How to Choose the Best infant car seat uk Car Seat

Consider what you'd like from your car seat. "If you're in need of a car seat that will 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 a high-back and backless booster.

The soft cushioning that is machine washable is an added benefit. Load legs are an additional useful feature. These are shock-absorbing elements that are affixed to the car seat base and limit movement during an accident.

Safety

They are specifically designed to fit babies of smaller sizes better, and therefore they are more cushioned than convertible car seats. They are also lighter and easier to take from your car or attach to a stroller frame which is crucial since you'll need to carry your child in the car seat outside of the vehicle often. The infant car seat is designed to last your child through the first year. This means that you don't have to worry about your child outgrowing the weight limit or height.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's standards for car seats are rigorous, but it is still recommended to conduct your own research prior to buying. You might want to read reviews from other parents and reading car seat safety guides from organizations like Consumer Reports or the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Both have crash test data that can be shared with families.

Look for features that will be useful to your family. For instance, an easy release of the strap, a no-rethread harness or a leveling foot with a spring-loaded mechanism. These features assist in securing up your child, but remember that even the safest seats are useless if they aren't used properly.

Other things to consider are the width and weight of the car seat. Many infant seats can be installed in your car alongside older car seats. Some of them can be able to grow with your child, and can be converted to a booster in the same time. Also, if you plan to use your car seat to transport or to take taxis, an infant car seat that is fitted using only the vehicle's seatbelt is a convenient alternative.

In general, you should buy the most safe seat you can afford. The most affordable models don't always meet the highest standards of safety in crashes. For instance, it's recommended to avoid models that don't include side impact testing and permit companies to self-certify their products.

Convenience

The best car seats for infants are ones that fit inside your vehicle with your family, are simple to install, and include useful features like a built-in jogging stroller or rotation capability. It should be affordable. infant car seat for travel seats range in price from about $180 to $500. They can be more expensive when they are convertible and will be used as a toddler and infant seat.

Convenience features include how simple it is to set up the seat using either the LATCH system or a seatbelt and whether it is possible to adjust the harness and headrest without taking the baby out of the seat. The process of installing and removing the seat should be easy, especially for children who ride Ubers or you frequently switch between cars. The seat should also be light 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 turn the seat around and lock it when you're not using it and have access to the buckles and harness straps. When you purchase an infant car seat, you need to check the weight and height limits. Also, consider whether your child will outgrow the seat before they turn one. 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 federal safety standards are the minimum requirement, some manufacturers go above and beyond to offer additional crash-testing and convenience features in their car seats. The Clek Liing, a top pick among our gear editors and Consumer Reports, is an excellent example of a highly rated infant seat that provides more than just great crash protection. It also has an extra load leg that stabilizes the seat in a crash, and reduces the force on the child's body by 40%. This feature alone could save a child's life, so it's worth the extra cost for a car seat that is safe and has additional safety features.

Comfort

One of the most important factors when selecting an infant car seat is comfort, since babies spend a lot of time in their car seats. The most comfortable car seats have large, breathable fabrics and generous padding on the harness and headrest. They also have easy-to-use adjustment mechanisms, like strap covers, buckles, and headrest adjustments that do not require the rethreading.

The weight and size of the infant car seat can also impact comfort particularly if it's being used in multiple cars or for frequent travel. Some models are more narrow than others, which makes them more suited to be placed in the back of the car with a car seat or other siblings' seats. Although all have minimum and maximum height and weight restrictions, some are lighter than others--which can help save your biceps from aching when carrying it around town or between vehicles.

Certain infant car seats come with additional features to make them more versatile. For example, they can rotate or be converted into a stroller, without the need for additional adapters. Some models come with top features such as an adjustable harness with no-rethread straps or anti-rebound bars to add additional safety in the event of the possibility of a crash. These features aren't essential to ensure safety, but they can improve the overall experience.

In addition to convenience and safety factors, many parents need a clean and comfortable infant car seat for their infant. Choose a model which is machine washable, stain-resistant and easy to take off to clean. Some seats can be cleaned with a dishwasher which makes it easier to keep them looking brand new.

Some models go beyond to ensure that their customers' experience is safe and smooth, such as the Graco SnugRide(tm) Elite, which boasts an anti-rebound bar and meets the Graco ProtectPlus Engineered(tm) standards to withstand rear and front collisions. The seat also includes a Silent Shade canopy that keeps baby safe and quiet and also an indicator that lets you know that it's attached correctly to the base. The seat's adjustable carry handle as well as harness tightener indicator let you know that it's properly connected to the base.

Design

The manufacturers of infant car seats create them with safety and convenience as their main goals. However, the broad variety of features can make it difficult to determine which one is the best car seats newborn fit for your family. It is important to take into account factors like weight and height limits, as well as the number of buckles and belt paths. Other features such as anti-rebound bars load legs, no-rethread harnesses can add to 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 rotating mechanisms. You should also be aware of the dimensions and weight of the seat, because not every seat will fit in all cars.

One of the most important aspects is the ease of installing and detaching from the base. This can be affected by the quality of the LATCH connectors as well as whether they are rigid or flexible. It is also important to determine whether the straps are simple to tighten and loosen, and whether there is a single-hand release mechanism for removing and installing the seat.

Some models let you use the seat with no footrest, which is a great option for those who plan to switch cars or take taxis frequently. To ensure that your seat is properly installed be sure to look for models that have bubble level indicators and built-in locking mechanisms.

Other features worth paying extra for include a headrest that increases with the baby or a recline with five positions, as well as an extended canopy that locks in the position. Our product testers also mentioned that having a seat which can be used as highback boosters with belt positioning or a backless booster when the baby is no longer using it is a nice bonus.

The Doona is the type of infant car seat that pampers parents. It's packed with features that solve nearly every issue families have with infant car seats, which is the reason our testers gave it top marks in every category. For example, it's approved for travel on airplanes, features a unique handle that doubles as an anti-rebound bar, and transforms directly into strollers (no need to buy a separate stroller adapter). The results of its crash tests are top-quality and it's GREENGUARD Gold certified.