How to Choose the Best car seat for newborn Car Seat Newborn

The best car seat for newborns is one that is compliant with federal safety standards, fits your vehicle, has convenient extras (like making it the stroller) and works with your budget. Also, make sure that the car seat is easily removed and put into of any vehicle, particularly when you frequently switch between rental cars, taxis or grandparents' vehicles.

Safety

Car seats are made to protect your baby and a safe one should come with extra features that go beyond the federal safety standards. These include padded inserts on the shoulders and head and also air-repellent fabric to keep them cool while driving in hot weather.

The ease of installation and use of the seat is another important aspect of safety. Ideally, the seat should be simple to install and use, and with clear indicators of its height, position, and security.

Look for features that make it easier to accomplish this, such as built-in locks and belt guides that help you line up the car seat with the vehicle's seat belt. Also, you should avoid purchasing used car seats that may not be tested for crash safety or have been involved in an accident and might not protect your child. If you do decide to purchase a used one be sure that it's not expired and isn't being sold by a private seller who doesn't have evidence of ownership.

It is also important to remember that you should only leave your baby in the car seat up to two hours a day, unless you are in a flat position. This will prevent strain on the spine of your child and ensure they have 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 long lifespan. Choose a seat that will grow with your child's development and last from toddlerhood through the teen years. Our testers for parents were impressed with the Axkid i-Size. It is suitable for children as young as birth and is able to be used up to age 7.

The Nuna pipa aire rx is another option that can be used for a lengthy time. It can rotate 360 degrees making it possible to change it from front-facing to rear-facing as your child grows. It is also one of most light-weight car seats available that weighs less than nine pounds. It's a great choice for parents who transfer their child frequently between cars or plan to take it on taxi rides, holiday fly-drives and trips with grandparents.

Comfort

It is important that your child is at ease in their car seat both while they are in it and after you install it. Choose padded straps that fit comfortably around their shoulders, and for plush fabric that feels good on their stomachs. This is crucial when you intend to use the seat for a long period of time.

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

Cosatto All in All Rotate is a good example. Our parent testers scored it a 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 recline lock indicators. This means you can switch between forward and rear-facing positions as your baby grows without having to remove the seat and replace it.

Nuna Pipa Aire Rx is another example. Our testers who were parents loved it for its comfort simple and adaptability. Its padded shoulder straps as well as headrest are shaped to support the head of your newborn and comes with a soft infant cushion to keep them comfy. It can be used in a back-facing position until your child reaches the maximum weight or height limit. It then converts into the position of a stroller.

A good car seat will last and some come with a guarantee. Choose a seat that has plenty of padding and durable materials to shield your child from any accidents. It should also include an aluminum frame to withstand impact energy as well as an "crumple area" to prevent crash damage. It should be easy to clean as accidents are bound to happen when you have a child. Find car seats with removable seat covers and a pad that is machine washable to make cleaning easy.

Simple to Use

A car seat should be easy to install and use, especially if you're likely to be using it in a different vehicle from time to time. To make it as simple as possible look for features such as a quick-release belt and an indicator that shows the condition of the latch (e.g. green for locked) and a user manual that is easy to read.

The Best of The Bump winner has many practical extras that our parents appreciated, including a padded headrest and harness, plush fabric, and the cup holder. It also comes with a reclining feature that allows your child to sit in an comfortable position for longer trips. It can be paired with a compatible buggy to make an entire travel system. This is a great option for those who plan to travel for a long period of time.

Our panelists noted that the car seat was simple to set up and adjust. It comes with a recline lock and a premium connector with a SuperCinch tightener. This made it easy to secure your child. It can also be moved from side to side of the vehicle easily without the use of tools.

One of our most loved features is the recline feature that allows you to easily get your infant into and out of the car. This is especially helpful for those with back problems or have a smaller vehicle. It also has the ability to reversibly hold your cup and a handy storage pocket for toys and snacks.

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

This is an excellent option for those looking to transform their car seats into strollers at an affordable cost. Its streamlined design and high-quality fabric will stand the test of time as well. Make sure to clean the cover regularly as spills of yoghurt or biscuits that are crushed, and even sickening accidents with toddlers will leave their marks.

Design

The designs of car seats can be as diverse as the vehicles they're installed in. While some parents opt to leave infant car seats out in favour of convertible models, the majority of new mothers want a seat that can continue to grow with their child into toddlerhood. All-in-one car seats are the most flexible that allow you to change between forward-facing and rear-facing. It typically has a greater weight and height limit, and can be used as a booster when your child is old enough.

The ideal infant car seat for infants is light and easy to lift off the base while your child is inside. The Maxi-Cosi Coral is available in only a few colors, but it has a number 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 seats infant Car Seat Group 0/0+ due to its premium features like the Dream drape and UPF 50+ full-coverage canopy.

The design of the seat and base must be considered as well. For example, some car seats come with a base that is secured to the vehicle's seat belt buckles and others use steel-reinforced LATCH connectors that flip out from the sides of the base and turn green when they are attached correctly. These were useful for parents, especially when the vehicle only had front-facing seatbelts.

Some infant car seats are compatible with standard seatbelts that do not have the base. This is a great feature for parents who travel often or take taxis with their babies. Our parents who tested it really enjoyed the Nuna TODL NEXT, which can be used with or without its base. It includes a smooth swivel motion that makes it easy to get your infant in and out of the seat.

Other important design considerations include whether the car seat is a lie flat design, and how it is compatible with your car (see our guide to car seat compatibility). If you're in search of a car seat that can develop with your baby until a booster, choose one with an adjustable headrest that can be reclining and side impact protection. Check that the infant car seat swivel car seat you select is iSize-compliant, and that it uses the appropriate car seat attachment points, as required by UK law.