A newborn car seat is designed especially for the baby. It faces the rear end of the car to keep your baby safe and is suitable for newborns weighing 30 to 40 pounds and 30 to 35 inches tall. It is also available in a convertible variant where it caters to the needs of your growing child. However, an infant car seat ensures more safety than a convertible. The harness strap of a convertible car seat tends to be too long and will not cater to the needs of the infant. It is thus safer to use a newborn car seat.
The car seat must be installed correctly /Correct Installation of Car Seat
Its a very important factor that all parents must keep in mind. Usually one can’t figure out whether the seat has been installed properly or not. Hence to avoid any mishap, make these easy checks to see if the job is done correctly or not:
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First and foremost, you need to check that you have bought the right seat for your child.
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The infant must face the rear end.
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Shake the seat to check if it is properly set or not. A properly installed seat will stay fixed.
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Check whether the straps are comfortably secured.
These pointers will help keep your baby safe during the course, and you could drive your vehicle peacefully.
Careful with the winter wardrobe
If your baby is wearing a heavy winter jacket or a snow jacket, then the car seat straps may not fix tightly against the child’s body. The extra slack due to the winter wear could imply that the child is not sitting properly. In such a case, its better the child wear minimal clothes. When dressed in a thinner jacket or just indoor clothes, we suggest that you put a blanket on the baby to keep him/her warm and safe.
Preferably not a used car seat
You may consider buying a pre-owned car seat as it is cheap, but in most cases, it would compromise the effectiveness of the car seat. The seat could have been in any previous accident, or the previous owner had not been taking proper care of the car seat hence selling it. If either of them is the case, the seat wouldn’t be durable and will not serve the purpose.
Car seat must be chosen according to the weight of the child
Car seat must be chosen according to the weight of the child. Ensure that you are choosing the seat according to the weight of your baby as it ensures the safety of your child. Carefully read the instruction manual provided by the manufacturer before buying any car seat.
The car seats have an expiration date
Somewhere on the car seat, you have an expiry date mentioned. Note it somewhere, so that you know for how long it would last. Another drawback expired car seat brings with itself is that the plastic of the seat tends to wear down, and this makes the seat unsafe. Hence we do not advise using old car seats.
Why infant car seats are needed
It is mainly for the safety of your child. It reduces the risk of injury during accidents by 70% to 85% and death rate of infants by 40%. Given the increase in the rate of accidents on roads, it is better safe than sorry.