As modern times evolve, so do we carry our babies to travel as well. Before, we only held them close to us or had the aid of a wrap-around cloth to secure them. But to be honest, we know that parents struggle with body pains and the baby with prolonged closeness.
And that is another reason why baby car seats were invented. According to CarCody.com, car accessories should be helpful to users. And a baby seat is something that carries a great responsibility for children while on the road.
This page will give you some essential guidelines on which baby seats suit your preferences.
Baby Car Seat and its importance
The primary reason car seats are invented to ensure their safety on board. There have been many reported cases over the decade about children dying inside the car. If not dead, children have significant paralysis and severe coma injuries.
No parent or no one would want this to happen to their child in this sense. If you got into an accident, merely holding them close and tight to you will not be enough the moment your body absorbs the shock from the accident impact.
And if people would say that you should leave your child at home if you run some errands outside, sometimes it is not that possible. Our world right now has single parents, working parents, or those who have no nannies at all. And there are a lot of times you need to go outside and bring your kid along with you.
And because the importance of car seats is now evident to all, laws are now enforcing parents to secure their cars with one if they have children.
Types of Baby Car Seat depending on age group
The types of baby car seats differ depending on the child’s age group. Why is that? Of course, kids vary in size. The one fits for a baby will not be provided to a 12-year-old kid. So here is a friendly tip and guide for you to check, depending on the age group. Be guided accordingly.
Infants and Toddlers
A child belonging to this bracket is aged 0 months to two years old. They are advised to use rear-facing car seats, whether regular or convertible car seats. Plus, manufacturers only allow this age group to use this in the rear position until they have met the required weight capacity.
The moment they reach that weight limit, they are already required to change the size or type of the car seat. For example, a year-old baby gets weight for a toddler and above; they have to comply to ensure safety.
Toddlers and Preschoolers
This age group needs to shift to forward-facing types of car seats. Plus, they need to use a harness as long as they need to during the ride. Why? Because this type of age group is quite the explorer kids. They tend to move around, not minding the danger along their way.
The car seats for this age group can accommodate up to 65 pounds or more. Just refer o the manufacturer manual to be guided accordingly.
School-Aged Children
All children that will go beyond the weight limit intended for front-facing car seats should transition to boosters. The car owner should ensure that you position the vehicle seat belt correctly until it fits the boosters.
Kids who belong in this group must be four to nine feet high and eight to twelve years of age. In addition, you should install the car seat in the back seat.
Older children
Those whose height and weight can already fit the original car seatbelt can use no car seats already. That means they can fit in like an adult already.
Installation Guide
In buying a car seat, make sure that it will fit your car with the kid in it. Also, check if the kid will have enough space and not look shrank in his position. If you want to ensure that you did it right, you can visit a child car seat inspection station near your area to double-check. In that way, they will clear your worries.
Secondhand Carseats: Be mindful before using
Buying a brand new car seat is costly. But that price comes along with quality and safety features. For those who will buy a secondhand one, make sure to be mindful of the following:
- Know if it already experienced a crash. If yes, then it might have defects already. IT might not be visible, but do not compromise your child’s safety to save some bucks.
- If it is beyond the indicated expiration date or has missing parts, shy away from that immediately. Every piece of a car seat plays a vital role in keeping your child safe. Never compromise.
- Trust your gut feeling. If you feel discomfort when transacting, never ignore that gut feeling. It is your parent instincts kicking in, so follow it.
Sign out the Product Registration Card
Why is this important? If there will be some product recalls, you will be contacted by the manufacturer firsthand, instead of you knowing it by the news, which sometimes never got on the daily news, by the way. This product recalls that you may fail to ensure child safety in their batch or something else. Whatever it is, it is best to be informed in this kind of situation.
Aside from possible product recalls, they may also inform you about specific instructions with the unit that you have brought if there are any.
Conclusion
The safety and welfare of our children are something that we don’t want to be compromised. However costly it may be, we still make sure that we give them what they deserve. They are just angels that need our protection until they can stand on their own.
We hope that our guide made it easy for you to decide what type of car seat you will buy. This is just a shallow guide but a very impactful one. If you have some suggestions based on your experience, feel free to ping us.