Revved Up By Itu Motuba
There comes a time in life when your car stops being just your car. First, there are gym bags, shopping bags and the occasional takeaway container you forgot about. Then a tiny human arrives and suddenly your car is a mobile nursery, changing room, snack bar and storage facility.
Baby-proofing the home gets plenty of attention, but the car deserves just as much thought. After all, this is where your little passenger will spend plenty of time, and making it baby-friendly involves considerably more than sticking a “Baby on Board” sign in the window.
Now, childfree people like me may think this conversation doesn't apply to us, but aunties and uncles know better. Eventually, that tiny human is going to end up in your car too. If you intend to retain your cool aunt or uncle status, you had better be prepared.
Start with the car seat
The most important place to start is with the correct child restraint. Make sure the car seat is suitable for the child's age, size and weight, and follow the manufacturer'sinstructions when installing it.
If you're using a rear-facing baby seat, never position it in front of an active passenger airbag. If you're unsure whether the seat is fitted correctly, get someone qualified to check it. That expensive car seat can only do its job if it is installed and used properly.
Once that's sorted, activate the child locks on the rear doors and familiarise yourself with the window-lock function. It may inconvenience an adult passenger occasionally, but toddlers are curious little people who seem convinced that every button, handle and switch was put there specifically for them.
Secure the flying objects
Take a look around the cabin before pulling away. A water bottle, toy or tablet may look harmless on the back seat, but sudden braking can send loose objects flying through the car.
Get into the habit of putting things away or securing them properly, particularly anything heavy or hard.
This is also a good time to think about where you keep the things you'll need during a journey. The driver should never be turning around, reaching into the back seat or rummaging through bags while the car is moving.
No matter how urgently somebody wants their favourite toy, find somewhere safe to stop first.
Pack for the inevitable
Leaving home with a baby can feel like preparing for a three-day expedition, which is why a small emergency kit permanently kept in the car can be a lifesaver.
Keep a few nappies, wipes, plastic bags for dirty items, a bib and a change of clothes somewhere easily accessible. Depending on the child's age, add whatever feeding essentials you regularly need.
And pack a second outfit, because we all know exactly what will happen to the first one. Just remember to check the kit regularly. Babies grow, food expires and spare clothes have an annoying habit of becoming too small at precisely the moment you need them.
Just remember to check the kit regularly. Babies grow, food expires and spare clothes have an annoying habit of becoming too small at precisely the moment you need them.
Make peace with the mess
I think we can all agree that our cars are sometimes our babies too, so watching a carefully maintained interior surrender to an actual baby can be painful.
Tiny humans have an astonishing ability to generate enormous messes. A washable seat protector can save your upholstery from spills, crumbs and whatever mysterious substance eventually appears underneath the car seat. Window shades can also help keep the rear of the vehicle more comfortable on hot days.
Regular cleaning matters for another reason: it forces you to clear out old bottles, forgotten food, broken toys and all the other clutter that gradually takes up residence in a family car.
One day, you will probably find a lonely sock in the door pocket, raisins under the seat and a sippy cup you don't remember putting there. I am told this is normal.
Let the car grow with them
Baby-proofing isn't something you do once and forget about. A newborn's needs are very different from those of a curious toddler who has discovered door handles, or an older child arriving with school bags, toys and enough snacks to survive a small apocalypse.
As they grow, reconsider the car seat, child locks, storage and what is within their reach. Your car doesn't have to become a perfectly organised mobile nursery. It simply needs to remain safe, practical and ready for the small person travelling with you.
Because once there’s a child on board, you're carrying precious cargo. Even when that precious cargo is having a complete meltdown because you brought the wrong colour cup.
