Maria Eckersley, mother of 5, has been around the proverbial block when it comes to diapers, diaper bags, trips, outings and messy mis-haps that can occur along the way. She recently shared with us a great solution for lightening your load when you just need to make a quick run to the store, but need to be prepared for anything.
Down the side of her car seats, between the seat and the lining, she's always kept a thin pack of disposable wipes and a zip top bag with a clean diaper. Once her children are older and in full out potty training mode, she uses the same hiding place in their permanently attached car seats to hold a spare pair of underwear, a pull up and wipes for any "oops" emergencies!
You can read more about this tip and others from Maria over at MeckMom.
Great tip, thanks Maria!
(via: MeckMom via Adrian's Crazy Life)
(Image: Meck Mom)
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Great idea
Fabulous idea! I usually throw all the stuff in my purse, but to have a backup emergency go-to is great!
smart momma!
Great idea ... but couldn't you also just keep that stuff in a ziplock in the back-of-the-seat pocket? That's what we do.
doesn't that void the warranty on your car seat?...in case of accident the manufacturer could avoid liability were something to go wrong with the seat
I hate to be the picky person that I always am, but I have the same question that JNS does. And I would bet you that it does, in fact, void any liability that the manufacturer has with the seat because the rule is that you can't add any after-market product anywhere on the seat (at least as I understand it).
Sorry to be so anal and picky. I can't control myself sometimes.
ohh boy. a can of worms has been opened.
It's not a terrible idea, but I'd forget it was there. What's wrong with the glove compartment or seatback pocket?
I agree about the warranty. Easy enough, I keep a couple diapers for each kid and some wipes in the pocket of the driver's seat. Problem? The wipes freeze solid in the winter!
As a (Canadian) Car Seat Installation Technician I'm going to come down firmly on the side of NOT doing this. The warranty will likely be voided and your insurance only covers you if you're using the car seat correctly, which means no after market products or stuffing objects between layers. While the chances are that nothing is going to happen to your child, you could be out of pocket for hundred of thousands of dollars worth of medical bills that would have been covered by insurance if only you'd stashed that change of diapers on the floor/glove box/truck.
I have a hard time believing this would void the warranty. Otherwise the cheerios, mittens, and random small toys etc. that ALL children drop in their car seat cushions would alleviate companies from any liability?
Thanks, Jenx. I was thinking the exact same thing.
Jenx, I'm thinking the same thing. I'm always finding toys and snacks in there!
I guess...(?) the difference between the cheerios and the toys and this is that well...there SHOULDN'T be toys or other random things stuffed there even by accident. The manuals of my seats clearly state that the seat and the straps should be checked EVERY time for any issues. That's how they would get away with voiding your warranty for even items that unintentionally made their way between the seat and the lining?
It is a good idea! But I agree with PPs that the back seat pocket or glove box is just as good. I have a ziplock in the compartment between the passenger and driver seat. In the summer when we are out and about (I have a hatchback) I often change my son in the trunk area since it is flat and I can sit on the edge to do so. So I keep a ziploc in the trunk (there is a small compartment back there.
May I suggest? Keeping a SECOND ziploc or grocery bag inside the ziploc with the diaper and the wipes...for those extra stinky dipes you can't get rid of until a little later!
Even with a toddler, I carry a diaper bag. I probably always will. Spare clothes, diapers, sippy cup, snacks.... I don't take it into stores anymore, but it does go in and out of the car and house. There's no need to tempt fate and void a warranty in case the unthinkable should happen. And if you think it never will happen to YOU, feel free to not use a car seat at all in the first place. Me, I'll stick to being a sheep and following the rules and hoping that my baby stays safe. Now, I really need to go clean out those cherrios...