How to Choose the Best Infant Car Seat

What do you want from your seat? "If you are looking for a car seat that can develop with your child you should consider an all-in-one model like the Graco 4Ever DLX," Saxton recommends. It has a lengthy rear-facing weight limit and is able to convert to both a high-back and backless booster.

It also scores high for comfort and quality thanks to soft cushioning that is machine washable. Load legs are an additional beneficial feature. These are shock-absorbing elements that are affixed to the car seat base and limit movement during an accident.

Safety

Dedicated infant car seats (https://sciencewiki.science/wiki/The_top_infant_car_seat_best_experts_have_been_doing_3_things) are made to fit small babies best, and so they generally offer more cushioning and padding than convertible carseats. They are also lighter and easier to remove from the car or attach to a stroller frame, which is crucial since you will need to transport your child's seat outside of your vehicle frequently. Dedicated infant car seats also have the advantage of often being designed to last through the first year of your child's life so you don't have to worry about them outgrowing their weight or height as quickly as convertible car seats can.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's standards for car seats are stringent but it's an excellent idea to conduct your own research before buying. Consider reading reviews by other parents and reading car seat safety guides from organizations such as Consumer Reports or the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Both have crash test data that can be shared with families.

Find features that can be useful to your family. This could include the ability to release the strap, a no rethread harness or a leveling foot with spring-loaded mechanisms. These features can help you buckle up your child, but remember that even the most safe seats will not be useful if they aren't used properly.

The weight and width of the car seat are equally crucial. Many infant car seats can be placed in your vehicle along with older car seats. Some can expand with your child, and then convert to a booster at the same time. If you plan to use your car seat to travel or to take taxis, then an infant car seat that can be fitted using only your car's seatbelt is an ideal choice.

In general it's a good idea to buy the safest seat you can afford, as the cheapest models usually don't meet the highest safety standards for crash safety. Avoid models that do not include side impact tests and allow manufacturers to self-certify.

Convenience

The best infant car seats are ones that fit inside your vehicle with your family and are simple to install, and have convenient extras such as a built-in running stroller or the ability to rotate. It should also be affordable. Infant seats range in price from around $180 to $500. If they are convertible, and are intended for toddlers and infants, the price can be higher.

The convenience features include the fact that the seat can be fitted with the LATCH system or a seatbelt. Also it is possible to adjust the harness and headrest without removing the infant from the seat. You should be able to set up and remove the seat with ease particularly if you move it between cars often or take Uber rides with your child. The seat should also be light and come with clearly labeled installation guidelines and bubble levels so that you can easily install the car seat properly installed.

You should be able to adjust the buckles and harness, as well as turn the seat around when it is not in use. When you purchase an infant car seat, you need to determine its weight and height limits. Also, consider if your child will outgrow the seat by the time they reach their first birthday. A good rule of thumb is to choose a seat that grows with your baby until they reach the 90th percentile.

Some manufacturers go beyond the federal safety standards to incorporate additional features such as crash-testing as well as comfort and convenience in their car seats. The Clek Ling is a top pick among our gear editors and Consumer Reports is a great example of a baby seat that offers more than just good crash protection. It also has a load leg, which can help stabilize the seat in a crash and reduces the force on the body of the child by 40%. This feature could save a child’s life. It's worth the extra money spent on car seats that have convenience features and safety.

Comfort

Comfort is an important factor to take into consideration when selecting the right car seat for your infant, as babies spend most of their time in the car seat. The most comfortable ones feature large, breathable fabrics as well as plenty of padding in the harness and headrest. They come with easy-to-use adjustments like strap covers, buckles and headrest adjustment mechanisms which don't require the rethreading.

The weight and size of the car seat for infants will also affect the comfort especially if it's being used in multiple cars or for frequent travel. Certain models are smaller than others, making them easier to fit in the back of the car with a car seat or other siblings' seats. And, while they all have minimum and maximum height and weight limits, certain models are lighter than others, which can help save your biceps from becoming sore when you carry it between vehicles.

Some infant carrier seat car seats offer extra features that make them more adaptable, such as rotational options or the ability to convert into strollers without the need for additional adapters. Some models come with premium features like an adjustable harness with no-rethread straps or anti-rebound bars to add additional safety in the event of the possibility of a crash. These features aren't essential to ensure safety, but they can improve the overall experience.

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

Some models go above and beyond to ensure that their customers enjoy a safe and comfortable experience. For instance the Graco SnugRide (tm) Elite has an anti-rebounding bar and meets Graco ProtectPlus Engineered(tm) which is designed to withstand both rear and front collisions. It also has a Silent Shade canopy that keeps baby comfortable and quiet and also an indicator that lets you know whether it's securely attached to the base. The seat's adjustable carry handle as well as harness tightener indicator indicate whether it's securely attached to the base.

Design

Car seat manufacturers design infant car seats with safety and comfort in mind, however the myriad of features available makes it difficult to determine which one is most suitable for your family. Consider factors such as the weight and height limits, the number of belt paths and buckles. Other features like load legs, anti-rebound bars, and no-rethread straps may raise the cost of the seat but improve the comfort of your baby. You may also think about features that help you get your child into and out of the seat, for example, rotational mechanisms. Also, be aware of the dimensions and base weight, as not all seats will fit in every vehicle.

The ease of attaching and detaching the base is one feature that is important. The quality of the LATCH connectors and whether or not they're flexible or rigid, will affect this. Also, you should be aware of whether the straps can be easily tightened and loosened and if there is a single-hand release mechanism to remove and install the seat.

Some models let you use the seat without a base which is useful if you take taxis often or if you plan to switch cars frequently. Look for models that come with a built-in lock as well as bubble level indicators to make sure that the seat is placed properly.

Certain features might be worth the extra cost like the ability to grow with your child, a five-position recline feature, or the canopy that expands and is locked in place. Our product testers have also noticed that having a seat that can be used as a highback belt-positioning booster, or a backless one after the baby has finished using it is an advantage.

The Doona is the kind of infant car seat that pampers parents. It's packed with features that address nearly every complaint parents have about infant car seats, which is the reason our test participants gave it top marks across all categories. It's approved for travel on air and has an anti-rebound handle, and is able to be converted directly into a stroller. Its crash test result is impressive and it's GREENGUARD Gold Certified.