How to Select Good Infant Car Seats
The choices available when it comes to selecting an infant car seat can be overwhelming. There are a few things you can look for to assist you in narrowing your choices.
High-end features such as load legs, a super-easy harness to tighten, and an extendable headrest that grows with your baby can make your experience on this parenting journey easier.
User-Friendliness
If you're buying an infant car seat prior to when the time your baby is born it is important to consider the weight and height limits. You want to make sure the seat will last until your child outgrows it, which is usually around the age of two. It is also important to think about whether you want a car seat that goes all the way to the 90th percentile of weight or height or one that's smaller or higher. This will help you determine the length of time you'll use the seat for.
You should also think about how it is easy to install and use the seat. The ease of tightening or loosening straps, latch connectors and the variety of buckle positions all affect the ease of use. Also, you should take into consideration whether the head and body padding are comfortable, and if the seat comes with any extras that are convenient, such as an insulated cupholder or hidden harness pads.
The more simple the seat is, the more you are more likely to use it properly. This can have a significant impact on the safety of your infant. Seats that are simple to set up and remove from the base with little effort are the best.
Another aspect to consider is the car seat's weight and how portable it is. You need to be able take the car seat with your baby in it and transport it easily. This is especially important in the event of long trips. Also, you should examine the dimensions in terms of width and height to ensure it's suitable for your vehicle, and if you plan on using it with a stroller, search for a model that is compatible with a variety of strollers.
You should also look closely at the results of testing conducted by the manufacturer. These results can be found on the official website of the manufacturer or via an online search. You can then determine whether the car seat has a solid track record of protecting babies in crashes, and what their replacement policy is.
Safety
The primary concern for parents who are shopping for an infant car seat is whether the product will keep their child safe. All infant car seats have to adhere to safety standards established by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) It opens in a New Window, which include rigorous crash tests and a five-point harness system.
There are additional factors to consider when buying an infant car seat. It is crucial to select the appropriate infant car seat for your baby in accordance with their weight and height, and also the type of vehicle you own. It is also essential to make sure the seat is installed correctly, as improperly installed car seats can increase the chance of injury during a crash.
A high-quality infant car seat will come with clearly marked installation guides, a simple-to-read bubble level indicator, as well as a locking clip to prevent accidental removal of the base. It should also be light and include useful features such as an expandable no-rethread harness as well as anti-rebound bars, a premium load leg, which can protect your infant from head injuries in the event of an accident.
While it's not an essential feature for all families, some parents may want to look for an infant car seat that converts into a toddler car seat at the pull of a lever located on the base. This will give parents more flexibility and allow them to use the seat up until their child reaches the manufacturer's weight and height limits.
It's also worth considering how easy it will be to use the car seat on a regular basis. The straps should be easy to tighten and loosen, and the buckle should be easy to snap in and out of. The bag should be simple to carry when empty and the base should be simple to remove from the car with no needing to fiddle around.
It is an excellent idea, prior to buying a car seat, to determine whether there are any recalls. This can be done via the NHTSA website Opens in a new window, which includes a searchable database of all the current and previous recalls of car seats.
Comfort
Parents are most concerned with comfort when it comes to baby car seats. These rear-facing seats have been designed to safeguard your child in the case of an accident. Many come with integrated back and head support to ensure they are at a comfortable level. Find a seat that can be adjusted to fit your growing child. It will come with features like harnesses that do not need to be rethread, magnetic buckle holders and adjustable shoulder straps.
Easy installation and use is another characteristic that can ruin or make the quality of a car seat for infants. Ideally, you should be capable of getting the seat off its base with just one hand while holding the infant in the other. And when you're ready to put the seat back on its base, it should click easily into position and take less than one minute.
car seat newborn Push Chairs And Prams can be used without a base--perfect for parents who often switch cars or ride taxis. If you opt for an infant car seat that has this feature be sure to check its weight and height limits to make sure your baby isn't too big for it. Car seats usually come with an infant insert which can be used when your baby is very small (like in the initial few months or weeks of life), until their shoulders are at the lowest harness slot.
If you are looking for a baby car seat that is a combination of convenience and security, you should consider a convertible model. These seats are designed to be used with strollers and feature the ability to fold up when they are not in use. They tend to be bigger than car seats for infants, and can be harder to transport around.
Another thing to think about is whether the seat comes with a load leg that is a brace that sits between the seat and your vehicle's floor to give you extra stability. These aren't required, but they can be very useful in small vehicles or for those who have multiple car seats.
Convenience
You can travel with peace of mind knowing that your baby will be safe and comfortable. Look for features like straps for the shoulders that are padded and padding around the neck to ensure that your baby is comfortable. Also look for various recline positions. You may want to look for car seats with extra features such as UPF 50+ shield and a canopy that zips open for full coverage.
Take into consideration the ease of installation and use of the seat in relation to convenience. You'll likely need to install the seat using the LATCH system as well as the belt of your vehicle and so choose a model that makes this as simple as it can be.
For instance, our top pick for best infant car seats is the Nuna Pipa, has a turnkey installation process thanks to steel-reinforced LATCH connectors that flip out from the base and flash green when correctly connected. This feature along with recline angle guides and colored belt-oath indicators make this an outstanding model among infant car seats because of its convenience of use.
The seat is small and lightweight. This makes it an ideal choice for parents who travel with their infant or who switch between cars frequently. It also comes with an all-metal harness that does not require rethreading and magnetic buckle holders that allow you to clip the harness with one hand.
The seat is narrower than other seats on the market and fits newborns better. The additional padding for the chest and shoulder area provides added comfort. It's also a bit more expensive than other options, but we think the top features, such as an adjustable base and SnugLock lockoff, are well worth it.
Infant car seats are a big purchase, but with the right information and considerations, you can narrow down your choices to a few models that best fit your family's requirements. You can then focus on the crucial task of preparing for the arrival of your child!