What car seat do you need for baby?

The main thing you need to be able to leave that hospital with your precious bundle of joy is a car seat.  Of course, you can buy a buggy that comes with a carrycot, buggy seat and a car seat all in one. This type of buggy is called a travel system. The car seat that comes with the buggy would be ideal for a newborn but if you don’t want to fork out on a whole travel system then have a look for a stage 0+ car seat as it is perfect for a newborn.

Graco snugride newborn car seat

Graco snugride newborn car seat

It’s very lightweight and is easy to manoeuvre. Its strong, robust, and is built to last. The stylish sleek design will help it blend in to your car interior design instead of standing out like other bulkier seats on the market. It will provide endless comfort to baby and the padded memory foam insert will help them sleep whilst in the car making the journey go smoothly. The car seat is suitable from birth up to 12 months.

This one is very similar to the one that we had. This newborn car seat is suitable from leaving the hospital with your tiny baby up until they are around 13kg or their head no longer sits under the top part of the seat. It is safe, easy to install and uninstall, it has comfortable padding to fit your newborn in all snug. Ideal for for your first, second, and third baby. It is super easy to carry around, very lightweight. It has a sun protection part for those sunny days out in the buggy.

This car seat is also compatible with the Graco buggy travel system. The handle can be put all the way back. So you can safely get baby in and out without bumping their little heads. The dark coloured design means sick stains will wash out on the machine washable cover, it is also great for both genders as there is no specific colour such as pink or blue, the colour is perfectly neutral. I personally used this car seat for my newborn daughter and we kept it for when i had my son just 16 months later, it was easy to manoeuvre getting in and out of cars as we didn’t have our own car at the time.

I had a tough birth and had to have stitches which made it difficult for me to carry too many heavy things. When leaving the hospital, this car seat was perfect. I found it easy to carry my tiny 5pound 12oz newborn baby. She just about fit in the car seat as she was so small. It was also a great car seat for my son. Even though he was slightly bigger, he fitted just right. The five point safety harness is soo secure to make sure your baby will safely be in the seat weather its walking around in the buggy or just out and about in the car. I would 100% recommend it.

It’s very important to buy a brand new car seat. Buying a car seat for your newborn is one of the most important things. As you wont be able to leave the hospital after having your baby without it. If you buy a car seat second hand there is a risk of it already being in a car accident. Which makes it not viable for safety anymore. Always ensure safety first.

Has my baby outgrown their car seat?

The way to tell is if your baby has outgrown the maximum weight for that car seat, or if their heads touch the top of the car seat. Whichever it is, it’s time to upgrade. Children are safest staying in the lower grade seat until they really do need a new one, as it offers the most support and safety when driving.

Heavy or lightweight?

Of course, the heavy is going to offer your child maximum protection. if you have your own car, you don’t have to take out the seat out at any time, unless they outgrow it. The heavier option would be fine as long as you don’t end up injuring yourself carrying it to and from the car. From experience, we had the heavy ones and I despised them. With the additional weight of having the baby inside and being unable to drive, this car seat was a real pain for me.

If you don’t drive, but you know you’ll need a car seat for going out in other people’s cars. Get a light weighted one, they’re easier to install, safe, secure and can be normally used as a booster seat as well, when the time comes. Getting a lightweight newborn car seat is ideal for getting on and off of airplanes, in and out of family cars to carry your little one about. Also if you have to store it in your home they can usually dismantle too.

What car seat for an older child?

After your little one is over 1 year old. You can get them the next size up which some offer an adjustable height feature. This actually means that the car seat will be suitable from 1 year old all the way up until they are 12 years old.

Bebe booster car seat

Bebe booster car seat

When your child is over one years old they will need a booster car seat like this. This one is more lightweight than the previous version, has an adjustable headrest, with safety surround side impact protection.

Never buy a secondhand car seat

Whilst purchasing a pre-owned car seat may seem like a good idea at the time, mainly due to the low price that it can be brought for. It’s actually not such a good idea. Brand new car seats are made and impact tested which checks for the support that the car seat can provide to your child.

A car seats main purpose is, of course, to allow your baby or small child to travel in a vehicle. But the reason that they cannot sit in a normal chair is that the safety is lacking. Car seats are designed to be more safe and secure for your child just in case you have an accident.

When buying a second-hand car seat for cheap, firstly you do not have the guarantee that the car seat has been safety checked. But you also do not know if the car seat has been previously involved in an accident or not. If it has, it likely will have some internal damages which will affect its sufficiency. Keeping your baby safe should always be your number one priority and for that reason. You should always buy this type of specialised equipment brand new, as it is just not worth the risk. The same situation is true for a motorbike helmet.

This is not the only option, you can get car seats that are for 1-4 years but all of these things depend on your preference, style, price, and levels of safety. Obviously, safety should not be taken for granted, and should always be your primary concern which is why we have recommended the ones that we have above. 

If your child doesn't like the car ride very much you can get them an activity tray that will give them something to do when going on long journeys.

Travel activity tray

 Travel activity tray

Have you ever been travelling for hours in the car with your child in the back? It certainly isn’t a fun experience, especially if they have nothing to do. Now, you can keep your little one entertained for hours with this travelling activity tray! This all in one tray is good for toddlers and suitable for car seats of all kinds. It is made from environmentally friendly PVC and therefore has no chemical smell within your vehicle. With a sturdy base interface, you can focus on driving from A to B whilst your toddler keeps themselves entertained for hours. 

The tray itself consists of several compartments and organisers to store your little ones favourite toys, as well as a drawing board and erasable pen so they can let their imagination run wild whilst you drive. With this tray, there will be no more kids fighting over the toys they can play with. Instead, they can take everything they need with them. If this doesn’t already sound great, the travelling activity tray has multi purpose use. It can be used with high chairs as well as on the road, ensuring that your little one remains entertained no matter where you are.

Up next: Travel system vs stroller and car seat

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