It is now universally accepted that travelling in a rear-facing car seat for as long as possible is the safest option for children.
Quick Summary: Manufacturers are continually refining and developing new ways to ensure your baby, toddler and even preschooler is protected and comfortable in that position. This offers huge reassurance to parents but does present a challenge when you want to check on your little one at a glance while driving or in the front passenger seat.
Fortunately, this is easily solved with the use of a mirror that can be quickly positioned in any car and gives you the ability to see in an instant via the rear-view mirror if your baby has fallen asleep, is content, or has dropped their toy or dummy. Apramo produces a range of such mirrors, including the very cute and friendly-looking Baby Mirror with Ears, priced at £12.99, and the Iris Baby Mirror Deluxe, which incorporates clever additional features you may not even have considered for an RRP of £19.99.
The fun-eared mirror is simple to attach to the headrest, has adjustable straps to ensure the right fit and position for your car and your little one’s seat, and is angled with a ball and socket to give 360-degree rotation for the best view.
The Iris Baby Mirror Deluxe offers the same convenience, flexibility and clear view with the extra benefits of integrated lights, which means it is just as easy to use when travelling in dark or gloomy conditions – a particular bonus in the winter months. These illuminate gradually to avoid startling your baby and, even better, they can be operated either manually or via a handy remote that clips to the car’s sun visor for the quickest and most straightforward access. A version without the remote control – the Iris Baby Mirror – is also available for £15.99.
As your child gets older and moves into a forward-facing car seat, a mirror is still a must-have. Anyone who has ever tried to concentrate on the road with an endless series of noisy distractions – and the occasional suspicious silence – from the back will know how off-putting it can be. Having to turn around to check on the situation over your shoulder while driving is obviously dangerous, but a small mirror at the top of the windscreen, angled to give you the perfect view of your little one on the back seat, is all you need to be able to tell at a second’s glance that they’re okay. It can also be invaluable if you have more than one young passenger. The Baby Mirror Mini from Apramo is shaped to be unobtrusive but to still give a broad view behind you. It is lightweight, attaches securely to any windscreen and pivots for the optimum vantage – and it’s only £4.99!
