After Your Baby Is BornHealth & Beauty

Before You Choose A Newborn Baby Car Seat… Some Things You Need To Know

newborn-baby-car-seat-by-chimothy27.jpg Picking out a newborn baby car seat is one of the most important things you can do for your child.

And yes, even if you and your newborn are only going to be riding in the car once, you still need to have a car seat for your baby.


5 Tips For Choosing A Newborn Baby Car Seat

Here’s what you need to know before you decide on a particular  car seat:

#1  It’s important to have your newborn baby car seat picked out and ready to go before your child is born. In fact, the sooner the better, in the event that your baby is born happy, healthy… and early! Otherwise, you will not be able to leave the hospital with your newborn.

#2  If you decide to purchase a used car seat (or you receive a secondhand car seat as a gift), find out the history of that particular brand, make and model of car seat before you use it! Some car seats have been recalled due to problems that compromised children’s safety, so you need to make sure that your secondhand car seat is not one of the ones that have been recalled. Used car seats may also have cracks, missing instructions, or other issues that would compromise your baby’s safety.

 

 

#3  Not every car seat is fits well in every model of vehicle. That’s why it’s important to try out any car seat you are interested in before buying it. Ideally, you want one that is also easy to install and adjust each time that you use it, because you’ll be using it for every single car ride that your child takes for the next year!

Check NHTSA’s ease-of-use ratings for car seats, and have your car seat checked for FREE!

 

 

#4  The child’s age, weight, and height ultimately determine the type of car seat you need. For example, From birth to at least one year old (regardless of weight) and until they weigh at least 20 pounds (regardless of age), infants need a rear-facing car seat installed in the back seat — preferably in the middle. Your choices include:

#5  Newborn babies require a 45-degree angle in order to keep their airway open. Some newborn baby car seats have built-in recline adjustments, and some do not. If you get a car seat with this built-in feature, then you won’t have to use rolled-up towels or swim noodles with your child’s rear-facing car seat.

 

So, what do you do if your newborn is a preemie or was born with a low birth weight under 5.5 pounds?

Since there are extra health issues that these special babies face (like suspension of breathing, low muscle tone, slow heart rate, and low oxygen levels in the blood), it is absolutely critical to purchase the right newborn baby car seat.
Tips Regarding Special Car Seats For Preemies

Here are a few of the extra things that you need to consider when you have a premature baby or an underweight newborn: