mirrors to see baby in rear-facing carseat

[catmom]

I would really, really, really like one of these. I HATE being alone in the car with DD, since I can't see her and I'm always worried about her, especially when she's quiet. I bought a "safety first" mirror from target, but there's no way to install it safely into my car so it's going back. I don't have headrests in the backseat, which is how this one attaches. Does anyone have a mirror like this that they actually like?

[Marisa]

I have a mirror that I just bought recently (even though Joey is 19 months and probably will be too heavy to rear-face too much longer!) It doesn't attach in the back seat, it's like another rear-view mirror and suctions to the front window. You can adjust it, though, so that you're looking right at the baby, instead of craning your neck to catch a glimpse in the rear view mirror. I found it at the supermarket in the baby aisle, I bet that BRU would have something similar.

I was always so nervous about putting up any mirrors in the back, because we'd taken a car seat safety class and they really drilled it into us that there shouldn't be anything in the back with the baby (mirrors, sun shades, toys, etc).

[solongtogo]

I was always so nervous about putting up any mirrors in the back, because we'd taken a car seat safety class and they really drilled it into us that there shouldn't be anything in the back with the baby (mirrors, sun shades, toys, etc).


why no stuff like shades and things? just curious...

[HGMorgann]

We have a FP one that sings and lights up. It was $20 from BRU and the best $20 we have spent. We travel alot, so its a lifesaver. I really really like being able to watch her.

She is in the middle w/ no headrest behind her, and we were able to set it up easily (it is shaped to fit and has a thing attached to it to latch to something. We probally jerry-rigged it, but its secure.

[adoredh]

They really drill it not to put things like those mirrors up, because if you get into a car wreck - stuff will go flying and can hurt you and your baby.

My uncle is a fire fighter, and gave us a private car seat inspection. After talking with him, we took off the registry, the mirror we were going to put in the car.

[lady1297]

why no stuff like shades and things? just curious...

Because they are projectiles in an accident. But we use the mirrors.

[phart]

"I was always so nervous about putting up any mirrors in the back, because we'd taken a car seat safety class and they really drilled it into us that there shouldn't be anything in the back with the baby (mirrors, sun shades, toys, etc)."

This really means anything. A friend's (blessed02, I beleive) family was in a car accident and her MIL got a concusion from a bottle of dish detergent that was in a bag in the backseat. I never put groceries in the back seat...always in the trunk.

/end PSA:)

[Marisa]

why no stuff like shades and things? just curious...


...yeah, what lady said. :) I understand that they have mirrors and such that are soft and flexible, but anything could be knocked loose during an accident, I never wanted to take the chance.

For the sun shades, on the windows, you can get a colored film that sticks right to the glass, like a colorform. That's what we wound up doing.

Shannon, I always thing about blessed's MIL too! We don't have a trunk (I drive a CRV) but I looked online for one of those cargo-net things to go across the tailgate area.

It's important to remember that anything in the front can be knocked backwards as well -- so keep your purse within reach on the floor, try not to have scalding hot coffee in the cup holders, etc.

(OK, now I'm coming off as the car safety freak, which I'm really not -- I've just thought too much about this stuff during that paranoid new-mommy phase! :))

[dana b]

i have this one...
http://store1.yimg.com/I/kidsurplus_1858_81717032
i don't have a headrest in the middle either, this is attached to the side headrest and pivots in all directions.

[catmom]

Yeah, I have heard about not using mirrors in cars. I igure there's some risk both ways, since I am probably more likely to have an accident because I am flipped out worrying about the baby. That's why I was hoping to find out about one that could be attached really securely.

Unfortunately, I have no headrests in the backseat at all, so I guess I'll have to keep looking. I guess I am a bad mama anyway, though, since I do let DD have a toy in the car (one of her soft lamaze toys). Otherwise she fusses the entire time she's in the car.

[Marisa]

I guess I am a bad mama anyway, though, since I do let DD have a toy in the car (one of her soft lamaze toys).

Oh, we're all bad mamas in one way or another. ;) I think soft toys should be ok, though -- you'd be more worried about ones that have hard plastic parts.

[lady1297]

For the sun shades, on the windows, you can get a colored film that sticks right to the glass, like a colorform. That's what we wound up doing.

These work SO much better than the sun shades!! DS HATES the sun in his eyes and the sun shade always had patches of sun that would sneak through. When the state police recommended ditching them, I said sure. Then they told me about the colored film and I went shopping. I bought a pack of two, then cut one up to completely cover the window DS sits by (he had to be put behind the passenger seat due to the size of our little cars...). He's so much happier with out the sun in his eyes now. Just wish we had them for the back window!

Oh and our mirror is secured with four huge diaper pins so it's not going anywhere I feel.

[emschwar]

Do you have LATCH tethers in the back? You can attach the mirrors to those. Much safer that way too. If not, check with your dealer to see if you can get one installed. I got one installed in my civic, and it cost only about $10.

Also, if your seats fold down, you can fold down the seat just a bit and then secure the end of the mirror in there. Make sense?

[emschwar]

FYI - I asked our car seat tech about the mirrors when I got our car seat installed. He said technically, you're not supposed to have them, but he's a realist and realizes it's safer to have the mirror than to be craning around trying to see the baby all the time. Just get the smallest and lightest one you can, and secure it very well.

[BTB]

I guess I am a bad mama anyway, though, since I do let DD have a toy in the car (one of her soft lamaze toys).

ITA w/ Marisa - I let DD have Lamaze toys in the backseat all the time, she hates the car so much as it is but to sit and stare at the upholstery for 100 miles to Grandma's? Nope, it ain't happenin'. Mirrors and roll-up shades can cause facial and skull injuries when they continue travelling forward at however many mph and the car doesn't, but I'm willing to take my chances getting beaned in the head by Jitterybug. :)

[Janey]

I'm bumping this, purely for selfish reasons. ;)

[em1126]

Where can you buy the colored film? I am reconsidering the sunshades we registered for . . .

[Ericka_Jarett]

I have this mirror: http://us.st11.yimg.com/us.st.yimg.com/I/netkidswear_1947_234286439

The other mirrors are too big for my backseat in order to see out the window. I borrowed my friend's. It worked fine in my husband's car but not mine, so I just use the one I posted and it works out well. I clamp it to the interior roof of the car.

Once DS is forward facing will use it at the rearview to see him. WIth the twins will probably get the bigger mirrors, as we will have a van at that time and will have space for the mirrors.

[Rancid13]

I got this one from BRU:
http://trus.imageg.net/graphics/product_images/pTRU1-3426171reg.jpg

http://trus.imageg.net/graphics/product_images/pTRU1-3426171_alternate1_reg.jpg

It hooks up to the seat that the rear-facing baby is facing and it's made of soft material so if it were to *somehow* magically become unfastened, it wouldn't hurt anyone.

In the 2nd image, it looks like it's sitting up high and possibly obstructing the rear view, but in my car it sits lower than that and I have no problems with visibility (I have a sedan w/hatchback). My (driver's) seat does not lower/rise and I'm 5'2". :) I just glance in my rearview mirror to see DS's reflection in the kiddie mirror. And it plays music and has cute animals for him to look at, plus he loves looking at himself in it.

[PinkBeary]

http://www.geniusbabies.com/bear-view-infant-mirror---panda.html

i have one of these that i got for my baby shower. i love it and my baby loves looking at the panda.

[LRL]

em1126- We bought cling shades from Target. I think they are made by Safety First. The car shades are the only things we allow in the backseat with DS aside from the occasional toy at times when the carseat is unbearable to DS.

[RobynScott]

Do you have LATCH tethers in the back? You can attach the mirrors to those. Much safer that way too. If not, check with your dealer to see if you can get one installed. I got one installed in my civic, and it cost only about $10.

Also, if your seats fold down, you can fold down the seat just a bit and then secure the end of the mirror in there. Make sense?

Bump - Emschwar - how did you attach the mirror to LATCH? Isn't LATCH at the bottom of the seat? (our car also has top tethers)

I just bought this one from Babies R Us but have not installed it yet ...

http://trus.imageg.net/graphics/product_images/pTRU1-2896065dt.jpg

I'm not sure if it's soft enough but it seemed to be the best I could find. We're having our seat inspected on Friday and I will see what they say then, but curious about what others have done / used. (FTR - we may not install it at all, but I'd really like to have a mirror if at all possible)

Thanks!

[emschwar]

Bump - Emschwar - how did you attach the mirror to LATCH? Isn't LATCH at the bottom of the seat? (our car also has top tethers)


LATCH refers to the lower anchors at the bottom of the seat AND the top tethers. (Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHildren) So, to attach the mirror, you'd use the top tether. Now, in some cars (our sienna, for one) the tethers are at the bottom of the seat back, but in that case, I just attach the mirror around the headrest (completely around, so the strap is going between the 2 metal posts that hold the headrest in - it's not going anywhere in a crash).

[magdesilver]

I use 2 of those FP mirrors (slightly different theme, but essentially the same thing) in my car, one for each kiddo. I do what emschwar does, since my top tethers are on the bottom of the seatback in my minivan. I'd be shocked if the mirrors came loose in a crash since they are wrapped around the headrests on the seat. I've been very happy with them.

[zhannushka]

I have this FP mirror in my car - it's extremely light and attaches very easily. It's pretty small, so it may not have the best (largest) view of the baby, but I'm able to see him enough to make sure that everything is OK.

http://trus.imageg.net/graphics/product_images/pTRU1-3426111dt.jpg

[RobynScott]

Awesome - thanks for the info! My top tethers are actually on the roof of my CRV - but I will wrap around the metal posts of the headrest. I've been driving around with the carseat for 2 days and realized I couldn't see a baby if there was one in there - thanks so much for the info!!

ETA - Zhannuska - that mirror is so cute! I totally would have bought that if I saw it at Babies R Us!

[boilermaker]

I have a basic baby mirror attached to the headrest in my back seat as well. It is not going anywhere in a crash unless the headrest comes off, in which case I will have more projectiles than I care to think about.

We don't have a mirror in DH's truck as I couldn't find a way to attach it that i was comfortable with...but I hate not being able to see her.

[Soulmate]

We have the safety first one and have it attached similarly to the PPs. It really isn't going anywhere as it is clipped with a hook to the headrest.

DS LOVES this mirror and it provides so much entertainment for him as he talks and waves to himself the entire time. I love seeing the funny looks he gives himself and I can see things like him playing with his foot and can comment to build his verbal skills. Before I too was against it but the benefit is so great and there really is no risk.

[Elenna]

My car is old enough that I don't have LATCH or headrests in my back seat. So, I have an Eddie Bauer mirror that attaches by going between the seats (where the seats fold down for access to the trunk). I really like it. And the mirror isn't going anywhere unless the trunk access latch itself fails.

[allyray231]

Do you have LATCH tethers in the back? You can attach the mirrors to those. Much safer that way

That is what we did. I also was told at my carseat inspection that they are really bad and can come off in an accident.

[miaclear]

I have the FP Monkey mirror posted above. I have yet to install it yet though because I'm still weighing the risk of having it versus the benefits. DS is three months old and I haven't had a time yet where I've needed to see what was going on back there.

The FP Monkey mirror is also a real mirror unlike some others (like the Eddie Bauer one). I've seen car seat testing done in crashes and that carseat can just fly up into the back of the seat. Well where my FP Monkey mirror would be attached is right where DS's head would hit. Being a real mirror I can only imagine the damage it could do.

Living in Texas though I've had a friend tell me that her "fake" mirror only distorted and melted in the Texas sun so she couldn't see a thing out of it.

I wish they made mirrors that were easily attachable/detachable. Considering most accidents happen within five miles of your home I'd likely just attach it for a long car ride where it's harder to just pull over into the nearest strip mall or gas station if I need to see what's happening.

Ugh.

[zhannushka]

The FP Monkey mirror is also a real mirror unlike some others (like the Eddie Bauer one). I've seen car seat testing done in crashes and that carseat can just fly up into the back of the seat. Well where my FP Monkey mirror would be attached is right where DS's head would hit. Being a real mirror I can only imagine the damage it could do.
Hmmm... The BRU website says that the FP Monkey mirror is "acrylic and shatter-resistant (http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2585665&cp=2255983.2256187.2256192&cp=2255983.2256187&fbn=Brand+Name+Secondary%7CFisher-Price&f=PAD%2FBrand+Name+Secondary%2FFisher-Price&fbc=1&categoryId=2256192&parentPage=search)"... :confused:

[miaclear]

Hmmm... The BRU website says that the FP Monkey mirror is "acrylic and shatter-resistant (http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2585665&cp=2255983.2256187.2256192&cp=2255983.2256187&fbn=Brand+Name+Secondary%7CFisher-Price&f=PAD%2FBrand+Name+Secondary%2FFisher-Price&fbc=1&categoryId=2256192&parentPage=search)"... :confused:

Hmmm...I guess that can be. I was only going off the fact that it wasn't flexible like a lot of the baby mirrors are. I'll have to look into it more. I can't remember reading it on the packaging and I'd think that they'd want to advertise that. Thanks for pointing that out.

[ac's mommy]

Bump - Emschwar - how did you attach the mirror to LATCH? Isn't LATCH at the bottom of the seat? (our car also has top tethers)

I just bought this one from Babies R Us but have not installed it yet ...

http://trus.imageg.net/graphics/product_images/pTRU1-2896065dt.jpg
Thanks!

FWIW.....we have this one too. in our caddy the middle position doesnt have a head rest so we attached it to the top LATCH *tether* position with that clip thingy it comes with. if u make hard turns it will move the mirror around...other than that its decent enough.