Baby Car Seats – Look For Comfort, Safety And Versatility

When looking for a baby car seat, you first need to know what exactly what it is you are looking for. There are two different types of car seats that can be used for babies. There is an infant car seat, which is strictly for infants up to 22 pounds, and there is the convertible infant/baby car seat, which can be used from infancy for children up to 40 pounds.

Generally, when it is called a baby car seat, the reference is to a seat for any baby up to the 40 pound limit, making it a more versatile car seat. Convertible car baby car seats can be changed from the rear-facing position for newborns to a forward facing position when the child is over 22 pounds. They are also larger and can be used for larger and taller children.

When using convertible baby car seats, always put the car seat in the center, back seat in the rear-facing position while the baby is less than 20 pounds. It will be in a reclined position at this point. When children are over 20 pounds, baby car seats can be faced forward but should still be used in the back seat.

Convertible baby car seats come in three basic styles:

1. The Five Point Harness has five straps – two over the shoulders, two at the hips and one coming up to meet them from the crotch. If you are going to be using the car seat for a small infant as their first, rear-facing car seat, this is an excellent choice. It provides greater flexibility for adjusting closer to a baby’s body when small and provides excellent protection against head injury.
2. The Three Point Harness & Overhead Shield has a padded area that looks like a triangle made of hard plastic or rubber that comes down over the baby’s head and holds the straps over the shoulders. The crotch strap comes up to meet this shield. It is easy to fasten and can be adjusted in most cases to accommodate heavy clothing or a child’s change in size.
3. The Three Point Harness & T-Shield has a “T” shaped, soft center area that draws the shoulder straps down over the shoulders. The end of the “T” then snaps into the seat’s shell between the baby’s legs rather than having a separate strap for the crotch area. If you choose this, measure to be sure that the “T” is no more than chest height.

Features to look for in a great baby car seat:

• Strong, easy to use latches. The latches on car seats for babies should click cleanly into place and hold strongly, but you should be able to release them with one hand for convenience.
• Is there room for growth? Remember that your child will grow quickly, so you’ll want some room for growing and some space to allow for bulky winter clothing as well.
• Washable and/or waterproof linings that can be removed for cleaning. Diaper leaks, spit up, and other accidents are inevitable with babies.
• Top tethers. These newer features are available on most new car safety seats and are used when car seat is in the forward facing position to stabilize it and make sure it doesn’t pitch forward in an accident. It usually fastens to a tether anchor in the back shelf or ceiling of newer model cars.

If you go with one of the major manufacturers such as Graco, Century, Britax or Evenflo for your baby car seat, you can rest assured that you are getting a quality product. These major manufacturers have been in the business of making baby products from lightweight strollers to backpack comfortable baby carriers for years. They have done extensive research into all of the products to ensure their quality and durability.

Babies can get fidgety sitting in car seats when they are on long rides at this age, and it’s hard not to feel sympathetic when they fuss and cry because they’re bored. To alleviate boredom for them while you focus on driving, buy some car seat accessories that will keep your little darling entertained. There are plush toys, jingly rattles and a variety of other toys designed just for baby car seats. These will have some type of fasteners, usually Velcro or snaps, that fasten them securely to the car seat so that they don’t get lost and are within easy reach for your baby to keep her occupied on the journey.

Baby car seats should always be used for children until they weight at least forty to forty-five pounds, at which point you should move them into one of the many types of booster car seats now available. These should then be used until your child is tall enough and heavy enough to safely wear an adult car seat safety belt.

About The Author

Lori Wilkerson is a full-time freelance writer who loves her work because it gives her the opportunity to learn more about the world every day. Right now, she knows a little bit about almost everything, and a lot about babies. She has two dogs who are spoiled and one teenager who is not.

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