How to Choose the Best Car Seat Newborn

The Best Car Seat For Newborn car seat for newborns is one that is compliant with federal safety standards, fits in your vehicle, has convenient extras (like making it a stroller) and works with your budget. It's also worth checking that the car seat for your baby clicks into and out of your car with ease, particularly if you often shift between taxis or rides in rental cars and grandparents' vehicles.

Safety

Car seats are made to protect your baby and a safe one should have some extra features that go beyond the federal safety standards. These include padded inserts to the head and shoulders as well as air-repellent fabric to help keep them cool in hot car and side-impact safety.

Another crucial safety aspect is how easy it is to install and use the seat. Ideally, the seat should be simple to install and use, as well as clear indicators of its height, position, and security.

Look for features that make it easier to do that, like built-in lock offs and belt guides that can help to align the car seat with the seatbelt. Avoid buying used car seats that might not have been tested for crash, or which might have been involved in an accident. They may not be safe for your child. If you must purchase a used car seat, ensure that it has an expiration date and that the seller isn't a private person who doesn't have evidence of ownership.

One other thing to keep in your mind is to keep your baby in the car seat for a maximum of two hours per day unless they are lying down in a supine position. This will help prevent strain on the spine of your child, and ensure that they are able to breathe regularly.

Selecting a car seat for your infant is a significant investment, so you'll want to be sure that it has a lengthy duration. Choose a seat that will develop with your child's age and last from toddlerhood through teen years. One product that our testers for parents liked was the Axkid One i-Size that is suitable for children from birth and can be used for up to 7 years.

Nuna pipa air rx is an additional alternative that can be used for a lengthy period of time. It is 360-degree in rotation which means that you can switch it from front-facing to rear-facing as your child grows. It's also among the lightest rotating infant car seat car seat for newborn seat available that weighs less than nine pounds. It's a great choice for parents who frequently move their children between vehicles or plan to use it for taxi rides, fly-drive holidays and trips to grandparent's homes.

Comfort

A well-designed infant car seat is comfortable for your baby, both in the seat and when you are installing it. Find straps that are padded to are comfortable to wear around their shoulders. Also, look for soft fabric that is comfortable under their tummy. This is particularly important if you plan to use the seat for a long duration.

The most effective infant car seats are easy to use. Some feature premium LATCH connectors that come with the SuperCinch force-multiplying tightener spring-loaded leveling feet and belt paths that make installing without the base easier than ever. Other features let you adjust the height of the headrest and harness that is essential as your child grows.

One example is the Cosatto All in All Rotate test, which our parents gave 10 out of 10 for ease of use. It features a simple, clear interface and an easy-to-adjust no-rethread harness and an indicator for recline and 360-degree rotation. You can easily switch your child's seat from front-facing to rear-facing as they grow without needing to take out and replace the seat.

Another example is the Nuna Pipa aire rx, which our testers who were parents loved for its ease of use, comfort and flexibility. Its padded shoulder straps and headrests are designed to accommodate your baby's head, and it comes with an infant pillow that is soft to ensure they are comfortable. It can be used as an rear-facing car seat until your baby hits the max weight or height limits, and it converts into a stroller without the need for a separate adapter.

A high-quality car seat will last and some come with a warranty. Choose a seat made of robust materials and plenty of padding to protect your child from any injuries and an aluminum frame that suffocates the force of impact and a "crumple zone" to reduce the risk of damage. It must be easy to clean since accidents are likely to happen with children. To make cleaning easier, search for a car seat that has removable covers and pads that can be washed in the machine.

Ease of Use

A car seat needs to be easy to use and install, especially if you're likely to be using it in a different vehicle at least once in a while. To make it as easy as possible look for features like a quick-release belt, an indicator to show the condition of the latch (e.g. green for locked) and a user manual that is easy to read.

The Best of The Bump winner has many practical extras that our testers for parents loved, such as a cushioned headrest and harness, plush fabric, and the cup holder. It also features a recline feature that allows your baby to be seated in a more comfortable position for longer travels. It can also be used in conjunction with a buggy that is compatible to create an entire travel system which is ideal if are planning to travel for long durations of time.

Suitable from birth, our panelists found this car seat simple to set up and adjust. It has recline locks as well as an excellent connector that has a SuperCinch tightener. This made it easy to ensure your child's safety. It's designed to be easily moved from side-to-side inside the vehicle without the need for tools.

The recline feature allows you to take your baby in and out of the vehicle. This is particularly helpful for those who have back pain or have a small car. It also has an adjustable drink holder that can be reversible, and a handy storage compartment for toys and snacks.

The seat is lightweight and can be used without or with the base. It also rotates 180 degrees, which could be a real lifesaver if you have a limited space or suffer from back pain. Our panelists were impressed by this feature, which earned a spot in our 2021 Mother&Baby awards.

This is a great choice for those who want to convert their car seats into strollers for an affordable cost. Its sleek design and high-quality fabric will endure the test of time also. Be sure to clean the cover regularly as spills of yoghurt and biscuits that have been crushed, and even sickening toddler accidents can leave a marks.

Design

Car seats come in a variety of designs as the cars they're used in. Some parents choose to skip baby car seats and opt for convertible models. However, most new mothers want something that will develop with their child as they reach the age of toddlerhood. The most versatile option is an all-in one baby car seat that allows you to switch between rear-facing and forward-facing. It typically has a greater weight and height limit and can also be used as a booster when your child is old enough.

The ideal car seat for infants for newborns is lightweight and easy to remove from the base with your baby inside. Our testers with parents loved the Maxi-Cosi Coral, which is only available in a couple of colors, but has a lot of safety features and is incredibly lightweight (at 8.4 pounds with seat inserts and canopy). Other models that stand out are the Nuna PIPA URbN which was the winner of Gold in the 2021 Mother&Baby Awards for Best Car Seat Group 0/0+, thanks to its high-end features like the Dream drape and full-coverage UPF 50+ canopy.

The design of the seat and base should be considered. For instance, some car seats come with a base that locks into the buckles on the seat belts and others use steel-reinforced LATCH connectors which flip out from the sides of the base and turn green when connected correctly. These were convenient for parents, particularly when the vehicle only had front-facing seatbelts.

Some infant car seats can also be used with a standard seatbelt without the base that is great for parents who regularly take taxis or need to travel with their child. The Nuna TODL NEXT was a popular choice among our parent testers. It can be used with or without the base and it has a smooth swivel, which allows you to easily take your top rated baby car seats in and out.

Other important considerations for design are whether the car seat is a flat design, and how it is compatible with your car (see our guide to car seat compatibility). If you're looking for a newborn infant car seat that will develop with your child's growth into a booster make sure you choose a seat that has a reclined backrest and side impact protection. Make sure the baby car seat you pick is iSize compliant and also has the correct car-seat attachment points in accordance with UK law.