Why this photo of a mum holding her baby in a car seat upside down went viral… and it could save your child’s life
Shared almost 50,000 times on social media, Rachel McNamara's post has helped thousands of parents keep their kids safe
A US mum has become a quick social media sensation after posting a picture showing her holding her baby upside down in her car seat to Facebook.
In two side-by-side photos, Rachel McNamara can be seen holding her child's car seat over her head and upside down, with her smiling baby still inside.
The post was designed to encourage parents to think carefully about car sear safety, and ask themselves if they would feel confident their child's seat would hold them should their car be flipped upside down or roll over.
"After strapping your child into their car seat, ask yourself if you'd be comfortable flipping it upside down," the savvy mum wrote in her post.
"Remember that the chest clip should be at armpit level and the straps should be tight enough to pass the pinch test. "
The post has since been shared almost 50,000 times, and has received over 2,500 comments from grateful parents.
In response to her tip gaining traction, Rachel updated her post to refine her intentions.
"I'd like to clarify that I'm not advocating that parents should be flipping their kids upside down before every car ride," she wrote.
"Just that they should feel confident that their child would be safe IF the car seat was flipped over in an accident. I think this is a great visual and shows just how important proper car seat use is."
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She then went on to provide parents with a number of other pieces of advice to help them keep their children as safe as possible on the road.
Rachel also continually reminds readers of the importance of reading the owner's manual for their particular car seat to ensure they have it installed correctly.
Rachel's car seat safety tips
- Shoulder strap slots: "With most car seats when they are rear facing the straps should be at or below their shoulders and when they are forward facing the straps should be at or above their shoulders."
- The pinch test:Once the child is strapped in, "you shouldn't be able to pinch any of the strap between two fingers. This test should be done near the shoulders."
- Correct seat installation: "There should be less than an inch of movement of the car seat at the belt/latch path. Always use the top tether when forward facing. Only uses the latch system OR the seatbelt to install your car seat. Never use both."
- Forward or Rear facing?: "Rear facing as long as possible is always the safest option."
- Aftermarket products: "Things like infant inserts, shoulder pads, toys and seat protectors should NOT be used. Those items were not crash tested with that seat and could cause the seat to malfunction in an accident."
- New or Used?: "Never buy a used car seat unless it comes from someone you can absolutely trust. You can't always tell if a car seat has been in an accident or if it was cared for properly."