Are you going to buy a baby car seat for your infant? It can be an overwhelming process. You trust the retailer to give you solid advice. However, there are a few things you can do to make sure you end up with the best baby car seat for your child, and can safely install it.

Having come across baby car seat reviews to help you narrow your search, the next step is heading to a store to try the models out with your car and child.

a) Check the Basics

1. Remember your child’s weight, as this will dictate what baby car seat you need to purchase. If you are unsure, our guide will help you select your child’s ideal seat. 2. If you are switching seat groups to another, weight is not the only limiting factor. Make sure your child’s head pops above the seat. A general rule of thumb is that if eye-level is aligned with the highest point the seat, they need the next model up. 3. Have a short list of some of Best Buy’s child seats you want to check into. Do some googling and find out more about a baby car seat benefits. It helps you stay in control when you are in the store.

b) What model of child-seat?

Prior to heading to the store, it is a good idea to have considered if you want Isofix seats. If your car is reasonably new, chances are it has pre-installed Isofix mounting points. New car and seat manufacturers use this as a standardized feature, intended to make it easy to install your baby car seats quickly. Isofix lets you just “plug in” a compatible car seat to the mounting points already in the car, as opposed to messing around with seatbelts.

A basic Isofix system has 2 points on which to attach your car seat, at the bottom of the seat. Many cars will also offer an additional point at the top, generally positioned behind the rear-seat, which is designed to prevent the car-seat tilting forward in the event of an accident. Your handbook will indicate if your car has a third mounting point.

A second option to help stop an Isofix seat from tilting forward is a support leg. It sits at the base of the car, behind the front seat. Although these work well in many car models, they are not ideal for cars with under-floor storage, as often the cover is not strong enough to withstand the resulting force from a car accident. So make sure you double check.

c) Use of the Seatbelt

In cars that do not have Isofix mounts, yet you still want an Isofix seat; they can often be secured using the seatbelt. Do not forget that there are also great seats that secure in place with a seatbelt. Even if the Isofix mounts are in your car, you can still use a child-seat designed to be mounted by a seatbelt. Remember to check the seat in your car, or any car in which you intend to use the seat.

Once prepared, it is time to head to the store. When possible, bring your child and any additional cars you intend to use the baby car seats in.

d) While in the Store

You already know what baby car seats you want to check out. So first verify if the store has those seats in stock.

A good store will likely ask you a series of questions to help you buy the best baby car seat for your baby, such as:

1. What is the child’s weight?

As mentioned above, your child’s weight plays a decisive role in which carrier seat to choose.

2. What is your child’s height?

As mentioned above, this relates to the height of your infant in relation to the top of the seat.

3. In what cars do you plan to utilize the child car seat?

Not all cars can fit all seats, and vice versa. Certain manufacturers will have a list indicating which models fit into which cars, but you have to double-check this before making any purchase. The information is available either on the manufacturer’s Website, or via an on-site inspection.

Your assistant should have knowledge any features of a child car seat that they stock. Great assistants even know about baby car seats the store does not stock, so utilize their expertise when making your selection.

e) Demonstration of Child-seat:

Now that you know what child car seat, is suitable, request a demonstration using the in-store setup. Here you will be shown how the seat is intended to fit, how it adjusts, all without being in the small space of a car.

Try strapping your infant in the baby car seat. Ensure you can adjust and alter everything as needed, such as the reclining feature, or the features that will come into play as your child grows.

f) Check the seat out in your own car

When you are satisfied you have found the right seat, ask for a demo in your car, to make sure it really does fit. The angle and positioning of your car’s seat can sometimes make a child-seat useless in your car. It is very important to check it first before you make any purchase. Alternatively, you can check out baby car seat reviews to find out whether a seat fits well in a particular make/car.

[tpg_get_posts]