This post has been sponsored by My Car Seat Install and Dallas Moms Blog received a complimentary lesson to write this review. All opinions are 100% our own.
When we were brand new parents (and had zero chill about everything) we turned to experts at every age and stage of our daughter’s life. Before she was born, we attended a car seat install course lead by a certified professional at our hospital. It was super helpful but we had to go TO the hospital, which was not all that convenient for either of us. It would have been amazing if a certified car seat technician could have come to our house and taught us how to install and use our car seat.
That amazing service exists! It’s called My Car Seat Install and I got to have Maria come to my house to check out our car seats. My experience was so different from the hospital class because she was able to teach me about my specific seats and how to install them in my specific car. It was very personalized and easy! I learned so much during my visit with her and I can’t imagine how helpful this would have been to me as a brand new parent.
Currently, I have my three year old in a forward facing convertible seat and my six year old in a high back booster. I felt like we were doing everything right. After all, we are not ‘newbie’ parents anymore and had researched the seats (extensively), read the car seat manuals, watched installation videos online and properly secured our children anytime we got in the car. I kind of assumed Maria would admire my handy work, pat me on the back, and be on her way.
Spoiler alert: That did not happen. I certainly had a lot to learn but now when I am driving around town I KNOW my kids are safely and properly secured in the car.
Prior to coming to my house, Maria collected a little information from me like the ages of my children, brand and model number of each car seat and the year, make and model of my car.
When My Car Seat Install showed up at my house, Maria brought a measuring stick and scale with her to double check the height and weight of my kids. We went into my garage (bless her heart, it was a very cold day) and she got to work. She had pre-read the manual on my Britax model and reminded me I have about a 18 months until that particular seat will expire. She noted the things I had done correctly with the install, and then showed me where I could make improvements. She also read through the manual on my Pilot to make sure we were using the top tether strap correctly.
We pulled each of the seats out and brought in both of my kids to show me how to properly buckle them in each seat. Then Maria taught me, step by step, how to properly install each seat.
I asked her a ton of questions, including where the best or safest place in my car would be for our seats. She told me that geographically, the safest place to install a car seat is in the center, because it is the furthest from impact. However, for various other circumstances (including other car seats, in my case) achieving a proper installation is not always possible in that position. So the proper seating position becomes one in which the caregiver can achieve a tight installation in accordance with both the vehicle and car seat manuals. The front seat is off limits for children younger than 13 (and that definitely goes for rear-facing car seats, too).
She talked to my daughter about what a big responsibility it is to ride in a high back booster. and reviewed the things my daughter should do to keep herself safe. For example: never put the shoulder belt behind your back, no horsing around in the car and always stay upright in your seat. 
After Maria left, I felt so confident about the car seats and how to use them. I could see having Maria from My Car Seat Install come at every transition of car seat use – newborn, rear to forward facing, convertible to booster, etc.
For more information on My Car Seat Install, visit their website or find them on Facebook. Be sure to ask about how their services can be “gifted” to a new mom, and make sure to tell them that Dallas Moms Blog sent you!
Win a Complimentary “At Home” Installation or Car Seat Check!
My Car Seat Install is providing one winner with a complimentary home visit for help installing a car seat or car seat check for one car seat/vehicle combination. Win for yourself or for a new mom! To enter to win, simply use the form below and a winner will be selected on January 26, 2017. Good Luck!
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