Every parent wants their child to be safe in the car. And when you have a NICU (neonatal intensive care unit) baby, you want to take some extra precaution to ensure your baby is truly safe when they are driving with you. Here are 5 essential tips for baby-proofing your car for a NICU baby.

Invest in a proper car seat:  You must invest in a good car seat for your baby. When baby-proofing your car, you should ensure you are picking the right seat. You should pick the seat that is suitable for your baby and ensure that it is safe for your baby. With a wide range of choices, sometimes it can be difficult to choose the right seat but it is worth the effort. You should read all the manuals that come with the car seat to ensure you are installing the car seat correctly.

Medical equipment:  Some babies might need to rely on some medical equipment for a period of time. When you are thinking of baby-proofing your car for a NICU baby, you should think of ways to safely store the medical equipment. The reason is that during a crash, the same medical equipment can badly injure your child. This is why you need to carefully analyze the space that you have in your car and all the spaces where you can store the equipment that you are required to travel with.

Don’t bundle:  Parents usually make the mistake of bundling up the child with lots of clothes such as big outerwear to ensure they are warm and cozy. Don’t make that mistake when baby-proofing your car. The reason for this is that there is a high chance of these thick clothes to compress which leaves the harness to become too loose and unable to hold your child in place during a crash. Instead, you can opt for keeping your child warm by covering them over the harness and straps.

Avoid buying from third-party sellers:  There are so many products in the market from third-party sellers. While you want maximum protection for your child when they are in the car with you, you do not want to waste money buying their products. The main reason is that when you are baby-proofing your car with these products, you cannot be sure about how safe they are. The reason is that these products are generally not regulated and neither are they tested. This can cause your baby to have difficulty breathing and cause a host of other problems.

Let the pro help:  When it comes to proper installation, you simply don’t want to take a risk when baby-proofing your car. This is why you should ask a certified professional to check whether you have installed everything correctly. You should get the installation checked by a CPST (Child Passenger Safety Technician). A CPST will help you install your child’s car seat properly and you will be able to get important tips from them if your child has any particular needs. For example, when you require to take medical equipment of your child.

Now that you know how baby-proofing your car for a NICU baby works, you can make sure your that you take the necessary precautions to keep your baby protected.