{"id":546,"date":"2024-03-05T12:00:41","date_gmt":"2024-03-05T12:00:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/parentingwithspoons.co.uk\/?p=546"},"modified":"2024-03-05T12:01:01","modified_gmt":"2024-03-05T12:01:01","slug":"baby-driving-buying-a-car-seat-for-your-new-baby-or-toddler","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/parentingwithspoons.co.uk\/?p=546","title":{"rendered":"Baby driving: buying a car seat for your new baby or toddler"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Car seats can be totally confusing and it’s not hard to see why. There are so many different types and so much advertising trying to convince you you’re getting the right one.<\/span><\/p>

The reality is that car seat buying comes down to three main factors:<\/span><\/p>

1. Budget. You can only buy what you can afford.<\/span><\/p>

2. Safety. You will need to decide what your personal views are, within the boundaries of what is legal.<\/span><\/p>

3. Car. There is no point buying a snazzy spinning car seat that claims to last until your child is 12 years old, if it doesn’t fit in your car.<\/span><\/p>

I’m going to attempt to debunk some car seat myths here, and streamline the advice. When we bought our next stage car seat I did bucket loads of research and found it all spread out, which took far too much time and spoons to consolidate. Since then, friends and friends of friends have asked me what I learned. In case you don’t have a friend to ask, here are my findings.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Please remember I am by no means an expert. There are lots of super qualified car seat experts you can consult with if budget allows. Many of them will visit you at home (or meet in the middle) so you can try seats in your car. This gives you a good idea of fit and practicality, but may be especially useful as a spoonie to check how manageable they are for you.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

If you’re unsure about anything I say here, please check for yourself and let me know if you believe anything should be amended.\u00a0<\/span>This post is not sponsored and the views expressed are my own.<\/span><\/p>

You can comment below, or get in touch with me here<\/a>.
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Photo by Zac Harris<\/a> on Unsplash<\/a>\n <\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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Infant carrier car seats for a newborn<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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That first drive home from the hospital (ro out if you’ve had a home birth) is both nerve-wracking and exciting. This is the start of your life together as a family.\u00a0<\/p>

So before you do that most momentous of drives, you’re going to need something very safe to transport your little bundle of joy in.\u00a0<\/p>

Lots of people opt to buy a travel system, with a pushchair, carrycot (bassinet) and car seat with base included. That makes the car seat decision easy. You’re going to get an Isofix base, most likely, with an infant carrier seat that may or may not rotate.\u00a0<\/p>

However, it’s not compulsory to buy a travel system (read more about that here<\/a>). So if you opt to buy a pushchair with a lay flat feature and a separate car seat to cut down on costs, you’re probably wondering what to get.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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It is very tempting to buy one of those seats that is designed to last from birth until your child is ready for their first job.\u00a0<\/p>

However, my understanding is that the best seat for a newborn baby is one that has been designed for a newborn baby. In most cases, that means an infant carrier. The sort of car seat you imagine when you think of a new baby in a seat.\u00a0<\/p>

This was our one that came with our travel system – the Nuna Pipa Next. It was compatible with our buggy (though we never used this feature) and came with an Isofix base that allowed the seat to spin to make it easier to get baby in and out. It did the job. The straps moved around all the time and I didn’t find it particularly easy to clean, but it worked.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Nuna Pipa Next<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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Whilst there are some infant carriers that are theoretically better than others, they are not as complicated as the next stage seats. The key is to check that they have passed the R129 regulations (rather than R44 which was an older set of requirements). Some brands to check out are Cybex<\/a>, Avionaut<\/a> and Britax<\/a>. Consider whether a spinning base is important to you to make it easier to get baby in and out of the car. Do you prefer Isofix or a belted fitting (some seats will do both). Look at the weight of the carrier as you will likely be bringing it out of the car sometimes.\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Misconceptions and things you may not yet know<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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