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How to Choose the Best Car Seat Newborn

The best car seat newborn is one that meets federal safety standards, fits your car, has useful features (like making it the stroller) and works with your budget. It's also important to ensure that the baby car seat clicks into and out of your car easily especially if you frequently switch between taxis or trips in rental cars or grandparents' vehicles.

Safety

A good car seat will come with additional features that go above and beyond safety standards of the federal government. These include padded cushions on the shoulders and head as well as air-repellent fabric to keep them cool while driving in hot weather.

Another crucial safety aspect is how easy it is to install and use the seat. Ideally, you should be able to snap it into place with minimal effort and with clear indications that it's safe, level, and positioned correctly.

Look for features that allow you to do this, such as built-in lock offs and belt guides that help to align the car seat with the vehicle's seatbelt. Avoid purchasing used car seats that may not have been tested for crash or have been involved in an accident. They could not protect your child. If you have to buy a used car seat, make sure that it has an expiration date and that the seller isn't a private person who has no evidence of ownership.

One other thing to keep in mind is that it's best to keep your baby in the car seat for no more than two hours per day, unless they are lying down in a supine position. This will prevent strain on the spine of your child and ensure that they are able to breath regularly.

Selecting a car seat for your infant is a major investment, so you'll want to be sure it has a long life span. Choose a seat that will grow with your child and last from toddlerhood through teen years. One of the ones our parents loved was the Axkid One i-Size, which is suitable from birth and is able to be used until 7 years old.

The Nuna pipa air rx is a different option that can be used for a lengthy time. It rotates 360 degrees, making it possible to change it from front-facing to rear-facing as the child grows. It's also among the lightest car seats that rotate on the market and weighs less than nine pounds without its base. It's the perfect option for parents who frequently transfer their babies between vehicles or plan to use it for taxi rides, fly-drive holidays, and trips to grandparent's homes.

Comfort

A well-designed infant car seat is comfortable for your lightweight baby car seat both when they are in the seat and when you install it. Choose padded straps that fit comfortably around their shoulders. Also, look for plush fabric that feels good beneath their stomachs. This is crucial if you plan to use the seat for a long time.

The best infant car seats are easy to use. Some have premium LATCH connectors that come with SuperCinch force-multiplying tightener, spring-loaded leveling feet, and belt paths that make installing without a base more simple than ever before. Other features allow you to adjust the height of the harness and headrest, which is important as your child grows.

Cosatto All in All Rotate is a prime example. Our test subjects scored it a 10 out of 10. It comes with an easy, clear interface, and a simple-to-adjust no-rethread harness and a recline lock indicator and 360-degree rotation. This means that you can change from rear-facing to forward-facing as your baby grows without having to remove the seat and replace it.

Nuna Pipa Aire Rx is a different example. Our testers who were parents loved it for its comfort simple and adaptability. Its cushioned headrest and shoulder straps are designed to accommodate the head of your infant and comes with a soft pillow for comfort. It can be placed in a rear-facing position until your child is at the maximum height or weight limit. Then, it converts into an infant stroller.

A quality car seat is sturdy and many have a warranty. Find a seat that has robust materials and plenty of padding to safeguard your baby from accidents and the steel frame that can absorb impact energy and a "crumple zone" to reduce the risk of damage. It is also easy to clean, since messes are inevitable with a child. Look for a car seat with removable seat covers and a machine-washable pad to make cleanup a breeze.

Simple to Use

A car seat needs to be simple to install and use especially if you're going to be using it in a different vehicle at least once in a while. Look for features such as a quick-release buckle, a gauge that shows the status of the latch system (e.g., green for locked) and a user-friendly manual to make it as stress-free as you can.

The Best of The Bump winner comes with a number of practical features that our testers for parents loved, such as a cushioned headrest and harness, plush fabric and a cupholder. It also has a reclining feature that allows your child to sit in a more comfortable position for longer trips. It can also be used with a compatible buggy to create an entire travel system which is ideal if intend to travel for extended durations of time.

Our panelists reported that this car seat was easy to set up and adjust. It has a recline lock and an excellent connector that has a SuperCinch tightener. This makes it easy to ensure your child's safety. It's designed to be easily moved from side-to-side inside the vehicle without the necessity of tools.

One of our top features is the recline feature that makes it easier to get your infant in and out of the car. This is especially useful if you have back issues or drive a smaller car. It also has a reversible drink holder, and a handy storage compartment for toys and snacks.

The seat weighs under nine pounds and can be installed with or without its base. It can also rotate 180 degrees, which can be a real lifesaver if you are in a tight space or are suffering from back pain. Our panelists were thrilled by this feature, which was a finalist in our 2021 Mother&Baby awards.

It's a great option for anyone who wants to transform their car seat into a stroller at an affordable cost. Its sleek design and premium materials will stand up to the test time. Be sure to clean the cover regularly as spills of yoghurt, biscuits that have been crushed, or even sick toddler accidents will leave their mark.

Design

Car seats come in a variety of designs as the cars they're installed in. Some parents opt to ditch the infant car seat in favor of convertible models. However, most new mothers prefer a product that can expand with their child through toddlerhood. All-in-one car seats are most versatile that allow you to change from rear-facing to forward-facing. It typically has a higher weight and height limit, and it can often be used as a booster seat when your child is old enough to need one.

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

The design of the base and the seat should be considered. For instance, some car seats come with a base that locks into the buckles on the seat belts and others use steel-reinforced LATCH connectors that flip out from the sides of the base and turn green when connected correctly. Parents appreciated these connectors, especially if their vehicle had only front-facing seatbelts and no ISOFIX anchor points.

Some infant car seats that swivel car seats can also be used with a regular seatbelt without the base this is a great benefit for parents who often travel by taxi or travel with their infant. The Nuna TODL NEXT was a top pick among our testers who are parents. It can be used with or without the base and features a smooth swivel, which makes it easier to take your baby in and out.

Additionally, the design of car seats is vital. It should be able to fit in your car. (See our guide to car seat compatibility). If you're looking for a newborn car seat insert infant car seat that will develop with your child's development into a booster seat pick a model with a reclining backrest and side impact protection. Make sure that the baby car seat you pick is iSize compatible and has the proper car seat attachment points in accordance with UK law.