Valerie Concepcion lands in hot water after posting a video of her 15-day-old son Viktor Francis Sunga in their car.
Incidentally, the netizens are drawn to the baby's car seat, which is barraged with comments.
Read: Valerie Concepcion welcomes 30th week of pregnancy with gorgeous maternity shoot
The celebrity mom, whose video already prohibits comments, takes to Instagram on November 9, 2023, to explain the rear-facing car seat of her newborn son.
This is quite uncommon in the Philippines.
And concerned netizens insist that in an accident like a head-on collision, this position would break the baby's neck.
Dispelling this notion, Valerie says, "This is the last comment I’ll leave here on this post. PLEASE google our car seat — Chicco Unico Plus.
"It is suitable for little ones from birth till 12 years of age or 0-36kgs."
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics and the European car seat safety standard, i-Size, infants and toddlers are highly recommended to face the rear until they are 15 months old.
By doing this, frontal collisions would spread the forces across the whole back, protecting the delicate head and neck of young children, whose muscles and bones have yet to fully develop.
Read: 15 celebrity moms who went back to school to earn a degree
PARENT SHAMING
Valerie also directs a message to critics who judge her character as a parent based on a single event.
"It's so heartbreaking that some people would resort to parent shaming just because they think they’re right.
"I hope and pray that they’ll realize I’m not the only one who uses this kind of car seat for infants.
"2023 na po, not everyone uses the traditional ones anymore. It won’t be approved by professionals naman if it's not safe."
She adds, "And I know concern lang po kayo sa anak namin and we appreciate it.
"But I think it's safe to assume that us parents have the utmost concern when it comes to our child’s safety. Yun lang po. God bless"
Meanwhile, Valerie's husband Francis Sunga also guarantees that the U.S. has stricter regulations and guidelines when it comes baby safety in a vehicle.
He wrote, "In Murica [satirical way of saying 'America' or USA], they inspect your car seat down to how its buckled and secured before they discharge mommy and baby.
"Salamat po sa mga concerns niyo."
READ MORE:
- Valerie Concepcion muntik nang mag-quit ng showbiz nang sabihan ng, "Yan na yung acting mo?"
- Valerie Concepcion having separation anxiety as daughter Heather Fiona prepares to leave home
- Valerie Concepcion chooses to play Mary Magdalene over Virgin Mary in passion play
- Valerie Concepcion takes "barkada" approach when parenting teenage daughter