How to Choose the Best Infant Car Seat

What do you want from your car seat? "If you want an automobile seat that will grow with your child, you should consider an all-in-one model such as the Graco 4Ever DLX," Saxton recommends. The seat can be changed to a high-back booster or an unbackless booster. It comes with a huge rear-facing weight limit.

It also scores well for comfort and quality with soft and machine-washable padding. Load legs are a beneficial feature. They are shock-absorbing components which are attached to the base or car seats and limit movement during a crash.

Safety

They are designed to fit smaller babies better, which is why they are more cushioned than convertible car seats. They are also lighter and easier to take out of the newborn car seat or set onto a stroller frame than convertible car seats, which is vital since you'll likely have to transport your child in the car seat often outside of your vehicle. The infant car seats have the advantage of often being built to last for your child's first year, which means you don't have to worry about them growing beyond their height or weight limits in the same way that a convertible car seat may.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's standards for car seats are stringent, but it is still a good idea to do your own research prior to making a purchase. Take a look at reviews written by other parents and looking at car seat safety guides from organizations such as Consumer Reports or the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Both have crash test results that can be shared with families.

Find features that can be useful to your family. This could include an easy release of the strap, a no-rethread harness or a leveling foot with spring-loaded mechanism. These types of features can make buckling your baby faster and easier however, you must remember that even the safest of seats will be useless if you don't use them properly.

Other things to consider are the size and weight of the car seat. Many infant carrier seat car seats can be placed in your vehicle along with older car seats. Some of them can be able to grow with your child and convert to a booster in the same time. If you plan to use the car seat to travel or to take taxis or taxis, then an infant car seat which can be put in place using only your car's seatbelt will be a convenient choice.

In general, it's a good idea to buy the safest seat you can afford, because the cheapest models typically don't meet the highest safety standards for crash safety. For instance, it's recommended to avoid models that don't include side crash testing and allow companies to self-certify their seats.

Convenience

The best car seats for infants are those that fit in the car of your family, are easy to install and include useful features like a built-in jogging stroller or rotation capability. It should also be affordable. Infant seats can vary between $180 to $500. If they're convertible, and are designed to be used by both infants and toddlers the cost could be higher.

Convenience features include how easy it is to install the seat with either the LATCH system or a seatbelt and whether you can adjust the headrest and harness without removing the infant out of the seat. You want to be able to put in and remove the seat easily particularly if you move it between cars often or take Uber rides with your child. The seat should be lightweight and have clearly labeled instructions for installation and bubble levels to assist you in quickly install the car seat.

You must also be able to turn the seat around and lock it when you're not using it, and have easy access to buckles as well as harness straps. It's also important to know the weight and height limits of the infant car seat prior to you purchase it, and then consider whether your baby will outgrow it by the time he turns one. A good rule of thumb is to choose a seat that grows with your child until they reach the 90th percentile.

Some manufacturers go above and beyond federal safety standards to include additional features such as crash-testing as well as comfort and convenience in their car seats. The Clek Liing one of the top picks by our gear editors as well as Consumer Reports, is an excellent example of a highly rated infant seat that provides more than just excellent crash protection. It also comes with an element that helps stabilize the seat during crashes, reducing the forces on the child by 40 percent. This feature could save a child's life. It's worth the extra money spent on car seats that have safety features and convenience.

Comfort

Comfort is an important factor to take into consideration when selecting an infant car seat, because babies spend the majority of their time in the car seat. The most comfortable ones have comfortable, breathable fabrics and plenty of padding in the headrest and harness. They come with easy-to-use adjustments such as strap covers, buckles and headrest adjustment mechanisms that don't need rethreading.

The weight and size of an infant car seat can also impact comfort, particularly in the event that you intend to switch cars or travel with the seat often. Some models are narrower than others, making them easier to fit in the back of the car with a car seat or your siblings seats. While they all have height and weight restrictions certain models are lighter. This will help you from sore biceps when you carry it between cars.

Some infant carrier seat car seats offer additional features that make them more versatile like rotating options or the ability to click into strollers without the need for extra adapters. Some models come with premium features like an adjustable no-rethread harness or bars that prevent rebounding to provide additional security in the event of a crash. Although these features aren't necessary for the safety of your ride, they can add to the overall experience of using the seat.

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

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

Design

Car seat manufacturers design infant car seats with safety and ease of use in mind, but the variety of features available makes it difficult to decide what's best for your family. It is important to take into account aspects like weight and height limits and the number of belt paths and buckles. Additional features like anti-rebound bars load legs, harnesses with no-rethread straps can increase the cost, but they can also improve the comfort of your baby. Consider features that help you get your child into and out of the seat, for example, rotational mechanisms. You should also pay attention to dimensions and weight of the base, as not all seats are suitable for every vehicle.

The ease of attaching and detaching the base is a feature that is important. This is affected by the quality of the LATCH connectors and whether they're strong or flexible. Also, you should consider whether the straps can be easily tightened or loosen and if there is an easy release mechanism that allows you to install and remove the seat.

Certain models allow you to use the seat with no footrest, which is convenient if your plan is to switch taxis or cars frequently. Find models equipped with a built-in lock, as well as bubble level indicators to ensure that your seat is set properly.

Some features may be worth the extra cost, such as the headrest that grows with your child, a five-position reclining feature, or a canopy that extends and is locked in place. Our product testers also said that having a seat that can be used for a highback booster with belt positioning or a backless booster after the infant car seat rear facing has finished using it is a nice bonus.

The Doona is the kind of infant car seat that swivels car seat that delights parents. It's packed with features that solve nearly every complaint families have about infant car seats, which is why our testers have rated it as top across every category. For instance, it's approved for travel on airplanes, features a unique handle that doubles as an anti-rebound bar and can be converted directly into strollers (no need for separate stroller adapter). Its crash test results are impressive and it's GREENGUARD Gold certified.