How to Choose the Best Car Seat Newborn
The best car seat for a baby is one that complies with all federal safety standards and fits your vehicle. It should also come with practical extras, such as the ability to transform into a stroller and also be within your budget. It’s also important to ensure that the infant car seat can be inserted into and out of your car without difficulty, particularly if you often switch between taxis or trips in rental cars and grandparents vehicles.
Safety
Car seats are designed to ensure your baby is safe and a quality one should include additional features that go beyond the federal safety standards. These include padded inserts to the head and shoulders and air-repellent fabrics that help keep them cool in hot cars, and side-impact protection.
Another important safety consideration is how easy it is to install and use the seat. Idealy, the seat should be simple to install and use, and with clear indicators of its level, position, and security.
Find features that help you do that, like locks built-in to the seat and belt guides that can help you align the car seat with the seatbelt. It is also important to avoid purchasing used car seats, which may not be tested for crash safety or have been involved in an accident, and could not protect your child. If you must buy a used car seat, make sure it’s on the expiration date and isn’t being sold by a private seller who does not have evidence of ownership.
Another thing to keep in your mind is to keep your baby in the car seat for up to two hours per day, unless they’re in a lying-flat position. This is to reduce the spine from becoming strained and to ensure that they have the chance to breathe regularly.
Choosing an infant car seat is a significant investment, so you’ll want to be sure that it has a lengthy lifespan. Choose a seat that is designed to adapt with your child that will last through toddlerhood and into the teen years. One of the ones our parents liked was the Axkid One i-Size, which is suitable from the time of birth and can be used up to 7 years old.
Nuna pipa air rx is an additional option that can be used for a lengthy period of time. It can rotate 360 degrees making it possible to change it from front-facing to rear-facing as your child grows. It’s also among the lightest rotating car seats on the market and weighs less than 9 pounds without its base. It’s the perfect option for parents who regularly transfer their babies between vehicles or plan to use it for taxi rides, fly-drive holidays, and trips to grandparent’s houses.
Comfort
A quality infant car seat is comfortable for your baby both in the seat and when you are installing it. Look for padded straps that fit comfortably on their shoulders, and soft fabric that feels comfortable under their stomach, particularly when they are in the seat for long trips.
The best infant car seats are simple to use. Some come with premium LATCH connectors with a SuperCinch force multiplier that tightens the seat. Others come with spring-loaded leveling legs as well as belt paths that make installing without a base easier than ever. Other features let you adjust the headrest and harness height that is essential as your child grows.
One example is the Cosatto All in All Rotate that our testers from the past gave a 10/10 for ease of use. It has an easy, clear interface and an easy-to-adjust no-rethread harness and an indicator for recline and 360-degree rotation. This means that you can change from rear-facing to forward-facing as your baby grows, without needing to take the seat off and replace it.
Nuna Pipa Aire Rx is a different example. Our parent testers loved it for its comfort, simplicity and versatility. Its padding for the shoulder straps and headrests are designed to accommodate the head of your newborn and comes with a soft pillow for comfort. It can be used in a rear-facing position until your child is at the maximum weight limit or height. It then converts into a stroller.
A quality car seat is durable and many come with a guarantee. Look for a seat with sturdy materials and plenty of padding to protect your child from any injuries as well as an aluminum frame that suffocates the impact energy and has a “crumple zone” to prevent damage. It must be easy to clean since accidents are likely to happen with children. Look for car seats with removable seat covers and a pad that is machine washable to make cleaning easy.
Easy of Use
A car seat should be simple to install and use particularly if you’re likely to use it in the same vehicle from time to time. Look for features such as an easy-release buckle, an indicator that displays the status of the latch system (e.g. green for locked) and a clear, easy-to-read guide to make it as simple as you can.
The best car seats for newborns uk of The Bump winner also comes with several useful extras that our parents testers loved, including a padded harness and headrest, plush fabric and a cup holder. It also comes with a reclining feature that allows your baby to sit in a more comfortable position for longer trips. It can also be used with a compatible buggy to create an entire travel system which is ideal if you intend to travel for extended durations of time.
Our panelists noted that the car seat was simple to set up and adjust. It has recline locks and an excellent connector that has a SuperCinch tightener. This makes it easy to ensure your child’s safety. It can also be moved from side to side of the vehicle easily without tools.
One of our top features is the recline feature that helps you get your infant into and out of the car. This is especially useful if you have back issues or have a smaller vehicle. It also comes with the ability to change the drink holder and a handy storage compartment for toys and snacks.
The seat is light and can be used without or with the base. It can also rotate 180 degrees, which can be a huge help if you are in a tight space or struggle with back pain. Our panelists were awed by this feature, which earned a spot in our 2021 Mother&Baby awards.
It’s a great option for those who want to transform their car seat into a stroller for an affordable price. Its sleek design and premium fabric will stand the test of time as well. Make sure to clean the cover regularly as yoghurt spills or biscuits that are crushed and even sickening accidents with toddlers will leave their marks.
Design
Car seat designs are as varied as the cars they’re used in. While some parents opt to skip infant car seats and opt for convertible models, the majority of new mothers want a seat that can grow with their baby into toddlerhood. The most flexible option is an all-in one baby car seat, which allows you to switch between forward facing infant car seat-facing and rear-facing. It usually has a higher weight and height restriction and can be used as a booster once your child is old enough.
An ideal infant car seat newborn is lightweight, making it easy to lift it from the base and carry with your child. The Maxi-Cosi Coral is available in only a handful of colors, but it has a number of safety features, and is light (8.4 pounds including canopy and seat inserts). Nuna PIPA URbN is another model that stands out, as it won Gold in the 2021 Mother&Baby Awards Best Car Seat Group category for 0/0+ due to features that are high-end, such as the Dream drape, and a full-coverage canopy with UPF 50+.
The seat’s design and the base must also be taken into consideration. Some car seats have an attached base that is locked into the buckles for the seat belts. Some have steel-reinforced connectors for LATCH that slide out of the sides of the base when correctly joined. These were a great option for parents, especially if the vehicle only had front-facing seat belts.
Some infant car seats can be used with a standard seatbelt, but without the base that is great for parents who often travel by taxi or travel with their baby. Our parents who tested it really enjoyed the Nuna TODL NEXT that can be used with or without its base. It has a smooth swivel mechanism that makes it easy to get your infant in and out of the seat.
Also, the design of car seats is vital. It must fit into your car. (See our guide to car seat compatibility). If you’re in search of a new infant car seats cheap car seat that will grow along with your child into a booster make sure you choose a seat that has an adjustable backrest as well as side impact protection. It’s also worth checking that your selected infant car seat; please click the following post, is iSize compliant and uses the correct car seat attachment points, in accordance with UK law.