Okay - why are you so reluctant to spend money on one of the most important safety features for your child??? I guarantee you have at some point in your life spent hundreds on : a stereo? a computer? a games console? clothes? Thousands on a car? Why then are you not prepared to ensure your child's life?

ALL safety experts will tell you NOT to buy a second hand car seat from a stranger. Read their listings....'I can guarantee this hasn't been in an accident'. Why on earth do you believe this stranger??? All you're doing is letting your child down - and taking a gamble. Except this gamble is with their life.

The only valid excuse for considering a second hand car seat, is that you think you cannot afford a brand new one. Okay...let's think about what we can do about that -

1) You have 9 months to save up.

2) Wait for the sales.

3) All baby shops do deals on prams with the car seat included.

4) Look out for free offers eg Mothercare recently offered a free car seat with a pram.

5) If you know your work colleagues are all chipping in for a gift for you, ask them to get vouchers for Mothercare or Halfords so you can put it towards the car seat.

6) Ask family members to help buy it, or that could be their gift to you instead of baby clothes.

7) Ask for Mothercare or Halfords vouchers for YOUR birthday or Christmas.

8) Sell things on eBay during your 9 month pregnancy to get the money that way.

You can buy a BRAND NEW CAR SEAT FROM £45 - come on, pull yourself together and do what's right!

Don't forget that when you buy your new car seat directly from a shop, they also will take it out to your car and professionally fit it for you and teach you how to do it yourself. Far better than downloading instructions from the internet or flicking through a little booklet.

I worked in a major hospital and saw what happens to babies and children who were in car accidents. I don't want you to see it too.

I wrote this out of genuine concern, passion and belief. Every expert you care to check with will say the same.

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