Tips On Buying An Infant Car Seat

With all the controversy about infant car seats of late, I thought I would provide some insight into how to choose the right car seat for your baby.  In all my research, I have found Consumer Reports to be my best source of information.  There is no guesswork involved since their reports are based on expert studies.  The few times they have been known to make a mistake, they have been quick to respond and make any necessary corrections. The following tips are based on Buying Advice from Consumer Reports.

If you are a new parent, an infant car seat should be high on your list of things to buy. If you already have your baby’s car seat, you are concern that it is completely safe for your baby. You will have to have one to bring your baby home from the hospital. Normally hospitals and birthing centers won’t let you leave by car with your new baby unless you have one. All states require kids up to 4 years of age ride in a car seat; some require booster seats for older children. Therefore, you will need an infant car seat for every future car trip with your baby. 

I believe you want the car seat that is safest and most comfortable for your baby. You will find a number of car seat types to choose from as you satisfy that requirement.

1. Infant seats. They are rear-facing seats for babies up to 22 pounds. Infants can recline at an angle that doesn’t interfere with breathing and protects them best in a crash. The price will normally range from $30 to $180.00
2. Travel systems. You get an infant car seat and a stroller all in one.  It will normally range in price from $40.00 (Frame only) to $400.00.
3. Convertible seats. The child faces rearward as an infant, then toward the front of the vehicle as a toddler. The price normally ranges from $50.00 to $290.00.
4. Toddler/booster seats. Looks like a large version of convertible seats. These front-facing seats are used with an internal harness for toddlers 20 to 40 pounds.
5. Booster seats. For children weighing 40 to 80 pounds. (A very tall child may begin using a booster seat at 30 pounds.)
6. Built-in seats. Some automakers offer on select cars and minivans an integrated, forward-facing child seat that has a harness and accommodates toddlers weighing more than 20 pounds. There are also some booster-seat versions.

When choosing an infant car seat, start with an infant seat for a newborn and when your baby height and/or weight exceed the recommendation for the infant seat, move up to a convertible seat in the rear-facing orientation until the height and/or weight limits in that mode. Then use the convertible seat front facing until your toddler reaches the next height and weight limits. Finally, use a booster seat until your child is tall enough to use the car’s safety belts, usually that is when your child is at least 57 inches.  

1. Make sure the seat is compatible with your car.

   1. Check the fit of any models you’re considering in your own car.

   2. Place similar-looking models side by side to compare features.

   3. Place your child in the seat, to get a sense of the ease of buckling and unbuckling.

   4. If possible, bring the floor model to your car for a mock installation.

   5. Be aware that some vehicle seats are too short, indented, or excessively sloped to allow a good fit of a child car seat.

   6. If you’re considering a convertible car seat, try the floor model in both the rear- and front-facing positions.

   7. Check out the harness release button in the rear-facing position; in some models it may be too low to reach comfortably.

   8. If you’re thinking about a travel system, check to be sure that it fits in your trunk or vehicle cargo area.

   9. If the store won’t let you take the seat out to your car to try it, make sure you can return any car seat you buy–or go to another store.

2. Insist on new.

   1. Don’t buy or borrow a secondhand car seat if you can avoid it. A used seat may have been in a crash or recalled. The manufacturer’s instructions may be missing.

   2. If, for some reason, you must use a secondhand seat, avoid those with an unknown history or that are older than six years. In the world of car seats, a six-year-old model is a relic–and risky.

   3. You’ll also want to avoid recalled models. 

3. Send in the registration card.

   1. The manufacturer should notify you if the car seat is recalled. You can also sign up for the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s e-mail subscription list at www.cpsc.gov/cpsclist.asp. Updated recall information will be sent directly to your e-mail in-box.  

4. Check the store’s return policy.

   1. If you’re not happy with a particular car seat for whatever reason, it’s important to know that you can return it and try again with another model.

   2. Be aware that a badly soiled or damaged seat may not be exchanged. 

The complete report by Consumer Reports may be viewed by clicking here, Buyers Advice   

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