First, this post is NOT a sponsored post (TheCarSeatLady does NOT do sponsored posts). The companies listed below did not ask us to write this post. We did not receive ANY free or discounted products from the companies. We bought all of the products with our own money and use them because we like them… and know you will too!
Second, please make sure that you are not feeding your child choking hazards at any time, but especially while in the car. Top offenders include: peanuts, popcorn, chips, carrot sticks or baby carrots, round slices of hotdogs/sausages, chewing gum, whole grapes, and cherry tomatoes.
It’s important to remember that ANY food can be a choking hazard if the child puts too much of it in his mouth at a time. You know that stage where your toddler tries to shove 65 cheerios in his mouth all at once, and then as soon as you turn your head shoves another fistful in his mouth… yeah, that’s what we’re talking about. Make sure you observe your child on several occasions eating the food and exercising “portion control” in terms of how much he puts in his mouth at once before you let him eat it unsupervised in the car.
ChooMee SoftSip
Pouches are great on-the-go snacks… but they can be really messy. The SoftSip by ChooMee is a product we don’t leave home without (seriously). It’s a silicone cap that puts a valve on the pouch – making it so that pouches are nearly mess free! An added bonus – our kids loved teething on the SoftSip as the silicone felt great on their gums.
Going on an airplane? You’ll definitely want to bring a pouch + SoftSip. Pouches are great on airplanes during take-off & landing as you can help your child’s ears pop best when they suck AND swallow. Pacifiers aren’t great for popping ears since kids are only sucking, not really swallowing.
Sili Squeeze with (mostly) spill-proof spout
Kids get thirsty in the car, and we looked high and low for a sippy cup that wouldn’t be as much of a projectile risk in a crash. After all, things become very heavy in a crash and that clunky plastic sippy cup could injure your child if it hit them in the head. We found The Original Squeeze with spill-proof spout and love it. We love that it is silicone – which makes it non-toxic, reusable, durable, most importantly lightweight and soft (in case it hits your kid in the head in a crash).
Vapur empty & rolled
For older kids, the Vapur anti-bottles are great (and yes, they are BPA free and dishwasher safe). TheCarSeatLady Alisa has used her Vapur bottle daily for several years. They’re especially great for travel since they take up less room than a regular water bottle, and roll up flat when empty.
The SiliSqueeze & Vapur bottles are especially great in summer as they are freezable!
Bumkins Super-Sized SuperBib
Sometimes, you know your kid is going to make a mess no matter what – so why not cut down on the clean up. Here are x-large bibs that can be worn OVER the car seat straps (making it safe to use in the car seat) and will keep the mess off the child’s clothes, car seat straps, and car seat cover.