Friday, July 06, 2012

Random Acts of Kindness - SnuggleBugz Cares About Their Tweeps



I've been keeping this on the down low. Not too long ago, we were in a car accident.  I won't go into details, but will say that everyone is fine. I was also informed that when you are in a car accident, you MUST replace your car seat.  According to a car seat technician I spoke to, even if your vehicle is not totalled, or even if it was just a minor accident, your children's car seats need to be replaced. I read many articles online about whether or not car seats need to be replaced after an accident. Though some say that depending on the condition of the car seat, you don't have to, I would never want to take a chance with my child's safety.  I'm going to stick with what the majority of responses are. Replace car seats after an accident!

I was really touched by the outpouring of love and concern from my tweeps in the Twitterverse. It really touched me (and shocked me) to see how many people were genuinely concerned.

I heard whispers in the blogosphere of some of my favourite tweeps contacting companies and making phone calls for me...out of the goodness of their hearts.  A few companies told me that certain individuals made some calls or sent some messages via e-mail, Twitter, and Facebook. I've never experienced such genuine concern and thoughtfulness, and it actually made me cry.

Multi-Testing-Mommy and FabFrugalMama, a little birdie told me that you two have really sent some luv my way. Thank you SO much. It really means a lot to me. 

Just a few days ago, we received this fabulous Britax Frontier XT car seat/booster for Little One from SnuggleBugz.ca.  I could not believe my eyes!  When SnuggleBugz contacted me to let me know what was going on, I was in disbelief! Then they asked which colour I'd like.  I wanted to get the Livia (a bright pink colour and totally pretty for my girlie girl). However, decided to let Little One pick, since it is her car seat. Know which one she picked? 

The Cowmooflage, of course!  "Mommy, we live on a farm and we have cows. I need the cow one!"
I won't lie. It is a beauty, is it not? 

Here are some product features (from the SnugglebBugz website):
  • Highest Five-Point Harness Seat Capacity allows your child to remain harnessed up to 65 lbs or in booster mode to 120 lbs  
  • Quick-Adjust Head Restraint easily adjusts the head restraint for a more comfortable fit and enhanced safety 
  • True Side Impact Protection® distributes crash forces, shields from vehicle intrusion, contains the head and body, and keeps the head, neck and spine "in true" or aligned, to limit injury 
  • Compatible with SecureGuard which works with the vehicle safety belt in booster mode to prevent the child from sliding under the lap-belt portion of the safety belt during impact, thus minimizing the risk of abdominal injury (accessory sold separately) 
  • Tangle Free, 5-Point Harness with 10 harness height positions (up to 20" or 50.8 cm) and 3 buckle positions for a snug and secure fit as your child grows 
  • Plush, Premium Cover Set with thick, underlying comfort foam provides extra comfort, encouraging your child to stay in the proper position 
  • Integrated Armrests help provide a secure fit and a natural place to rest arms 
  •  Integrated Cup Holders are designed to fit common beverages such as 0.6L (or 20 oz) reusable water bottles 
  •  Energy-Absorbing Base deforms in the event of a crash to absorb impact forces 
  •  Energy-Absorbing Foam Liner (EPS) absorbs and distributes crash forces - HUGS™ (Harness Ultra Guard System) reduces forward head movement and cushions the chest in the event of impact 
  •  Patented, Energy-Absorbing Versa-Tether® with staged-release tether webbing, anchors the top of the child seat at two points to minimize forward movement in a crash 
  •  Multiple Buckle Positions allow for a more custom fit - Certified for Aircraft Travel 
  • Color-Coded Vehicle Belt Guides indicate the path and positioning of the vehicle seat belt 
  • Durable and Washable Cover in mature fashions for the growing child 
  •  Harness-2-Booster® converts to a belt-positioning booster seat 
  •  No Re-thread Harness Adjustment allows you to adjust the harness height without having to re-thread the harness straps 
  •  Premium, Push-Button Lower LATCH Connectors for a quick, simple, and tight installation
Little One is in love with her new car seat. In love, I tell you!  She says it's the "comfiest car seat ever" and she wants to "be in it all the time"!  Music to this Mama's ears!

What I love about the Frontier XT is that this will likely be the last car seat we'll ever have to get for Little One, because it holds up to 120 lbs! The way this Britax car seat is built is amazing. It is so well built and so easy to use.  It's not like the other car seats we've had that seem like Chinese torture devices.  Can I say things like that? I'm part Chinese :)  Anyway, we have a car seat in our van and one in my parents' van. They're both frustratingly difficult to install properly and the seat belt straps always get twisted.  There's nothing I hate more than twisted car seat straps!

We don't have this issue with the Britax Frontier XT's straps.  Another thing I love is that I feel that Little One is so much safer in her new car seat. I love that this car seat was designed so intelligently.  Little One's legs used to sometimes get pinched when buckling up the five-point harness of her old car seat. The Britax has a piece of material that serves like a guard almost, and no more "OWWIES"!

We take car seat safety really seriously...especially Little One!  In case  you hadn't noticed, she is hardcore when it comes to car seat safety! What a nut she is! She's such a goof! Note: * She doesn't usually wear a helmet when in the car. She was just being silly. 
Don't worry. The chest strap is actually in line with her nipple area. It just looks weird in this photo.

A few car seat tips that can save your child's life:
  1. Shoulder straps need to be in proper position. Check your car seat manual. Most have diagrams/images of the proper way to position the straps. We were always told that the chest buckle should be at the chest/nipple level.
  2. Rear-facing is the responsible choice (children under the age of 2 and under 30 lbs shouldn't be forward-facing).
  3. Straps need to pass the 2 finger pinch test. If the straps are too loose, they won't protect your child from flying out of his/her car seat!
  4. Getting a car seat technician is a great way of making sure that your car seat is installed properly and that you are strapping your child in properly. Book an appointment with a car seat technician!
  5. No coats!  With Canadian Winters, many parents don't like the idea of not putting a coat on their child when in the car. If you buckle your kids in with their coats, you'll notice that once you take off their coat, there's a lot of "give" to the straps. It's extremely loose and this is not safe at all. You can bring your child to the vehicle in their coat and quickly take their coat off before strapping them into the car seat. Once strapped in, you can put the coat over your child backward or put a blanket over your child. We keep lots of blankets in the van in the Winter and Little One actually likes having her fuzzy blankie over her in the van.
I'm sure there are many more car seat safety tips, but I don't want you to think I'm overly paranoid when it comes to my child's safety. Well, I honestly don't think a parent could ever be too careful, do you? 

Thank you again to everyone for your love, concern, and kindness. A big thank you to SnuggleBugz for your generosity and thoughtfulness. You really do look out for your customers and fans! SnuggleBugz really does great things.  Thank you a million times.

Disclosure - This is not a sponsored post. I am simply giving SnuggleBugz a BIG shout out because of what they stand for. They care about children, families, parents and are all about safety and offering only the best products available. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for doing something for someone else when it totally wasn't required of you. We really appreciate you. **I am not a car seat technician, nor do I claim to be an expert in this field. I am simply a concerned Mom who just wants to ensure that I'm doing what is the best to ensure my child's safety.

14 comments:

Multi-Testing Mommy said...

Awww...she looks so cozy in her new car seat! This makes me happy - and I LOVE the print that she picked :)

LisaMarieF said...

What a blessing!! Car seats are so expensive it would be horrible to have to replace them after a car accident.

She looks like she totally loves her new car seat. :) And so cute that she picked out the cow one hehe.

Journeys of The Zoo said...

How fortunate that no one was hurt.

What great support you have, not only in your time of need but all the time.

Britax has such a great reputation. You can rest easy knowing that your daughter is safe.

Besos, Sarah
Zookeeper at Journeysof TheZoo
journeysofthezoo at hotmail dot com

Monica said...

Thank goodness everyone is OK. How awesome of your friends to get together to make sure your car seat was replaced...they must be a great group. My kids are grown but I had no idea you should replace the car seat after an accident. I'll be passing that info along!!

Unknown said...

So glad you got a new seat! perfect match with the pattern too! LO looks so adorable! xo

Kathleen said...

Wow that was very nice of them to reach out for you like that! Glad everyone is okay of course.

I love that is has a guard. I've accidentally pinched a leg or two in my time and I feel horrible, it must hurt so much!

Unknown said...

MTM:
The girl knows what she likes! :) She's very particular about her likes at 3 years of age. Right now she only wants to wear pink or animal prints. LOL!

Unknown said...

Lisa Marie:
Oh, I know! Such a blessing! Oh, and she really does love her car seat. It is so funny!!

Unknown said...

The Zoo:
I do feel very blessed to have the support I have. Totally unexpected, and really heart-warming.

Unknown said...

Monica:
They are a great bunch of friends :) They're also fellow CBNers!

Yes, important info about car seats! Many people are unaware of that. Surprisingly, many people are unaware of how to properly install and/or strap their children into their car seat!

Kat Gignac said...

Hurray! This story warms my heart, hon! :) We have this seat too; LOVE it!

Cherry said...

ACK! I'm so glad to hear everyone is ok and what special friends you have to do all that outreach to help you out.

The Frontier is our planned next car seat for Elizabeth when her little bro graduates to her current seat. She's in the Boulevard now. Love Britax!

Unknown said...

Kathryn:
Thank you :) I know! This story warms MY heart too! I am still in shock at how amazing SnuggleBugz is! They really do care about their customers.

Cherry:
Yes! Def get the Frontier for Elizabeth! It's the BEST (IMO)!

Fab Frugal Mama:
:) THANK YOU, my friend. Your concern and thoughtfulness has really touched my heart :)

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City girl moves to the country, falls in love, and marries a farmer. She tries to incorporate her city ways with her new country lifestyle and blogs to keep in touch with friends, family & students who live far, far away :) Can this city girl go country? Watch as she learns all sorts of exciting things about life on the farm and in a small rural community. *UPDATE* We are now parents! Our baby girl was born on Nov. 11, 2008 (at 28 weeks gestation- 12 weeks premature, but she's quite the trooper)!!!
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