Safety First When it Comes to a Baby Car Seat

Among the highest goals for any parent is baby safety. One of the key elements in that plan is selecting the right safety seat for the car. Keep these tips in mind when looking for the ideal design.

The first considerations are age and weight. Infants under age one should be provided with a safety seat specifically tailored to their size. It still needs to be facing the rear, and shouldn't be used with an older baby.

Those older than one but less than four will weigh on average between 20-40 lbs. They're also, of course, taller than infants and the older they are the taller. This introduces the possibility for a car seat that faces forward, making things more convenient for the parents. However, it still needs to be placed in the back seat.

The good news is that you don't have to give up convenience to achieve these goals. Some styles can be converted. This means that they can be switched from facing backward to facing forward with just a few moves. But don't forget about the specifications concerning weight and age.

It's essential that the car seat you use meets some minimum standards. It's important to look for a seat with a five point harness feature. So the parents can use the car's safety belt to fasten the baby seat at the shoulders, hips and between the legs. That provides a very stable, secure platform.

An overhead shield is also a useful option. These are padded covers that rotate down over the child. AT-shield is another option; this is a padded attachment for the should straps, in the shape of a T of course.

Look for models with a tether at the top that can be attached from the top of the child's car seat to an anchor point in the car. This provides additional safety. LATCH is a system featured in some models, which stands for Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children. This eliminates the need to use the car's safety belts which, after all, were designed for larger children and adults. Instead, the safety seat is fastened only to the anchors.

A baby car safety seat that makes it easy to safely and securely add or remove padding, blankets and more provides additional comfort and safety. At the same time, parents have to spend less time adjusting the seat to make a good fit. That's a win-win situation for both. Some even have integrated travel vests that can be buckled around the child.

The twin concerns of convenience and safety are once again addressed by models that simplify the process of inserting and adjusting the restraining belts. Parents are busy people and it's all too easy to take an occasional shortcut. However, nobody wishes to skimp on safety. A design that requires only a few seconds to install or move the seat satisfies all those needs.