10 things you need to know about buying a car seat

Ten things you need to know about…buying a car seat

A car seat is one of the most crucial baby buys – you won’t be allowed home from hospital with your baby without one. We help you pick yours…

1. Know the lingo… 

A newborn car seat is also known as an infant carrier (because it usually comes with a carry handle). Not, of course, to be confused with a baby carrier which you wear on your front to carry your baby around. Confused? Don’t be, you’ll soon get the hang of it.

2. … and the law

In the right car seat for his size, correctly fitted, your baby is 10 times more likely to survive an impact at 30mph or more. As a result, the law states that babies and children (under 4ft 5in) must travel in the appropriate car seat for their age at all times.

3. Size matters

Your newborn must travel in one of the following:

Group 0 (from birth until your baby weighs 9kg – around nine months old)

Group 0+ (from birth until your baby weighs 13kg – around 15 months old) a Group

0+/1 (until your baby weighs 18kg – around four years of age). Obviously those that last longer are bigger, bulkier and more expensive, but in the long run they may cost less than buying several different car seats.

4. Isofix

An Isofix (International Standards Organisation FIX) seat is the quality standard used in car seat fittings. Isofix fittings on your baby’s car seat click into Isofix fittings in your car, creating a solid link between the two. Your car will need to have been made with Isofix fittings before an Isofix seat can be used, so check with the manufacturer first.

5. Extras

A newborn head hugger is usually a good extra to have to stop your baby’s head falling forward or lolling at an awkward angle, as is a wool seat liner – especially in winter months. Check what’s included with yours – lots come with handy added extras.

6. Which way?

Newborn car seats are all rearward facing. But if you’re using a rearward-facing seat in the front of the car, the law clearly states that any airbag for that front seat must be disabled as the force of it inflating could crush a newborn in the event of an accident.

7. Which seat?

To check which seats are compatible with your make of car, see Britax’s Fit- Finder at britax.co.uk then click on Fit-Finder Not all seats fit all makes and models of car

8. Get it fitted

A trained fitter must fit your newborn car seat initially. No two cars or seats – even if they’re the same model – are identical, so mistakes are easy to make. Once he has adjusted it to fit your car exactly, make sure he shows you how to fit it yourself in future. Ask for a copy of the instructions to keep to hand – probably in the glove compartment – for easy future reference.

9. Travel systems

Group 0 and 0+ car seats are light enough to be taken in and out of the car and so come with carry handles. These tend to fit as part of a travel system, such as. a pushchair that also has an option for clicking the car seat into the frame, for getting around easily with your newborn.

10. Lie flat

You should never leave your baby for long periods in his car seat. Growing spines develop best lying flat, plus recent research has linked newborns sleeping in car seats with an increased risk of cot death.

Therefore it’s best to push your newborn around in the carrycot attachment of your travel system, and save the car seat just for the car.