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Why You Must Have a Baby Car Seat

by: SallyThatcher
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When purchasing a baby car seat, some features are absolutely essential. Keeping your baby safe should be every parent's highest priority, and a good car seat will do just that. Unfortunately, searching for the right car seat can be overwhelming as there are hundreds of models, features and brands to sort through. If you don't know what to look for, the process can be time-consuming and draining. Concentrating on a few essential features will help you sort through your choices and find the car seat that's right for your family.

The primary feature to appear for is the 5-point attach. In the market you will discover two different kinds of the seats, the 3-point harness as well as the 5-point harness. The 5-point harness is upgrade as well as will safe your baby with a little better than 3-point harness. It will secure your baby in a better way, but it will give more of the protection against the ejection.

While it is easy to understand that small children belong in car safety seats, it can become a little confusing when one begins to look around at all of the options and consider weight limits. There are several models and brands of car safety seats available on the market today, each slightly different. The basic models are rear-facing, combination, front-facing and booster seats.

Even older children are candidates for child safety seats, including children who weigh around 60 pounds. A nine-year-old, for example, might be a candidate for a car safety seat made for an older, larger child. In general, a standard car seat will accommodate a child that weighs 20-25 pounds. If your child is about 10 pounds heavier, you'll probably need to purchase a car seat that is geared for larger children.

Most experts agree that the safest type of car safety seat is the rear-facing seat. It's a good idea to select a car seat with a higher weight limit so that it will last longer as your son or daughter grows. You can also purchase a car safety seat that is "booster only" if your child is closer to 40 pounds. Whatever your child's size, it's vital to properly install any kind of child safety seat.

What should you look for? First, be sure the shoulder belt is not fitting over the child's neck. Instead, it should hit across the shoulders and chest. The lap belt goes around the hips. For cars with low seats or headrests, it's important to purchase a high-back model of child safety seat. You can also find car seats with additional padding and adjustable head supports.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) surveys all car seats for infants and children. They are rated on a number of categories from clear instructions to ease of use. The good news is, car seat manufacturers are listening to the government's suggestions, and are constantly improving designs. For current information, visit the NHTSA website.

You can easily find a car seat that has earned all As in every category. If you work with ebay or froogle at the same time, you can also complete some of your comparison shopping online. If you have seen a car seat that you think you like at the store, check out its safety rating.

About the Author

SallyThatcher is an animal lover, pet sitter, and often blogs about the best infant car safety seats and cheap cosco car seats. In her spare time she enjoys volunteer work.

Why You Must Have a Baby Car Seat

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