Baby Stuff

Keep your little one safe and secure in an infant car seat when you travel. When buying a baby car seat, you have a choice between two basic styles for an infant who weighs less than 20 lbs. and is less than a year old: infant car seats (which experts consider the safest) and infant-toddler car seats.

Infant-toddler seats are also called convertible car seats because they can face forward or backward. They can be used by both infants and older children up to 40 lbs. Install the baby car seat in the back seat of your vehicle, if your baby is under a year old. The seat should be rear-facing until your baby is at least a year old. When your baby weighs at least 20 lbs. and is at least 1 year old, you can turn the seat around to face forward, though child safety experts recommend keeping your child rear-facing as long as possible. Why? Because in an accident situation, your baby’s spine and head will be much better supported if she’s facing the rear of the vehicle and in the back seat.

If you keep your baby in the baby car seat past her first birthday, it’s important to be sure you’re using a seat designed to accommodate a child of her weight. Most newer convertible seats can handle young ones up to about 30 lbs. in a rear-facing position. Plus they’re useful for babies who reach 20 lbs. before age one.

What to look for when buying a baby car seat

• Easy installation: Choose a baby car seat that doesn’t require an engineering degree to be able to install it. It’s not enough to just buckle the seat into place. It needs to be secured so it doesn’t move more than one inch and also needs to be at the right angle for maximum protection.
• Adequate restraints: For the best protection for your baby, look for an infant car seat that has a five-point safety harness. The straps go over each shoulder and over each leg. They attach to the seat at five-points, hence the name. Other less secure options have three-point; some have only plastic shields or T-bar restraints (generally found in used seats). Due to safety considerations, buying a used seat is not recommended.
• Belt adjustments: With some car seats you adjust the buckle from the back of the seat, which can be troublesome. Other seats allow easier adjustments from the front. Some even adjust automatically.
• Tethers: All new child safety seats made since September 2002 are compatible with the LATCH system (Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children). This system makes it easier and safer to install a baby car seat by attaching it directly to the vehicle instead of holding it in place with a seat belt. If you have a newer vehicle, you’ll be able to secure the seat with the LATCH system.
• Washability: Look for a car seat with a removeable, machine-washable pad cover. Apparently some manufacturers don’t realize that babies make messes and attach the pad covers permanently.
• Comfort: Pick a well-padded seat with lots of head and back support for your baby. She’ll ride in comfort if she can move her arms freely and check out the view.

Filed under: Car Seats on December 17th, 2007