How to Choose the Best Car Seats for Your Child
It's easy to get overwhelmed when you are shopping for a car safety seat. The safest car seat is one that fits your child and vehicle and is safe to use 100% of the time.
Car seats that are difficult for children or parents to install or use can be a major issue. The best options have impressive crash test results, have excellent ease of use scores and are also lightweight and narrow.
Safety
When choosing car seats, safety features are the most important factor to consider. It doesn't matter whether you opt for a convertible, booster or infant seat. They should all meet federal safety standards, and have a proven track record in third-party crash testing. It should also fit in your vehicle and be easy to use.
A top-quality car seat must include a harness that is easy to use for adjustment and either LATCH or seat belt connector options. Rigid or rigid lower anchor connectors that have clips that are similar to alligators that attach directly to the base of the car seat or vehicle seat belt guides, are preferable to flexible straps that can move or loosen. The best seats come with a simple, easy-to-read color change indicator that indicates whether the seat is connected properly and provide a tight fit.
The best seats also include a top tether that reduces the risk of head injuries in accidents by restraining the child's front head. The harness guides are also included in the seats to assist parents thread the belt or tether properly.
The most important features of a car seat are those that guarantee the seat is properly installed and used correctly all the time. Unfortunately, a lot of child passenger deaths are the result of children being restrained improperly or using the wrong seat. Check with a child passenger security technician (CPST), located near you, to ensure that the car seat's installation and position is correct.
A quality seat could save your child's life if they are involved in the event of an accident. It's worth the cost to buy an item with strong frames and high-quality materials. It is also beneficial to have well-thought-out features. It's also wise to look for a seat that complies with the most modern R129 safety standards, which have more rigorous testing than the earlier regulations that a majority of seats abide by.
It is also important to remember that a car is only as safe and secure as the adult using it. Children must be properly secured with rear-facing car seats at birth and continuing until they reach the height required to wear a harness. This is typically between the ages of four and five.
Comfort
A comfortable car seat can help your child get to sleep or stay asleep for longer and can be the difference between getting a long road trip done in one piece and an exhausted, cranky child who is fighting the nap time. Find a car seat that is able to accommodate your child's needs and has ample back and head support, and fits well in the car.
The best infant car seats have a variety of features that will make your baby feel secure and comfy, such as soft materials that offer an incredibly snug fit, plush cushions and armrests with padding. Some include cup holders, adjustable headrests, and sun shades. Some offer several recline positions. Other models have adjustable thigh supports and lumbar support to improve posture, and some even have massage functions which are activated by a button that you press when the child is in the seat.
When your child has grown out of the infant car seat The next step is a toddler car seat that will typically accommodate children up to 40 pounds and can be used rear-facing or forward-facing. Some convertible toddler car seats can be used as boosters for children weighing up to 120 pounds, which will save you money and decreases the amount of car seat purchases you'll have to purchase over the course of time.
Evenflo Chase is one of the top toddler car seats for comfort. It has excellent crash test results and can be easily installed with LATCH or car seat belts. Its narrow shell makes it easier to accommodate larger babies. It also features two different crotch buckle positions that allow for better positioning of the shoulder straps. It is also lightweight and narrow, making it easy to maneuver.
The Nuna PIPA Urbn is an excellent choice for a comfy car seat for toddlers. Babylist gear editor Jennifer LaBracio says the seat has a luxurious feel and plenty of padding and easy-to-read indicator for installation. It is also compact and can either be installed with the base or without, making it an ideal choice for parents who regularly move their car seats between cars.
Easy of Use
Car seats are the one thing in the life of a parent that sees a lot of use and lots of parents are looking for an easy-to-use seat that will fit inside their car and integrate with other baby equipment. Infant car seats are lighter because they have smaller weight limits and they last longer than a convertible car seats. The best infant car seats come equipped with features that make them easier to install and use. These include a recline foot that is spring-loaded, bubble indicators at the base for positioning it correctly in your car and installation guides that are clearly labeled with clear directions. These car seats are also made of robust materials that are machine-washable and easy to see. They also come with comfortable padding for your child.
The Clek Liing is the most highly rated infant seat we reviewed in 2018. It provides impressive crash test results and analysis scores as in addition to a great load leg to assist you in putting the seat in your car with ease and precision. The car seat is easy to install using either rigid latch connectors or the LATCH. The latches change color to signal the connection, and the harness snaps into place quickly and securely.
Chicco KeyFit 35 is another popular choice. It provides impressive crash test results as well as loading legs that can assist you in putting on the car seat. Parents and experts love it, including CPST instructor Kecia H., who says it's well-designed with a spring-loaded reclining foot and a bubble-indicator on the base that helps you place the seat in the right position and tighten the seat with ease. This seat is also affordable and is GREENGUARD-certified. It's also built to last with an aluminum frame and high-density foam, as well as a ventilated seat back that allows air circulation to keep your child cool.
The Nuna Exec all-in-one seat is a favorite among LaBracio, Saxton and other women. Both women describe it as an "solid" elegant and luxurious seat that is well priced for its exquisite feel, luxurious materials, and its easy installation. It comes with an upper weight limit for rear-facing children of 50 pounds, an expanded legroom panel, and strong steel frame that has an anti-rebound bar. This car seat for infants can also be used as a booster for children up to 120 pounds. It's compact enough to fit in most midsize vehicles.
Design
A car seat is an investment in your child's safety So you need to know it will fit well and be easy to use. Your final choice could be influenced by the location and how you intend to install the seat and the frequency you plan to switch between vehicles. Although it's impossible to know what could happen in a crash, the design of your seat will aid in minimizing damage and making it easier to get your child into and out of the car seat.
One important factor is whether a seat has flexible or rigid LATCH connectors. Connectors that are rigid are attached to the seat with alligator clips. They are more difficult to disengage in the event of the event of a crash. Flexible connectors have straps that can be adjusted by hand or through a kind of mechanism. Most seats come with a level indicator that shows whether they've been installed correctly. This is usually a plastic molded line on the shell side or a sticker that is affixed to the seat's bottom that, when stood up against the ground, displays the car seat is in the correct angle.
newborn car seat www.pushchairsandprams.uk of a seat to fit newborns and infants is also crucial. This is based on the size of the head rest and shell as well as the ability to easily buckle and unbuckle the harness. Some seats have an insert for positioning that helps smaller bodies fit in the seat and harness. It's important to know that these inserts are removable as your child develops.
The third factor to consider is the ease of changing the height of the belt. The most effective seats allow you to move the harness without removing your child and require only pressing the button, pulling a tab or shifting levers. Additionally, the most convenient seats to use are those that allow you to adjust the shoulder strap position without having to rethread the belt.
If you're considering an all-in-one child seat choose one that meets the minimum federal safety standards and is able to perform in third-party crash tests. We recommend seats with additional features, like an energy-absorbing layer molded into the shell or an anti-rebounding bar.