How To Choose The Best Baby Car Seat?
Friday, January 27, 2017
In Australia, there are quite strict legal requirements around the type of car seat you have to provide your child. These requirements make choosing the best car seat for your baby a whole lot easier. So, in order to provide you with everything you need to make the right decision when it comes to transforming your car into a baby-safety zone, we suggest you take the following items into consideration when choosing your first baby seat.
How to choose the best baby car seat in australia?
Having a child is one of the most rewarding and exciting experiences. The thing is, with all that excitement comes the responsibility of having to keep your precious little being as safe as possible. To start things off, you should be looking to purchase the best baby car seat for when on the road.
The first test comes when you leave the hospital. It is at this point that you have to wave goodbye to all the wonderful nurses and doctors who’ve been on-hand to answer every question and concern - now it’s all up to you. And the very first thing you have to do? Get your precious bundle of joy home from the hospital safe and sound.
To do this you need to make sure you get the right car seat for your little bub. In Australia, there are quite strict legal requirements around the type of car seat you have to provide your child. These requirements make choosing the best car seat for your baby a whole lot easier.
So, in order to provide you with everything you need to make the right decision when it comes to transforming your car into a baby-safety zone, we suggest you take the following items into consideration when choosing your first baby seat.
1. Australian Standards Certification
If the car seat doesn’t have an Australian Standards certification, then don’t buy it. The certification isn’t some annoying moneymaking scheme set up the government - it has been created on the back of lengthy research. You can rest assured that a certified seat will keep your baby safe.
2. Baby Car Seat Categories
Understanding the types of car seats available is crucial if you want to get the right one for your baby, mainly because different types of car seats are designed for different ages of children. If you are truly looking for the best baby car seat for your child then do your research on each car seat category and their pro's and con's.
This post is centred on buying your first baby car seat, so that means you’ll be purchasing one designed for a newborn. A newborn must be seated in a rear-facing capsule or convertible car seat so that the child is facing towards the boot of your car. This capsule or convertible car seat is held to the seat through a seatbelt or an ISOFIX anchorage point and a tether strap which is anchored to the body of your car. Most capsules and convertible car seats on the Australian market will allow your child to be rear facing anywhere from 12 to 36 months.
3. ISOFIX Anchorage Points
ISOFIX is an internationally recognised car seat installation system that works by clipping the baby car seat into anchorage points that have been inserted into the car during the manufacturing process. However, lap sash installing car seats are still every bit as safe as ISOFIX fittings, provided the car seat is fitted correctly.
Most modern cars will have these anchorage points automatically built-in and the ISOFIX system is compatible with Australian Standards as of 2014. ISOFIX compatible car seats in Australia still require the fitting of a tether strap to the body of your car. This Australian requirement has come about from vigorous testing before ISOFIX was sanctioned to be used in Australia. It is imperative that you only use Australian Standard ISOFIX car seats as overseas models are illegal for use here.
4. Car Considerations
It may sound obvious, but you’d be surprised how often first-time parents forget to check whether their car is actually big enough for their car seat of choice. So, before making any purchases, double check that the capsule or convertible car seat will actually fit into your car’s back seat.
For instance, if you have a two-door car, some capsules or convertible car seats can be extremely difficult to maneuver into place. It’s also a good idea to check that both the passenger in the front seat of your car and the child in the new car seat will have enough leg room. Finally, if you’re planning on having another child, is there enough space for two or even three car seats in the back? If not, you may need to look for a capsule or car seat with a slimmer design.
5. Height Markers
The latest Australian Standard requires that baby car seats have shoulder height markers. These markers indicate when a child needs to turn from rearward facing to forward facing and also when a child has outgrown their seat. Crash testing has proven that a child rearward facing in a capsule or car seat is 5 times safer than in the forward facing position. This is why many car seat manufacturers have chosen to develop baby car seats that allow for extended rearward facing up to three years of age.
6. Invest IN A SAFE CAR SEAT
There are plenty of areas where it’s ok to save money. Hit up vintage stores and relatives for clothes and toys but never opt for a second-hand car seat unless it’s your own or it belonged to a close relative and you know the history of that seat. In fact, just purchase the best baby car seat you can!
Unfortunately, if you buy a second-hand car seat on eBay (or elsewhere) you have no idea about how it has been looked after. If it’s been repeatedly dropped or thrown around, or even been involved in a car accident, the structural integrity of the car seat may be compromised. There are also many overseas car seats that are being illegally sold in Australia from online sellers.
If all this sounds far too confusing, keep in mind that you can pop in and speak to one of our Baby Train experts or contact us any time.
We also provide professional car seat installation services - one less item to check off your 'To Do List' while you're preparing for the arrival of your new bundle of joy!
