How to Choose Infant Car Seats Best
Parents must have car seats. What makes one seat superior to another?
A special infant seat fits small babies best, and is lighter to facilitate transport outside of the vehicle. Look for convenience extras like premium lower anchor connectors, no-rethread harness pads, and one-button handles. Also, look out for safety features like load legs or head and body cushions.
Safety
As every parent will tell you, selecting the best car seat for your child is one of the most crucial decisions that you can make. The right seat will make sure that your child is positioned correctly and properly secured in the event of a crash.
Not all car seats are equal. Although every seat sold in the US must adhere to the strict safety standards set by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Not all seats have the same features. Some have special features designed to safeguard infants, such as load legs that help reduce movement in crashes by absorbing the impact forces on the car seat and base and others have built-in bubble levels that make for easy installation and adjustable headrests that grow with your child.
Choi says that infant car seats are designed to fit babies the best. They often include crash-tested inserts which can help achieve this. Plus, portable infant car seat than convertible car seats and can be easily moved to strollers making them ideal for ride-sharing and daycare pickups and drop-offs. Since they'll only last through your baby's first year, you can always buy an older model for only a fraction of the cost.
A high NHTSA score and great crash test results are essential however, the way you use your child's car seat is more important. In fact, a study conducted by Portland's most prestigious children's hospital discovered that 95 percent of parents made at least one critical error when installing or putting in their car seat.
This is why it's a great idea to spend a few minutes to familiarize yourself with the correct car seat usage guidelines prior to when your child arrives. We suggest that you select an infant car seat that comes with clear and concise instructions. It must also be light so it's easy to carry around your child.
It is also important to verify that the infant car seat you're thinking of purchasing meets the requirements for size for your vehicle. If you're concerned about your ability to install and operate the car seat correctly by yourself, you may consider taking it to a certified Child Passenger Safety Technician (CPST) before the baby is born to receive a hands-on instruction.
Convenience
Certain infant car seats come with additional features that make them easier to use. For example, they may have a base that the seat snaps into and out of, or they could come with easy-to-use adjustment mechanisms. These features can make it more convenient to attach and remove the car seat, especially if you have another child to take care of.
The weight and the height limits of a car seat for infants are other important aspects to consider. If you have a child who is growing rapidly it might be worth the cost to purchase an infant car seat with higher limits to ensure that you keep it in use for as long as you can.
Aside from the safety features, a baby car seat is a must for a comfortable baby. Find padded straps that will not rub or pinch their shoulders, and look for soft fabrics that feel at ease underneath them. Select a seat that is in an upright position. This allows your child to sit in an upright position, which helps keep their airways open and oxygen saturation levels high.
There are a number of accessories available for infant car seats however Dr. Segura warns against buying items that are not included in the seat because it hasn't been tested in a crash and may be unsafe. It is also recommended to avoid buying used car seats for infants, as they may be involved in an accident and may be damaged or worn out.
While the top infant car seats cost between $100 and $600 There are a few features that all the top picks have in common. They're all light, easy to set up and remove and are comfortable for infants. Some come with additional features that make them even more adaptable. For instance they can swivel, or clip into strollers with no need for adapters. Take a look at our review of the top infant car seats for more details on the different options on the market.
Comfort
The best infant car seats have comfort features that make it easy to get the baby in and out of the seat. The top infant car seats have a one-handed clasp system which eliminates the need to grasp both sides at once. They also come with padding that is cushioned to make it easier to lift the seat. In addition, you'll want to take into consideration the weight of the seat--you'll be using it without a base, for instance, so a lighter one is better. This Baby Trend Secure-Lift, for example, weighs less than 13 pounds.
Other important aspects include the weight and height limits of the infant car seat. If you plan to keep the car seat, select a model that will adapt to your child's needs and accommodate them into toddlerhood. This way, you'll be in a position to use it for a longer period of time and save money on a second car seat.
You'll also want to consider the dimensions of the seat and if it's smaller or larger than other models. The first one is useful for vehicles with smaller dimensions. The second may be useful if you have three children in the rear seat or two children in back-to-back car seats. If you are planning to use a car seat in conjunction with a pram, choose one that is compatible with the most popular strollers and comes with detachable seats. Car seat brands such as Graco and Nuna provide options that satisfy this requirement.
Examine the rating of a car seat to determine its user-friendliness. Clear guides and indicators, such as bubble levels or color codes, that indicate whether the seat is secured and level can ease stress for parents who are new. Some seats also have innovative features, such as load legs which are shock-absorbing pieces located beneath the seat or base that extend to the floor of the vehicle and absorb some of the impact force of a crash.
You'll also find some accessories that claim to improve the comfort of your car seat and ease of use, but remember that any accessory not included with the car seat hasn't yet been tested or approved for safety. Segura recommends that you don't put anything else in your car seat, such as a blanket or harness you bought from a different source.
Style
For parents who are new, figuring out how to pick the best infant car seat is a bit of an issue. It's essential to know your budget and the features you want. There are many options for special features, stroller compatibility and fabrics. But it all comes down to comfort.
It's important to note that convertible car seats are not as suitable for small babies and can only be used until the age of one year. Some may even include extension kits that have been tested for safety which can help them last longer. They tend to offer more recline settings to facilitate the correct positioning of small children. They are also lighter and easier to carry. They are more likely to work when used with the travel system. This is a great option for new parents looking to save money and time by purchasing seats that can serve two purposes.
Car seat weight and width are important aspects to take into consideration for most families. For instance, certain infant car seats are designed to be a bit narrower than others to allow a better fit in the back of your car, or to be used in conjunction with siblings' seats. Some are so heavy that they will test your biceps when you lift them up and transfer them from the car to the stroller.
Many parents prefer the infant car seat that can be converted from base to carrier, and then transform into a stroller without any extra attachments. This will save you lots of time, particularly on days when you have to run the errands.
Other convenient features include a magnetic buckle holder as well as a strap that does not need to be rethread and a simplified installation process. Look for a head-and-body support insert to stop infants from settling into the seat or in the car when they fall asleep.
Some car seats have rigid latches which flip out from the base if installed correctly. This type of install is more secure and may limit the amount of time a car seat can move during the event of a crash.