Best Infant Car Seat Explained In Fewer Than 140 Characters

How to Choose the Best Infant Car Seat

What do you want from your car seat? "If you want an automobile seat that will expand with your child, then consider an all-in one model such as the Graco 4Ever DLX," Saxton suggests. The seat can be converted into a high-back booster or an unbackless booster. It comes with a huge rear-facing weight limit.

The soft cushioning that is machine washable is an added benefit. Load legs are an additional useful feature. These are shock-absorbing elements which are attached to the car seat for newborn seat base and limit movement during a crash.

Safety

Dedicated infant car seats are designed to fit tiny babies the best, which is why they typically offer more cushioning and padding than convertible carseats. They also tend to be lighter and easier to take out of the car or put on a stroller frame rather than convertible car seats, which is important considering you will likely need to transport your baby in the seat frequently outside of your vehicle. Dedicated infant car seats also have the advantage of often being designed to last for the first year of your child's life, so you don't need to worry about them growing beyond their height or weight limits in the same way that convertible car seats can.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's guidelines for car seats are rigorous, but it is still recommended to conduct your own research before purchasing. You should consider reading reviews from other parents and checking out car seat safety guides from groups like Consumer Reports and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, both of which have a lot of crash testing information to provide to families.

Find features that can help your family. For instance, the ability to release the strap, a no-rethread harness, or a leveling foot with spring-loaded mechanisms. These features can assist in securing up your child, but remember that even the most secure seats are useless if they are not used in a proper manner.

Other things to consider are the size and weight of the car seat. Many infant car seats can be placed in your car alongside older car seats. Some can be able to grow with your child, and then convert to a booster simultaneously. If you plan to use your newborn car seat insert seat to transport or to take taxis, an infant car seat that is installed with only the seat belt of your vehicle is a good alternative.

In general, it is recommended to buy the most safe seat that you can afford. The cheapest models may not always meet the highest standards of crash safety. For instance, it's best to stay clear of models that do not include side impact testing and permit companies to self-certify their products.

Convenience

The best infant car seats are those that fit in your family vehicle, are simple to install, and include useful features like a built-in jogging stroller or rotation capability. It should also be affordable. Infant seats cost between $180 and $500. They can be more expensive when they're convertible and will be used as an infant and toddler seat.

The convenience features include the fact that the seat can be installed using the LATCH system, or a seatbelt. Additionally, if you can adjust the harness and headrest without having to remove the baby from the seat. You should be able to put in and remove the seat easily, especially if you switch it between cars frequently or take Uber rides with your child. The seat should also be lightweight and clearly labeled for installation guides and bubble levels to ensure you can quickly install the car seat properly installed.

You should also be able to rotate the seat and lock it when you're not using it and have access to the buckles and harness straps. It's also important to know the weight and height limits of the infant car seat prior to you buy it, and think about whether your baby will outgrow it before the time he turns one. A good guideline is to choose a seat that will grow with your child until they reach the 90th percentile.

While federal safety standards are the minimum requirement, some manufacturers go above and beyond to include additional crash-testing and other features that are included in their car seats. The Clek Liing is a top choice by our gear editors as well as Consumer Reports, is an excellent example of a highly rated infant seat that provides more than just crash protection. It also has an element that helps stabilize the seat during crashes, reducing the forces on the child by 40 percent. This alone could save a child's life, so it's worth paying more for a car seat that's safe and has added convenience features.

Comfort

Comfort is an important factor to take into consideration when selecting an infant car seat, since babies spend the majority of their time in the car seat. The most comfortable ones have thick, breathable fabrics and plenty of padding on the headrest and harness. They also come with easy-to-use adjustment mechanisms like buckles, strap covers, and headrest adjustments that do not require rethreading.

The size and weight of an infant car seat can affect comfort, especially when you are planning to change cars or use the seat frequently. Some models are tinier which makes it easier to fit in the back seat with other car seats or siblings' seats. While they all have weight and height limitations certain models are lighter. This will help you from having sore biceps when you carry it between cars.

Some infant car seats offer additional features that make them more versatile like rotating options or the ability to convert into strollers without the need for extra adapters. Some models are equipped with top-quality features like the adjustable no-rethread strap and anti-rebound bar to provide extra safety in case of the possibility of a crash. While these additional features aren't essential to an enjoyable ride, they can add to the overall experience using the seat.

In addition to convenience and safety factors, many parents also require a clean, comfortable car seat for their baby. Choose a seat that is machine washable and stain-resistant, and also easy to remove for cleaning. Some seats are dishwasher safe, making it even easier to keep them looking new.

Some models go over and beyond to ensure their customers have the most secure and comfortable ride. For instance the Graco SnugRide (tm) Elite has an anti-rebounding bar and meets Graco ProtectPlus Engineered(tm), which is designed to withstand front and rear collisions. The seat comes with a Silent Shade canopy to keep your baby calm and comfortable, as well an indicator to let you know that the seat is properly attached. The seat's carry handle is adjustable, harness tightener, and indicator let you know that it's properly connected to the base.

Design

Car seat manufacturers design infant car seats with safety and convenience in mind, but the myriad of features available can make it difficult to determine which one is best for your family. It is important to take into account factors such as weight and height limits and the number of buckles and belt paths. Additional features like anti-rebound bars load legs, harnesses with no-rethread straps can increase the price but may improve the comfort of babies. Consider features that make it simple to get your child in and out of the car seat, like rotational mechanisms. Be sure to be aware of the dimensions and weight of the seat, as not every seat will fit in all cars.

One of the most important aspects is the ease of installing and disconnecting from the base. This can be affected by the quality of the LATCH connectors as well as whether they are rigid or flexible. It is also important to be aware of whether the straps can be easily tightened or loosen and if there is a one-hand release mechanism to install and remove the seat.

Some models let you use the seat with no footrest, which can be useful if your plan is to change taxis or cars frequently. To make sure that your seat is correctly installed make sure you choose models with bubble level indicators and a built-in locking mechanism.

Certain features might be worth the extra expense, such as a headrest which grows with your child, a five-position reclining feature, and the canopy that expands and is locked in the correct position. Our product testers also noted the fact that a seat can be used as a highback booster with belt positioning or a backless booster after the baby car seat has completed using it is an additional benefit.

Doona is a car seat for infants that will delight parents. It's loaded with features that address nearly every complaint families have about infant car seats, which is the reason our test participants have rated it as top across every category. For example, it's approved for airplane travel, has an exclusive handle that doubles as an anti-rebound bar. It also can be converted directly into strollers (no need to buy a separate stroller adapter). The crash test results are impressive and it's GREENGUARD Gold certified.