Can One Product Do It All
While convertible seats can work for babies from 5 – 50 lbs and beyond, we don’t believe it is good to choose a one-and-done seat when it comes to safety.
Why?
Infant seats are designed for smaller newborn bodies. These seats are configured for a baby’s anatomy and provide posture positioning for optimal breathing and protection in a crash. The harness design is narrower and more appropriate for an infant than that on a convertible seat, designed for older babies, but is modified for infants. Many convertible car seats have an infant insert to make the car seat more suitable for smaller passengers. We believe it is smart to purchase car seats specifically for each age/size instead of opting for one product that can accommodate a baby but isn’t explicitly designed for infants. If you want to save money on baby gear , we do not think car seat purchasing is the time to do it, given the potential safety implications.
The other advantage of infant seats is they are handy. Infant seats have a carrier with a handle for easy carrying from one location to another.
This design means you can move a sleeping infant from a car to a stroller or car with ease and without disruption. This function may seem small before your baby is born, but trust us, you will be doing this more than once, and you’ll be grateful for the carrier.
Where Is The Safest Spot In Your Car For Your Car Seat
You’ve chosen a safe car seat for your little one and are now ready to enjoy a family journey together! Before you set off, it’s important to know where you should place your car seat in the safest way.
We at Maxi-Cosi recommend that you place your car seat in the back seat preferably in the middle spot. However, you might need to consider other options when, for instance, you have multiple car seats to install or your vehicle is not suitable for centre installation.
We’re here to help you to decide the best position for your car seat:
1) Rear Middle: The Safest Spot!
The safest place for your car seat is the rear middle seat due to its maximum distance from passenger-side air bags and any potential impact.
Although statistically this is the safest location, we know it might not always be very practical or even possible because of the size of the seat or the lack of a seat belt or ISOFIX points of your vehicle.
2) Rear Passenger
Although not considered as the safest car seat position in accordance with statistics, consumers often prefer this location.
Away from the most common side of impact, the rear passenger seat offers the advantage of giving you easy access to your child, with the restraint often being pavement side of the vehicle, away from the flow of traffic.
3) Rear Driver
It’s still a safe location for the car seat to be as it is in the rear of the vehicle. However, it is less safe than the rear passenger because it’s a more common side of impact.
Most Comfortable: Graco Snugride Snuglock 35
The Graco SnugRide®SnugLock®35 is a mid-priced infant car seat that installs easily and securely. The adjustable base offers four incline positions for optimal safety and comfort. Like many of the best infant car seats on this list, the SnugRide is attachable to a stroller without any adapters.
This infant car seat has undergone rigorous testing and includes a five-point harness system that has been side-impact tested for baby retention. It also features a quick-remove seat cover for easy cleaning. Our review guide goes into detail on everything that sets this car seat apart from the rest.
- Weight range: 4.0 to 35.0 pounds
- Height range: Up to 32.0 inches
- Car seat weight : 7.5 pounds
- Machine-washable padding
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Types Of Child Safety Restraints
As your little ones grow up, they need a car seat that fits them correctly.24 There are convertible car seats that shift and change with your childs growth stages, or you can purchase a new car seat for every phase. Either way, the car seat needs to be easy to install and hold your child securely. No matter what stage your child is at, the best car seat is a properly installed car seat.
Infants to 3 years old: Babies and toddlers need to sit in a rear-facing seat until they reach the weight limit on the car seat. You can find convertible car seats that fit from infancy to 3 years old. Infant car seats have a shorter life span, fitting babies up to 12 months, while convertible models can fit older children up to 35 pounds .
4 to 7 years old: Once your child reaches preschool age, they can typically sit in a forward-facing car seat. These seats generally fit kids from 40 to 60 pounds. When installing these seats, its especially important to fasten the top tether of your car seat to the vehicles seat. This can reduce head and neck injuries in case of a crash.
8 to 12 years old: This is typically when your child can transition from a forward-facing car seat to a booster seat. Depending on your childs weight and height, they can use a belt-positioning booster or a backless booster seat. These seats are best for kids between 40 and 80 pounds and up to 4 feet 9 inches. See our recommendations for the best booster seats.
Why You Can Trust Us
Each year, we test over 350 auto products on vehicles and in our testing lab. Our team of product testers thoroughly researches top products, unboxes and puts our hands on each component, and tests the items on real vehicles before making recommendations to readers.
We publish hundreds of product and service reviews to bring car enthusiasts detailed guides on automotive tools, detailing kits, car seats, pet products, and much more.
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When Do You Need An Infant Car Seat
An infant car seat is a rear-facing seat thats designed to provide the safest car ride possible for your precious cargo.
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics , you should use a rear-facing infant car seat from birth until your child exceeds the maximum height or weight for their car seat. Usually, these limits are around 32 inches or 30 to 35 pounds, but in some convertible car seats, children can rear face up to 50 pounds and 49 inches tall.
Its ideal to keep your little one rear-facing as long as possible, even if their feet hit the seat.
Most children are ready to switch to a front-facing car seat between
Weigh The Length Of Usefulness Vs Convenience
As youve been searching car seats, youve probably seen a lot of confusing language like infant seat, convertible seat, booster seat, and travel system. Basically, children must ride in proper car seats of some sort until theyre about twelve, according to the NHTSA, so naturally the type of seat changes as they age.
Some car seats only work for one stage of the car seat journey, while others evolve with your child. An infant car seat has a carrying handle allowing you to easily carry it in and out of the car. Infant car seats also are designed to fit newborn babies well. But, be warned that they likely will only fit your baby until they are around a year old, though sometimes less depending on their growth!
Each car seat has height and weight limits and once you hit one of those limits, your child will progress to the next car seat stage. After the infant car seat you will purchase a convertible car seat that will last for YEARS. Your child will ride rear-facing until they reach the limits of that seat in that rear facing direction and then you will convert that car seat to forward-facing mode where they will ride harnessed for a few more years.
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Peg Perego Primo Viaggio 4
Passenger Weight:Carrier Weight:REASONS TO BUY
The Peg Perego Primo Viaggio 4-35 is a higher-quality product with impressive crash test results, indicating a potential additional margin of protection when correctly installed and used according to directions. We believe this stylish and comfy carrier is super easy to install without the base, making it a possible contender for those using public transportation it is almost as easy to install with the vehicle belt and the base. This Peg Perego features an anti-rebound bar, has thicker padding, and soft fabric for a comfortable ride plus, it is easy to use.
Unfortunately, the Primo Viaggio 4-35 is more expensive than most of the competition we’ve tested, and it isn’t compatible with most strollers outside the Peg Perego brand. However, if your budget allows and limited stroller options aren’t a concern, this Peg may be for you.
Baby Wearing
Safest Car Seat Postion For Rear
If its the only car seat, the safest place to put a rear-facing car seat is in the center of the back seat.
As I said before, its statistically proven that the rear middle is the safest place to install a car seat.
According to the study that was conducted to analyze the relation between the risk of injury and a car seats placement in the back seat, kids sitting in the center of the back seat are 43% safer than those sitting behind the driver or passenger.
This study focused on children between 0 to 3 years old who are commonly placed rear-facing.
Another study on the survival rates of children involved in fatal crashes showed that children in car seats sitting in the center of the back seat had a 13% increased chance of survival than those sitting on one of the sides.
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Convertible Car Seat Pros And Cons
A convertible car seat starts off rear-facing and can be converted to forward-facing. The minimum starting weight for convertible use in the rear-facing position is not standard across all products. Some seats start at 4 pounds, many at 5 pounds, and others not until the baby reaches closer to 15 pounds.
Convertible seats can typically be used rear-facing for babies up to 40 pounds. Once they are turned to forward-facing, convertible seats can work for a child weighing from 40 pounds up to as much as 80 pounds for some models.
They range in price for anywhere from $50 to several hundred dollars. Like infant car seats, convertible car seats have a five-point harness system that attaches at the shoulders, hips, and between the baby’s legs.
What Do The Crep Assessments Do
The CREP assessments aim to educate parents about which restraints offer the best protection, by assessing child car seats not only on how they perform in crash tests, but also how easy they are to install and use.
Your child’s safety is of paramount importance, which is why all seats tested by CREP comply with Australian Standards. While Australian Standards specify a range of design and performance requirements and involve some crash testing, the CREP ratings assess how a seat performs over and above the minimum safety requirements of the standard. This means even a one-star CREP safety rated seat performs over and above the minimum requirements.
The CREP independent testing is tougher than Australian Standard requirements in order to help parents make an informed decision about which seat to buy based on actual performance, not what they are being told by a salesperson, Elvira explains.
While overall protection ratings are paramount, Elvira says ease of use should also be taken into consideration as the simpler a car seat is to install and use, the more likely it is to be used correctly.
The results demonstrate that not all car seats are created equal and price is not a good indicator of safety so parents need to remain vigilant when it comes to choosing the appropriate restraint for their child.
How simple a car seat is to install and use is also an important consideration.
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How To Choose A Car Seat For Your Newborn
You know that your baby needs to ride in a car seat and youve likely seen seen hundreds of car seats and a lot of jargon that you may not understand.
Buying a car seat isnt something that can be put-off forever either. Hospitals require you to have a car seat to take your baby home. If the hundred choices, the time crunch, or the volume of research stresses you out, have no fear! Follow these tips, and youll be one step closer to choosing and using a car seat that is ready when your baby is!
Upgrade Pick: Flaws But Not Dealbreakers
Theres nothing wrong with the Liing, per se. But when youre paying this much for a seat, its easy to start nitpicking and finding slight room for improvement. For example: As your baby grows, youll have to adjust the Liings harness by removing the straps and rethreading them. Its not tough to do, and not having a no-rethread harness keeps this seat lighter, since that feature does add a bit of weight. Still, once youve experienced the convenience of a no-rethread harness , you miss it when its not there. Ditto for an easy-off seat cover and a handle that can be adjusted using one hand.
Ultimately, we didnt think it was fair to eliminate the Liing or ignore its merits purely because of its price. Although we acknowledge that it will be cost-prohibitive for many families, we have made an effort to include other excellent options in this guide that will suit a wide range of budgets, and were confident in all of our picks.
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Refresh On Safety Requirements
The American Association for Pediatrics regularly updates the safety recommendations on car seats! Researchers are continually doing studies on car seat practices and collecting more crash data, so periodically the recommendations change.
If youre a first time mom, or you havent had a newborn for a while, definitely take a look at the updated recommendations to ensure youre providing the best for your new babe! Child passenger safety technicians are your best resource for the most up to date information on best practice and practical information. You can find one local to you here.
Safest Place For Infant Car Seat: The Donts
Alright, let us start with all of the mistakes and things to avoid. First, do not put the car seat in the front passenger seat. This is the most dangerous spot in the car. Airbags are made for adults and not children. The force is lethal for toddlers and newborns. Make sure you put the car seat anywhere but next to you.
Second, place the seat in the rear row of seats. Now, many parents put the seat on either side. That way, they can look and see their infant. But, this is not the safest spot. WebMD states the safest spot is in the middle. Children under the age of 3 in the center seat had half the risk of an injury during a crash! Therefore, the safest place for infant car seat is in the middle of the rear row.
Do not hang toys on the handle of the baby seat. This is very tempting for parents. Especially with a loud, crying baby. Unfortunately, toys fly loose in a crash and become dangerous objects. Also, do not put your child into the car seat with a thick coat. Instead, use a light jacket and a blanket!
Finally, do not rush the growth process. Older children can sit in the face-forward position or the belt-positioning booster seat. Often, parents may rush through this process. However, this is very dangerous. Be patient and take your time before you make a big change. MayoClinic.org recommends waiting until the child is between 40 and 80 pounds!
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What Safety Regulations To Baby Car Seats Need To Meet
Car seats in the UK have to conform to one of two safety standards ECE R129, known as i-Size, is the newest European-wide regulation, while ECE R44 is the existing regulation based on your child’s weight.
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i-Size car seats keep babies in a rearward-facing position until they are 15 months old and must be fitted with the Isofix anchor points attached to the seat or base. Meanwhile, weight-based seats fall under the ECE R44 regulation and are categorised into groups, with Group 0+ seats suitable for newborns up to 13kg, and Group 1 seats for babies from nine to 18kg.
Bugaboo Turtle Air By Nuna Car Seat
Bugaboo Turtle Air by Nuna car seat, £199, Bugaboo
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This ultralight car seat is suitable for your newborn from day one, and designed in collaboration with premium car seat brand Nuna.
It offers comfort for your baby on the road and fits seamlessly onto a Bugaboo pushchair. Suitable for babies up to 15-months-old, it comes with a baby inlay to help your little one be super snug and a sun canopy.
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When Do You Remove The Newborn Insert From A Car Seat
Some car seats come with a newborn insert to position smaller babies safely and comfortably. If the baby seems wedged into their harness or it is harder to fasten, they may need more space. While most babies no longer need additional padding by the time they reach 6 months of age, parents should always check the manufacturer’s instructions before removing newborn inserts.