'Safest' Mirror??

KaysKidz

Senior Community Member

• Dec 6, 2010

• #1

Now that little Miss is riding in her rf'ing BV, I can not see her...AT ALL. What is the 'safest' mirror to use with a rf'ing baby?? Right now, she's outboard and I can use the head rest...but I don't know if she'll stay there. If I move her to the center, I will not have a head rest. So not sure how that would work.

 

Mae

Well-known member

• Dec 6, 2010

• #2

Well I suppose if you insist, I'd go to the store and see which one is the softest and which one you'd prefer to throw at the kid's head, because even though they can strap down, they may still fly off and hit the child.

Take a look at this post. They were in a crash and a mirror that was hooked down still hit her DS in the head.

brightredmtn said:

As my brain is slowly coming back from the concussion I have more to add.

I had one of those mirrors that hook onto the top tether anchor. I figured that since it was hooked onto the car it wouldn't be a potential projectile. WRONG! It ended up on the floor of the car behind DS. DS does have a very small bruise on his forehead and I can only think that is from the mirror hitting him . It was very soft so not too bad but still.

Click to expand...

 

KaysKidz

Senior Community Member

• Dec 6, 2010

• #3

Mae said:

Well I suppose if you insist, I'd go to the store and see which one is the softest and which one you'd prefer to throw at the kid's head, because even though they can strap down, they may still fly off and hit the child.

Click to expand...

Ummm....I think that's a bit uncalled for. Obviously, I'm aware of the risks of projectiles. And I don't know about you, but my car is NOT void of objects that are not secured by seat belts. Yes, I'm a CPST, and yes, I know we want to keep projectiles to the minimum. But, I live in the real world. A mirror, is the least of my worries. The sippy cups in my car would do more damage then a light weight mirror, but I still allow those. I have not bought a mirror before, nor had the need for one. But with our current set up, I would feel better with some kind of visual of my child.

 

Mae

Well-known member

• Dec 6, 2010

• #4

Hey, just gotta say it. :shrug-shoulders:

Also, it's still the same concept. I'd still go to the store and find the softest one.

 

Holly

New member

• Dec 6, 2010

• #5

I decide to use a mirror for my RFer too.
I've used a few different ones in the past, and this one is my favorite.

I had the SKJP mirrors when my dd's were RFing because they strapped securely to the headrest and the mirror was on a pivot so I could get the perfect angle easily.
I took them out when I realized the mirror is not secured to the part that straps in, it rests on this ball thing and can fall off. I had it fall off and land in ds's lap before.

I wanted to have a mirror that pivoted because I've never been able to get the perfect angle without that, but I wanted one to be secure.
I found a rectangle munchkin mirror once and it was great as far as being a soft mirror, pivoting, attaching securely, and the part that pivots being attached securely to the rest of it.
I loved it except the image looked a little bit like a funhouse mirror most of the time. I decided it was because it was rectangle, I never had issues with my round SKJP mirrors.

Then I found the Elmo mirror by Munchkin, same design only it's round and has Elmo on it. I bought it this summer and it's been perfect. I'm not at all concerned about using it. I'm not sure how it would work without a headrest though.

 

KaysKidz

Senior Community Member

• Dec 6, 2010

• #6

So a round mirror gives a better image, good to know! I figured I can add snaps to it too to help secure it more then velcro. Thanks!

 

NannyMom

Well-known member

• Dec 6, 2010

• #7

Once upon a time, Dorel had one at Target, it may have been round. I would have used it if I needed to. It was soft enough that I hit myself, and the 10 and 7 year olds in the head with it (we were discussing it's safety for the car ).

 

wendytthomas

Admin - CPST Instructor

Staff member

• Dec 6, 2010

• #8

I have the big size Safe Fit mirror. It's 10 ounces, so in a 30 mph collision that's 18 pounds of force (and Mythbusters this week said it would take 2000 pounds of force to the forehead to be fatal, 400-4000 pounds to the chest, depending on age, and 76 to the throat). So even in a 60 mph collision that's 36 pounds of force. It might bruise her. And as I tell parents, if the mirror you attached around a headrest comes off, you have far more to worry about than a bonk on the head from a 10 ounce mirror! You just rolled down an embankment ten times or something big.

Wendy

 

KaysKidz

Senior Community Member

• Dec 6, 2010

• #9

Thanks Wendy...the one I have in my shopping cart has a shipping weight under 10oz, so it's light by those standards. Neat little facts too! I love Mythbusters! I do wish they do a series on car seat crash tests.

 

msg221

Well-known member

• Dec 6, 2010

• #10

I'm a tech as well and also choose to use a mirror. I just feel better when I am able to see the kids, especially Chase. I have this one (it's the one that hooks to the top tether):

http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2402035

I think the outside frame part is pretty soft and it's worked well for us. I like that it is larger so you can see them better.

 

cpsaddict

New member

• Dec 7, 2010

• #11

I am a well-informed parent and chose to use a mirror. Mine is a round, Eddie Bauer/Dorel from Target. The outside is padded and soft. I had DD in the middle of my old Escape with no headrest. I attached the mirror to the outboard headrest and used the bendy(that is a technical term, BTW!) piece to angle it. It worked pretty well, but I am glad my new Escape has a center headrest. LOL!

 

Baylor

New member

• Dec 7, 2010

• #12

I used a mirroe too. You need to be able to see babies.. They need to be able to see you too sometimes to be happy. I always made sure they were secured properly and used a soft one.

I need to see my children in the car.

 

L

lenats31

New member

• Dec 7, 2010

• #13

KaysKidz said:

Now that little Miss is riding in her rf'ing BV, I can not see her...AT ALL. What is the 'safest' mirror to use with a rf'ing baby?? Right now, she's outboard and I can use the head rest...but I don't know if she'll stay there. If I move her to the center, I will not have a head rest. So not sure how that would work.

Click to expand...

Don´t worry! Not all mirrors go flying in the car in an accident. the Easy View Mirror has all sorts of safety tests certificates in Europe The TÜV among others. NOT BAD! You can order it from

http://www.carseat.se

or write a user called Adventuredad here on this forum.. he owns carseat.se and his shop carries this mirror.

Lena

 

Carrie_R

Ambassador - CPS Technician

• Dec 7, 2010

• #14

I use this --

[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Bright-Starts-8494-18-Peek-A-Boo-Mirror/dp/B000FMQWSM"]Bright Start Mirror[/ame]

It's a crib mirror, not a car seat mirror, but totally soft and I'd throw it at the kids in a heartbeat. Not adjustable, though. Found it at the consignment store so the price was right lol.

 

R

rodentranger

New member

• Dec 7, 2010

• #15

http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?p=1283369#post1283369
I have another of that mirror still in use in my car so I can see who is hitting who.
I sewed elastic to the back of it so it has the wrap around the headrest straps as well as my elastic strap holding it in place.
If the child is in the center, you might try putting the mirror outboard and duct taping a rolled up sock to the back of it to angle it so you can see LO.

 

A

andre149

New member

• Dec 7, 2010

• #16

We used a mirror with P until she was about 2. I don't remember the brand, but I got it at Target, it was super soft, strapped to the head rest, and was rectangular. I never had an issue with the shape, but never tried a round one either It did pivot, and when she was center after I stopped nannying I just put it on the passenger head rest and played with the angle until I could see her, it worked well that way, rather than trying to deal with not having a headrest.