 😂). On the flip side though, some parents just simply don’t know about it all and trust laws to mean that their seats are safe. Legal does not equal safe. While you don’t need to have the most expensive seat for it to be the safest, I don’t think gentle education or advice on why ERF is important is a bad thing. 90% of this debate isn’t about the type of car seat, it’s mainly about the RF vs FF side of things. I think the only time I’ve seen brands thrown around is when people bash Cosatto seats 🤷🏻‍♀️ l

@Carol💗💙 it’s the same here. Car seats have to pass a specific test to be legally sold. When I got pregnant, I just got one that came with my baby’s pram because it passed that test so it was safe for me to assume it was safe, I didn’t even know about the car seat safety groups (not that I would EVER join one). I also saw someone on tiktok call someone a shit mum who doesn’t care about their kid’s safety because they didn’t have a “good” car seat. Soooo sorry not everyone has £300 to spend on a car seat 🙃😂

In the UK there is a difference in testing. There is the minimum legal testing and then Swedish plus testing is definitely better. The main thing is that they are rear facing for as long as possible. Again, in the UK we have low legal limits (15 months or 9kg I believe) whereas rear facing is 5x safer so why anyone would be in be a rush to move to forward facing I don’t know. I wouldn’t call anyone a shit mum because they don’t have a top of the range best seat though. Not my monkeys, not my circus. My girl is my problem and I will do what is best for her

@Courtney I totally agree with when you said some parents just simply don’t know. I was that parent! It wasn’t until my baby was probably about 9 months old that I saw videos on car seat safety so I assumed the one I was using was fine! I would’ve been SCOLDED if I posted it in a car seat safety group 😂. I and hoping to rear face my child until she’s about 3 because I have since heard of the impacts on forward facing from an early age! I just think that the mums who literally bash other mums and call them awful parents because they haven’t got what they consider to be a good car seat are a bit harsh.

Yessss. My daughters first setup was a stroller, and the car seat combo cost my fil $150 on sale. I did get two Graco 4 Evers with tax money, and that was two big purchases. But when I got my car I found it to be too bulky, heavy, and just not practical for my car. So I went to Walmart. Found 2 toddlers' seats on sale for $99 each, and that's what I've been using. They are thinner, not heavy, and very practical for my car. Expensive doesn't me better and half of the expensive ones aren't practical. My kids are foward facing anyway. So I didn't need anything other than what they needed.

@Lauryn I agree completely! I will be rear facing mine until she’s at least 3 I hope, but I won’t be screaming at another mum who simply doesn’t know the information like some women do in those groups!

@Carol💗💙 we currently have a Graco car seat and I’ve only changed the one we had because my sister bought the Graco one so I didn’t actually pay for it😂

$80 seat or $300 seat will protect baby the same. The only difference is the convenience features of the seat. If the features of a $300 seat are important to you and you can afford $300, do that. If your budget can only handle an $80 seat, your baby will be just as safe. The car seat safety hill I WILL die on is extended rear facing being scientifically safest and forward facing before 2 years old is borderline child endangerment. But when I present that information, I come from a place of kindness

It is not the same in the UK, just so you know. Not jumping down your throat and as a single mum, I totally agree…I don’t have £300 to splash out on some branded car seat. Absolutely no judgement here but it is not the same here as in US. They’re not all tested by the same standard. They all have a legal minimum to meet, which is what they need in order to be sold. However, some undergo stricter and more extensive safety crash tests after the legal minimum, like the Swedish plus test which is the highest car seat safety test in the world. That is why Swedish plus seats tend to be more expensive. It’s not just for a brand name & they aren’t comparable to the cheaper Halfords brands, who only hold the legal minimum. I’m not here to say which is better or to make anyone feel bad. I use a secondhand maxi cosi pebble (from family) for my son and a Joie ispin 360, both of which aren’t recommended on safety groups. But I did my research and it’s the best I can do with what I have x

@Courtney oh no I just meant it’s the same as in they have to undergo testing, not that those tests are the same as the US x

@Charlotte I agree with you 100%!

Also the safety groups would’ve absolutely had you called out. Someone one here actually made a comment about my son in his car seat and I felt awful and went to the safety group for advice and was ripped apart 🫠 It made me feel awful. He was in the 360 from birth as it was labelled “birth to 4yrs” so I assumed it was fine. In the end, I ignored the bitchiness but took on the advice and info and did some research. That’s when I got the pebble and used the infant carrier solely until he was big enough for the Joie (which was around 7/8 months old). I still mainly use the carrier now as despite being 3 weeks shy of 2, he’s so tiny and within height and weight still. I’ll also be keeping RF as long as possible now but totally agree with you - those groups are WILD!🤣

@Courtney aww so sorry that happened to you, some people can be absolutely horrible! There are nicer ways to inform someone of something than jumping down their throats like some of the women in these groups do! X

I wouldsay that me personally would NOT judge a mom for not having an expensive car seat because at the end of the day it’s a car seat. BUT if the infant, child is not locked in properly that’s different. I always see toddler/kids with loose ass straps and it bothers me sm 😭

I’m pretty sure in the uk the safety testing is only up to like 30mph and then if it passes it’s legal. Some more expensive brands do testing too much higher speeds so that if you got into an accident on a road that was faster than 30mph your baby would still be safer. I also read that those car seats with the straps that have clips each side to adjust are not as safe because the straps don’t support as much weight but they are still legal. I don’t think for a second other parents should be shamed at all, we all live our children BUT I do think it’s important to help others be aware because until my sister told me I had no clue x

Two separate questions surely - safety in the car is incredibly important so having a correct fit is essential; but no, no one should be shamed for not having a top of the range seat x

I have clicked I agree with them regarding car seat safety because it's safer. Doesn't have to be top of the range but in the UK (which is where I am) there is a huge difference in quality/testing. Also a lot that say they fit from newborn don't give a safe fit and are dangerous. As others have mentioned forward facing too early is a hill I will die on (before 5, 110cm and 18kg) or forward facing harnessed when it's safer to rear face then forward face once they meet the above guidance. I think sometimes people feel they are being called out for being a shit mum when actually it's cos what they are doing is unsafe when a safer alternative is available to them (even with a cheaper seat).

@Natalie I do agree with you but I think it’s a bit different when you see actual comments saying “you don’t give a shit about your child’s safety” which I’ve heard some women have genuinely experienced. One woman said she was called a shit mum for not knowing about car seat safety. I just think instead of absolutely bashing someone, how about inform them? Like you yourself has done from your comment or other comments under this post :)

@Jess that is my exact take on it! :)

@Beautiful soul ❤️ I get you omg. My mum has put my baby in her car seat with her coat on before and ive had to correct her because it scared me! But yeah i defo wouldn’t judge her or other mums for not knowing that xx

@Beth oh wow I never knew about that! I feel like so much research has to go into it doesn’t it, but unfortunately not everyone knows this. It’s definitely important and I absolutely agree with everyone on that, but as you said, yes I just don’t think it’s fair to shame other parents because it genuinely isn’t taught to us before having children or it’s not widespread information

Yeah there are definitely ways to approach it that would educate not belittle.

@Natalie exactly that :)

I'm lucky because my mum bought our carseat that's a little over £100 but me and my dad were looking at ones a lot cheaper on amazon cause that's what I could afford. She's barely ever even in the car seat cause I don't drive and neither does my partner, it's only ever for when grandparents are visiting. And when talking to my dad about the car seats and what they need to be safe he told me I didn't need that when I was a baby and he didn't even have a seat belt when he was a baby. I know roads are different now but it really makes you think how crazy it's all become from how simple it started

@Sophie that’s because when we know better we do better. If you look at the rates of baby/child deaths in car accidents back then that’s why things have improved. Not even deaths, internal decapitation is also a very real risk. Roads are busier and there are more cars on the road so there are also more accidents

So true! I want the safest stuff for my kids, but why would I care about anyone else’s?! Even if it was friends or family, I’d just let them get on with it and do it their way. I think even if you say things in a nice way, it could be taken the wrong way and it’s just not worth it.

@Lauryn 100% I'm not gonna judge you for the car seat you choose, but I will judge you for how you use it, or misuse it. Then I'll kindly offer my knowledge on how to fix the misuses. I learned a lot from Florida based CPST SafeInTheSeat on Instagram and try to share that knowledge when I can to those open to it