How to Choose the Best Infant Car Seat
Consider what you want from your car seat. "If you want a car seat that can develop with your child you should consider an all-in-one model like the Graco 4Ever DLX," Saxton suggests. The seat can be changed into a high-back booster or a backless booster. It has a large rear-facing weight limit.
It also scores high for comfort and quality with soft and machine-washable padding. Other useful features include load legs, which are shock-absorbing elements on the base of the car seat that help to limit movement in a crash.
Safety
The infant car seats are designed to fit tiny babies best, and so they usually offer more cushioning and padding than convertible carseats. They are also lighter and easier to take from your car or attach to a stroller frame which is crucial because you will need to transport your child in the car seat out of the vehicle often. Car seats for infants offer the benefit of being designed to last for the first year of your child's life so you don't need to worry about them growing beyond their height or weight limits as quickly as a convertible car seat may.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's standards for car seats are rigorous however it's an excellent idea to conduct your own research before purchasing. You might want to read reviews from other parents, and also looking through car seat safety guidelines from organizations like Consumer Reports or the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Both have crash test results that can be shared with families.
Find features that can be useful to your family. For instance, an easy release of the strap, a no rethread harness or a leveling foot with spring-loaded mechanisms. These features can assist in securing up your child, but remember that even the most safe seats are useless when they are not used correctly.
Other things to consider are the weight and width of the car seat. A lot of infant car seats are designed to be able to sit alongside older car seats in the back of your car, while others can grow with your child, and move to a booster seat while you're at it. If you plan to use your car seat to travel or to take taxis, a baby car seat that can be installed using only the seat belt of your vehicle is a convenient option.
In general it's best to purchase the most secure seat you can afford, as the most affordable models don't meet the most rigorous safety standards for crash protection. Beware of models that don't include side impact tests, and allow manufacturers to self-certify.
Convenience
The best car seat for your infant is one that can work well in the vehicle of your family, is easy to install and use, and comes with convenient extras like a built-in stroller or rotation ability. It should be affordable. Infant seats cost between $180 and $500. They can cost more when they are convertible and are used as a toddler and infant seat.
Convenience features include how simple it is to set up the seat using either LATCH system or a seatbelt, and whether you are able to adjust the harness and headrest without taking the infant out of the seat. The process of installing and removing the seat should be simple, especially if your child rides in Ubers or frequently switches between cars. The seat should be light and have clearly labeled instructions for installation and bubble levels to make it easier to install the car seat.
You should also be able rotate the seat and lock it when you're not using it and have access to buckles and harness straps. It's also important to know the weight and height limits of the infant car seat prior to you purchase it, and consider if your baby will outgrow it by its first birthday. A good guideline is to choose a seat that grows with your baby until they reach the 90th percentile.
Some manufacturers go beyond the federal safety standards to incorporate other features, such as crash testing as well as comfort and convenience in their car seats. The Clek Liing, a top pick by our gear editors as well as Consumer Reports, is an excellent example of an infant seat that offers more than just crash protection. It also comes with load legs, which helps stabilize the seat in the event of a crash and reduces forces on the child's body by 40 percent. This feature alone could save the life of a child, so it's worth the extra cost for car seats that are safe and has additional safety features.
Comfort
The comfort factor is one of the most important factors to consider when choosing the right car seat for your infant, as babies spend most of their time in the car seat. The most comfortable car seats are made of large, breathable fabrics and generous padding on the headrest and harness. They also come with easy-to-use adjustment mechanisms, like strap covers, buckles, and headrest adjustments that don't require the rethreading.
The weight and size of the infant car seat can also impact comfort especially if it's intended to be used in multiple vehicles or for frequent travel. Some models are narrower than others, making them more suited to be placed in the back seat alongside another car seat or other siblings seats. While all models come with height and weight restrictions, some are lighter. This could save you from sore biceps when you move it between cars.
Certain infant car seats come with additional features that make them more flexible like rotational options or the ability to click into strollers without the need for extra adapters. Certain models include premium features such as an adjustable strap that doesn't rethread or anti-rebound bar to provide extra safety in case of an accident. While these extra features aren't essential to the safety of your ride, they can add to the overall experience of using the seat.
In addition to convenience and safety factors, many parents also require a clean, comfortable car seat for their baby. Select a seat that is machine washable, stain-resistant and easy to take off for cleaning. Some seats can be cleaned with a dishwasher, making it easier to keep them looking brand new.
Some models go beyond to ensure their customers' experiences are safe and comfortable, like the Graco SnugRide(tm) Elite, which boasts an anti-rebound bar and meets Graco ProtectPlus Engineered(tm) standards to withstand front and rear collisions. The seat also includes a Silent Shade canopy that keeps baby comfortable and quiet, as well as an indicator that lets you know that it's attached correctly to the base. The seat's adjustable carry handle the harness tightener and indicator let you know whether it's securely attached to the base.
Design
The manufacturers of infant car seats make them with safety and convenience as their primary goals. However, the vast variety of features can make it difficult to choose which one is right for your family. You'll want to consider factors such as weight and height limits as well as the number of belt paths and buckles. Additional features like an load legs that are not bound, anti-rebound bar and no-rethread straps could increase the cost of the seat but improve the comfort of your baby. Consider features that make it easy to get your child in and out of the car seat, like rotating mechanisms. You should also pay attention to the dimensions and weight of the seat, because not every seat will fit in all vehicles.
One of the most important aspects is the ease of installing and disconnecting from the base. This is influenced by the quality of the LATCH connectors and whether they are rigid or flexible. It is also important to determine whether the straps are simple to loosen and tighten and whether there's a single hand release mechanism for installing and uninstalling the seat.
Some models allow you to use the seat without a base which is a great option when you frequently take taxis or if you are planning to switch cars frequently. To ensure that your seat is properly installed, look for models with bubble level indicators and built-in locking mechanisms.
Some features may be worth the extra cost like a headrest which grows with your child, a five-position recline feature and a canopy that extends and secures into the position. Our product testers have also noticed that having a seat that can be used as a highback belt-positioning booster or a backless booster after the baby has finished using it is an advantage.
The Doona is the type of infant car seat that spoils parents. It comes with a variety of features that solve almost every issue families have with infant car seats. This is why our test participants have rated it highly across the spectrum. It's affixed for air travel, has an anti-rebound handle, and is able to be converted directly into a stroller. Its crash test result is excellent and it's GREENGUARD Gold Certified.