How to Choose the Best Car Seat Newborn
The best car seat for newborns is one that meets federal safety standards, is compatible with your vehicle, comes with useful extras (like turning into a stroller) and fits within your budget. It is also important to ensure that the car seat can be easily inserted into and out of any vehicle, particularly when you’re constantly switching between taxis, rental cars or grandparents’ vehicles.
Safety
A good car seat will have extra features that go above and beyond federal safety standards. They include padded inserts for the shoulders and head, air-repellent fabrics to help keep them cool in hot cars and side-impact safety.
Easy installation and use of the seat is an important aspect of safety. Ideally, the seat should be easy to install and use, with clear indicators of its level, position, and security.
You can find features that will help you with this including belt guides and built-in lockoffs that will help you align the car seat with the seat belt of your vehicle. Avoid purchasing used car seats that might not have been tested for crash or have been involved in an accident. They could not protect your child. If you must purchase a used car seat, ensure that it is not expired. an expiration date and that the seller isn’t an individual or a private party who has no evidence of ownership.
Another thing to bear in mind is that it’s best to keep your child in the car seats by age seat for a maximum of two hours per day, unless they are in a lie-flat position. This will reduce strain on the spine of your child and ensure that they get a chance to breath regularly.
The choice of a car seat for infants is a major investment, therefore you’ll need to make sure it has a long life span. Pick a seat that can grow with your child and last through toddlerhood to the teen years. One of the ones our parents loved was the Axkid One i-Size that is suitable from birth and can be used up to 7 years.
Nuna pipa air rx is an additional alternative that can be used over a long period of time. It can rotate 360 degrees that means you can change it from rear-facing to front-facing as your child grows. It is also one of most lightweight car seats on the market with a weight of less than nine pounds. It’s the perfect option for parents who often transfer their babies between vehicles or are planning on using it for taxi rides, fly-drive holidays, and trips to grandparent’s houses.
Comfort
A good infant car seat is comfortable for your baby, both when they are in the seat as well as when you are installing it. Find straps that are padded to fit snugly around their shoulders, and for plush fabric that feels good under their tummy. This is especially important in the event that you plan to use the seat for a long duration.
The most effective infant car seats are easy to use. Some have premium LATCH connectors, SuperCinch force-multiplying tightener, spring-loaded leveling feet, and belt paths that make fitting without the base much easier than ever. Other features allow you to adjust the harness height and headrest, which is especially important as your child gets older.
One example is the Cosatto All in All Rotate test, which our parents scored 10/10 for ease of use. It has a clear and simple interface, no-rethread, easy-to adjust harness, a 360-degree rotation and recline lock indicator. This means that you can change from rear-facing to forward facing infant car seat-facing as your baby grows without needing to remove the seat and replace it.
Another instance is the Nuna Pipa air rx which our parents loved for its ease of use, comfort and flexibility. Its padded shoulder straps and headrest are shaped to support the head of your newborn and includes a soft infant cushion to keep them comfy. It can be used in a rear-facing position until your child reaches the maximum height or weight limit. Then, it converts to a stroller.
A quality car seat is durable, and some will even come with a warranty. Look for a seat with robust materials and plenty of padding to protect your baby from any accidents as well as an aluminum frame that suffocates impact energy and a “crumple zone” to help prevent crash damage. It should be easy to clean since accidents are likely to happen when you have a child. To make cleaning easier, search for a car seat with removable covers and pads that can be washed in the machine.
Ease of Use
It is essential that a car seat is simple to install and use, particularly when it is going to be used in multiple vehicles from time to time. Look for features like a quick-release buckle, an indicator that displays the status of the latch system (e.g., green for locked) and a simple-to-read manual to make it as easy as is possible.
The best car seat for newborn (visit the website) of The Bump winner includes a variety of useful features that our testers for parents were pleased with, including a padded headrest and harness, plush fabric, and cup holders. It has a reclining function that allows your child to sit in a comfortable position during longer journeys. It can also be used with a compatible buggy to create an entire travel system which is ideal if intend to travel for extended durations of time.
It is suitable from birth. Our panelists found this car seat easy to install and adjust. It comes with a recline lock indicator and an LATCH connector that is premium and comes with a SuperCinch force-multiplying tightener, which makes the process of securing your child simple. It’s also designed to be easily moved from side to side in the vehicle without the need for tools.
The recline feature allows you to take your baby into and out of the vehicle. This is particularly helpful for those with back problems or have a smaller vehicle. It also comes with a reversible drink holder, as well as a handy storage compartment for snacks and toys.
The seat is lightweight and can be used with or without the base. It can also be rotated around 180 degrees. This is a fantastic feature for those who are tight in space or suffer from back pain. Our panelists were impressed by this new feature which was a finalist in our 2021 Mother&Baby awards.
This is an excellent option for those looking to transform their car seats into strollers at an affordable cost. Its streamlined design and high-quality fabric will stand the test of time, too. Just don’t forget to wash your cover often as smashed biscuits, yoghurt spills and the occasional sick toddler accident are certain to leave a footprints!
Design
The styles of car seats are as varied as the cars they’re placed in. Some parents prefer to skip infant car seats in favour of convertible models, most new mothers want a seat that will continue to grow with their child into toddlerhood. The most versatile option is an all-in-one baby car seat that allows you to change between forward-facing and rear-facing. It typically has a higher height and weight limit, and it is often used as a booster seat if your child is ready for one.
The ideal car seat for infants for infants is light and easy to remove from the base with your child inside. Our testers with parents loved the Maxi-Cosi Coral, which is only available in a handful of colours, but offers plenty of safety features and is super light (at 8.4 pounds with seat inserts and canopy). Nuna PIPA URbN is another model that stands out since it was awarded Gold in the 2021 Mother&Baby Awards Best Car Seat Group category, thanks to features that are high-end, such as the Dream drape, and a full-coverage canopy with UPF 50+.
The seat’s design and the base must be considered. For instance, some car seats come with a base that locks into the buckles on the seat belts and others use steel-reinforced LATCH connectors that flip out from the sides of the base and turn green when attached correctly. These were a great option for parents, especially when the vehicle only had front-facing seat belts.
Some infant car seats can also be used with a standard seatbelt, but without the base, which is a bonus for parents who frequently travel by taxi or travel with their baby. Our parents who tested it really enjoyed the Nuna TODL NEXT which can be used with or without its base and includes a smooth swivel motion that makes it simple to get your baby out and in the seat.
Other important considerations for design are whether a car seat comes with an open design, and how well it will fit into your specific car (see our guide to car seat compatibility). If you are looking for a new infant car seats best car seat that can grow along with your child’s growth into a booster seat, choose a model that has a reclined backrest and side impact protection. Make sure the baby car seat you pick is iSize compliant, and that it uses the proper car seat attachment points as per UK law.