Car Seats: A Beginner's Guide
Congrats! You've been entrusted to transport tiny humans around in a vehicle, and you know they need a car seat to be safe. But which one? There's so many to choose from; it can be very overwhelming. This post is going to break down the basics.
First up is the infant car seat, also sometimes called a bucket seat, carrier, rear facing only seat, or portable seat. These are extremely convenient, allowing you to get baby situated and buckled before carrying out to the car. Most stroller companies also have an adapter option, quickly transforming your stroller into a travel system with one click.
While super convenient it is important to keep in mind these two things:
- Newborns shouldn't be left in their car seat for longer than ninety minutes to two hours at a time because of the position of their neck and the affect it has on their airways. If going out for a long walk, a lay-flat stroller seat or bassinet pram is the safer option.
- Babies grow out of this car seat very quickly. I cannot tell you how many parents have said to me, "Had we known how short we would use it, we would have skipped it." Of course all babies are different, but in general this seat is used less than a year, with one customer I know whose baby outgrew it at six months old.
Next on the list is the convertible car seat. If your budget is tight, you want to be looking at these. Depending on the model and the size of your kid, you could be using this seat five to eight years. You might hear people refer to these seats as an all-in-one, a three-in-one, a four-in-one, or (incorrectly) as a toddler seat. Traditional convertible car seats start in rear facing for infants and small toddlers, and later turn and face forward for older toddlers. A three-in-one or a four-in-one will convert further from the five point harness system to a booster seat for a kid.
These car seats are NOT convenient. They are typically giant tanks that once you get installed in your car, you don't want to touch again for a while. Flying on an airplane with one of these requires their own wheeled bag. (Ok, it's not required, but definitely recommended because they are so heavy to lug around.) But that's the point! You want your child protected, and you want them to stay rear facing as long as possible. Every car seat rep I've spoken to agrees that as long as your child fits the height and weight requirements to stay rear facing, it is more important to protect their head, neck, and heart than to provide leg room.
What you need to be careful of is not confusing a combination car seat with a convertible one. Combination car seats are front facing only with the five point harness system, and they convert into a booster seat. Typically the weight limit starts at thirty pounds.
I cannot tell you how many social media posts I see with a newborn strapped into this model, and the scary thing is it's an easy mistake. The seats look incredibly similar, especially if you don't know what you're looking for. The seats are lighter, less bulky, and tend to be slightly cheaper. It sounds like a win-win when all you know is that you need a car seat for your baby.
The last stage of the car seat game is the booster seat. If you didn't get a convertible or combination seat that converts into a booster, you have two options to purchase: a high back booster or a backless booster. Both are considerably cheaper than all the other car seats and use the car's seat belt to fasten in the child. Your child is ready for a booster if the seat belt lays flat across their lap and across their shoulder without digging into their neck.
There you have it! Car seat info basics to help get you started on your shopping journey. Please reach out if you have any questions!