Features of a Great Child Safety Seat
Among the highest goals for any parent is baby safety. The most important part of that plan is to choose the best seat for the particular car. Keep these tips in mind when looking for the ideal design.
The first things you need to look at are weight and age. Babies less than one year of age need to have a safety seat that is especially made for their small size. It still needs to be facing the rear, and shouldn’t be used with an older baby.
The average weight for a child between the ages of one and four is about 20 to 40 pounds. Of course, they’re also taller than small babies, and they keep increasing in height as they get older. This introduces the possibility for a car seat that faces forward, making things more convenient for the parents. However, it still needs to be placed in the back seat.
The good news is that you don’t have to give up convenience to achieve these goals. Some styles can be converted. That is, they can be turned from a rear-facing position to forward-facing with a few simple movements. But don’t forget about the specifications concerning weight and age.
It’s essential that the car seat you use meets some minimum standards. A 5-point harness attachment design is key. This allows parents to use the car’s safety restraining belt to attach the car seat at the hips, shoulders and between the legs. That provides a very stable, secure platform.
It’s helpful to have an overhead shield, too. These padded covers circle down and around the infant. AT-shield is another option; this is a padded attachment for the should straps, in the shape of a T of course.
Look for models with a tether at the top that can be attached from the top of the child’s car seat to an anchor point in the car. This provides additional safety. Some have a system called LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children). This eliminates the need to use the car’s safety belts which, after all, were designed for larger children and adults. The car seat attaches, instead, entirely to the anchors.
Extra safety and comfort is provided by baby car safety seats that safely allow for adding or subtracting padding or blankets. As well, parents don’t have to spend as much time making adjustments to the seat for a good fit. That’s a win-win situation for both. Some even have integrated travel vests that can be buckled around the child.
That same double theme of safety and convenience is carried on by seat designs that make it easy to insert and adjust the restraining straps. Parents are busy people and it’s all too easy to take an occasional shortcut. However, nobody wishes to skimp on safety. A model that needs just a few seconds to put in or move is the answer to all of those issues.
Tags: 5 Point Harness, Adults, Anchor Point, Anchors, baby car seats, Baby Safety, Back Seat, Car Seat, car seats, Child Safety Seat, Convenience, Hips, Infant Car Seats, Latch, Legs, Lower Anchors And Tethers For Children, Older Baby, Safety Belts, Shape, Shoulders, Small Babies, Tether, Tethers