Buying Guide - Car Seat
5 questions to ask before you
choose a car seat
- Is portability important to me?
If you want to be able to carry your sleeping baby
from car to house or supermarket trolley, go for an
infant carrier (Group 0+). These have a handle and
are usually lightweight, so they can be removed from
the car and carried around, and used indoors as a
rocker. You can buy as part of a travel system with
the bonus that it snaps into your pushchair chassis.
These are good until your baby weighs 13kg (usually
about 12 months old) but you'll find the baby
carrier difficult to lift and manoeuvre after about
six months.
- Do I want a fixed car seat?
If so, you'll want a combination car seat (also
called Group 0+/1). These are larger and costlier,
but have a longer life than infant carriers, lasting
from birth until your child is around 4 years old.
Like a toddler car seat, these stay strapped (or
fixed) in the car, initially rear-facing, then
swivelled to face the front when your child weighs
9kg or can sit unaided.
- Shall I buy a second-hand car seat?
No! You can't be sure that it hasn't been in an
accident because it may have suffered invisible
damage. Even if you know the seat's history, wear
and tear will mean that the belts may not be as
tight as they should be.
- Does my car have a passenger airbag?
If so, your baby must go in the back seat - inflated
airbags can be lethal to babies. Some airbags can be
disabled, but you need to check this with the
manufacturer of your car. Side airbags are no
problem.
- Will someone else be driving my baby?
If a childminder or grandparent will be taking your
baby out and about, you need to check the car seat
will fit in their car too, and they need to practise
fitting it. Portable (Group 0+) seats will fit most
cars, but Group +/1 may prove more tricky.
If you regularly use two cars, buy two seats.
Otherwise, you can bet that car number one, complete
with seat, will be zooming towards the horizon at
precisely the time you need to strap your baby into
car number two.
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