Car seats for infants – a buying guide

This is a collaborative post

Soon-to-be parents are often faced with lots of decision making when preparing for the arrival of their little one. Most of these decisions are made based on what works for them or what they’ve known to work for others who have been in similar situations. Together with buying a fancy crib or cot, trendy baby wears, and other baby essentials, an infant car seat is another necessary investment expectant parents have to make.

You could have a hard time choosing the safest possible car seat for your baby, and that’s why we have taken time to assist you with some tips that will enable you to do this without any stress.

● Baby-Safe?

The famous saying ‘safety first’ can be a worthy application to just about anything man sets his mind to do. And like everything else, it is just as relevant to apply this when shopping for a car seat. This is especially necessary when it’s to be used by an infant, even if it’s only going to be for a year or less. With an infant-safe car seat, you can convey your 1-day-old little one home from the hospital, and that, with total confidence.

● Right Type of Car Seat

The United States has certain laws guiding the type of car seat that you’d be needing for your baby. Booster seats, combination seats, and front facing car seat are amongst the many types of available car seats for kids. Nevertheless, it is of importance to note that newborns can only use two kinds of car seats. These are the convertible seat and the rear-facing car seat. The convertible infant car seat enables you to switch from facing the rear of the car to facing front – we bet you would consider this more economical as your toddlers grow up. However, it is more of an immobile seat in that it cannot be taken in and out of the car like a regular infant seat can and rear facing seats are proven to be the safest.

NOTE – the laws in the UK are different and can be found at the Child Car Seat website.

● Not Necessarily Expensive

‘How much should I spend on my baby’s car seat’ is a frequently asked question by most parents. Good question, because the prices of car seats vary in a really dramatic manner. It, however, depends largely on the type of seat you’re buying and how much you are willing to spend. Spending hugely on car seats doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll get the best one. Some mid-price models are just as effective (or sometimes more effective) than the expensive ones.

● Second-Hand: A No-No

The economy might make you want to settle for cheaper alternatives such as fairly used or second-hand models. The problem with these model is that you have no access to the maker’s warranty and you can never be sure of the car seat’s history. Although there may be no evident signs, it is highly possible that the seats may have been involved in a crash and as such it is likely to have lost its integrity and is therefore not safe for your baby.

● Proper Installation

Even after getting a good car seat, how well you go about the installation is very important too. A high percentage of infant sets are incorrectly installed, and this could make your baby more vulnerable in a crash. Generally, infant seats should always be attached to the back seat. This is because crashes often involve collision to the front of the car. It is best to seek the services of a professional while fitting your baby’s seat. If you want to Do-It-Yourself, it is so important to follow the manufacturer’s fitting instructions as carefully as possible.

● Be Sophisticated

A car seat might not be the only baby-related investment you’ll have to make. Depending on how safe you are willing to make your baby, there are other accessories you might want to buy to compliment your baby’s car seat. A mirror, for instance, will allow you to see every move your baby makes when they are not facing the same direction as you (in a rear-facing seat most especially).

Although this guide is a short and concise one, following it strictly will go a long way in putting your mind at ease. Also, it is relevant to note that while some phenomenon, such as economic elements, may be overlooked, the most important things to look out for are the safety and comfort of your little one as these qualities can never be over-emphasized.

We hope you have a safe time conveying your mini-me from one place to another.