How to Choose the Best Car Seat Newborn
The most suitable car seat for newborns is one that meets federal safety standards, fits your car, has useful features (like making it strollers) and fits within your budget. It's also important to ensure that the infant car seat can be inserted into and out of your car with ease especially if you frequently shift between taxis or rides in rental cars and grandparents vehicles.
Safety
A high-quality car seat comes with extra features that are above the federal safety standards. These include padded inserts on the shoulders and head as well as air-repellent fabric to keep them cool when driving in hot weather.
Another important aspect to consider is how easy it is to set up and use the seat. Ideally, you want to be in a position to snap it in place with little effort and with clear indications that it's safe, level, and positioned correctly.
Find features that help you do this, such as built-in lock offs and belt guides that help you line up the car seat with the seat belt. Avoid buying used car seats that may not have been crash-tested, or which might have been involved in an accident. They could not protect your child. If you have to purchase a used one, make sure it's on the expiration date and isn't being sold by an individual who does not have evidence of ownership.
It's also important to remember that you should only leave your child in the car seat up to two hours per day, unless it is in a flat position. This will help prevent strain on the spine of your child, and ensure that they get a chance to breath regularly.
Choosing an infant car seat is a significant investment, so you'll want to be sure that it has a long lifespan. Find one that's designed to grow with your child that will last through the toddler years and on into the teenage years. Our parent testers were very impressed with the Axkid i-Size. It is suitable for babies from birth and is able to be used up to age 7.
Nuna pipa air rx is another option that can be used over a long period of time. It can rotate 360 degrees, which means you can switch it from front-facing to rear-facing as your child grows. It's also one of the lightest-weight car seats on the market, and weighs less than nine pounds without its base. It's a great choice for parents who often transfer their babies between vehicles or plan to use it for taxi rides, fly-drive holidays and trips to grandparent's homes.
Comfort
It is essential that your child is comfortable in their car seat, both when they are in it as well as when you install it. Look for straps that are padded to are comfortable to wear on their shoulders, and soft fabric that is soft under their stomach, particularly if they will be in the seat for long rides.
The best car seat for infants is also user-friendly. Some have premium LATCH connectors with a SuperCinch force-multiplying tightener, spring-loaded leveling feet, and belt paths that make fitting without the base easier than ever before. Other features let you adjust the height of the harness and headrest, which is important as your child grows.
Cosatto All in All Rotate is an example. Our test subjects gave it 10 out of 10. It features a clear, simple interface, a no-rethread, easy-to-reset harness, a 360-degree rotation and recline lock indicators. This means you can switch between forward and rear-facing positions as your child grows without needing to remove the seat and replace it.
Another example is the Nuna Pipa Air rx which our parent testers loved for its ease of use, comfort and versatility. Its padded shoulder straps and headrest are designed to support the head of your newborn and comes with an infant pillow that is soft to ensure that they are comfortable. It can be used in a rear-facing position until your child is at the maximum weight or height limit. It then converts into the position of a stroller.
A high-quality car seat is sturdy and many have a warranty. Choose a seat made of sturdy materials and plenty of padding to protect your baby from any accidents, as well as an aluminum frame that suffocates the impact energy and has a "crumple zone" to help prevent crash damage. It should also be easy to clean, as messiness is inevitable when you have a baby. To make cleaning easier, search for a car seat that has removable covers and an easy-to-clean pad.
Simple to Use
It is crucial that a car seat is simple to install and use, particularly if it will be used in multiple vehicles at times. To make it as easy as possible look for features such as the quick-release belt as well as an indicator to indicate the condition of the latch (e.g. green for locked) and a user manual that is easy to read.
The Best of The Bump winner has many practical extras that our testers for parents loved, such as a cushioned headrest and harness, plush fabric, and the cup holder. It also comes with a reclining feature that allows your child to sit in a more comfortable position for longer trips. It can also be used with an appropriate buggy to make an entire travel system which is ideal if you are planning to travel for long durations of time.
The seat is suitable for babies from birth. Our panelists found this car seat to be easy to install and adjust. It comes with recline lock indicators and a premium LATCH connector with a SuperCinch force-multiplying tightener, which makes securement of your child quick and simple. It can also be moved from side to side in the vehicle without tools.
One of our favorite features is the recline feature that helps you take your baby in and out of the car. This is particularly helpful when you are suffering from back pain or have a smaller vehicle. It also comes with an adjustable cup holder that can be reversible and a handy storage compartment for toys and snacks.
The seat weighs less than nine pounds and can be installed with or without its base. It can be rotated 180 degrees. This is an excellent option if you're limited in space or suffer from back pain. Our panelists were impressed by this feature, which won a spot in our 2021 Mother&Baby awards.
This is a great option for those who want to convert their car seats into strollers at a reasonable price. Its sleek design and high-end fabric will also stand the test time. Just don't forget to wash your cover often as smashed yogurt spills, biscuits, and the occasional sick toddler accident is sure to leave their mark!
Design
The designs of car seats are as diverse as the vehicles they're used in. While some parents opt to not use infant car seats in favour of convertible models, most new moms want something that can continue to grow with their child into toddlerhood. The most flexible option is an all-in one baby car seat that allows you to change between rear-facing and forward-facing. It usually has a higher weight and height limit, and is often used as a booster seat once your child is old enough to need one.
The ideal car seat for infants for babies is light and easy to lift off the base with your child inside. The Maxi-Cosi Coral is available in only a few colors, however it comes with a wide array of safety features, and is light (8.4 pounds, including canopy and seat inserts). Other models that stand out are the Nuna PIPA URbN and the Nuna PIPA URbN, which was a winner of Gold in the 2021 Mother&Baby Awards for Best Car Seat Group 0/0+ with its high-end extras like the Dream drape and UPF 50+ full-coverage canopy.
The base and seat design must also be taken into consideration. For instance, some car seats have a specific base that locks into the buckles of the seat belts as well as others with 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, particularly if the vehicle only had front-facing seatbelts.
Some infant car seats can be utilized with a regular seatbelt without the base this is a great benefit for parents who frequently take taxis or need to travel with their child. Our testers with parents really liked the Nuna TODL NEXT, which can be used with or without the base. It features a smooth swivel movement that makes it simple to get your child out and in the seat.
Additionally, the design of a car seat is important. It should be able to fit in your car. (See our guide to car seat compatibility). If you're looking for an infant car seat that will grow with your baby as he develops into a booster, choose a model with an adjustable headrest that can be reclining and side impact protection. travel infant car seat 's also important to confirm that your chosen infant car seat is i-Size certified and has the proper car seat attachment points, in accordance with UK law.