Child safety
Each year in New Zealand, 13,000 children under five years old are hospitalised because of injuries and poisoning. Many of these admissions are avoidable. This safety section has some ideas on keeping your child safe as they grow and develop.
Car seat safety
Never put your baby’s car seat in the front if there is an airbag. Always use an approved car seat right for your child’s weight and size.
Stage 1 - Rear-facing car seats
Your baby needs to be in a car seat from its very first ride. Rent or buy an infant car seat before you take your baby home from hospital.
Car seats for new babies need to be rear facing seat, so that baby is looking out the back window. A baby's head is heavy in proportion to the rest of the body and in most crash situations, a rear facing seat will ensure the baby will be pushed back into the car seat, protecting the head and spine.
Try the restraint in your vehicle before you buy or hire it — not all car seats fit all vehicles. Ensure you use the car seat each time your baby travels in a vehicle.
Make sure when baby is in their rear facing car seat:
• The harness straps are over their shoulders and the harness is firm against their body
• Blankets go over baby once the harness is buckled
• The harness is moved up as your baby grows to keep the harness level with or slightly below their shoulders
• The chest tie, if provided, is at armpit height
• The car seat harness buckle is clicked shut before you drive off
To keep baby safe, keeping them in a rear-facing car seat beyond one year of age is recommended. You may need to change car seats as your baby grows, moving to a bigger seat that will allow you to continue to have baby rear-facing.
Baby has outgrown their rear-facing car seat when:
• The top of their head reaches the top of their car seat
• Their weight is over the recommended maximum weight for a rear-facing seat.
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