Belt Guide for Pregnant Mommies... ?

[Blondie87]

I would think this wouldn't be okay... is it?

Tummy Shield

 

[Pixels]

The pictures they have of the lap belt over the belly (like at belly button level) must have taken some creative arranging. Really, the belly forces the lap belt down lower than normal (unless you put it way over the top). I'd be afraid that that product would introduce too much slack into the lap belt. A preggo mama already doesn't have enough room between her belly and the steering wheel - My belly was touching the wheel around 7-8 months. I only drove when I had to, and prayed that I wouldn't get in an accident, because I knew that my belly would be smooshed into the wheel.

 

[ed_tricia]

I wouldn't try it. I had no problem getting the belt positioned below my belly. I don't know if it would have fit across the middle like in some of the pics on that site! I think following the directions on the March of Dimes link from the site would still be the way to go http://search.marchofdimes.com/cgi-...TRE+BELTS+SEATED+SEATING+SEATS+belt+seat+use+.

 

[seamonkeys]

Kind of silly - the belt wouldn't stay on my belly even if I put it there!

And isn't the lap belt supposed to sit across your legs/hips, not on your abdomen anyway - just like we're taught when fitting a child in a booster? Though when I'm not pregnant, my lap portion doesn't even sit in the right spot.

 

[elle7715]

So you sit on it AND it redirects the belt between your legs? No thanks. If anything I can picture the little hook that supposed to hold the belt snapping, leaving tons of slack for you to slide forward and smash your belly into the wheel. Again, no thanks.

It does take some extra time to get the belt right when you're pregnant but it's still very doable. Unbutton your coat, lift your shirt/sweater up a bit, and run the belt under your belly and over your thighs. Tighten, then drive.

 

[Pixels]

And isn't the lap belt supposed to sit across your legs/hips, not on your abdomen anyway - just like we're taught when fitting a child in a booster?

Yes, it should. My belly though literally started at my pubic bone. My lap belt came up from the hip area, over my thigh, down under my belly (as much as I could get it to), then back up over the other thigh to the other hip. I have about 30-40 pounds to lose, so my thighs aren't exactly skinny. That tends to force the lap belt up higher on my hips. There isn't much pelvis above the level of my thighs when I'm sitting.

 

[Qarin]

When I was pregnant, I pretty much had a built-in lapbelt guide, just had to make sure to get the lap belt under it!

That device scares me quite a bit.

 

[Melizerd]

There's no way I would have used that.

Your belly is the best belt guide there is. If you put the belt on under your belly it's where it needs to be.

So with that thing you're sitting on a thickish mat AND changing the way the belt routes though someone's plastic NOT tested guide? I don't think so. Think of the slack that would be in that belt as soon as it snapped? That's much scarier.

 

[Wineaux]

I went to the site and watched their crash test video showing the hook holding. Really, this is just a BPB for pregnant women with the belt being routed differently than what we're used to seeing. Their crash test video was interesting to see to say the least.

 

[Pixels]

The problem is, it doesn't fall under FMVSS 213, so we don't know for sure that it's safe. The crash test video is interesting, but I have some questions about it. It's not shown as one long shot, it has been edited. Possibly innocuous, possibly not.

If it's truely that great of a concept, it may trickle down to actual boosters. Then again, current designs where all you have to do is put the belt in the belt guides are simpler and therefore less likely to have misuse.

 

[snowbird25ca]

From the warning on their how-to use it sounds like they have done crash testing with it since it states that bruising of the femurs and risk of breakage in a collision.

I wouldn't use it, and don't think it's a good idea. I was in a collision back when I was 7mos pregnant with my 11yr old bio dd. I blacked out temporarily (presumably when she turned,) and came to maybe a car length away from an SUV that was stopped to turn left. I'd been very careful to position my seatbelt under my belly the entire pregnancy, and came out of that crash without a scratch or a bruise. I went to hospital for monitoring, but baby was perfectly fine.

This is what was left of the vehicle:
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y194/snowbird25ca/sharing/picturesofoldpictures013.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y194/snowbird25ca/sharing/picturesofoldpictures012.jpg

It was an old Dodge Colt tin bucket - no airbags or any fancy safety features. I was going 60km/hr when I looked down - and I braked, no clue how much I slowed in the period of a car length though... But I wore my seatbelt properly and we both came out unharmed.

This product is completely unnecessary and could increase the risk of injury to boot. I wonder how many of these are actually on the road in use?

And out of curiosity, I wonder what percent of fetal deaths due to trauma in the mom are due to the mom not wearing her seatbelt at all?

 

[kaylee18]

The company should be shot (or something) for that commercial. They make it look like ordinarily wearing a seatbelt is choosing your own life above your baby's. I wonder how many women saw that commercial and just stopped wearing their seatbelts altogether, which of course is very dangerous for both parties. The simulation is very inaccurate; most babies are positioned higher relative to the seatbelt and they can move a lot in the amniotic fluid.

 

[brightredmtn]

Seat belts and harnesses are designed to go across the strongest points in your body. The insides of your legs are not nearly as strong as your pelvic bone.

How are things like this allowed to be on the market?

 

[ketchupqueen]

Hmmm. My problem was that my first and third both sat REALLY low in my belly. Like, when the belt was across my hips it was across the baby's head.

But I don't think this would have helped much. I just prayed I wasn't in an accident, did the best I could (locked the belt to help keep it in place, like I always do), rode in the back when pregnant with my first and second whenever I could (couldn't with my third, couldn't fit) and trusted what my doctor told me, that amniotic fluid is very good cushioning for the baby and would protect her in all but the very worst crashes.:shrug-shoulders:

 

[lovinwaves]

I wonder how this 'seat' would interfere with the new sophisticated air bag sensors.

And, can I just say...my crotch hurts watching those crash videos

 

[Tummy Shield USA]

Thank you for your interest in Tummy Shield.

Tummy Shield has been carefully tested in Australia where the developers’ unborn daughter received permanent health issues when his wife was properly wearing her seatbelt. Please note the March of Dimes link on our website is an aid to help mothers understand how to reduce the seatbelt risk. Tummy Shield eliminates the risk and was tested by a leading, internationally recognized facility with accreditation http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/roadsafety/crashlab/.

Tests were conducted by Australia’s leading biomechanical engineer with PhD qualifications. All tests have proven conclusively that Tummy Shield does work by diverting the load away from the abdomen area to the thighs and pelvis areas. Therefore, maintaining protection to the mother and reducing the risk of injury to the unborn child by diverting loads up to 4,400 lbs away from the fetus in extreme circumstances.

The Tummy Shield does not alter the action of the seat belt in any way, otherwise it would not comply with ADR4/00 Seatbelts, ADR5/04 anchorage for seatbelts, ADR69/00 full frontal impact occupant protection, all are internationally recognized standards in the U.S., Canada, Europe and Australia.

Seatbelts are not designed to protect the unborn, infants, toddlers and small children without device aids.

“Motor vehicle crashes account for four of five deaths that occur among unborn babies of pregnant women who experience trauma.”
The Journal of the American Medical Association

“Automobile crashes are the largest single cause of death for pregnant women and the leading cause of traumatic fetal injury mortality in the United States.”
U.S. National Library of Medicine

Data shows this risk is real and not until a father decided to take action did mothers have a choice and it is NOT to un-buckle because both mother and unborn child both require protection.

Feel free to email us at info@tummshieldusa.com with any concerns, questions and or suggestions, we will be happy to support you in any way we can.

Best wishes to you and your families.

Managing Director
Tummy Shield USA

 

[Melizerd]

I'm sure a tech will post but unfortunately we have no idea if Australian standards are the same as US standards (for better or worse). So it could be like comparing apples to oranges.

 

[SafeRide4Kids]

My name is Greg Durocher. As a FF of 18 yrs and a Paramedic of 13 and a CPST Instructor of 12+ I founded Safe Ride 4 Kids, LLC where our mission is to find and share innovative products that we believe are truly revolutionary and which are safe and effective to use.

We have recently become the USA distributor of the Tummy Shield. After really looking one over, looking over the crash test stats, taking it to Car Seat design and crash testing (FMVSS 213) experts I know and speaking with the inventor, I have total confidence in the effectiveness of this product.

We are starting a new forum topic just for the Tummy Shield. Look for it soon on the sponsored threads page. http://www.car-seat.org/forumdisplay.php?f=20 and look for Tummy Shield.
OR go to TummyShield.com (under construction but check back soon!)
Thanks so much. Lets take child passenger safety one step earlier and protect them even when they are still getting Chauffeured by mom

Greg