Kim Kardashian is one mum that's not shy about posting on social media (and we're not complaining — we loved North's Moana-themed birthday party!), but when she posted a picture of her baby Saint over the weekend to Facebook, mummy shamers were quick to attack.
Her millions of followers are gasping over the fact that the18-month-old's car seat appears to be facing the front on the car. While the laws vary from state to state, people are insisting that any child under the age of two should be in a rear-facing car seat. "It's illegal to have a child facing forward in California that is less than 2 years old. Please turn his car seat around, it's not too late!" one person said, followed by a slew of other comments.
Although it's unclear which state Saint was in when in the car seat, a new California state law mandates children under the age of two must be property secured in a rear-facing child restraint system, unless the child weights 40 pounds or more or is above 40 inches tall.
However, Rachel Rothman of the Good Housekeeping Institute points out that if Saint is above these restrictions, it's actually safer for him to be front-facing.
"The American Academy of Pediatrics and NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) recommend keeping kids rear-facing until they outgrow it, which for most kids means until they're at least two," she explains. "However, if your child reaches the top height or weight limit allowed by the car seat manufacturer, they need to switch to a forward-facing car seat."
Since it's impossible to tell Saint's height or weight by looking at a photo, it's safe to say that these commenters might not have the grounds to be making such strong claims. Plus, because of the angle of the shot, it's impossible for us to know exactly what's going on in the photo.
Let's just trust that Kardashian, who is also mum to 4-year-old North, know what's best for her child.
(h/t Someecards)
Lindsey works with the Good Housekeeping Institute to test and review products including appliances, bedding, baby items, pet products and more.
