Babies In Car Seats Getting 'Carnival Rides'

When my parents brought me, their first-born, home from Saint Mary of Nazareth Hospital, Mom cradled me in her arms in the front seat of their brand new, bright yellow 1954 Ford.  That was long before seat belts and car seats for infants were invented.

Nowadays, the law requires that infants and small children be strapped into car seats for their safety.  That, of course, is a good thing.

It seems, though, that babies nowadays spend more time in those car seats than in their mothers’ arms.

And if you pay close attention to the trajectory of a baby in a car seat, you’ll notice that it’s much like that of a teenager on a “Tilt-a-Whirl” carnival ride. 

A mom heaves the car seat, with baby strapped into it, out of the back seat of the car, plunks it down on the pavement, then hoists it up beside her.  The seat swings back and forth and back and forth as mom makes her way through the parking lot towards the store.  Then it’s up and around and into the front of the shopping cart.  Later it’s back down, and up and down and all around again.  This also reminds me of the old “Wild Mouse” ride at Riverview Park.

Needless to say, despite the constant motion, there’s no human contact during the entire ride.

Do you really have to wonder why, when mom finally picks up her baby, the little one spits up on her shoulder!

Barbara Gembala Nakanishi

Niles