This post is sponsored by BubbleBum.
This is our first summer that my son is old enough for camps, and as a working mom, that means lots of… carpooling. The schedule my friends and I have created is dizzying with pickups, drop offs, and playdates. But it’s also so fun! It’s great to be entering this new world where our kids are old enough to ride with each other’s families allowing us all to keep up with our busy schedules.
The only thing I worried about was space. Like most cars, it is nearly impossible to jam our spare backless booster in-between the two boosters we use for our own kids for their day-to-day activities.
Enter the BubbleBum! This award-winning booster seat is not only comfortable and lightweight, it’s also quick to install. It takes mere seconds to inflate, and it’s so easy even my kids can do it. BubbleBum includes belt positioning clips in place of arm rests, so it’s possible to fit three boosters across the back seat of a car, minivan, or SUV. The BubbleBum is designed for children ages 4 to 11, has a minimum weight limit of 40 pounds, and can accommodate children up to 100 pounds.
What I love best is how portable it is. I can deflate it and throw it in my purse as a booster on the go or easily fit it into carry-on luggage for air travel. You can use it when taking a Lyft/Uber or taxi ride. Now that I think about it since it weighs less than one pound, I could even throw it in my son’s backpack to take to school just in case he needs a ride.
I’ll admit, when I first saw this booster seat I immediately wondered, “Is this safe?” It is so light and compact, is it really substantial enough to do the job?
So, of course, I did some research and luckily the answer is, YES! The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety (IIHS) chose BubbleBum as the “Best Bet” in their booster seat evaluation report for the past 6 years. I was also relieved to see it passes the test with Consumer Reports. Per BubbleBum’s website, this portable booster offers the perfect “boost” to keep kids from slouching to bend their legs over the edge of the car seat. Slumping introduces slack into the belt path and can lead to submarining (where the seat belt slides above the pelvis and into the abdominal area). This is extremely dangerous, as it can cause abdominal injury in the event of an accident.
As we know, pediatricians consider high-back booster seats safest for children because they provide more protection in a side-impact crash, optimize belt placement on the mid-part of a child’s shoulder, and provide a more comfortable place for the child to rest his head if he falls asleep. While the BubbleBum may not be a practical day-to-day choice, it’s a safe and easy solution for carpooling and travel, or when you need to safely squeeze an extra child in the backseat.
As a busy mom with a crazy family schedule, I encourage you to consider purchasing a BubbleBum for your on-the-go needs. They come in really fun, kid-approved designs, like Black, Pink, Luck of the Irish, British-inspired Union Jack, and American Stars & Stripes.
Retails for $29.99 at Target.
