How to Choose the Best Infant Car Seat
What do you want from your seat? "If you're in need of a car seat that will grow with your child think about an all-in-one seat like the Graco 4Ever DLX," Saxton says. The seat can be transformed into a high-back booster or an unbackless booster. It has a big rear-facing weight limitation.
It also scores well for comfort and quality with soft cushioning that is machine washable. Other helpful features include load legs that absorb shock on the base of the car seat that help to limit movement in a crash.
Safety
Car seats for infants are designed to fit tiny babies the best, which is why they typically offer more cushioning and padding than convertible carseats. They are also lighter and easier to take from your car or attach to a stroller frame, which is important because you will need to transport your child in the car seat out of the vehicle often. Dedicated infant car seats also offer the benefit of being designed to last for the first year of your child's life, so you don't have to worry about them outgrowing their weight or height as fast as the convertible car seat might.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's standards for car seats are rigorous but it's a good idea to do your own research before purchasing. Consider reading reviews from other parents and reviewing safety guides from organizations like Consumer Reports and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, both of which have a lot of crash test data to give to families.
Find features that can benefit your family. This could include an easy release of the strap, a no-rethread harness or a leveling foot with spring-loaded mechanism. These kinds of features can make buckling your child faster and more convenient, but keep in mind that even the safest of seats are useless when you don't use them in a proper manner.
Other things to keep in mind are the weight and width of the car seat. Many infant seats are designed to be small enough to fit in with older car seats in the back of your vehicle While others can expand with your child and transition to a booster seat simultaneously. Also, if you plan to use your car seat to transport or to take taxis, a baby car seat that is installed with only the seatbelt of your vehicle is a good alternative.
In general, it's a good idea to buy the most secure car seat you can afford, since the cheapest models typically don't meet the highest safety standards for crash safety. For instance, it's recommended to stay clear of models that do not include side crash testing and allow companies to self-certify their seats.
Convenience
The most suitable infant car seats are those that can fit inside your vehicle with your family and are easy to install, and include useful features like a built-in jogging stroller or the ability to rotate. It should also be affordable. Infant seats range in price from about $180 to over $500. If they're convertible and are intended for toddlers and infants, the price can be higher.
Convenience features include how easy it is to install the seat using either LATCH system or a seatbelt, and whether it is possible to adjust the headrest and harness without removing the infant out of the seat. The process of installing and removing the seat should be simple, especially for children who ride Ubers or frequently switches between cars. The seat should be lightweight and have clearly labeled instructions for installation and bubble levels to make it easier to install the car seat.
You must also be able to rotate the seat and lock it when not using it and have access to the buckles and harness straps. It is also essential to verify the height and weight limits of the infant car seat before you purchase it, and then consider whether your baby will outgrow it before its first birthday. It is generally recommended to select the seat for your child that will grow with them until they reach 90% percentile.
Some manufacturers go over the federal safety standards to include additional features such as crash-testing, convenience and comfort in their car seats. The Clek Liing one of the top picks among our gear editors and Consumer Reports, is an excellent example of an infant seat that offers more than just excellent crash protection. It also has legs that help stabilize the seat during crashes, reducing the forces on the child by 40%. This feature alone could save the life of a child, so it's worth paying more for a car seat that is secure and comes with additional convenience features.
Comfort
One of the most important aspects to consider when selecting an infant car seat is comfort, since babies spend a lot of time in their car seats. The most comfortable ones feature thick, breathable fabrics and plenty of padding for the harness and headrest. They also come with easy-to-use adjustment mechanisms, like buckles, strap covers, and headrest adjustments that do not require the rethreading.
The size and weight of a car seat for infants can affect the comfort of your child, particularly in the event that you intend to switch cars or travel with the seat often. Some models are more narrow than others, making them easier to fit into the back of the car with a car seat or other siblings seats. While all have maximum and minimum heights and weight limits, some are lighter than others--which could help keep your biceps from aching when you carry it between vehicles.
Certain infant car seats come with extra features to allow them to be more flexible. For example they can be rotated or be clicked into a stroller without need for additional adapters. Other models have high-end features like harnesses that are adjustable and do not rethread or anti-rebound bars to add additional security in the case of a crash. While these additional features aren't essential to a safe ride, they can add to the overall experience using the seat.
In addition to safety and convenience factors, many parents also want a clean, comfortable car seat for their child. Choose a seat that is machine washable and stain-resistant, as well as easy to clean. Some seats can be cleaned with a dishwasher which makes it easier to keep them looking brand new.
Some models go the extra mile to ensure their customers' experience is safe and smooth, such as the Graco SnugRide(tm) Elite, which boasts an anti-rebound bar and meets the Graco ProtectPlus Engineered(tm) standards to withstand front and rear collisions. The seat has a Silent Shade canopy to keep baby quiet and comfortable and has an indicator to let you know when the seat is securely attached. The seat's adjustable carry handle as well as harness tightener indicator will let you know when it is properly attached to the base.
Design
Car seat manufacturers make infant car seats with safety and comfort in mind, however the variety of features available can make it difficult to decide what's most suitable for your family. It is important to take into account factors like weight and height limits as well as the number of belt buckles and belt paths. Additional features like an load legs, anti-rebound bars and no-rethread straps could raise the cost of the seat, but will increase the comfort of your baby. Consider features that allow you to easily get your child in and out of the seat, for example, rotating mechanisms. Also, pay attention to dimensions and base weight, as not all seats will fit in every vehicle.
The ease of attaching and detaching the base is an aspect that is important. infant car seats best of the LATCH connectors and whether or not they are flexible or rigid, will influence this. You'll also want to consider whether the straps are simple to loosen and tighten, and whether there is a single-hand release mechanism for installing and uninstalling the seat.
Some models allow you to use the seat without a base which is useful if you take taxis often or plan to switch cars often. To make sure that your seat is properly installed make sure you choose models with bubble level indicators as well as a built-in locking mechanism.
Some features may be worth the extra expense for example, the ability to grow with your child, a five-position recline feature, and the canopy that expands and locks into the correct position. Our product testers have noticed that having a seat that can be used as a highback belt-positioning booster or a backless booster after the baby is finished using it is an advantage.
Doona is a car seat for infants that will delight parents. It comes with a variety of features that solve almost every complaint families have regarding infant car seats. This is why our product testers gave it top marks across the range. It's approved for air travel, has an anti-rebound handle and can be converted into a stroller. Its crash test result is excellent and it's GREENGUARD Gold Certified.