20 Fun Facts About Best Infant Car Seat

How to Choose the Best infant car seats best Car Seat

Think about what you want from your car seat. "If you need an automobile seat that can expand with your child look into an all-in-one model like the Graco 4Ever DLX," Saxton says. The seat comes with a long rear-facing weight limit, and it can be converted into an incline-back booster and a backless one.

It also scores highly for comfort and quality with soft, machine-washable padding. Load legs are an additional beneficial feature. They are shock-absorbing components that are affixed to the car seat base and help to limit movement in a crash.

Safety

They are designed to fit smaller babies better, which is why they are more cushioned than convertible car seats. They also tend to be lighter and easier to get out of the car or set onto a stroller frame than convertible car seats, which is important because you'll probably need to transport your baby in the car seat frequently out of your vehicle. The infant car seat is also designed to last your child through the first year. This means you won't have to worry about your child exceeding its weight or height limits.

It's an excellent idea to conduct some research before you make a purchase. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has strict guidelines for car seats. You should consider reading reviews from other parents and reviewing safety guidelines from groups such as Consumer Reports and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, both of which have a lot of crash test data to give to families.

You will also want to consider whether the seat has features that can be especially beneficial for your family, like the strap release that is one-handed or a harness that doesn't need rethreads, or a spring-loaded foot for leveling. These kinds of features can make buckling up your baby quicker and easier but remember that even the most secure seats will be useless in the event that you don't utilize them properly.

The weight and the width of the car seat are equally important. Many infant car seats can be installed in your car alongside older car seats. Some of them can expand with your child, and can be converted to an adult booster simultaneously. If you are planning to use the car seat to travel or to take taxis or taxis, then an infant car seat which can be installed by using only the seat belt of your vehicle is a good option.

In general it's best to purchase the most secure seat you can afford, as the most affordable models do not meet the highest safety standards for crash safety. Beware of models that don't include side impact tests and allow manufacturers to self-certify.

Convenience

The best car seats for infants are those that fit in your family vehicle, are simple to install, and have convenient extras such as a built-in running stroller or rotation capability. It must also be affordable. Infant seats can range in price from around $180 to over $500. If they are convertible, and are intended for toddlers and infants, the price can be higher.

Convenience features include how simple it is to put in the seat using either LATCH system or a seatbelt, and whether it is possible to adjust the headrest and harness without taking the baby out of the seat. You need to be able to put in and remove the seat with ease particularly if you move frequently between vehicles or take Uber rides with your child. The seat should be lightweight and clearly labeled with instructions for installation and bubble levels to assist you in quickly install the car seat.

It should be easy to adjust the buckles and harness and also turn the seat around when it is not in use. It is also essential to verify the height and weight limits of the portable infant car seat car seat prior to you purchase it, and consider if your baby will outgrow it before its first birthday. As a rule, choose a seat for your child that will grow with them until they reach 90 percentile.

Some manufacturers go beyond the federal safety standards to incorporate additional features such as crash-testing, comfort and convenience in their car seats. The Clek Ling is a top pick of our gear editors and Consumer Reports is a great example of a baby seat that offers much more than just great crash protection. It also has a load leg, which helps stabilize the seat in a crash and reduces the force on the child's body by 40%. This feature could save a child’s life. It's worth the extra money spent on a car seat with added safety and convenience features.

Comfort

Comfort is an important factor to take into consideration when selecting the right car seat for your infant, as babies spend most of their time in the car seat. The most comfortable car seats have thick, breathable fabric and ample padding on the harness and headrest. They are equipped with simple adjustments, such as strap covers, buckles and headrest adjustment mechanisms that don't need rethreading.

The size and weight of a baby car seat can also impact comfort, particularly if you plan to switch cars or travel with the seat often. Some models are narrower than others, which makes them more suited to be placed in the back seat alongside another car seat or your siblings' seats. While all models come with height and weight restrictions certain models are lighter. This could save you from sore biceps when you move it from one place to another or between cars.

Some infant car seats come with additional features that allow them to be more flexible. For example, they can rotate or be converted into a stroller, without the need for adapters. Some models come with top-quality features like an adjustable strap that doesn't rethread or bar that prevents rebound to give you extra security in the event of a crash. Although these features aren't essential to an enjoyable ride, they can add to the overall experience of using the seat.

In addition to convenience and safety factors, many parents want a clean, comfortable car seat for their rotating infant car seat. Choose a model which is machine washable, stain resistant and easy to take off to clean. Some seats are even dishwasher safe, making it even easier to keep them looking fresh.

Some models go further to ensure their customers have a safe and comfortable experience. For example, the Graco SnugRide (tm) Elite has an anti-rebounding bar and meets Graco ProtectPlus Engineered(tm) which is designed to withstand front and rear collisions. It also has a Silent Shade canopy that keeps baby safe and quiet and also an indicator that tells you whether it's securely attached to the base. The seat's carry handle is adjustable, harness tightener, and indicator will let you know that it's properly connected to the base.

Design

Car seat manufacturers make infant car seats with safety and comfort in mind, but the myriad of features available can make it difficult to determine which one is the best fit for your family. You'll need to take into consideration factors like weight and height limits, as well as the number of belt buckles and belt paths. Additional features like anti-rebound bars load legs, harnesses with no-rethread straps can increase the cost but could also increase the comfort of babies. Consider features that make it easier to get your child in and out of the car seat, for example rotational mechanisms. You should also pay attention to the dimensions and the weight of the seat because not every seat will fit in all cars.

The ease of attaching and detaching the base is a feature that's important. This is affected by the quality of the LATCH connectors as well as whether they are rigid or flexible. You should also think about whether the straps are able to be easily tightened or loosen and if they have a single-hand release mechanism to install and remove the seat.

Certain models let you use the seat without a base, which can be convenient for those who frequently use taxis or if you are planning to switch cars often. Find models equipped with a built-in lock, as well as bubble level indicators to make sure that the seat is placed properly.

Other features that may be worth paying extra for include a headrest that grows with the baby, a five-position recline and an extended canopy that locks in place. Our product testers have also noted that having a seat that can be used as a high-back belt-positioning booster, or a backless one after the baby has finished using it is a benefit.

The Doona is an infant car seat that pampers parents. It's packed with features that address nearly every issue families have with infant car seats, which is why our test participants gave it top marks across every category. It's affixed for air travel and has an anti-rebound handle, and is able to be converted directly into a stroller. Its crash test result is excellent and it's GREENGUARD Gold Certified.