How to Choose the Best Car Seat Newborn
The most suitable car seat for newborns is one that is compliant with federal safety standards, is compatible with your car, has useful features (like making it the stroller) and works with your budget. It is also important to ensure that the car seat is easily removed and put into of any vehicle, particularly if you are frequently switching between taxis, rental cars or your grandparents' vehicles.
Safety
A high-quality car seat will have extra features that go beyond the federal safety standards. These include padded inserts on the head and shoulders and also air-repellent fabric to keep them cool while driving in hot temperatures.
Easy installation and use of the seat is an important aspect to consider for safety. Ideally, you should be in a position to snap it into place with minimal effort and with clear indicators that it's secure, level, and positioned correctly.
You can find features that can help you with this, such as belt guides and built-in lockoffs to help you align the car seat to your vehicle's seatbelt. Also, you should avoid purchasing used car seats, as they may not be tested for safety or have been involved in an accident and may not be safe for your child. If you must buy a used one, make sure it has an expiration date and isn't being sold by an individual who does not have evidence of ownership.
Another thing to keep in mind is that it's best to keep your baby in the car seat for a maximum of two hours per day, unless they are lying down in a supine position. This will help prevent strain on the spine of your child and ensure that they are able to breathe regularly.
Selecting a car seat for your infant is a significant investment so you'll want to make sure that it has a lengthy life span. Choose a seat that is designed to grow with your child that will last through the toddler years and on into the teenage years. Our parents were impressed with the Axkid i-Size. It is suitable for babies from birth, and is able to be used up to age 7.
Nuna pipa air rx is another alternative that can be used for a lengthy period of time. It can rotate 360 degrees making it possible to change it from rear-facing into front-facing as your child grows. It's also among the lightest rotating car seats on the market and weighs less than 9 pounds without its base. It's a great choice for parents who often transfer their babies between vehicles or plan on using it for taxi rides, fly-drive holidays and trips to grandparent's houses.
Comfort
A well-designed infant car seat is comfortable for your baby both in the seat as well as when you install it. Look for padded straps which are comfortable to wear around their shoulders. Also, look for soft fabric that is comfortable on their stomachs. This is especially important when you intend to use the seat for a long duration.
The most effective infant car seats are simple to use. Some come with premium LATCH connectors with a SuperCinch force-multiplying tightener, spring-loaded leveling feet, and belt paths that make putting them on without a base more simple than ever before. Other features allow you to adjust the harness height and headrest, which is especially crucial as your child grows.
Cosatto All in All Rotate is a prime example. Our parent testers gave it 10 out of 10. It has a clear and simple interface, a no-rethread, easy-to adjust harness, a 360-degree rotation, as well as a recline lock indication. It is possible to easily change your child's position from front-facing to rear-facing as they grow without needing to take out and replace the seat.
Nuna Pipa Aire Rx is a similar example. Our testers who were parents were impressed by its comfort simple and adaptability. Its padding for the shoulder straps and headrest are designed to help support the head of your infant and comes with pillows that are soft for your comfort. It can be used as a rear-facing car seat up until your baby hits the max weight or height limits and then it can be converted into a stroller without the need for a separate adapter.
A good car seat is durable, and some will even come with a guarantee. Choose a seat made of sturdy materials and plenty of padding to safeguard your baby from any accidents and a steel frame that absorbs the impact energy and has a "crumple zone" to reduce the risk of damage. It should be easy to clean as accidents are bound to happen when you have the growing age of a child. To make cleaning easier, look for a car seat with removable covers and a machine washable pad.
Easy to Use
It is essential that a car seat be easy to install and use, particularly if it will be used in a variety of vehicles at times. Look for features like an easy-release buckle, an indicator that displays the state of the latch system (e.g., green for locked) and a user-friendly manual to make it as stress-free as is possible.
The Best of The Bump winner has many practical extras that our testers for parents appreciated, including a padded headrest and harness, plush fabric and a cupholder. It also has a reclining feature that allows your baby to sit in a more ergonomic position for longer journeys. It can be paired with a buggy that is compatible to create a complete travel system. This is ideal when you plan to travel for a long duration.
Our panelists noted that the car seat was simple to set up and adjust. It has a recline lock indicator and a premium LATCH connector with a SuperCinch force-multiplying tightener which made securing your child quick and simple. It can also be moved 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 for those who have back issues or have a small car. It also comes with a reversible cup holder and a handy pocket for snacks and toys.
The seat weighs under nine pounds and can be set up with or without its base. It also rotates 180 degrees, which could be a real lifesaver if you have limited space or suffer from back pain. This feature has impressed our panelists, and it was selected for inclusion in the 2021 Mother&Baby Awards.
It's a great choice for those who want to convert their car seat into a stroller at affordable cost. Its sleek design and high-end materials will stand up to the test time. Be sure to wash your cover frequently as smashed yogurt spills, biscuits, and the odd sick toddler accident are certain to leave a marks!
Design
The styles of car seats can be as diverse as the vehicles they're installed in. Some parents opt to ditch the baby car seats in favor of a convertible model. However, most new mothers want something that can develop with their child as they reach the age of toddlerhood. All-in-one car seat are the most versatile, allowing you to switch 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 once your child is ready for one.
The ideal car seat for a newborn car seat is lightweight, making it easy to lift it from the base and carry with your child. Our parents loved the Maxi-Cosi Coral, which is only available in a few colours, but offers plenty of safety features and is super light (at 8.4 pounds with seat inserts and canopy). Nuna PIPA URbN is another model that stands out, as it won Gold in the 2021 Mother&Baby Awards Best Car Seat Group category, thanks to features that are high-end, like the Dream drape and a canopy that covers the entire area with UPF 50+.
The seat's design and the base must also be taken into consideration. For instance, certain car seats use a special base that locks into the vehicle's seat belt buckles as well as others with steel-reinforced LATCH connectors which flip out from the sides of the base and turn green when connected correctly. Parents found these convenient, especially if their vehicle had only front-facing seatbelts with no ISOFIX anchor points.
rear facing infant car seat work with regular seatbelts, but without the base. This is a great feature for parents who travel frequently or travel with their babies. Our parents who tested it really enjoyed the Nuna TODL NEXT that can be used with or without the base. It features a smooth swivel movement that makes it simple to get your child out and in the seat.
Other important design considerations are whether the car seat is an open design, and how it is compatible with your car (see our guide to car seat compatibility). If you are looking for an infant car seat that can develop with your child's growth into a booster seat make sure you choose a seat that features a reclining backrest and side impact protection. Make sure the infant car seat you choose is iSize compatible and has the correct car-seat attachment points as per UK law.