TODAY 12/20/11: Last Day to Order

Place your Car Seat Poncho orders tonight to receive them by the end of the year.  Orders placed after 11:59 p.m. tonight (EST) will ship on New Year's Eve, 12/31/11 and be delivered in early January.

BABY BARGAINS Likes the Car Seat Poncho!

The Car Seat Poncho was recommended in the Baby Bargains blog! 

Their blog post for today, 12/14/11, featured a letter from a reader who wanted to know how to keep her toddler warm in her car seat.  They responded:

"We found a company, H. Barry Boo, that offers a great solution. The Car Seat Poncho (sells for $35 to $45 in a wide variety of fleece options. The idea: keep your child warm while walking to the car then flip the poncho up and over the seat. "

(Click here to read their full blog post.)

If you are a new or expecting parent, you NEED a copy of Baby Bargains (especially now ;-).  It is the voice of sanity in the crazy world of baby products, and will save you from a panic attack when you are zapping items for your baby registry!

NO. DRAWSTRINGS. ON. HOME. MADE. PONCHOS!!!!

When I developed the Car Seat Poncho in 2005 for my son, you had to look pretty hard to find information about the risks of puffy coats under car seat straps.  I only learned about it by reading the fine print in my car seat's manual, and the only other mention of it was in an About.com article by Heather Corley.

Fast forward, six years later, and the compression risks of a puffy coat in a car seat are ALL OVER.  TV news, blogs, books -- you name it.  I am so glad that more people know about it and that so many parents want to do whatever they have to do to keep their precious children safe.  My product is one option.  Some moms are crafty, and they want to make their own.  I totally get that.  I did the same thing six years ago.

Five days ago, a mom on the August 2010 Cafemom birth board posted about the no-sew poncho she made.  There are two layers, sewn together at the neck, which then serves as a drawstring.  It's adorable.  It might be warm, but it's not safe.

BECAUSE...

Drawstrings on children's clothing are strangulation hazards!

From BabyCenter: "CPSC issues new drawstring safety rule for children's clothing: The final rule designates children’s upper outerwear in sizes 2T through 12 with neck or hood drawstrings as substantial product hazards.."


From the Consumer Products Safety Commission: "Drawstrings at Neck and Waist Present Strangulation Hazard and Other Dangers"


From the Child Injury Law blog:  "CPSC Deems Drawstrings a "Substantial Product Hazard," Strengthening Rules on Their Production and Distribution"

This was one of the first things I blogged about.  Think about how much is going on when you are trying to leave the house with two little kids.  Consider all the movement and possible entanglements: getting out of the house, slinging diaper bags, seat belts, buckling, unbuckling, etc. The consequences could be disastrous.


This nice mom wanted to do a sweet thing for her children (she made one for each child), but traded one hazard for another.  The drawstrings are right around her children's necks, and it was even suggested one be tied around the back of the neck(!).  If you are considering using her no-sew method yourself, or if you see her online, please tell her:
 
NO. DRAWSTRINGS. ON. CHILDREN'S. CLOTHING.  EVER

PLEASE!

THIS WEEK ONLY: Free Matching Hats

The Car Seat Poncho is the safe way to keep your little one warm inside the car seat, without the bulk and hazard of a standard winter coat.  It even makes YOUR life easier because you don't have to fuss with the coat.  Recommended by safety experts, CPS techs and moms all over the country.

BONUS:  All this week, our most popular colors come with a free matching hat.

FACEBOOK FRIENDS:  Click "Share," and thanks for spreading the word!

Bonus program ends Saturday night, 12/10 at 11:59 p.m. while supplies last.

Purple? You Weren't Kidding!

About six months ago, we asked our blog and Facebook followers for advice on adding a purple poncho to our collection, and what color trim we should pair with it.  The response was unanimous:  purple and lavender!

Well, fast forward to today and it's official:  Purple/Lavender has actually become the new #1 favorite poncho for girls this season.  Even more than Leopard/Hot Pink Reversible, which had been the queen of the group almost since the beginning.

I have to say, I am really impressed!

Perfect Foot Rest for FF Kids



This box makes a perfect FF foot rest!

 When extended rear-facing (ERF) kids finally turn around forward-facing, a lot of them are actually LESS comfortable because they're not used to having their legs dangling.  It makes perfect sense.  After all, isn't it more comfortable to put your feet up on the coffee table than to keep them flat on the floor?

I found the perfect foot rest for my DS, who rides in a Monterey, in the centerseat/second row of an 8-passenger Sienna.  A 12"x12"x8" US Postal Service shipping box!  Available for FREE at your local post office!

It fits perfectly in front of his seat, and can easily be pushed halfway under the front row console.  It's lightweight and, anchored under the console, is unlikely to become a projectile.  I have it taped shut on the foot rest side (I use the bottom of the box because it's plain white), but on the side that goes on the floor, I just pushed the flaps into the box so that it stays open.  This also makes it a handy hiding place for when we want to leave things in the car, like a digital camera or an mp3 player.  Some day I might spray paint it a cool color, but it's mostly plain white and perfectly acceptable to me that way.

Your local post office has these (and other size) boxes for FREE, and if you don't see them, just ask at the desk or visit this page at usps.com.  And did I mention they're FREE?

Top 5 Responses to "When I Was A Kid, There Were No Car Seats."

When you hear someone chuckle the above, remain calm.  Then take a deep breath and say, "Well, back then..."

5.  "... THERE WERE FEWER CARS ON THE ROAD."  In 1960 there were 74 million cars on the roads.  Not every household had a car.  And almost none had more than one.  And many women did not drive (well, many did not have jobs outside the home anyway, so what was the point?).  In 2004 there were 240 million motor vehicles on American roads.  By now, it might be just under 280 million.  And most women drive.  More cars means more traffic, more red lights being run, and significantly, more potentially distracted drivers.  The more cars there on the road, the more risk to each passenger.  We're only as strong as the weakest link.

4.  "... MOST CARS WERE ABOUT THE SAME SIZE."  We're talking passenger cars, that regular people could buy.  Minivans and SUVs hadn't been invented yet.  And, for those of you who remember those big boat-sized cars, there had huge crumple zones in front and back (until the Volkswagon Beetle and other compact cars came out).  Now you have Escalades and Suburbans on the same roads as Corollas and Fiestas.  With such dramatic differences in weight and size, the potential for serious injury is much greater.

3.  "... CARS DIDN'T TRAVEL AS FAST."  At least not as easily.  Today's cars are engineered more efficiently and designed so aerodynamically that you can hit 75 mph without hearing a rattle or a hum.  Can't say that about a Dodge Dart (from the late 70s).  So, local traffic running these days at 30 mph? Very rarely.  If you're not going at least 40 mph you're slowing everybody down.

2.  "... KIDS DID NOT SPEND NEARLY AS MUCH TIME IN THE CAR."  The average American child spends more time in a vehicle now than ever -- about an hour a day.  For younger children, the figure is likely higher, as they accompany their older siblings to and from school and activities, or their parents on everyday errands.  In "their" day, neighborhoods had town centers, where you could walk to get a carton of milk.  Now, most suburban families have to get into the car to do the simplest errands: pick up the dry cleaning, get the groceries, fill a prescription, etc.  I read a great quote on this at a popular parenting board: "Riding in a car is the most dangerous thing my kids do.  And they do it every day."

And the #1 reponse to "When I was a kid, we didn't have car seats, and I turned out ok" is:

1.  "WE'LL NEVER HEAR FROM THE KIDS WHO DIDN'T."  Motor vehicle crashes are the #1 cause of fatal injury for children.  If we have the tools and the knowledge to protect our children from injury or death, shouldn't we use them?

We all have anecdotes about how our childhoods were simpler. Some may argue that the old days were better, and in many ways, they were. But there is no question that advancements in technology and communications have also enhanced (and prolonged) our lives. So resist the temptation to disregard today’s safety advice. Make sure your kids stay safe whenever they are in a car, so that in years to come (when their world is unrecognizable to us!), they, too, will be talking about "back in the day."

To read my 2009 post on the topic (with more sources and statistics links), click here.

Partly A Miracle, But Mostly ERF

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE VIDEO

Recently, a member of Car-Seat.org was involved in a serious multi-vehicle pile-up outside of Houston TX.

An 18-wheel truck struck the rear of her Toyota mini-van with a family including three small children from Louisiana in the rear. The force crushed the rear of the van and pushed it into a new motor home that was stopped for traffic. The three children, ages 1, 2 and 3, were in child safety seats in the rear of the van. The van basically crushed around them.

But no one in her vehicle was seriously injured. No one. Not even the children.

Was this a miracle? Maybe a little bit. But this mother increased her kids' chances of surviving by rear-facing their car seats. When that truck slammed into the back of their van (within inches of her 2 year old's head), the force of impact pushed their bodies into the shells of the seats, cradling them and distributing crash forces safely. If they had been facing forward, the outcomes would have been significantly different.

Miracles do happen. But decisions we make beforehand help them happen when we need them.

Men, Women & Car Crashes: Guess What This Means for Your Kids

Today's New York Times Science section reports that, according to a review of over 45,000 crash victims, women driving cars are 47%  more likely to suffer serious injuries in a crash, even when both groups wear seat belts.

Investigators from the University of Virginia, who reviewed NHTSA data from the last 11 years, said women are more susceptible to injury for a variety of reasons, primarily differences in neck strength and musculature, positioning of head restraints, and seating posture.

They also report that "car safety devices have been designed largely for men, and women may need safety features that take into account [adjust to] their differences...  For now, female drivers can ensure that their safety systems perform optimally [by] maintaining good belt fit and correct seating posture."

Doesn't this sound familiar -- belt fit and seating posture?  These are the dual purposes of high back booster seats: to ensure that lap belts fit across the hip bones (not the soft abdomen) and shoulder bones (not the neck); to ensure upright posture when seated, even while sleeping.

Please consider that if 1.) seat belts are designed to fit men; and 2.) even adult women are at risk for serious injury because of poor fit and positioning, 3.) the risk to a child is potentially catastrophic. 

Catastropic. For your child.  Please prevail over your child's complaints and other people's comments to keep your family safe.

Thank you for reading, and please share this information with friends, family and anyone else concerned with passenger safety.

How Warm Is the Car Seat Poncho?

A partial map of places where Car Seat Ponchos are being used.

Plenty warm enough for Minnesota, Alaska, and British Columbia, where sub-zero cold is a fact of life.  Lucy, a mom from Saskatchewan, Canada, wrote:

"It's warmer than a winter coat, in fact, because I don't have to take it off at all!"

Taking your child's coat off in the car releases their body heat into thin air (literally). The Car Seat Poncho is made of two layers of heavyweight fleece, and goes on your child before you leave your house. As the poncho is draped around the seat and your child is being buckled, their warmth fills and spreads through the entire space underneath the poncho.

 

Car Seat Ponchos are keeping children warm in frigid place like:

• ALASKA: Sitka, Juneau
• COLORADO: Aurora, Brighton, Broomfield, Conifer, Granby, Grand Junction, Longmont, Peyton, Snowmass, Denver
• MICHIGAN: Dearborn Heights, Farmington Hills, Fenton, Howell, Kalamazoo, Mount Pleasant, Pinckney, Saginaw, Saint Joseph, Taylor
• MINNESOTA: Maple Grove, Minneapolis, Ramsey
• NORTH DAKOTA: Grand Forks
• NEBRASKA: Bennington, Papillon, Omaha
• SOUTH DAKOTA: Brandon
• WISCONSIN: Amherst, Appletown, Edgerton, Muskego, Racine, Saint Francis, Sheboygan, Superior, Waukesha
• CANADA: Alberta, Ontario, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Calgary

This is just a partial list. Add your city and state, too!

Getting Into the Car Seat = 180 Times

If you start using your Car Seat Poncho this week (beginning of fall), and put your child(ren) in the car seat at least once a day for the next six months (till spring), that's 180 times you'll be able to keep your baby warm going to and riding in the car seat.

180 trips = 6 months x 30 days

And then, of course, you have to take him or her out:

180 trips x (into the car + out of the car) = 360 "in and outs"

And for most parents (and definitely for those with more than one child), there are at least TWO trips a day. So, over the course of this fall and winter, there will probably be about 500 "in and outs."  Six. Hundred.

But if you've already got your Car Seat Poncho, you're probably so psyched, because you're knocking off those 600 "in-and-outs" without the hassle of a coat or the coat trick.  Without taking your child's coat off in the car and putting it on backwards (or picking it when it drops to the floor).  Without pulling the harness reeeealllly tight and hoping for the best...

The sooner you order your Car Seat Poncho, the sooner you'll receive it.  Put it to work right away and start getting back the value for your money and your time.  Then you'll have even MORE reason to love those crispy, chilly mornings.  All 180 of them!

How Much Difference Can A Coat Make?

A child's coat does not have to even be extremely puffy to add significant bulk around the torso.  Here's a quick video that demonstrates the problem and offers our solution.  Forward, share and "LIKE" to anyone who drives a little one around and lives in a cold-weather state.  Eventually, cold weather will come!

Why Is the "Bundle Me" Bad in a Car Seat?

Every child safety expert says "NO!" to using the Bundle Me in a car seat, but why?

The reason Bundle Me's are not safe is that the part that goes behind the child's back is too fluffy and thick, and does not allow you to properly secure your child in the car seat. Fluff and bulk in FRONT of a baby and under the harness would compress in a collision, but fluff between the BACK of a baby and the car seat prevents the harness from being tight enough.

While a Bundle Me does allow the harness to be directly on the child's chest, it provides only the illusion of security because of the extra "air space" in the back. "Shower cap" infant car seat covers like this are the better way to keep infants warm in bucket car seats.

And when you "graduate" your baby to a convertible, the Car Seat Poncho is the very best, easiest way to keep baby warm!

Fan Mail for the Car Seat Poncho

Deanna from Rushville, Illinois wrote us this sweet note:

"My son and I love this poncho so much!  It is cute, keeps him warm, and makes getting in and out of the car so much easier.  It was worth every single penny I paid for it.  I am so pleased!"

Coincidentally, we have been getting a lot of orders from Illinois in the past two weeks.  Hmm... is Deanna spreading the word?  Who have YOU told about the Car Seat Poncho?

When It's Amost A Crash?

A safety colleague witnessed a "non-crash" today.  The car next to her had to go from about 30 mph to zero within seconds to avoid rear-ending another vehicle.  Even though 30 mph is not hair-raising speed, that kind of sudden stop definitely makes a loud screech and smokes the tires.  But what caught my colleague's attention was the child in the back seat of that car...

She was about 6 years old and restrained only in a lap belt (no shoulder straps, so obviously no booster). The top half of her body was thrown forward, ACROSS THE FRONT SEAT -- remember, she went from 30 mph to nothing in seconds.  Her face smashed into the dashboard and was badly bloodied (click here to see what can happen to lap belt passengers in a crash).  Read my colleague's full description here.
 
If she had been in a harnessed car seat or a booster, her torso would have been restrained and injury could have been avoided.

86-Y Universal Harness

It *is* possible to harness a child in a car that only has lap belts.  There is a product called the 86Y Universal Harness, and it is an ingenious way to provide safe restraint to a child.  Attach the harness to a retrofit tether bolt, and thread the lap belt through the bottom harness loops.  If your child, or one your know, rides in an older vehicle that is not equipped with shoulder belts (maybe a babysitter or a relative), please consider it.  You never know when you're going to be in an "almost-crash."

The First Frost Is On the Way

Chilly air from Canada is on its way to the US, and the first frost will roll into the northern Plains, Midwest and Northeast U.S. this week!  According to Accuweather, the expected cold snap is a little early for this time of year.

We usually start reaching for our jackets at around the 50-degree mark. Even if the day's supposed to top out in the high 60's, the mornings are usually chilly and we can see our breath as we head out to the car. Fall is my favorite season and I love to be ready with a cozy jacket or sweatshirt on the coat rack.  I think you can tell where I'm going with this:  be ready for that first chilly morning with a Car Seat Poncho!

The Purples Are Here!

The long-awaited purple ponchos are here, as well as more leopards, chocolate camels, roses, camouflages and more.  Be ready for the first chilly day and order your Car Seat Poncho now!

Canadians: Car Seat Ponchos at Snuggle Bugz



Good news for Canadians!  This year, all Canadian and non-US orders will be handled by Snuggle Bugz, which has locations in Burlington, Milton and online at SnuggleBugz.ca

This means FASTER delivery, NO DUTY and FREE SHIPPING!

It's the Most Wonderful Commercial of the Year

This Staples commercial never fails to make me laugh out loud, but seeing it in late August makes it that much sweeter.  Hey, why does school start in August outside the Northeast?

One-Day Sale: Wednesday 8/17

The other day, one of my Facebook friends suggested we do a coupon code.  She is so smart, and maybe a little clairvoyant, because every summer we do have a one-day sale.  It's on WEDNESDAY, August 17th:  Use coupon code ONEDAY to save 20% on everything in the store.

Summer's almost over and school's already started down South.  You know fall and winter are not far away, so when it comes, be ready to keep your little one warm AND safe (not to mention that this is the last general coupon code until March 2012)!

Subscribe to this blog and/or friend Car Seat Poncho on Facebook to be notified of the latest sales, coupon codes and safety news!

Lovely New Color Combinations

Coming in September to the Car Seat Poncho store -- Navy Blue & Pink, and Purple & Lavender (the unanimous winner of last spring's color survey).  I just saw the samples, and they are gorgeous!

Android and iPhone Website!

The Car Seat Poncho now has a mini-site optimized for viewing on Androids and iPhone screens!

Here's the link to the mini-site. 

To see it the next time you are on your phone (if you aren't already), go to the Car Seat Poncho main website and click on the ANDROID and iPHONE link in the lower left corner.

Let us know what you think by posting to this thread, to the Car-Seat.Org sponsor forum, or on our Facebook wall.

Kansas City Skywalk Disaster - 30 Years Ago

Thirty years ago this weekend, 42 people were killed and more than 80 injured at the Kansas City Hyatt, when a set of indoor bridges collapsed onto each other and then crashed onto the lobby floor.  It was a disaster of unseen proportions, as the lobby and bridges were filled with people attending the hotel's popular weekly tea dance.  Many of the 1,500 guests were there from out of town, to attend conventions scheduled to begin the next day.

About 50 people were standing on the fourth-floor walkway and about 100 people were on the second-floor walkway, with up to 200 people standing in the lobby beneath them.  The fourth floor walkway tore from its bearings and crushed the second one, tearing it down.  Then both bridges crashed onto the lobby floor.  Investigations revealed that critical changes to the bridges' designs made the tragedy unavoidable.

Read more about the disaster and efforts to finally commemorate the lives of the victims:  http://skywalk.kansascity.com/articles/sections/disaster/

Hyperthermia happened again... yesterday.

A 2 year old girl in the Atlanta area died on Monday.  She was left in a daycare van for at least 2 hours before she was found:

http://www.ajc.com/news/clayton/girl-2-dies-in-982501.html

Kids in Hot Cars, Part 2

Do tinted windows contribute to hyperthermia deaths for children left in closed vehicles?

According to David Bell, the inventor of the VizKid, they certainly don’t help. Tinted windows (now standard in the second and third rows of minivans and SUVs) are great for the comfort and privacy of backseat passengers, but they also make those passengers invisible. So if the driver or other adult leaves the car in a hurried or distracted state, he or she could not see the child from outside the car. Nor could anyone passing by -- people who could literally have been a life line for that child.

Bell’s invention, the VizKid, is a visual cue to drivers and passers-by that a child is in the back seat. After seating and buckling the child, the driver lifts the VizKid upright and buckles it into the front row passenger seat. Ideally, when the driver leaves the car and takes the child, the VizKid goes down again. If the driver is distracted when s/he exits the car, but sees the VizKid before walking away, tragedy avoided. If the driver does leave, someone else could see the VizKid in the front seat and rescue the child before it is too late.

Check out the VizKid and Visible Kids LLC here.

Kids in Hot Cars, Part 1

Each year, about 40 children die from heat stroke (technically called hyperthermia) after being left behind in a motor vehicle. 

An excellent study led by Jan Null, a meteorologist at SFSU, shows that hyperthermia does not just happen on blistering hot days. Even on a relatively mild day, the temperature inside an enclosed car increases 50 degrees within the first 30 minutes. In other words, a child left inside a car on a 70-degree day could soon be suffering in 120-degree heat.

Here is the link to the study data:  http://ggweather.com/heat/index.htm#home
The full article, as published in Pediatrics:  http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/116/1/e109.full

I find the maps most fascinating. They show children hyperthermia deaths in almost every state (even North Dakota or Wisconsin) and almost every month of the year. Heart breaks, each and every one.

Related posts:
Babies Forgotten In Cars
Babies Forgotten In Cars, Continued

Thinking About A New Phone? Here's Good Comparison

About a month ago, I made the switch from a Blackberry to an Android phone because I wanted a bigger screen, better web interface and a better camera.  Because of my carrier, I could choose between an Android and an iPhone, but I'm happy enough with my decision and I don't have to mind-shift that much to get used to this new phone.

This NYT article compares and contrasts iPhone, Android and Blackberry.  It starts off about games, but hits a lot of important considerations based on what you want to use the phone to do.

Thank you for voting in the Purple Combo Election

The result was unanimous - Purple and Lavender!  We're looking forward to offering this combination next fall, along with your favorite leopards, pinks, chocolates, camels and camouflages.

Until then, all who voted can use coupon code PURPLE to save $5 at the Car Seat Poncho store, now till June 30, 2011.

POLL: Which purple combo do you like better?

 Every year, moms ask me for purple ponchos, for their girls who are crazy about purple, or just not that into pink.  I've come up with two solid-color combinations, but I can't decide which to go with.

Post your preference!  First 10 to post get a $5 off coupon.

Btw, as much as I search and search, I can't find any good purple-based pirnts or patterns, so it's got to be a solid.

Thanks!

Smartphone Pictures Can Reveal Your Child's EXACT Location

If you post pictures of yourself or your family on Facebook, Flickr, etc., you may be revealing your or your child's EXACT location to strangers who have no business knowing.  Watch this NBC News video on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2vARzvWxwY

Go get your cel phone right now and disable the geotagging capability on the camera.  This website has directions for iPhones, Droids, Blackberries, etc.:

http://www.icanstalku.com/how.php#disable

iPhone: Settings, Location Services, Camera, Off.

Blackberry: Camera, Options, Geotagging, Disable.

A few people have checked their phone settings and were relieved to find the geotagging on their cameras was disabled by default.  Make sure yours is, or get it done asap.

Canadians: Snuggle Bugz Has Car Seat Ponchos!

Over the years, I have received many emails from Canadian moms who bemoaned the high cost of shipping Car Seat Ponchos from the US to Canada.  Since we are a small company, we do not have bulk pricing from commercial freight companies like FedEx or DHL, so we could never offer more economical alternatives.  Well, now the Car Seat Poncho is available at Snuggle Bugz, through their web store at http:/www.snugglebugz.ca -- with FREE SHIPPING to any Canadian address!

We're Ending Our Emails.

To be sure you do not miss any news, sales or coupons, FRIEND us on Facebook or SUBSCRIBE to this blog, and receive a $10 coupon code via email. 

As of February 28, we will no longer use email to send news or information.  Everything is shifting to our Facebook profile and the Car Seat Poncho Blog.

If you're already a friend or a subscriber, feel free to send this news far and wide.  Share it on Facebook, post it on your own blog, your birth board, your online community or your moms group.  Heck, make copies of this post and hand it out at your child's preschool.  Everyone's welcome -- let's all be friends!

New subscribers should leave a comment to this post (below) with your email address in "NAME" at "MAILSERVICE" dot COM.  Your coupon code will be sent to that address.

FINE PRINT:  Coupon codes valid for new purchases of in-stock merchandise, and expire at 11:59 pm EST on 3/31/11.  US delivery addresses only.  One coupon per email address and delivery address.  Cannot be combined with any other promotion or coupon code.

The Car Seat Poncho Is In Canada - at Snuggle Bugz!

We are very, very excited to announce that Snuggle Bugz - Canada's Baby Store, will be carrying the Car Seat Poncho!

This is great news for our Canadian customers -- and Canadian babies.  More news as this story develops.

Anyone NOT Have An Opinion on "Tiger Mother"?

Just finished "Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother" and am collecting my thoughts, to post at a later date. 

I will say quickly that I think "Battle Hymn" is a marketing and pr concoction.  A lot of the anecdotes cited on talk shows and print articles are clearly chosen to create buzz and controversy.  The book itself has a lot of tongue-in-cheek, self effacing humor and reads more like a comic memoir (a Chelsea Handler or David Sedaris for helicopter moms) than as a parenting how-to. 

Someone told me that there is a movie deal in the works, which figures.

The Car Seat Lady on Good Morning America

Dr. Alisa Baer, aka "The Car Seat Lady," had a great segment on yesterday's Good Morning America:  "The 5 Most Important Things Parents Should Know About Car Seats."

Dr. Baer is a NICU specialist at Columbia University's Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital.  Safety is in her blood:  Her mother, Debbi Baer (a nurse), was the original Car Seat Lady and still provides child passenger safety consultation in the Baltimore, MD area. 

Check out the wonderful Car Seat Lady blog and "Like" the Car Seat Lady page on Facebook. 

When you go to her blog, ahem, notice the first picture in the Bundle Me post (looks familiar?), as well as the last picture (Blue Camouflage M/L) at the bottom!

Bidding Fond Farewell to Paisley



Paisley will not be available after Winter 2011.

For some inexplicable reason, the wonderful mill that supplies the fabric for the Car Seat Poncho has discontinued the Paisley print.  This means, so sadly, that once the current inventory of Paisley/Hot Pink ponchos are gone, there will be no more.

We are so bummed, because Paisley is such a joyful print (and a top seller).  Moms would tell me that it simply made a cold day warmer.  It was so cheerful and colorful, it made their girls smile just for the fun of wearing it -- even on the most dreary, slushy grey morning.

If you've always wanted one for your daughter, granddaughter, niece or favorite baby girl or toddler, don't wait.  As of today, there are fewer than 10 SMALL Paisley ponchos, and fewer than 20 MEDIUM/LARGE.

Great Review on About.com

Great grade from About.com

 The Car Seat Poncho got a/nother great review, this time on About.com's "Baby's First Year" blog:

"When I first glanced at this product, I'll be honest and say I wasn't too sure about it. I am a New Englander, and the winters up here get beyond frigid.

Would the Car Seat Poncho really keep my baby or toddler warm? Closer inspection reveals a solid, "Yes!"

The reason being, this poncho is made out of not just one layer of fleece, but two layers of 400-weight fleece. The weight of the blanketed poncho traps warm air next to your child while you go out to the carseat.

The other features of this product that I find appealing over some of the other winter car seat accessories are:

1. It works with both infant car seat carriers AND any 5-point harness. So if you are using a convertible car seat, this product will work for you.
2. It prevents any layers of material from coming between your baby and the harness straps. The straps remain as close to your baby as possible at all times, unlike popular winter gear like the Bundle Me.
3. It also can be used as warm weather wear. You get to your destination, and your child has the freedom to walk around and still keep warm."

Thanks to blogger Jennifer White, of About.com.  FYI: Unlike many other "product review" blogs, there was no "freebie" product given in exchange for a review.  Ms. White chose the Car Seat Poncho to review based on her own research and suggestions from her readers -- bona fide journalism!

Was there anything she left out of her great review?  Leave your two cents in the comment area for the article:  http://baby.about.com/b/2011/01/03/the-car-seat-poncho.htm#commentform

Want to read some more love?  Here are more Car Seat Poncho reviews.