Decoding The World of Car Seats: A Parent's Honest Take

The baby car seat world has ranged from mystical to real to utility for me.

Not most proud of it but I have been that person who found it cool to have a Baby car seat - it tells the world I am concerned about the safety of my child. Before that, I had also been that person who did not know what a Baby Car seat is. When I was growing up, we did not have these things around, so just understanding what this thing is, was a learning curve.

So yes, if you are reading this, and you are a new parent, this one is not going to disappoint you on the relatability index at least. Lets talk about all the key emotions around “The Baby Car Seat”

Car Seat vs Carrying the Baby In Your Lap

Before I became a Mom, I would mostly see conversations in families about “How the baby is best seated in an elder person’s lap - imagine grandparents or parents”. When we go deeper into this emotion, there is also another side to it. It seems impractical to block a whole seat of the car for the tiny baby who can very much be carried in your lap. Can be loved more also? maybe.

However, when I was researching the baby car seat topic, I realised that the stance on this topic is fairly polar. 

Either you believe in safety and hence definitely believe in the car seat ->hence, definitely have a car seat -> and your baby sits in the baby car seat whenever they are in the car. Yes, every time they are in the car. 

The other polar side is you find this a bit of fluff. Baby Car seats are not really necessary - “Why to block a seat?” “The baby doesn't sit in the baby car seat at all” and so on.

There is essentially a mid-believer or a non-believer scenario here.

If you really want a baby car seat to work, these are the MUST DOs, from experience ofcourse:

Use the baby car seat on Day 1, and then every day

I am a realist, I knew both sides and believed either could happen for me. When I had my baby, we got her in a baby nest from the hospital to the house in my lap. I still remember how underconfident I was for her safety.

The next day, I had a game-changing conversation with a friend (Eisha, I am forever thankful for this). She had returned to India after living in the US for a while. She told me her own experience with her baby. In the US, it's mandatory to bring the baby in the baby car seat home from the hospital. So yes, you do put a very tiny baby in the car seat. She told me how the baby was a lot more comfortable in the snug infant carry cot aka baby car seat for infants.

I tried this on Day 3, and my daughter was just so fully secure in the baby car seat. She had her own space. She would sleep through journeys, it made our busy lifestyles so much easier. 

Smooth transition from one baby car seat to another is critical:

The next stage came in when she got older, and the infant carry cot would just not work. We needed a baby car seat, but everything was average or just too expensive, even though they were outdated models.

We made the mistake of taking her out without a baby car seat a few times, and then, yes she did not want to sit in one. I would have best wanted a product that would work from Day 1 till her grown-up days to avoid any such transition. 

In essence, transitioning from one baby car seat to another is going to cause friction - there the expense side of it and moreover the house is getting completely taken over by baby stuff. 

Deciding on which baby car seat is super critical, to really use it as long as we can and use it effectively. 

360-degree rotation is a Must-Have Feature:

One key reason why babies hate the baby car seats is the whole experience for them. Putting a baby in a rear-facing car seat ( putting them in and taking them out) is not very comfortable for babies. All of us parents who have done this know what I mean. A 360-degree rotation car seat just makes it so much more comfortable for everyone. You open the car door, rotate the car seat to whatever degree is convenient, the baby sits and then they’re adjusted well for rear or front position depending on their age/ height.

A Space of their own

Childhood should be as independent as possible, they are young adults for whom the environment should be adjusted. A baby car seat gives them their own space, it's elevated, which means they get to see outside the window comfortably. The handrest, seat cushion, headrest, everything is suited to her needs and grows with her. 

Safety standards are really important

We have global standards for safety on the baby car seat. I really hope that the Indian government also comes up with their version of the same. Indian roads have a bit of character :) But safety standards and quality cannot be stressed enough upon here.

We designed the Loopie Lap keeping all of this in mind. The only baby car seat that you will ever need. Moreover, our factory partners are people who made the world’s first baby car seat ever and have continuously innovated on it. 

You see, every product we develop, we end up spending a lot of time on it. From understanding the space, using it first-hand, identifying the needs and then developing the highest quality product for it. Hence, launching the LAP car seat took some time. 

But we worked hard on it, from one parent to another. 

And always always keen on feedback. 

Thank you. 
Akriti

Loopiehead #1