Backseat mirror to see baby in rear-facing seat?

[DrBrockBaca]

We are expecting our first baby very soon and just installed the rear-facing infant seat in my SUV. I want to get one of the mirrors that mounts on the other seat's headrest so that I can see the baby in the rearview mirror. However, my husband says the mirror will cause a glare from the sunlight in the baby's eyes. Has anyone else experienced this? This problem is not mentioned in any of the product reviews of the mirrors I've looked at. For example, I am considering this one: 

http://reviews.walmart.com/1336/4631123/sunshine-kids-easy-view-back-seat-mirror-reviews/reviews.htm

[love4bob]

I have a mirror on my RF carseats to 1, see the baby, and 2, allow them to see the DVD screen when they get older.  I've never had an issue with glare from the mirror, but the sun did always shine in the window on her face, so I bought a cling window shade. I would assume that would stop any glare that might happen from the mirror as well.

[leighi123]

When you choose one, make sure its very soft/flexible, in a crash it might fly off and hit your baby.  

[DrBrockBaca]

When you choose one, make sure its very soft/flexible, in a crash it might fly off and hit your baby.  

I am a little concerned about that as well, but supposedly the ones I'm looking at are crash-tested and won't hurt the baby. In the event of an accident, I'm sure it's better to have as little in the car as possible, but I just don't know if I can drive around with the baby in the backseat and not be able to check on him/her from my rearview mirror. At least it will be mounted on the other side of the car and just angled towards the baby, so I think there is a lot less chance of it hitting the baby than if it were mounted on the same side.

[Maedze]

I just wanted to let you know that when a product like a car mirror has advertising claiming it's 'crash tested', it's disingenuous at best.  There are no government regulations regarding the crash testing of unregulated products like a mirror, so they can literally throw it against a wall, see if it breaks, and call it 'crash tested'.  (Sort of the way that if you're shopping for groceries, the word 'organic' has a legal definition whereas the word 'natural' does not.  Thus,  you can see 'natural' branding on very UN-natural foods!)  

The party line is that you should never use any unregulated aftermarket product.  As a technician, that's what I tell parents.  There is a real risk of it becoming a baby-injuring projectile, and not just theoretically.  Documented cases, and all that.  

If you are going to do it, hell or high-water, I recommend a VERY light-weight and flexible one (not the big plastic ones with the electronic features, etc.)  with a mechanism that actually secures it to the vehicle (not just something that hooks on or rests in place).  There are mirrors with straps that secure to the top tether anchor and so forth.  

Best way to look at it...when you're putting something in the car with your baby, pick it up, hold it and think, "Would I throw this very hard at my baby's face?"  and if the answer is NO WAY! It's probably something you avoid, or try to make as secure as humanly possible if it's unavoidable. 

Originally Posted by DrBrockBaca 

I am a little concerned about that as well, but supposedly the ones I'm looking at are crash-tested and won't hurt the baby. In the event of an accident, I'm sure it's better to have as little in the car as possible, but I just don't know if I can drive around with the baby in the backseat and not be able to check on him/her from my rearview mirror. At least it will be mounted on the other side of the car and just angled towards the baby, so I think there is a lot less chance of it hitting the baby than if it were mounted on the same side.

[riverscout]

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Edited by riverscout - 6/21/11 at 10:41am

[JTA Mom]

I got a soft flexible one as well. It straps to the seat and has a bendy wire part (covered in fleece) to balance the bottom. Works really well. It isn't heavy at all, and it gives me peace of mind. And no glare. The sun is never directly hitting the mirror.

Mine is similar to this one: http://www.target.com/Baby-Sight-Back-Infant-Mirror/dp/B0000E3D8L/ref=sc_qi_detailbutton

Ami

[DrBrockBaca]

I just wanted to let you know that when a product like a car mirror has advertising claiming it's 'crash tested', it's disingenuous at best.  There are no government regulations regarding the crash testing of unregulated products like a mirror, so they can literally throw it against a wall, see if it breaks, and call it 'crash tested'.

Very good point. I'm not really that worried about the mirror hitting the baby in the unlikely event of a crash, though, since it's on the other side of the car. 

Best way to look at it...when you're putting something in the car with your baby, pick it up, hold it and think, "Would I throw this very hard at my baby's face?"  and if the answer is NO WAY! It's probably something you avoid, or try to make as secure as humanly possible if it's unavoidable. 

Also a good point, but I wouldn't want my stainless steel water bottle, the stroller, or even the diaper bag thrown at my baby's face either, but I still have to have those things in the car. Definitely a good idea to secure them as much as possible though.

So it seems like the glare from the sunlight is not a problem then? Thanks for all the comments.

[marinak1977]

I've been using the stuffed bear mirror that hangs over the backseat and it's worked really well. No glare, and if it does fly - it's a stuffed toy with a soft mirror/not likely to injure anyone.

[samstress]

i never had one with dd (and she was rear facing until she was four) and don't have one now with ds (he's one month).

i was told by a CHP officer not to have a mirror in the back (or any other loose objects for that matter) because they become projectiles in the event of an accident.

[briannas auntie]

I have seen these on Ebay in the baby section, but my sister never used one in her car when Brianna was in an infant car seat, nor did my parents when the drove Brianna around. 

I did see one the other day on Ebay by The First Years that had some sort of padding around the edges of the mirror, in case of an accident, so it doesn't cause injury.  You might want to check that out.

Jessie

[milkybean]

We had one.  No sunlight glare problems AT ALL.  It was plastic, had a soft suedey frame around it, was light, and attached in two different ways to the seatback.  It served us very well in the RF days.

[texmati]

We have this one, and yes, I would throw it at my baby's face, hard. It's very soft and light. It's made life a lot more peaceful being able to see her.

Originally Posted by JTA Mom 

I got a soft flexible one as well. It straps to the seat and has a bendy wire part (covered in fleece) to balance the bottom. Works really well. It isn't heavy at all, and it gives me peace of mind. And no glare. The sun is never directly hitting the mirror.

Mine is similar to this one: http://www.target.com/Baby-Sight-Back-Infant-Mirror/dp/B0000E3D8L/ref=sc_qi_detailbutton

Ami