A ‘Must-Have’ Baby Car Seat Guide
Traffic accidents are the worst nightmare for any parent as they are an amazing reason for injuries for children. Making sure that your child is correctly secured in a safe car seat can help scale back the dangers significantly.
There are a lot of varieties of car seats to choose from and it could seem like a little bit of a jungle. This text will explore the different types of car seats and provide help to make the right selection for your child.
The most important thing concerning car security is to choose a seat that matches the kid relating to age, weight, and height. A car seat is simply not safe if the child doesn’t match it well.
Initially, you’ll need an infant seat, which you will have already while you go away to the hospital to take your new child home. Then you’ll need to change the car seat as the baby grows.
Infant Seat
You need to protect your newborn as much as possible so you can transport your baby completely safe and secure. The seat for your newborn baby is probably one of the easiest to use. It is usually easy to install and secure in the car and can be carried around by the handle.
The most common and most safe is a back-facing seat as this can save your baby’s life during a collision if installed properly. Never use a back-facing seat on the front seat of the car if you have an airbag, as this can cause great injury to your child. The infant seat can be used for children up to approximately one year but it is important to notice the specific weight limit of the seat.
Forward Facing Seat
When your child is around the age of one and weighs 20 pounds you can change to a front-facing seat. This is also the time where the child will want to sit up and start looking around, as he or she is too curious to lie down.
It is very important that you read the instructions carefully in order to install the car seat correctly. You need to use your body weight as you put the car seat in the right place to make sure it does not move or slide in the car.
Convertible Seat
This type of seat can be adjusted as your child grows. These seats have a 5-point harness that is buckled at the chest and below with adjustable straps. Many of these seats can be placed back-facing for when your baby is too big for its infant seat but still not big enough to sit in a forward-facing car seat.
When the child is old enough, the convertible seat can be placed forward-facing, but it is recommended to keep the child back-facing for as long as possible. Usually, these seats can be used up to 40 pounds but make sure you read the exact recommendations for the specific model.
Booster Seat
When your child is above 40 pounds it is time to change to a booster seat. This is simply a base that elevates the child allowing it to use the normal seat belt. It is used when the child is still too small to sit on its own using the normal seat belt. The booster seat can be used until the child weighs 80 pounds.
Choose a car seat the follows the safety standards and make sure you install it correctly as this will reduce the risks of injury during a traffic accident. If you’re looking to purchase the best safety car seats for your children, then Graco Car Seats would be our recommendations. These seats offer plenty of adjustments and safety features to make your ride easier and safe.
Futher, always make sure that your child does not outgrow the car seat, so change to another seat when the child reaches the weight limit. This will help keep your child safe in the car.
