How to Choose the best car seats for infants Car Seats for Your Child
When looking for a car seat, it can be easy to get overwhelmed. The most secure car seats are those that fit your child and vehicle and can be used correctly 100 % of the time.
Car seats that are difficult for children or parents to set up or use can be a serious issue. The best car seat newborn options have impressive crash test results, come with high ease of use scores, and are lightweight and slim.
Safety
When shopping for car seats safety features are the most crucial aspect to think about. Whether you choose an infant, convertible, or booster seat, it must meet federal safety standards and have a good track record of third-party crash testing. It should fit inside your vehicle and be simple to operate.
A good car seat should also come with a simple harness adjustment, and either LATCH or seat belt connection options. The rigid or rigid lower anchor connectors, that have alligator-like clips that hook directly to the base of the car seat or to the seat belt guides of the vehicle are superior to flexible straps that can move or loosen. The Best Car Seat seats feature an easy-to-read color-change indicator to show that the seat is attached properly and provide a tight fit.
In addition to these features, most comfortable seats come with the top tether, which reduces the risk of head injuries in crashes by securing the front of the child’s head. The harness guides are built into the seats to help parents use the seatbelt or tether correctly.
The most important car seat features are those that guarantee the seat is properly installed and used properly 100% of the time. Unfortunately, many child passenger fatalities result from children being improperly restrained or using the wrong seat. It is essential to talk with a child safety technician (CPST) near you to make sure the installation and placement of your car seat is right.
A quality seat could save your child’s lives in case of an accident. It’s worth the extra cost to get one that’s constructed and built with a sturdy frame, top-quality materials, and thoughtful features that make daily use more enjoyable. Find seats that are compliant with the R129 safety standards which are more stringent than the older standards that the majority of seats adhere to.
In the end, it’s crucial to recognize that the car seat is only as safe as the person who uses it. Children should be properly restrained by rear-facing car seats beginning at birth and continuing until they reach the height that is required to wear a harness. This is usually at around the age of four or five.
Comfort
A comfortable car seat can aid your child in getting to sleep or stay asleep for longer and can be the difference between getting an extended road trip completed in one piece or having an exhausted, cranky kid who screams at nap time. Find a car seat that is able to accommodate your child’s growing needs, has plenty of support for the back and head and fits comfortably in the vehicle.
The best car seats for infants infant car seats offer many features that will make your little one feel secure and comfortable, such as soft materials that offer a snug fit, plush cushions and armrests with padding. Some have cup holders, adjustable headrests and sun shades. Others provide various recline positions. Some have adjustable thigh support and lumbar support to improve posture, and some even have massage features which are activated by a button you press when the child is in the seat.
When your child outgrows an infant car seat, you can move on to a convertible toddler car seat. These seats are designed for children who weigh up to 40 pounds. They can be used either in a forward or rear-facing position. Some convertible toddler car seat can be used as boosters up to 120 pounds. This saves money and reduces your number of car seats you will need to buy over time.
Evenflo Chase is one of the most highly-rated toddler car seats for comfort. It offers great crash test results and is easily fitted with LATCH or a vehicle seat belt. Its slim shell lets it fit more babies and infants of average size than other car seats and also comes with two crotch buckles for better shoulder strap positioning. It’s also light and narrow, making it easier to maneuver in smaller vehicles.
The Nuna PIPA Urbn is a great option for a car seat that is comfortable for toddlers. It’s a great choice for parents who want a comfortable toddler car seat. It comes with cushioned sides and easily-read indicators. It’s also small and can either be installed with the base or without, making it an ideal choice for parents who regularly move their car seats between cars.
User-Friendliness
Car seats are the single item in a parents’ life that is used frequently, and many parents want an easy-to-use seat that will fit in their vehicle and integrate with other baby seat gear. Car seats for infants have smaller weight limits and a shorter life span than convertible car seats, meaning that they tend to be lighter in both body and frame. The most effective infant car seats are equipped with features that make it easier to install and use. These include the recline foot, which is spring-loaded, bubble indicators on the base for positioning it correctly in your vehicle, and installation guides clearly labeled with clear and easy-to-follow instructions. Car seats are made with robust materials that can be machine-washed and easy to see. They also have comfortable padding for your child.
The Clek Liing is the highest-rated infant seat we reviewed in the year 2018. It has impressive crash test results and analysis scores as well as an excellent load leg that can help you place the car seat with ease and precision. This car seat is also among the easiest to install using either LATCH or the latch connectors that are rigid, with a color-changing indication of the connection on the latches and a harness with no rethread that snaps quickly and securely.
Chicco KeyFit 35 is another popular choice. It offers impressive crash test results, as well as a loading leg to assist you in putting on the car seat. It’s also a favorite for parents and experts including CPST instructor Kecia Healy. She says the seat is designed to provide comfort with the recline foot that is spring loaded and a bubble indicator on the base to help to position it correctly and tighten it up easily. This seat is affordable, GREENGUARD certified and built to last. It features a steel frame and a high-density, ventilated foam.
The Nuna Exec all-in-one seat is a favorite among LaBracio, Saxton and other women. Both women describe it as a “solid” comfortable seat that’s worth the cost for its exquisite feeling, luxurious materials and its easy installation. It has a 50-pound rear-facing weight limit and expandable legroom panel, along with strong all-steel frame and anti-rebound bar. The infant car seat can also serve as a booster seat for children up to 120 pounds. It is small enough to fit in most midsize vehicles.
Design
A car seat is an investment in the safety of your child Therefore, you must ensure that it fits well and be simple to use. Your final choice could be influenced by the location and how you plan to install the seat and how often you plan to change between vehicles. It is impossible to know what will happen during the event of a crash. However, the design of your seat will help minimize damage and make it easy to get your child into and out of their car seat.
One crucial aspect is whether a seat has flexible or rigid LATCH connectors. Rigid connectors are attached directly to the seat with alligator clips. They are more difficult to disengage in the event of the event of a crash. Flexible connectors have straps that can be adjusted and tightened manually or by a mechanism. Most seats have an indicator for level that tells when they’ve been correctly installed. It’s usually formed as a plastic line on the shell or a sticker at the bottom of the seat that shows the angle range when the seat is set against the ground.
Another important aspect is the way a seat is able to accommodate infants and newborns. This includes the width of the shell and head rest and the ability to buckle and unbuckle the harness. Some seats come with an insert for positioning to help smaller bodies fit into the seat and harness. These inserts can be removed when your child grows.
The third factor to consider is the ease of changing the height of the belt. The best seats let you move the harness belt without removing your child and are as simple as pushing the button, pulling a tab or shifting levers. The most comfortable seats allow you to adjust the strap around your shoulders without having to rethread your belt.
If you’re interested in an all-in-one car seat make sure it is in compliance with the federal minimum safety standards and has a good performance in third-party crash tests. We recommend seats with additional features, such as an energy-absorbing layer molded into the shell or an anti-rebounding bar.