Guide To Best Infant Car Seat: The Intermediate Guide To Best Infant C…

How to Choose the Best Infant Car Seat

Consider what you'd like from your car seat. "If you are looking for an automobile seat that will develop with your child then consider an all-in one model such as the Graco 4Ever DLX," Saxton advises. The seat can be transformed into a high-back booster or an unbackless booster. It has a large rear-facing weight limit.

The soft, machine-washable cushioning is also a plus. Load legs are another useful feature. They are shock-absorbing components which are attached to the car seat base and reduce movement during the event of a crash.

Safety

The infant car seats are designed to fit tiny babies the best, which is why they generally have more padding and cushioning than convertible carseats. They also tend to be lighter and easier to lift out of the car or put on a stroller frame rather than convertible car seats, which is important since you'll likely be required to transport your baby in the car seat often outside of your vehicle. Car seats for infants offer the benefit of being built to last for the first year of your child's life, so you don't have to worry about them growing beyond their weight or height as quickly as the convertible car seat might.

It's a good idea to do some research prior to you purchase. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has strict guidelines for car seats. Consider reading reviews from other parents as well as checking out car seat safety guides from groups like Consumer Reports and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, both of which have a lot of crash testing information to share with families.

Look for features that will be useful to your family. These include an easy release of the strap, a no rethread harness, or a leveling foot with spring-loaded mechanism. These features can make it easier to buckle up your child, but remember that even the safest seats are useless if they are not used correctly.

Other things to consider are the weight and width of the car seat. Many infant seats can be put in your car alongside older car seats. Some of them can grow with your child, and can be converted to a booster in the same time. If you intend to use your car seat to transport or to take taxis, an infant car seat that is installed with only the seat belt of your vehicle is a good option.

In general, you should purchase the safest seat you can afford. The cheapest models don't always meet the most stringent standards of crash safety. Beware of models that don't include side impact tests, and allow manufacturers to self-certify.

Convenience

The best infant car seats are those that can fit inside your vehicle with your family They are also simple to install, and include useful features like a built-in jogging stroller or the ability to rotate. It should be reasonably priced. Infant seats range in price from around $180 to more than $500. If they are convertible, and are designed to be used by both infants and toddlers, the price can be higher.

Convenience features include how simple it is to set up the seat with either the LATCH system or a seatbelt and whether you are able to adjust the harness and headrest without removing the infant car seat in front seat out of the seat. You need to be able to install and take it out easily and quickly, particularly if you need to switch it between cars often or take Uber rides with your child. The seat should also be lightweight and have clearly labeled installation guides and bubble levels to ensure you can easily get the car seat correctly installed.

You should also be able to rotate the seat and lock it when you're not using it and have easy access to the buckles and harness straps. It's also important to know the weight and height limits of the infant car seat prior to you purchase it, and consider if your baby will outgrow it before its first birthday. A good rule of thumb is to select a car seat that will grow with your baby seat until they reach the 90th percentile.

While the safety standards of the federal government are the minimum, some manufacturers go above and over to provide additional crash testing and features for convenience in their car seats. The Clek Liing is a top choice from our gear editors and Consumer Reports, is an excellent example of a highly rated infant seat that offers more than just crash protection. It also has a leg that stabilizes the seat during an accident, reducing the force on the child by 40%. This feature could save a child’s life. It's worth the extra money spent on car seats that have safety and convenience features.

Comfort

Comfort is a major factor to consider when selecting an infant car seat, since babies spend the majority of their time in the car seat. The most comfortable car seats feature the thick, breathable fabric as well as ample padding on the headrest and harness. They also come with easy-to-use adjustment mechanisms such as buckles, strap covers, and headrest adjustments that do not require the rethreading.

The size and weight of a baby car seat can also impact the comfort of your child, particularly when you are planning to switch cars or travel with the seat often. Some models are tinier which makes it easier to place them in the backseat with other car seats or even siblings' seats. While all have maximum and minimum heights and weight limits, some are a bit lighter than others. This can help save your biceps from getting sore when you carry it between vehicles.

Some infant car seats offer extra features that make them more versatile, such as rotating options or the ability to click into a stroller without the need for additional adapters. Other models have premium features like an adjustable harness with no-rethread straps or anti-rebound bars for extra safety in the event of an accident. While these additional features aren't essential for the safety of your ride, they can add to the overall experience of using the seat.

In addition to safety and convenience factors, many parents want a clean, comfortable car seat for their baby. Find a seat that's machine washable and stain-resistant, and also easy to take off for cleaning. Some seats are even dishwasher safe, which makes it even easier to keep them looking new.

Certain models go above and beyond to ensure that their customers enjoy the most secure and comfortable ride. For instance the Graco SnugRide (tm) Elite has an anti-rebounding bar and meets Graco ProtectPlus Engineered(tm) which is designed to stand up to front and rear facing infant car seat collisions. The seat features a Silent Shade canopy to keep your baby comfortable and quiet, as well an indicator that lets you know that the seat is securely attached. The adjustable harness tightener and carry handle make simple single-handed adjustments.

Design

Car seat manufacturers make infant car seats with safety and ease of use in mind, but the variety of features available can make it difficult to determine which one is best for your family. You'll need to take into consideration factors like weight and height limits as well as the number of belt paths and buckles. Additional features such as load legs, anti-rebound bars, and no-rethread straps may raise the cost of the seat, but will increase the comfort of your infant. Look for features that make it simple to get your child into and out of the car seat, for example rotating mechanisms. Be sure to pay attention to the dimensions and the weight of the seat because not every seat can be used in all cars.

One of the most important aspects is the ease of installation and detaching from the base. This can be affected by the quality of the LATCH connectors as well as whether they're strong or flexible. It is also important to think about whether the straps are able to be easily adjusted and tightened and if they have an easy release mechanism that allows you to install and remove the seat.

Certain models let you use the seat without a base which is useful if you take taxis often or if you are planning on changing cars frequently. To ensure that your seat is properly installed be sure to look for models that have bubble level indicators and integrated locking mechanism.

Other features worth the extra cost include a headrest that increases with the infant or a recline with five positions, as well as an extendable canopy that locks in place. Our product testers also said that having a seat that can be used for highback boosters with belt positioning or a backless booster when the baby has completed using it is a nice bonus.

Doona is a car seat for infants that will spoil parents. It's packed with features that solve nearly every issue families have with infant car seats, which is why our product testers have rated it as top across all categories. For instance, it's approved for travel on airplanes, has a unique handle that doubles as an anti-rebound bar and can be converted directly into a stroller (no need for separate stroller adapter). Its crash test results are top-quality and it's GREENGUARD Gold certified.