All You Need to Know About Baby Car Seat Accessories

Whether you’re a new mom or a mom of two or three, I know that driving with a crying baby in the car is no fun. As a newbie, you panic at the thought of what could be wrong with your baby and the panic doubles when you know you can’t always pull over to check. Baby car seat accessories could just solve your problem.

While, most times, the little fellow just wants attention, it would be nice to know that there are tricks to entertaining them so you can drive in peace, arriving at your destination without having a heart attack.

10 Top Baby Car Seat Safety Tips

1. Research the car seat’s history before purchasing, especially if buying a second-hand car seat.
2. Ensure you place the car seat in the correct position, the safest being the back seat and rear-facing.
3. Don’t use the car seat as a replacement crib.  It isn’t designed for this and could prove dangerous.
4. Install the car seat as per manufacturers instructions and ensure you buckle baby in properly too.
5. Adjust the recline angle of the car seat to make sure baby has maximum comfort.
6. Only move to a front-facing car seat when the baby is old enough, at around 35 pounds.
7. Don’t overdress your child in bulky outer clothes whilst in the car seat.  Rather place a light blanket over the baby once buckled in.
8. Only move over to a booster seat once the baby is around 40 pounds.
9. Booster seats must be used with a lap and shoulder strap.
10. Only when your child is around 8 or 12 years old, dependent on their size, start to use the normal car seat.

Why Invest in Baby Car Seat Accessories Anyway?

In this busy world we live in, we are invariably rushing from one place to another and in turn having to subject our little ones to being strapped in and driven around in their car seat. Now, what baby loves to be strapped down, where they can’t move much and can’t have the loving arms of their mom around them?

While we are not able to teleport, yet, we will just have to grin and bare it. No, not quite. There are innovative options out there that will at least alleviate a lot of the stress. These come in the form of baby car seat accessories. From comfort to entertainment, I know you will find something of use from this comprehensive list below.

Quick Reviews Of Our Favorite Baby Car Seat Accessories

Summer Infant Snuzzler

This super comfortable and reversible support system for baby supported my little one’s neck perfectly.  With her unstable head, this support was great in the car seat, stroller, bouncer seat and infant swing.

I found it easy to fit and remove.  I could use both sides for a choice of style. The one side is Velboa, a low pile, faux fur fabric, often used for stuffed animals and the other side is a smooth, woven fabric. I liked that it was adjustable, as one can move the head support area upward as baby grows.

While it says Summer Infant Snuzzler, I feel it can be used in winter using the Velboa side.  Looking forward to trying it out when the weather gets colder.

Although most car seats and strollers come equipped with a snug and safe support, it’s good to have an extra support option for when you need to move baby from car seat to bouncer seat or vise versa. As with all good reviews, there is generally something that doesn’t work, but to be honest I couldn’t find one thing I didn’t like about this support.

Critter Piller Kid’s Neck Pillow

I tried this out on my older child as it wasn’t ideal for my youngest.   This cute guy supported his head when he started falling asleep. The little dog, which is the model I chose, is made from soft, plush polyester fabric which is also washable.  If you don’t like the dog Critter have many other varieties of designs.

I did find it a little too stiff and large, so again more ideal for an older child, say 2 to 3 years old.  In fact, I made use of it on our last long trip.

Cozy Greens® Backseat Organizer

An organized mom is a happy mom and generally, has a happy baby.  At least that works for me. So, take a look at this nifty backseat organizer. You simply attach the adjustable straps over the backseat in front of the baby, no matter if your baby sits forwards or backward in their car seat. I like the extra feature, which most backseat organizers don’t have, an extra strap at the bottom so it doesn’t dangle free.

I slot in all sorts of goodies, like her fave toy, rattle, drink or milk bottle, snack pots, feely/touchy books, pacifier, wet wipes, iPads and any other item that will her entertained while I drive.  I like this organizer so much, I bought two, one for each child.

Granted, most of these items land up on the floor in a few minutes, so I stock it up with loads of items, to last the entire trip. A distracted baby is a … yes, once again … a happy baby! With sticky hands and drooling mouths, it’s nice that it comes in a durable, easy to clean fabric.

A suggestion, as some small babies cannot reach too far, in the beginning, mine can’t, is to strap this little guy to the window next to the baby. Just roll down the window, tuck the straps out and roll up the window to seal it. This way the items are close enough for little arms and hands.

There are a few other makes out there that allow for a cell phone or an iPad to be slipped into a see-through pocket, but those don’t come with as many other pockets as this one.  While the entertainment of a good movie on a tablet is an awesome idea on a long trip, I’m very happy with my organizer as it is. Loving it when a charity is involved, I was chuffed to see that  5% of the profit goes to Child’s Life Chances for Children.

Britax Back Seat Mirror

Okay, hands up to those who are paranoid moms? I confess. I am one. 2 big hands up! But, when you’re concentrating on the road and your little buddy or buddess is behind you, and especially if they are in a backward facing car seat, it’s unnerving as hell not to be able to see them. On top of that, they can’t see you!

So I installed one of these pivot mirrors so we can see each other all times. You, simply attach the mirror to the backseat head restraint with adjustable straps, angle it so if you adjust your rear view mirror, you can see the baby and they can see you. I have one gripe though and that’s to do with the angle adjustment.  It is easily thrown off course, so to speak.  A little bump and the view is skewed, which can be a little frustrating whilst on the route.

Another downer, which didn’t affect me, but which I feel must be mentioned, is that this mirror doesn’t fit all makes of vehicle.  I cannot tell you which makes of vehicles it won’t fit.  I have a Nissan Altima but I know it has to do with the removable headrest.  So check that out before purchasing. Overall a really awesome addition and has made this mom a super relieved one.

Car Seat Sunshade Cover Reflector

In the summer months, when the sun is at its hottest, that car seat can get pretty lethal.  I know, having gone through this with my eldest.

So, when number two came along and I knew that while she was a winter baby, she would go through summer in just a few months, I decided to try this car seat sunshade. I simply popped this nifty sun reflection cover over the car seat, when not in use, to keep the car seat 26 degrees F cooler. It was easy to attach and fitted my standard sized car seat just fine. There are 2 sizes, though, so check out the dimensions first. While the manufacturer has claimed it’s easier to fold up, I didn’t find that to be so.  However, I just balled it up, shoved it behind the car seat when not used and found that to work best. A little trick when putting it on, which isn’t explained upfront, slip it on the left to right or vise versa.  This works easier than going from top to bottom or the other way round.