Choosing A Car Seat For My Li’l One!

Every parent goes berserk when shopping for their child and this is even more so before the baby is actually born. Well at least in the west, in India a lot of people believe it to be inauspicious to shop for the baby before he/she is born. And it makes sense too given that in India you won’t know whether you are welcoming a boy or a girl home, this one being the practical outlook on not shopping before baby is born.

One REALLY important must have is a car seat. Once again if I were to compare to the west where car seats are mandatory, I think Indian parents also should start adding it to their baby registry. The idea is simple; I want my child to be safe when in a car.

In India many a times we see, parents travelling by car with the baby held in the mother or grandparent’s lap. No one can foresee a collision; this lack of foresight leads to numerous grievous injuries or in a worst case scenario the death of a child. Child seats are designed to protect the child in the event there is such a collision. A good car seat is tested to ensure that even in the case of a side collision your baby is safe. And isn’t that what we all want?

So what does one look for when buying a car seat? Well depending on where you are the brands may defer. Graco is one leading company as far as car seats and strollers are concerned. The following is the list I picked out from a website called “www.bestreviews.com”.

1. Chicco
2. Britax
3. Graco
4. Evenflo (although a lot of times I have seen this one recall their products, hence I wouldn’t get one for my child)
5. Orbit baby
6. Safety 1st
7. Peg Perego

You can get a huge variety of car seats

1. Some that come with a stroller,
2. some are stand alone car seats,
3. Some have the option to adjust the tilt. This is helpful as when baby is really young you want him in a laying down position as he/she will sleep a lot, and later on when your child wants to sit up you can simply adjust it.
4. And just like everything baby related you will get them in so many colours, so many looks.
5. There is what is called booster seats for slightly older children. This is required when they aren’t tall for the seat belt in the car to actually fit well.

Research is the name of the game. Ask your doctor about their recommendations (but be cautious as they sometimes get commission for promoting a particular brand). Talk to your friends who have bought and used one. Research online and then pick the one that will protect your child and fit your budget. You may also want to pick a convertible car seat so that as the baby gets bigger you can adjust the seat to keep him/her comfortable. If you don’t pick convertible car seat to begin with be sure to change it to one as your child reaches the 2 year mark.

We picked up a Graco car seat with a stroller. And no matter how old your child gets, do not let them sit on the front passenger seat, that seat is too risky for you to let your precious little one to sit in.

Image courtesy – Pinterest