How to Choose the Best Car Seat Newborn

The best car seat (click through the next page) newborn is one that is compliant with federal safety standards, fits your vehicle, comes with useful extras (like turning into strollers) and works with your budget. It's also important to ensure that the baby car seat clicks into and out of your car without difficulty especially if you frequently switch between taxis or trips in hire cars and grandparents' vehicles.

Safety

A good car seat will have extra features that go beyond the safety standards of the federal government. These include padded inserts on the shoulders and head and air-repellent fabrics to keep them cool when driving in hot weather.

Another important aspect to consider is the ease to set up and use the seat. Idealy, the seat should be simple to install and use, and with clear indicators of its level and position as well as security.

Find features that help you do that, like locks built-in to the seat and belt guides that help you align the car seat to the vehicle's seatbelt. Avoid purchasing used car seats that may not have been tested for safety, or which might have been involved in an accident. They could not protect your child. If you must buy a used car seat be sure that it's on the expiration date and isn't being sold by an individual who doesn't have proof of ownership.

One other thing to keep in your mind is to keep your baby in the car seat for no more than 2 hours per day unless they are in a lie-flat position. This is to avoid the spine from becoming strained and to ensure they get a chance to breathe regularly.

The choice of a car seat for infants is a significant investment, therefore you'll need to make sure that it has a lengthy duration. Choose a seat that will develop with your child and last through toddlerhood to the teen years. Our testers for parents were satisfied with the Axkid i-Size. It is suitable for babies from birth, and can be used up to age 7.

Nuna pipa air rx is another alternative that can be used over a long period of time. It is 360-degree in rotation, which means you can switch it from front-facing to rear-facing as your child grows. It is also one of most light-weight car seats on the market with a weight of less than nine pounds. It's a great option for parents who move their child frequently between cars or plan to use it for taxi rides, holiday fly-drives and trips with grandparents.

Comfort

It is important that your baby feels at ease in their car seat both while they are in it as well as when you install it. Find straps that are padded to fit snugly around their shoulders. Also, look for plush fabric that feels good on their stomachs. This is especially important when you intend to use the seat for a long period of time.

The most effective car seat for infants is also simple to use. Some feature premium LATCH connectors that come with a SuperCinch force-multiplying tightener, spring-loaded leveling feet, and belt paths that make installing without the base easier than ever. Other features can help you adjust the height of the harness and headrest, which is important as your child gets older.

One example is the Cosatto All in All Rotate that our testers from the past gave a 10/10 for its ease of use. It has a clear and simple interface, a no-rethread easy-to adjust harness, a 360-degree rotation, as well as recline lock indicator. This means that you can change between forward and rear-facing positions as your baby grows, without needing to remove the seat and replace it.

Another option is the Nuna Pipa air rx which our parents loved for its ease of use, comfort and flexibility. Its padded shoulder straps and headrest are designed to support the head of your newborn and includes an infant pillow that is soft to keep them comfy. It can be used as a rear-facing car seat until your baby hits the max height or weight limit, and it converts into a stroller without the need for a separate adapter.

A good car seat is sturdy and many have a warranty. Choose a seat made of robust materials and plenty of padding to protect your baby from any accidents and the steel frame that can absorb impact energy and a "crumple zone" to help prevent crash damage. It should also be easy to clean, since spills are commonplace with a child. To make cleaning easier, look for a car-seat with removable covers and a machine washable pad.

Easy of Use

A car seat must be easy to install and use especially if you're going to use it in an alternate vehicle at times. To make it as easy as possible you should look for features such as a belt that can be released quickly and an indicator that shows the status of the latch (e.g. green for locked) and a manual that is easy to read.

The Best of The Bump winner has many practical extras, which our parent testers loved, such as a cushioned headrest and harness, plush material, and the cup holder. It also comes with a reclining feature that allows your baby to sit in a more comfortable position for longer trips. It can be paired with a buggy that is compatible to create an entire travel system. This is perfect for those who plan to travel for a long time.

Our panelists found that this car seat was easy to put in and adjust. It has recline lock indicators and an exclusive LATCH connector with a SuperCinch force-multiplying tightener, which makes the process of securing your child easy. It's also designed to be easily shifted from side-to-side in the vehicle without the need for tools.

The reclining feature allows you to carry your child in and out of the vehicle. This is especially useful if you suffer from back pain or drive a small vehicle. It also has an adjustable drink holder that can be reversible, as well as a convenient storage compartment for toys and snacks.

The seat weighs less than nine pounds and can be used with or without its base. It can also be rotated 180 degrees. This is an excellent feature for those who are tight in space or suffer from back pain. Our panelists were thrilled by this new feature, which was a finalist in our 2021 Mother&Baby awards.

It's a great option for anyone who wants to convert their car seat into a stroller at an affordable cost. Its sleek design and premium materials will stand up to the test of time. Don't forget to wash the cover often because yoghurt spills or biscuits that are crushed, and even sickening accidents with toddlers will leave their mark.

Design

Car seats come in a variety of designs as the cars they're used in. Some parents prefer to not use infant car seats in favour of convertible models, most new mothers want a seat that will develop with their baby as they reach toddlerhood. All-in-one car seat newborn insert seat are the most versatile that allow you to change between forward-facing and rear-facing. It usually has a higher height and weight limit, and can be used as a booster seat if your child is ready for one.

The ideal car seat for infants for babies is light and easy to take off the base while your child is inside. The Maxi-Cosi Coral is available in only a few colors, but it offers a lot of safety features and is also light (8.4 pounds, including seat inserts and canopy). Other models that stand out are the Nuna PIPA URbN and the Nuna PIPA URbN, which was a winner of Gold in the 2021 Mother&Baby Awards for Best Car Seat Group 0/0+, thanks to its high-end extras like the Dream drape and a full-coverage UPF 50+ canopy.

The design of the base and the seat should be considered. Some car seats have a base that locks into the vehicle buckles for seat belts. Some have steel-reinforced connectors for LATCH that flip out of the sides of the base when correctly joined. These were useful for parents, particularly if the vehicle only had front-facing seat belts.

Some infant car seats can also be used with a regular seatbelt without the base, which is a bonus for parents who often travel by taxi or travel with their infant. Our testers with parents really liked the Nuna TODL NEXT that can be used with or without its base and has a smooth swivel mechanism that makes it easy to get your top rated infant car seats in and out of the seat.

Other important design considerations are whether a car seat has a lie flat design, and how well it fits into your particular car (see our guide to car seat compatibility). If you're looking for a new infant car seat that will expand with your child into a booster seat pick a model with an adjustable backrest as well as side impact protection. Make sure the infant car seat you choose is iSize compatible, and that it uses the appropriate car seat attachment points, as required by UK law.