If you're expecting your offset baby before long, information technology's time to start thinking virtually car seats.

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

Here's what parents need to know about both infant and convertible auto seats, plus how to make up one's mind which one is right for your newborn.

Infant vs. convertible car seats

Really quickly: Let's get over safety 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 auto seat until they achieve the weight limit or meridian limit of their specific model, whichever comes first. You should program to continue the machine seat rear-facing until at least age 2 and maybe even longer, depending on your baby's growth. Infant car seats and convertible automobile seats both allow babies to ride rear-facing from solar day one.

At present, allow's go into the differences between the two.

Infant car seats

Baby motorcar seat pros

  • Infant car seats are generally smaller and more compact. They might be a great option for you if y'all're going to make frequent trips with your baby and y'all need something portable. Babe automobile seats are also handy if you're going to be moving the seat from car to car ofttimes.
  • Parents capeesh that many infant car seats can be used with a travel system. This means the seat can come up out of the car and snap into a stroller frame. You tin keep your baby buckled in when you lot become out of the motorcar and beginning walking around the grocery shop or the park. This is a great option for families on the go!

Babe car seat cons

  • The trade-off? Your child will outgrow an babe car seat faster than a convertible i.
  • Different brands and models have different size limits. Typically, infant car seats can fit babies upward to around 35 pounds or 35 inches long. In one case your baby is besides big, you'll need a convertible automobile seat to continue her prophylactic while driving.

Convertible car seats

Convertible motorcar seat pros

  • A convertible car seat might be right for you if yous want to invest in just 1 car seat that will terminal many years. Existence able to convert the seat from rear-facing to forward-facing ways you tin can use the same model from the solar day your babe is born until she's ready for a booster seat.
  • Convertible car seats are installed rear-facing at first and and then "convert" to a frontwards-facing position when your child outgrows the weight or height limits. Depending on the model, convertible car seats can fit children up to 65 pounds in the forward-facing setting. Some can even be turned into a booster seat for older kids.
  • Convertible car seats also ordinarily take greater weight and superlative limits for the rear-facing setting than babe motorcar seats do, so your baby can ride rear-facing for longer.

Convertible auto seat cons

  • The downside? Convertible car seats are oft larger and bulkier than infant car seats.
  • They're typically not designed to be portable. They don't take carrying handles like infant auto seats, and they're not designed to exist quickly taken out of the car once they're installed.

Whichever model you cull, always continue safety in listen. Yous shouldn't use a auto seat if it has been in a crash, if it has parts missing, if it has been recalled or if it'southward by its expiration appointment. If there'due south no expiration date, apply six years from the date of manufacture. And if you don't know the history of a used automobile seat, it's safer to buy a new one.

Keep Reading Beneath

Your car seat should meet federal motor vehicle safe standards and have a 5-point harness. Look for a label with this statement from the National Highway Traffic Rubber Assistants. If you lot tin't discover it, don't purchase the seat!

When to switch from an babe to a convertible car seat

You should switch from an babe to a convertible auto seat once your child reaches your infant seat's maximum weight or height, whichever comes first. Well-nigh machine seats are outgrown when your kid'southward head is less than ane inch from the top of the seat, but check your seat'south transmission to exist certain.

An infant auto seat's weight limit is often marketed more clearly (some models include this in the product name), but keep in mind that many children will reach the height limit earlier they do the weight limit.

Every model is different, merely nearly infant car seats have a maximum weight that'southward somewhere between 28 and 35 pounds, and a maximum superlative between thirty and 35 inches. You tin find the limit for your car seat in the user manual, on a label on the side of the seat, or by checking online. Well-nigh children will attain ane of those 2 milestones one-time between ix and xviii months.

Even after you switch to a convertible car seat, y'all should yet go on your child rear-facing as long equally possible. And remember, if you lot e'er demand help installing any type of auto seat, you lot can find a child passenger safety technician in your expanse through the National CPS Certification Program at safekids.org.