If you're expecting your get-go baby soon, it'southward fourth dimension to start thinking about car seats.

You may already know that there are ii types of automobile seats for newborns: infant car seats and convertible car seats. Both are safe for your babe, but there are some important differences you'll want to consider when registering or shopping for your baby's first machine seat. Those differences have to practice with size, portability and how long you'll exist able to use the car seat before your babe gets too big.

Here's what parents demand to know about both infant and convertible motorcar seats, plus how to decide which i is correct for your newborn.

Infant vs. convertible car seats

Really apace: Let'due south go over rubber nuts for newborn car seats. These rules apply no matter what type of seat you get.

Infants and toddlers should ride in a rear-facing car seat until they reach the weight limit or height limit of their specific model, whichever comes showtime. You should plan to keep the car seat rear-facing until at to the lowest degree historic period 2 and maybe even longer, depending on your infant's growth. Infant auto seats and convertible automobile seats both allow babies to ride rear-facing from solar day one.

At present, let's become into the differences between the ii.

Babe car seats

Infant motorcar seat pros

  • Infant car seats are generally smaller and more compact. They might exist a great option for you if you lot're going to make frequent trips with your baby and you need something portable. Infant machine seats are as well handy if you're going to be moving the seat from car to car frequently.
  • Parents appreciate that many baby car seats tin be used with a travel system. This ways the seat can come out of the car and snap into a stroller frame. You lot tin can keep your babe buckled in when you lot get out of the car and commencement walking around the grocery shop or the park. This is a corking choice for families on the become!

Baby car seat cons

  • The trade-off? Your child will outgrow an infant machine seat faster than a convertible ane.
  • Different brands and models have different size limits. Typically, infant car seats tin fit babies upwardly to around 35 pounds or 35 inches long. Once your babe is also big, you lot'll need a convertible car seat to keep her safe while driving.

Convertible motorcar seats

Convertible car seat pros

  • A convertible car seat might be right for you if you want to invest in just ane automobile seat that will last many years. Being able to convert the seat from rear-facing to forward-facing means yous can use the same model from the day your baby is born until she's set for a booster seat.
  • Convertible car seats are installed rear-facing at offset and then "convert" to a frontwards-facing position when your child outgrows the weight or peak limits. Depending on the model, convertible car seats can fit children up to 65 pounds in the forrard-facing setting. Some can even be turned into a booster seat for older kids.
  • Convertible car seats also usually have greater weight and height limits for the rear-facing setting than infant car seats do, so your infant can ride rear-facing for longer.

Convertible car seat cons

  • The downside? Convertible car seats are often larger and bulkier than baby car seats.
  • They're typically not designed to be portable. They don't take carrying handles like infant motorcar seats, and they're not designed to be chop-chop taken out of the car one time they're installed.

Whichever model you choose, always keep safety in listen. You lot shouldn't use a motorcar seat if information technology has been in a crash, if it has parts missing, if it has been recalled or if it's past its expiration engagement. If there'southward no expiration date, use six years from the appointment of manufacture. And if you don't know the history of a used machine seat, it'southward safer to buy a new one.

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Your automobile seat should meet federal motor vehicle condom standards and accept a five-indicate harness. Look for a label with this statement from the National Highway Traffic Safe Administration. If y'all can't find it, don't purchase the seat!

When to switch from an baby to a convertible car seat

You should switch from an infant to a convertible car seat once your kid reaches your infant seat's maximum weight or height, whichever comes showtime. About car seats are outgrown when your child'south caput is less than one inch from the meridian of the seat, but bank check your seat'south manual to be certain.

An infant car seat's weight limit is often marketed more clearly (some models include this in the product name), just continue in heed that many children will reach the elevation limit before they do the weight limit.

Every model is different, only most baby car seats have a maximum weight that's somewhere between 28 and 35 pounds, and a maximum height betwixt 30 and 35 inches. You can find the limit for your car seat in the user manual, on a label on the side of the seat, or by checking online. Nigh children will achieve one of those two milestones former between 9 and 18 months.

Even later you switch to a convertible car seat, you lot should nevertheless keep your child rear-facing as long as possible. And think, if yous always demand aid installing whatsoever type of auto seat, y'all can notice a child rider safety technician in your area through the National CPS Certification Program at safekids.org.