One of the most important pieces of childcare equipment is the baby car seat. Parents actually need to obtain one of these before the birth of a baby. People often wonder (and even argue) about the best choice for a car seat, but the truth is, the best is the one that fits your baby, your car and your budget. Still, here are several guidelines to help you choose among the wide variety of baby car seats on the market.
Types of Car Seats
There are three types of car seats, and they are different according to the weight and age of your child.
1- An Infant Seat or rear-facing baby seat provides safety for babies weighing up to 10 kilograms or 22 lbs. (from birth to 6-9 months).Rear-facing seats offer protection for your baby’s neck, head, and spine. After 9 months, you can move the baby to the next type of baby seat:
2- Convertible Car Seat is perfect for babies weighing 9- 18 kilograms or 20-40 lbs., and as the name implies, this is a type of car seat that is convertible from rear-facing (up to 2 years old) to forward-facing (from 2 – 4 years old).
3- A Booster Seat used for children weighing 15 to 25 kilograms or 33-55 lbs (from 4-6 years old); this is the kind of car seat that has its own set of harnesses and buckles, but it can also be utilized with the seat belt in your car. The height of your toddler will determine the most comfortable choice. You and your child should try these seats out before buying one.
Five-Point Harness
A car seat with a 5-point harness is the best choice. It secures both sides of the hips, both shoulders and the crotch. For maximum comfort, check to see if the straps are labeled as “twist free” as some straps have a tendency to twist and are likely to cause skin burns or chaffing.
Easy to Install and Easy to Use
You have to consider whether or not the car seat is easy to install and easy to use. If you are not able to install the seat properly, you might compromise the safety of your baby. So, make sure you read the manual to be certain that you will be able to install and utilize the seat as it is intended.
Fit With Your Car
Not all car seats available in the market will fit your car. It is important to find a car seat that can be tightly installed and will fit perfectly in your vehicle. You have to make sure that the vehicle seat base is not too broad to fit closely and that there is sufficient room between the rear of the car seat and the front driver and passenger seats. Fortunately, many stores will allow you to take a car seat floor model to your car with one of their employees to determine whether the seat fits in the car.
Design
After deciding on the best car seat and its safety features, you can now proceed to the fun part: choosing the fabric, color and the design.