Car seats; if you have a baby, you know you need one, but you also know the process of buying one is not one of the most fun purchases you will ever make. Baby car seats are expensive and hard to decipher, but it is one of those necessities that you will have to make sure you have ready to go even before you leave the hospital. If you are slightly confused on where to begin, use this guide and all of the information and links below to find the best car seats that fit your budget and your lifestyle.
Different Types of Car Seats
Many people realize that there are several different types and kinds of car seats, but what they don’t realize is that they will most likely have to buy a couple of different kinds or sizes as their baby grows. As with most baby products, one size does not usually fit all. Here is a breakdown on the different types of car seats that you will need to investigate.
Infant Car Seats
Infant car seats are probably going to be the first type that you are going to want to buy. They are rear facing and usually have a carrier/bassinet that is attached to a base that is then buckled into your car. The best car seats for infants even let you snap the carrier into your stroller for a whole travel system. This is ideal if you are in and out of the car all of the time and don’t want to disturb your baby. All infant car seats should also come with a 5 point harness system. Regulations state that babies must be in a rear facing car seat until the age of one or are at least 20 pounds. Most parents and experts, however, usually recommend keeping your baby in a rear facing car seat until they are two or are exceeding the weight and height limit of the infant car seat. Preemies may need an extra attachment or a different car seat all together, but for most parents, an infant car seat will work well for at least a year.
Toddler Car Seats
Toddler car seats are for babies that have exceeded the weight, height, and age of an infant car seat, usually around the age of two. Toddler car seats are designed to only be forward facing. These types of car seats also come with a 5 point harness system, and many even convert to a booster seat once your baby outgrows the car seat. The best car seats for toddlers are very accommodating to a wide range of toddler weights and sizes and are safer than single booster seats.
Convertible Car Seats
Convertible car seats are pretty much what they say. They are a combination of infant and toddler car seats. These car seats can be rear facing or forward facing and can accommodate a larger size than typical infant seats. Most convertible car seats won’t have a carrier that can go from the car to your stroller or be carried, however, so a lot of people find them inconvenient. Many also do not fit smaller newborns as well as an infant car seat usually does, so they might not be the best car seats for babies. All will still come with a 5 point harness system.
Boosters
Boosters are for toddlers who have outgrown their toddler car seat and are ready to use the vehicle’s safety belts. Boosters allow the safety belts to be positioned correctly on the child so they are safer. There is no harness system with boosters, they are intended to be used with the vehicle’s own safety belts and nothing else. Most experts recommend keeping your child in a car seat as long as possible, but after that, boosters are a good option to make sure safety belts work properly.
Accessories
You may not believe it, but there are actually a lot of accessories that you can get to add onto your car seat. While none of these are necessary or add to the functionality of the seat, they can add extra conveniences. You can find cup holders and trays, storage containers and bags, mirrors, spill catchers, snuggly body support inserts, just to name a few. Use your own judgment as to what you think you might need, but before you buy, make sure it is compatible with the car seat brand that you are going to be buying.
Baby Car Seat Features
Now you have the basic knowledge about what kinds of car seats are out there, but you also need to know about all of the features that go into making your car seat safe for your baby. Here are a few features that you will want to make sure you look over before you buy.
LATCH Connectors
Since 2002, most vehicles and car seats now come with latches that make installation into the vehicle easier. The system designed to do this is called LATCH, or Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children. LATCH consists of hooks or anchors that connect the car seat into metal anchors in a vehicle. You will either see hook style or push style connections. The hook style usually means that you will have to turn the mechanisms to get them anchored, while the push style simply requires you to push the connectors together. Some of the metal connectors in vehicles can be hard to find, so you might have to dig around in your vehicle until you find it. If you have an older vehicle that does not have this feature, you can still use the safety belts, the LATCH system just makes installation easier. If you are buying a new car seat, make sure it has LATCH connections to make your life easier.
Harness System
All of the infant, toddler, or convertible car seats that you see should have a 5 point harness system. What this means is that there are two straps over the shoulders, two over the legs, and one over the crotch. This harness system is the best way to keep your baby or toddler in their seat and keep them safest in the event of a crash. A 5 point harness system is much better than a 3 point system that does not go over the baby’s shoulders. You will also want to look for a harness that is easily adjustable. You don’t want to have to dismantle everything to adjust the straps. The best option is a knob or pull system that is easy to get to.
Recline
Most rear facing car seats will have a recline function. This allows you to have your car seat in a reclining position when your baby is an infant and a more upright position as he or she grows. A car seat with multiple reclining positions is best, but a single recline and upright position will also work. Most car seats will also come with a recline level indicator so you know if you have your baby at the best angle for them to breathe and keep their head up. The bubble indicators are the easiest to work with, but paper indicators also work.
Best Rated Car Seats
With all of this information, you may still be asking yourself where you should begin. It can be confusing, but one of the best ideas is to see what other parents are buying and read their reviews, comments, and ideas. This will help you get a good understanding of what works and what doesn’t.
Amazon.com has a great page that lets you see the best selling, top rated, new releases, most gifted, and most wished for car seats in each category, along with a lot of reviews for you to read through to make the best buying decision. You can visit that page HERE.
This buying guide to the best car seats will give you a good overview of all of the basic information that you need to get started shopping. As always, make sure you take your lifestyle and wish list into consideration before you buy.
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