For everyone who was unable to attend the event (or even if you did) here’s a recap of some of the best questions. However if you’re still unclear on the installation and safety of your child’s car seat, be sure to check out some of these great online resources such as, SeatCheck.org and the NHTSA website, or you could always leave us a comment below and Carol will get back to you.

Top 10 question and answers from the Graco Car Seat Safety Twitter Party:

Q: @GrOvEbUg: What is the best way to keep a newborn’s head up in the car seat? They always tend to lean and fall forward.

A: 1st make sure you have the right recline angle-then you can used rolled receiving blankets to help support the head.

Q: @lifeinstatutes: When traveling with young children should there be a time limit when they should “get out and walk”?

A: It really depends on the child-some can sit for a few hours, others need a break more often.

Q: @rogXue: How snug should the straps be on a child in a 5pt harness?

A: It’s important to keep the harness as close to the child’s body as possible to ensure a proper fit.

Q: @GrOvEbUg: Is it OK to put a towel under my carseat to adjust the angle?

A: We recommend a foam noodle or a tightly rolled towel to get the right recline

Q: @MamanADroit: Are carseat “accessories” ever considered safe? I see tons in stores

A: Car seat accessories should only be used if they have been approved by the manufacturer or come with the seat

Q: Where can I find a list of organizations will help install car seats correctly?

A: www.seatcheck.org is a great resource (Graco is a sponsor of this site)

Q: Where is the best place to put a car seat? On the backseat driver-side, passenger or middle seat?

A: The center of the back seat is farthest away from a possible side impact, so we always try first to install there first. However, the safest place is the one where you can get the most secure fit to your vehicle in the back seat.

Q: How long can I use my current car seat?

A: You might not know it, but car seats actually expire. Check out this blog post to find out your Graco car seat’s life span.

Q: How long should my child stay rear-facing?

A: The minimum is up to 1 year and at least 20 lbs, but the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends up to two years.

Q: Can anyone become a CPS technician? How can I get certified?

A: Any individual can be a CPS Technician. Go to www.cpsboard.org and click on “Certification”

For the full #GracoSafety Twitter Party transcript go here.

Again, we’re happy to answer any additional safety questions you might have. Thanks again to everyone who participated!

Whether you are installing with LATCH or using the seatbelt, we can provide you with step-by-step directions.  The best part is the advatage of actually seeing someone else do it - giving you an additional level of comfort when installing. Graco currently has six installation videos available. Video # 7, featuring the Snugride Infant car seat, was filmed last week and will be availble online by the end of April.

Heidi Parker (member of the Graco family) and her daughter Reese (just two months old and a natural on camera!) joined us to film the installation video.  Heidi is a certified Child Passenger Safety Technician, so working with her on set was a breeze, and Reese was such a trooper!

For those of you that have never been on a video set – let me educate you.  For a two minute video,  we filmed for about six hours!  It is a FULL day of “lights, camera, action”.  Not only is there a 10-person crew on set to manage the lights, the sound, the camera , the makeup, the talent, and a producer, but we also have several members of the Graco team there to ensure we get exactly what we need to create a resource for new moms.

It is in fact, a production.  We even get to see how it is looking on camera, by watching the film on a real-time, on-set television.

Lastly, once the video portion is complete, it is time to record the voiceover.  Usually by this point, we are all pretty tired.  Especially the talent!

Although it is a long day, it’s a good one.  Most important,  it is a day committed to providing comfort for new parents and giving them the tools they need to ensure their car seats are installed properly and securely.

We hope the videos serve as a constant resource for parents (check them out again when installing a “big kid” seat) as we have installation videos for all types of seats.

Here is a quick run down of my round-the-clock use of Graco products:

7:15 am: Pinkie Pie starts to stir…I hear her starting to chat, basically saying, “Get me out of here!” through the Graco imonitor digital monitor

7:20 am: go into Pinkie Pie’s room & turn off her Graco humidifier & her music playing in her Graco Sweet Slumber.

7:25 am: depending on if Pinkie Pie has the sniffles (which she does now), I use our Graco NasalClear to clear out the stuffies

7:30 am: down in the family room, change Pinkie Pie’s diaper on her Graco Pack n Play

7:40 am: secure Pinkie Pie in her Graco DuoDiner highchair while I get her breakfast ready. I let her play while I prep her meal then settle in next to her for meal time.

8:00 am: momma needs some hands-free time to clean up breakfast so Pinkie Pie plays in her Graco Baby Einstein Activity Center. Pinkie Pie likes to “stand” and play so this allows her to do just that.

8:15-9:00 am: Pinkie Pie typically has more play time with me & her big sister, PP, then she starts to get a little sleepy..time for her next nap. Off to the Pack n Play for a diaper change & a nap.

11:00 am: once Pinkie Pie is up after her nap, she gets a bottle then relaxes in her Graco sweetpeace. At this age, she likes to listen to the music & play with some toys (when she was younger we used to use it more as a soothing swing).

12:00 pm: lunchtime! back in the highchair for some stage 1 fruit. Once lunch is over, Pinkie Pie & I have some snuggle time, then she hangs out in the Graco Doorway Jumper to get some baby exercise.

1:00 pm: diaper change in the Pack n Play, another bottle then off for another nap. Pinkie Pie is such a good sleeper–I am lucky!!

3:00 pm: Pinkie Pie is up & after she is changed, she hangs out with me & PP in her Graco Bouncer. As Pinkie Pie gets older, she doesn’t like to sit in a bouncer for too long (it was a life saver when she was newborn) and now she sits & plays with some toys & board books. We get ready to head out for a trip to the mall. For the quick trips, I use the Graco Snugrider stroller frame, but when we head to the mall, I usually use the Graco Quattro Tour stroller (more room for shopping bags & Pinkie Pie likes to sit in the stroller seat at this point vs. the car seat).

3:30 pm: secure Pinkie Pie in her Graco SnugRide 32 infant car seat & snap her into the car (Big Sis is riding in her Graco Nautilus). We’re using the Quattro Tour since we went to the mall, and I’m thankful for the space it gives me (huge storage basket, cup holders for my fountain soda, compartments for my keys & cell phone to keep them handy). PP sometimes gets tired too so I will hold Pinkie Pie & let PP lounge in the stroller for a while.

6:00 pm: dinner time..back in the Graco DuoDiner for dinner prep time & feeding time. I love the wheels on the highchair since I have Pinkie Pie stationed at the head of the table with some toys to play with, then I wheel her to my seat to feed her some veggies.

7:30 pm: bath time with PP (which is probably the favorite thing for both girls to do). Get Pinkie Pie all nice & clean, put her in her cute “jammie jams”, put the humidifier back on, classical music back on, bottle time then off to dream land…I grab the parent receiver of the monitor then head down for some quality time with hubby (which means reality TV time!!).

I might work at Graco, but these are also the products I use as a mom everyday. I can say as living proof that they make having a baby a little bit easier!