Baby Car Seats

Keep Your Baby Safe During a Road Trip!

Having a baby car seat isn't something you do just to comply with the law; it's also the only way to truly keep your baby safe while you're on the go.

To say that finding a good car seat is important is an understatement. After all, this is the device that you will be counting on to keep your pride and joy out of danger – whether you're just heading to the grocery store or taking a cross-country road trip.

Why is finding the best baby car seat is so important?

A good baby car seat will cradle your little one's head. Remember, babies have large heads in proportion to the rest of their bodies. If their heads don't have enough support, their spines can snap in a crash.
A good baby car seat will protect your child's pelvis. Infant's pelvic bones are very soft – meaning they won't be able to withstand a strong blow that comes during an accident or even during a sudden stop.
A good baby car seat will protect your baby's teeny tiny body – and the teeny tiny organs inside of it. Your infant's organs are too small to handle a bunch of strong, sudden force. In order to protect those vital organs, you need a strong car seat.

What tips should you take advantage of during a car seat shopping trip?

The biggest tip is not to rely too heavily on price. A good car seat may not be cheap, but it is an investment in your child's life. The last thing you want is a baby that's severely injured – or worse – because you opted for a bargain basement car seat that didn't have all of the necessary safety features.

But that doesn't mean you have to break the bank to get a good car seat, either. There are plenty of quality baby car seats out there that are also affordable. Additionally, you can read our baby car seat reviews so you will have some info about them. In short, do some homework before you decide upon which one you should go for.

What kinds of baby car seats safety features should you be on the lookout for?

When you're trying to determine if a specific car seat is right for your baby, you need to keep a few things in mind:

Rear-facing car seats are the safest option until your little one is about 2 years-old or weighs at least 22 pounds. By having a rear-facing car seat, the seat itself will take the brunt of the hit if you're in an accident. If the car seat you're looking at doesn't have a rear-facing option, don't buy it!
Look for 5-point harnesses. Most of today's baby car seats come with them because they are a necessary feature that you absolutely have to have. 5-point harnesses cover your baby's shoulders and hips – similar to the way that race car drivers are buckled in when they hit the track. Having a 5-point harness will keep your baby steadier anytime you stop, go around a corner, or face some kind of peril out on the road.
Make sure that your baby's head sits at least an inch lower than the shell of the car seat. If your little one's head is too close to the top of the shell, he won't get the full support that he needs.
Look for a baby car seat with an anti-rebound bar that will prevent the seat from bouncing up and hitting the seatback during a crash.

So, how do you choose the right baby car seats?

Many of the choices are easy because they depend on your baby's age and weight. These are the 4 most common car seats:

	Infant Car Seats

	-	Unless you have a very large newborn, this needs to be your first car seat. Some parents try to skip over the infant car seat and, instead, opt for something bigger that their kids can use for a few years. However, if you get a car seat that's much bigger that your baby, he won't be cradled in it properly. Plus, all infant car seats are rear-facing. - Approximate Age and Weight: Typically, you can count on your baby fitting into one of these car seats until he is at least 9 months old. Most of the time, babies who are less than a year old and weigh less than 20 pounds will fit be safest in an infant car seat.

	Convertible Car Seats

	-	These car seats have both rear and forward-facing options (hence the name "convertible"). Once your toddler is big enough, you can swivel the seat around so that it faces forward. - Approximate Age and Weight: Most convertible car seats will hold babies that are 40-65 pounds. The rear-facing option typically has a weight limit of 30-35 pounds. Kids who are as old as 5 can usually use these car seats.

	Toddler Car Seats

	-	These car seats only come with a forward-facing option, so you need to make sure that your little one is big enough to use one. Toddler car seats also come with a 5-point harness. On some models, the harness is removable, so that you can use the seat as a booster seat when your child gets a little bigger. - Approximate Age and Weight: Most toddler car seats are designed for kids that weigh 20-80 pounds. Most of the time, you can use these for kids that are as old as 8.

	Booster Car Seats

	-	These aren't like traditional car seats. Instead, booster seats raise your child up a bit so that the seatbelts in your car hit him properly in the lap and shoulder. Booster seats should only be used once your child has passed the weight limit for his 5-point harness. - Approximate Age and Weight: Most kids under the age of 8 are too small to have seatbelts fit them properly on their own. You can use a booster seat for kids that are as old as 10 if you need to.