Buying A Car Seat
To make the right purchase decision for your new family
, you first need to understand the options available to you. You can do your research online, ask close friends and family, or ask a knowledgeable sales associate at your local baby supplies store.
Infant car seats are specifically designed to be used in the rear-facing position only. They have the added benefit of being small and portable enough to be used as infant carries while you are running errands.
These can also be attached to compatible strollers and used as part of a travel system. Some shopping carts are also large enough so a carrier can click and lock onto the cart while you are shopping.
These are especially useful for new born to about 30-pound babies. They are versatile and can be used in different situations for the easiest use for the on-the-go parent.
Convertible car seats can be used in the rear facing position until your child reaches 30 or 35 pounds; after which it can be turned around to the forward facing position. Depending on which brand and model you buy, this can also be used as a booster chair as your child grows older and gets bigger.
Forward facing toddler car seats are specifically designed to only be used in the forward facing position. This is designed to be used for children between the weight classes of 40 to 80 pounds.
This has similar harness straps that are seen in the infant carrier, only higher up so they accommodate a taller child. Parents can also purchase forward facing combination seats for their kid.
A combination seat can be used as a forward facing chair with a harness strap until the child reaches 40 to 65 pounds. After they exceed this weight, the harness straps can be removed and the chair be used as a booster chair with the use of the regular car seat belt.
Booster chairs are used to lift the child up so they can use the vehicle's factory installed lap and shoulder safety belts. Booster chairs can come with a high back or no back at all.
These are typically used after the child reaches 80 pounds in weight and are ready for a regular safety belt anyways. If the child is 57 or fewer inches tall, they need a little more height for the safest use of the safety belt in the car.
If they are shorter, the belt could come across their neck and cause severe damage in an accident. The booster simply allows them to be higher off the ground so the belt comes safely across their chest as it does with an adult.
Instead of choosing a seat based on the brand name, color, and style, you should first determine what your needs as a family are, and what would be best for your child. You should know now that you are going to have to buy at least two different car seats for your kid before they are big enough to sit in a regular bucket or bench seat in your car.
This means that you should not even attempt to find one that will grow with your kid. You do not want to buy a safety chair that is too big for your kid and wait for them to grow into it; nor do you want to have your kid keep using a chair that is too small for them.
One that is too big will allow your baby to be loose in the seat, which will not give them the snug fit and security they need upon impact. One that is too small will have a corset-like effect on your child and will constrain them too tightly, causing the harness to cause more harm upon impact.
Having a properly fitted chair for your child will ensure their safety in case of a vehicular accident. Make sure that you know and follow your state laws regarding child safety in vehicles.
by: Tom Selwick
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