> I had fun tweaking with the car seat comparison and I thought it  
> would be fun to see what other Lactnetters can come up with  
> too...Jen O'Quinn
>
> Infant Car Seat Choices
>
> I'm pregnant and already I have made the decision not to use a car  
> seat.
>
> Using a car seat is a personal choice.
> As a parent I have made the decision to do what is best for  
> me...and my child.
>
> I have a lot of good reasons for choosing NOT to use a car seat.
>
> First of all I don't believe all that baloney about car seat usage  
> and bonding.
>
> My mother didn't use a car seat, and it had no affect on the way  
> she mothered me
> and what I want to do for my own children.
>
> Second of all I want my husband to be able to bond with our son,
> and his car doesn't have a car seat.
>
> My mother and mother-in-law want to be able to take the baby for a  
> ride.
> Their emotional needs must take precedence over
> the intangible *benefits* to the baby of using a car seat exclusively.
>
> Of course the most important advantage of not using a car seat is that
> I don't have to be the only one responsible for driving the baby  
> around.
>
> I know other women some how manage to do all the driving for their
> babies but that is because they don't have anything better to do.
>
> I will be returning to work in 6 weeks, and I just can't be  
> encumbered by a pump.
>
> My sister tried to use a car seat and wasn't able to.
> She was never able to latch the baby in the seat properly.
>
> A lot of women have cars too small to accommodate car seats anyway.
>
> I tried to use a car seat with my first son and it made both of us  
> miserable.
>
> When he was born the nursery nurses told me to get my rest
> while they got him accustomed to the one-size fits all car seat in  
> the nursery.
>
> When it was time to leave the hospital I still hadn't got him  
> latched in my own car seat,
> but as they pushed me out the door they told me not to worry about  
> it if it didn't work out.
>
> In fact, in the diaper bag they gave me there was literature about
> how to SAFELY get the baby around in the car WITHOUT using a car seat.
>
> At his 1 week check up when I told my pediatrician about my  
> frustrations
> he told me I should try not using a car seat at the end of every ride.
> Or I could alternate using the car seat with not using the car seat  
> for relief!
>
> His wife tried using a car seat and it didn't work out for her either.
> He knew all about car seat usage just the same,
> so he didn't need to refer me to a Board Certified Car Seat Usage  
> Consultant.
> Just think of all the money he saved me!
>
> Somehow not using a car seat every other time did not improve my  
> car seat usage skills.
> Before I knew it I wasn't able to use the car seat at all.
>
> As a last resort I called one of those crazy La Leaky Leaders.
> She told me to use the car seat frequently day and night,
> and that would make things get better!
>

> She offered to come show me how to latch the car seat in if I was  
> having trouble.
> And she even invited me to a meeting of theirs.
>
> Can you believe it!
> She thought *I* needed a *support group* to learn how to use a car  
> seat!
>
> So I quit using the car seat.
> The baby got some bumps and bruises and we made several trips to  
> the ER,
> but you can't tell by looking at him now.
>
> Besides I heard about a lady who used a car seat and her child was  
> seriously injured in a car wreck.
>
> Using a car seat is just so inconvenient, and its not worth it,
> because it doesn't make any difference really. Car seat using  
> mothers are fools.
>
> Now when I see mothers using car seats in public it makes me feel  
> uncomfortable.
>
> Those mothers need to teach their babies independence from the car  
> seat.
>
> I have seen some mothers use their car seats past the first year...
> Those mothers are just meeting their own needs!
> A toddler does not need to be in a car seat. GROSS!
>
> There are so many militant car seat users in our society
>  and I am tired of  them pushing their beliefs on me.
> I refuse to feel guilty for making the choice that works best for me.
>
>
>
>

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