OT - PSA - Car seats and shopping carts

[Sam_2.0]

www.macon.com/2011/09/21/1712353/baby-dies-after-fall-from-grocery.html

I honestly never thought twice about putting DD's seat on the top of the cart, but I will never do it again!! That poor mom I cant even imagine...

Even if the seat seems to click onto the cart, it can cause the cart to tip and the seat can easily unlatch since it was not designed to go on a cart. I will wear/carry DD or use the infant carts if DH cant go with me to push the stroller until she can sit in the cart.

[sbcalimom]

That's so sad. I actually just tried this for the first time last week at Target but couldn't make it past the cart area because the carseat seemed way too unstable. I will definitely always just carry DD or put the carseat inside the cart from now on.

[thyme4change]

Holi crap! Not only is that horrible, horrible for the Mom - but could you imagine being the Kroger employee that was pushing the cart?! Imagine some 16 year old kid having to deal with that kind of guilt. I use to put my kid on the top like that, but I would never walk away, or let anyone else push the cart, not that I would be failproof. I guess I just always felt if some freak accident like that happened, I would want me to be the one pushing the cart (or whatever.) That just sucks!

[econstudent]

thyme4change, that's what I was thinking. What a sad, horrible accident all around.

[Apple]

That is so sad!! I would always put the carseat either in the cart or across the main area--DS was on a monitor so we had to have room for both. I can't imagine how awful that teen must feel.

[Deleted]

babies dying is never a good thing

[Sam_2.0]

Wonder if US stores will start having these kinds of carts available now: www.expedit.eu/product-areas/shopping-trolleys/baby-and-child/holder-for-babyskraastole.aspx

[reeneejune]

Also scary - letting kids hang on/climb on the outside of the cart. Even a kid as young as 2 can make those carts tip over, I've seen it happen more than once. One little girl had to be taken to the hospital to have stitches! Another time a girl about 6 or 7 climbed on the cart to see baby brother, knocked the cart over and sent baby's car seat flying. Thankfully mom's reflexes were good and she managed to catch the seat. Those warning labels on the cart? Take them seriously, please.

Also, if the child isn't tall enough to see over the cart handle, they are not tall enough to push the cart. Especially if you're not willing to pay for all the merchandise they damage.

[mizbear]

I posted the link to my FB page- I see a lot of people do that here. And the seats are not sitting securely- you can see it

[Clever Username]

Very sad.
But WTF's up with letting an employee push your cart in the parking lot?

[Sam_2.0]

Clever - I know the stores here will ask if you need help out to the car, and they will offer to push the cart if you say yes. I had people offer several times when I was pregnant and I took them up on it. I wouldn't let them push my infant though, but maybe the mom had done it several times before with no issue?

Sad sad accident that could have happened no matter who was pushing the cart. Mom may have had quicker reflexes, but maybe not. I feel bad for all involved

[shelly527in]

Wow...tragic accident!

[NomoreDramaQ1015]

told DH he was right to have a hissy fit whenever I suggested that I do that with our car seat. It unfortuantely only takes once.
I feel so bad for everyone involved.

[mrslynch]

Our former pediatrician had told us when DD was a baby that most head injuries in babies come from this kind of accident. It made me insanely paranoid and I never did it. I either put her in the main part (which was funny when I filled all the groceries in around her. She looked like some sort of freak Anne Geddes picture) or made DH come with me and push her in the stroller.

I am so sorry for everyone involved in this horrible accident.

[mizbear]

I wonder when they will stop suggesting parents mount the seats like that. I know there was a manager going around in one of our stores asking people to NOT put carriers on the carts. They would have someone help them with their shopping if need be. He is waiting for word from corporate on whether or not they can put a no carriers on top of the carts warning up.

[Sam_2.0]

Mizbear - a lot of the carts actually have that warning printed right on the seat (funny how I never noticed it before!). I would bet after this story, and seeing that its already on the cart, that they could put the sign up. I was wondering if stores will now ask people to take the seat down or leave. They really need to get more carts that accommodate the car seats since most people use those types of seats now.

[mizbear]

That's what bothers the manager at my fave store- is that the carts supposedly are made to accomodate the seats

[cathysmom]

My DDs had an oversized carrier and it never felt secure up on top, so I always put her car seat in the basket and surrounded her with the groceries. Now I am so glad that I never put either of them on top. I could not have handled the guilt if this tragedy had happened to my family.
I don't know what the carts say, but I'm pretty sure my carseat's manual said to never put it on top of a shopping cart. I'm so glad that I actually read it and followed the directions-- in spite of DH's claims that everyone puts them up there.

[formerroomate99]

I always keep my hand on the baby seat when it is sitting on top of the cart like that. I also have the handle of the carseat up, so it will keep the baby's head from going splat if the thing turns upside down. Now, I'm thinking I should just keep the thing in the cart going forward. I don't have quick reflexes, and since I already have two, I'll be pretty distracted if I'm ever in the store with an infant.