Picking the right Car Seat for your Baby
Choosing the right car seat for your little one is never an easy task. There’s so many things you have to think about, obviously safety being the most important but then there is comfort, design, the list goes on. In today’s blog we’re giving you some helpful tips on picking the right car seat.
Tips on Picking the right Car Seat for your baby
Most parents buy a car seat before their new baby arrives. This is because you’ll need one to travel anywhere with your baby, such as home from the hospital or to the hospital for check ups. When purchasing a new car seat, you should ensure that it is suitable for a newborn baby. This is really important because if not, it may compromise the safety of your baby.
Car seats come with different weight groups, making it easier to find out which ones are suitable for you at the time. There are 5 different groups, which are suitable for babies from newborn up to approximately 11 years old. Up to 15 months, all babies must be rear facing, but after that, you are fine to make this decision yourself.
So many car seats to choose from…
Now, we know there are so many different car seats for you to choose from and by only looking at them online, it can be tough to get a real idea of whether that’s the right car seat for you. That’s why it’s a great idea to visit a large retailer that stocks a range of different ones, so that you can ask them if you can try to fit the car seat into your car.
Practicing with Car Seats makes Perfect
Another benefit of purchasing a new car seat before your baby is born is that it means you can practice taking it in and out of the car, we know that doesn’t sound like many people’s idea of fun, but it will be useful for you to learn. Sometimes car seats can have tricky parts to connect, so get yourself familiar and you’ll be a pro by the time your baby is born. It is important to note whether your baby will be frequently travelling in another car too, you’ll need to ensure that the car seat fits in that car as well.
Car Seat Safety
You should ensure that the car seat has passed the relevant safety regulations and has been tested accordingly. Accidents in cars do happen and a lot of them cause impact to the side of a car, so you’ll need to check that your car seat has high protection levels from side impacts. This has been introduced as a new regulation that all car seat manufacturers must adhere to.
Car Seat Online tutorials
Some car seat manufacturers have provided online tutorials for fixing car seats into cars, this can make life much easier for you as it means you can see exactly where each part of the seat should be connected.
Check the information leaflet
When choosing your baby’s car seat, you’ll need to look into the average weight of the seat. If you know you’re going to be lifting the car seat in and out of the car frequently then it’s a good idea to look at a more lightweight seat, rather than a big, heavy one. Make sure you check back with the instructions manual frequently, so you know exactly what age or weight your baby must be before you purchase their next car seat.
We recommend buying a car seat brand new or only accepting car seats from close friends and family, where it’s likely that you know the history of the seat. Having a damaged seat will most definitely limit the safety of the car seat and you definitely don’t want that. Choose your seat carefully and don’t be afraid to say ‘no’ if you don’t want to accept a secondhand car seat.
Hi, I'm Emma and I'm MyBump2aby's family law, protection and financial editor. I'm passionate about better-informing parents on their choices when it comes to family law and family protection and financial matters.