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Selecting the Best Car Seat for Your New Baby
by
Karen Plomp
http://www.plomp.com
When you are pregnant, it is really exciting to pick out things for your new
baby. The really tiny onesies, the cute little pajamas, and the unbelievably
small socks. It also is really fun to work on things like the nursery and get
everything ready. But one of the most important purchases you will make, will be
your new baby's car seat.
When you first start shopping for car seats, the choices might seem
overwhelming. With base or without base? Harness or shield? Infant seat or
convertible? I will go into all of those in this article, so that you can make
an informed choice, based on your preference and situation.
One thing which is the same for all seats, is that they are all going to be
used rear facing. A baby's spine and neck muscles aren't developed enough to
ride forward facing until he is at least one year old AND 20 lbs. This means,
that if you would position your car seat forward facing, that the baby will be
at high risk for spinal damage in case of a crash.
Another thing is that a car seat is only good for you, if it fits correctly
in your car. Not every car and every car seat are compatible! So when you go to
buy a car seat, find a place where they let you try them out in your car, or
make sure you keep the box and all the packaging material so you can return the
car seat if it doesn't fit. Before you decide on your car seat, check the Car Seats Compability Database ,
and find out whether your car and car seat are in it and whether it is a good
fit or not. And when you try to install your car seat in your car, always be
sure to follow the instructions in your car seat's manual and in your car's
owner's manual.
Infant Seat versus Convertible
When you are shopping for a car seat for your new baby, there are two main
types of seats available. The infant only seats, which can only be used rear
facing, usually up till the baby reaches 20 lbs, or outgrows it by height. And
convertibles, which can be used rear facing for the first year, then can be
turned around and be used as a forward facing toddler seat. If your budget
allows it, it is good to buy an infant seat first and a convertible, or forward
facing toddler seat later. This is because an infant seat often fits a lot
better during the first few months.
Here is a table which shows the differences between the two types.
| Infant only seat |
Convertible seat |
| Fits very well for a newborn. |
Might not be a good fit for a newborn, because the shoulder slots might
start too high for a tiny baby. It is important to have the shoulder harness
slots at, or lower than the baby's shoulder level. It is also important to have
a snug fit with the harness, close to the baby's body. This is sometimes hard
with a convertible and a small baby. |
| Usually has a carrying handle. |
Does not have a carrying handle, so harder to carry around. |
| Usually easier to remove from and put into car (especially if you have a
base), and often can be used in a so called 'travel system' in combination with
a stroller on which you put the car seat. This means you don't have to disturb
the baby, if he has fallen asleep in his car seat. |
Harder to to get out of and put into the car frequently. |
| Weight range usually up to 20 lbs (sometimes 22 lbs), which means that you
might have to buy a convertible anyway when your baby reaches that milestone
before his first birthday. |
Can be used up to 20 or 30 lbs rear facing, there even are a few which go up
to 35 lbs rear facing now. After that, they can be used forward facing up to 40
lbs. It might be a good idea to make sure the one you choose will rear face till
more than 20 lbs, since a lot of kids reach that before their first birthday.
|
| Baby might outgrow seat by height before first birthday. |
Baby usually can stay in this seat for his first few years, because shoulder
slots are higher. |
| Prices range from $40 to $135 |
Prices range from $45 to $200 |
Shield versus Harnessed Seats There are two different kinds of ways in
which the baby is restrained to the seat. One is with a shield, which sometimes
is implemented as a bar or a tray in front of the baby, or sometimes as a
t-shaped piece of hard plastic to which the harness is connected. Infant only
seats are not being sold with shields anymore, they are currently only found on
convertibles. The other system is a harness. The harness system usually has a
chest clip, to keep the straps positioned on the right place of the baby, this
is not the same as a shield, it is much smaller.
Shielded seats are not being recommended anymore. They are still being sold,
but they are less safe than harnessed seats. One reason is that the head of the
baby can hit the shield in a crash. Another reason is that the shield tends to
keep the harness farther away from the body, which means less protection in a
crash. It is a good idea to stay away from the shielded seat and get a harnessed
one instead.
When you choose an infant only seat, you have the choice between a 3 or a 5
point harness. A 3-point harness means that the harness straps are connected at
3 points around the baby, two on top of the shoulders, and one between the legs.
The 5-point harness has the same connection points, with two extra points next
to the hips of the baby. Most infant seats have the 3 point harness, although
there are a few with a 5 point harness. The 5 point harness is a little bit
better, but only marginally, it isn't as much as a difference as between
shielded and harnessed seats. All convertible seats have 5 point harnesses.
Base versus No Base This is only applicable if you buy an infant seat,
convertibles never have a base. The base is a kind of attachment to the seat, in
which you can click the car seat. So you install the base in the car, and then
just click the car seat in and out of the base. This is a great feature if you
are in the habit of taking the car seat in and out a lot, since it ensures that
the seat is correctly installed all the time.
Seats without a base perform a little better in crash tests than seats with a
base. But not using a base means that you have to install the seat correctly
every single time you have taken it out of the car, which can be hard. So if you
rarely take out the seat, but carry baby in arms or sling most of the time,
using a seat without base would be better. But if you do take the seat out a
lot, using a base is better. All seats with a base, can be used without it too.
So if you are not sure yet, you could buy one with a base now, and if it turns
out you are not using that feature very much, you can take the base out of your
car and use it without. On the other hand, if you buy a seat without a base now,
you can add a base later if it turns out that works better for you. Seats with
base are usually slightly more expensive than seats without.
Second Hand Seats
Most baby stuff can be picked up very cheaply on garage sales, resale stores
and thrift stores, but don't do that with your car seat! The problem is that you
don't know the history of a second hand seat. It might have been in a crash, and
unsafe to use, but still look totally fine. Also, parts could be missing, and it
can be an old seat and have been recalled. If you can't afford a new car seat,
check in your local community for programs which give them out for free or for a
low fee. Call your local hospital, or police station and ask them whether they
know of any programs like that. For example, our local health food grocery rents
infant seats for $2 a month. And our local hospital gives out free car seats to
moms, who deliver in the hospital. A lot of places have programs like that, you
just need to call around to find them.
Older Seats
What if you do have an older seat in your own family, like the one your
preschooler used, or the one your sister's baby used? You know that the car seat
has not been in a crash and all the parts and the manual are still available
with the seat. If the seat is in good condition, but you lost the manual, call
the manufacturer, they can send you one, usually free of charge.
There is a controversy about the length of time you can use a car seat. The
two opposing viewpoints seem to be 5 years and 10 years. All sources agree that
using a seat which is over 10 years old is not safe. Not even when it is your
own and it is in perfect condition. The 5 years rule is mostly based on the fact
that seats over 5 years old are more likely to be second hand, and people might
not know the history of the seat and there is the missing parts and manual
issue. So it is less of a problem if you are the original owner, and you have
been taking good care of the seat, and you know exactly what has happened to it.
The conclusion is that it might be OK to use a seven years old seat which you
used for your older kid, but not to use a seven years old seat which you picked
up for a great price in the thrift store.
If you don't know how old the seat is, look for a sticker with the
manufacture date. Usually it is stamped on a paper sticker attached to the side
or the back of the seat. This date will also help you to check whether the seat
has any recalls on it too. Always check for recalls on older seats! To check on
line for recalls, go to Is Your Car Seat Safe? at Carseat.org. The newer car seats
have an expiration date printed on them, which makes it easier to decide when to
stop using a certain car seat.
Car Beds This is the type of seat which is used for premature babies,
who are too small or with too low muscle tone for even an infant only seat. Your
pediatrician should be able to tell you if your baby needs one. There are not
many of them available. One is the Graco Cherished which is a car bed only and
can be used up to 9 lbs. There is also the  Cosco Ultra Dream Ride, which
converts to a normal infant seat and can be used up to 20 lbs.
Helpful links I hope reading this information will give you a better
idea of what is out there and what to look for in your car seat. Here is a list
with helpful links to visit, to help you narrow down your car seat selection
possibilities. These links will help you in selecting the best car seat for you.
Good luck on making your selection!
About the Author:
About the author: Karen Plomp is a Stay-At-Home mom of almost six and is originally from the
Netherlands, although she lives in New Hampshire now. Her interests are
reading, birthing, midwifery, kids, parenting, and carseat safety. If you
want to learn more about her and her family, visit their homepage at http://www.plomp.com
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