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Choosing a car seat for your newborn is one of the most important things you’ll
do before your baby arrives. By law, you will need to have a properly installed
car seat in your car before you can take your baby home. There are many brands
and types of car seats available, and it will take time and effort to decide
which is suitable for your child.
What should I look for in a child car seat?
You should look for a car seat that best fits your child. To determine this,
you should test the seat to make sure it fits your baby and your vehicle
properly. To ensure that you are properly installing the car seat, read the
instructions carefully.
Cost should not be your only guide in choosing a seat. A more expensive car
seat usually has extra features, but this doesn’t necessarily make it easier
to use. The car seat that you choose should be based on the height and weight of
your child, according to the recommendations of the National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration. Car seat safety regulations change every year, so you
should not buy a used car seat if at all possible.
Child car seats have both harness straps and a harness clip. Car seats come
with more than one harness slot to give your baby some growing room. The harness
straps fit over your child’s head and lie over your child’s shoulders, and
the harness clip holds the harness straps in place. The harness straps should
fit snugly on your child, and the harness clip should be placed at armpit level.
What types of car seats are available?
There are four types of child car seats: infant-only, convertible,
combination, and booster.
Infant-only seat
Infant-only seats, also known as rear-facing seats, are placed in the
back seat of the car. Your child should use an infant-only seat from birth
until he or she is 1 year old and weighs 20 pounds. The car seat must
recline at a 45-degree angle and should not be placed in front of an air
bag.
Some infant-only seats come with a detachable base so that you can remove
the car seat with your baby seated in it.
Convertible seat
Convertible seats are essentially two car seats in one. They are placed
in the back seat and face the back of the car until your child is 1 year old
and weighs 20 pounds. Following that, the seats are placed to face the front
of the car.
Combination seat
Combination seats face the front of the car and are intended for children
who are 1 year and older and weigh approximately 20 to 40 pounds. These seats
can also convert into a belt-positioning booster seat when your child weighs
40 pounds or more.
Booster seat
Booster seats are intended for children who are 4 to 8 years old and
weigh between 40 and 80 pounds. Your child should start using a booster seat
when he or she grows out of his or her car seat (when his or her ears are
higher than the back of the car seat, and his or her shoulders are higher
than the top strap slots), or when the weight limit for the seat is reached.
Booster seats are usually used until your child reaches 80 pounds and is
then ready to use a regular seat belt.
While many states’ laws do not require children over 4 years of age to
ride in a child restraint system, your child is unprotected from serious
injury when unrestrained or if restrained in a car seat belt when he or she
is still too small.
Seat belts
A child is ready for the standard car seat belt when the weight limit is
exceeded on the booster seat (approximately 80 lbs.) and the child can sit
with his or her back against the seatback, and the legs can bend at the knee
at the front of the seat.
Is my child buckled in properly?
Infant (rear-facing) car seats should recline at about a 45-degree angle. All
car seat harness straps should be at or above shoulder level and fit snugly on
your child, and the harness clip should be at armpit level. It is important to
consult the manufacturer’s specific instructions about the seat to assure
proper installation.
You should not buy or use a car seat that:
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Has been in a car crash
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Is damaged in any way (cracks, loose parts, etc.)
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Is missing any parts, including the manufacturer’s label
with the model number
- Is more than 10 years old (In fact, most manufacturers suggest
using a car seat for no more than five years.)
- Doesn’t have instructions for installation and use
If this describes your child’s car seat, it is unsafe to use, and you need
to buy a new car seat. Remember to always check if your car seat has been
recalled. You can get this information from the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration website (http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/).
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