How To Find The Very Best Infant Car Seat

Car seats are without doubt the most important item of baby equipment that you will buy. The safety of your precious child comes first and takes precedence of the looks and style of the car seat that you choose. With so many different makes and types of car seat on the market it can be difficult to find the right one. In general it is always a good idea to buy from one of the leading brands such as Britax and Graco but you still need to choose the right model. This article is intended to highlight the important things to look for when buying a baby or infant car seat.

The first point to consider is the age of your child since there are seats designed for the years from birth and other seats for children from the age of 2 or so. It is important to note that age is not the primary factor. Height and weight are used instead of age because of the wide variation in the size of children. In general though a newborn will need an infant or baby seat, while an older and larger child will need a booster car seat.

Let's have a look at infant seats first. The first thing to look out for when buying an infant car seat is to check that the safety is a 5 point safety harness. These are better than the 3 point harnesses. Check that the seat can be easily and tightly secured to the rear seat in the car. Also consider how easy it is to release and whether it is lightweight since you will probably use it to carry your baby to and from the car.

From the comfort point of view, choose a seat that reclines and that there is plenty of head support with a soft, removable pillow or cushion. Infant car seats are rearward facing in order to provide better safety in case there is a collision.

With regard to children generally over 2 years and 20lbs you can consider a car seat that is forward facing. A good choice at this time is a convertible or combination seat. This will act both as a car seat and a booster seat. Although they tend to be more expensive this is more than outweighed by the fact that one seat will last for 8 or 10 years. Make sure once again you choose a seat with a 5 point harness for additional safety. It is a good idea to choose a seat with a cup holder to assist with those longer journeys.

No matter which type of car seat you buy it is very important to follow the manufacturer's guidelines for fitting and relating to the size of the child. Some manufacturers such as Britax provide videos showing how to install their seats and this can be a real time saver.

By: Emelia Morseton

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You should read through our articles on baby safety and baby car seat reviews. If you are looking for our baby car seat buyer recommended product, take a look at our review of the Graco Nautilus 3 In 1 Car Seat