Choosing the Best Car Seats Infant
The most effective infant car seats comply with federal safety standards and include clear instructions for installation. It’s also helpful to look over this handy chart Opens in a new window to help determine if your child requires a rear-facing or forward-facing seat.
Look for convenient extras like load legs, which reduce movement in a crash. Consider if you’ll require a convertible car seat that converts into a stroller.
Simple to use
Choosing an infant car seat is crucial because it will be the only one you’ll use during the first year of life. Consider safety guidelines from organizations like the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association (JPMA) and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. You can also count on sources like Consumer Reports and advice from other parents.
In addition to checking the NHTSA rating and information on the vehicle’s fit and vehicle fit information, you should look for a baby car seat that is easy to install and assemble, easy to get your child in and out of, has a comfortable padding, and convenient features. The best infant car seats come with self-checking mechanisms which give you either a color or bubble to ensure you’ve installed it correctly. This is incredibly useful for parents who are exhausted.
Also, you must consider the weight and size of the seat. If you want to to use the seat for a longer time, select a seat that is up to the 90th percentile in height and weight. It’s hard to tell what your child’s preference is until you try it out, but you can look for thick padding and plush materials that feel soft against their skin.
If you’re unsure what to choose, a certified child safety technician can assist you in learning more about which seats and installation techniques will work best for your car. They can also give you advice on the best fit and comfort for your child, in addition to helping you understand the crash policies of each brand.
Safety
While every car seat available on the market must adhere to the strict safety standards of the federal government, there are lots of factors that can make an infant car seat more or less safe than the other. Choosing the best car seat for newborn car seat for your baby starts by ensuring that it meets the manufacturer’s height and weight requirements, as well as your vehicle’s. It is also recommended to consult the manual for your car on how to install the seat using lower anchors and tethers (or seat belts, in older vehicles with no LATCH). The next step is to look at special features such as anti-rebound bars or load legs which reduce the force of collisions. Also, you should think about whether convertible infant car seats which can later turn into a toddler car seat fits with your budget and lifestyle.
When it concerns safety the most important thing is to ensure that your child’s car seat is installed correctly. It is essential to read the user’s instructions and watch the installation videos online before trying to install a car seat. Even if you think your car seat is properly installed it’s always a good idea to have a professional trained to check it.
Car seats that are easy to use are safer. Easy-to-use seats are more likely to be used correctly. Look for features such as handles that hold the straps and buckles that are equipped with sensors.
The same applies to ensure you buy car seats only from a reliable site or store. It’s not a good idea to purchase seats from a variety of sellers or from websites that ship directly from China. Additionally you should stay clear of used car seats since they could be old or involved in an accident.
It is also a vital factor, as a car ride can be stressful for a baby. Find an infant car seat that is padded with soft fabrics, straps that are cushioned and is comfortable on your shoulders and neck. Also, you should think about the weight of the seat — you want to be able to lift it and carry it without harming yourself, especially if you intend to use it for long periods of time.
Comfort
A high-quality car seat should not only protect your baby but also be comfortable for a newborn. Look for features such as heavy padding, adjustable harnesses and ventilation holes to keep your baby cool (especially when you live in a hot area). The quality of comfort is a subjective matter and it’s important to read reviews on the internet and test the seat yourself prior to buying.
Weight is another factor to consider. While all infant car seats on the market comply with federal safety standards, some are heavier than others. This is important if you intend to use the seat in more than one vehicle or attach it to stroller frames. Nuna Pipa Aire RX, for instance, is the lightest convertible car seat available on the market. It weighs just 6.2 pounds (without the canopy or base). It’s been recently replaced by a slightly less expensive, yet still secure Pipa Lite Aire.
The seat is a bit narrower in comparison to other models. This is good for most cars, but it could pose a problem in vehicles with a small trunk. The shoulder straps aren’t adjustable in height and the belt guides don’t have enough padding to prevent the shoulders of your child from being pushed around.
Overall, the seat accommodates most newborns comfortably and is easy to set up. It has a higher rear-facing limit than most other seats and is easy to change between recline positions. It’s priced at the middle of the market for a car seat for infants however it has a good reputation for quality and includes two cupholders.
Selecting a car seat for infants can be overwhelming because there are so many options. It’s not necessary to be overwhelmed by the options available if you conduct some research prior to you purchase. Take into consideration the fit of your vehicle as well as the safety and comfort features and cost. When you take these aspects into consideration, you’ll be able to find the perfect car seat for your child and be confident that it’s secure. Keep in mind that regardless of how well-made the car seat is, it’s not as secure if it’s not properly installed.
Ease of Installation
Installing car seats correctly is vital to keep your baby secure. This is why it is one of the primary considerations when choosing a car seat for an infant. Many of the best infant car seats come with self-checking indicators. They include bubbles or colored indicators that let you know that the seat is installed correctly. This helps you avoid mistakes that could lead to danger. Some models have self-checking functions at the base. This can be particularly helpful if you swap the seat frequently between cars.
In addition to being easy to install, the best infant car seats also allow parents to adjust or loosen the harness straps without help of a tool or a manual. This feature is particularly useful for babies or preemies who need a tight harness to provide adequate support. A slick, tightening mechanism is also vital to avoid any irritation when you have a wiggly baby and you need to secure the seat quickly.
In the end, the top rated baby car seats infant car seats are easy to move around, and we adore models that don’t feel overly heavy with a child in them. Lugging a car seat that’s too heavy can make your back and arms uncomfortable, so it’s best car seat for newborn uk to pick a seat with an appropriate weight range that feels feasible for you.
We also take into account the dimensions and weight of the base and the seat, since you don’t have to purchase an item that is too large for your car or that will require many juggles to get it out and into. In general, we favor smaller seats that can fit into two or three rows of cars and are less likely to get caught up against other car seats.
Our favorite model for this category is the Chicco KeyFit line, which received high marks from many experts and parents we surveyed including CPST instructor Kecia Healy. The KeyFit line includes features that make it easy to install, like a spring-loaded recline foot and a bubble indicator on the base to help to ensure that it is level. Healy also lauds the tightening mechanism, which makes use of a SuperCinch belt tightening system that makes it easier to fix the seat to the floor.