*This post is a sponsored post from Chicco. All opinions are my own. Images Courtesy of Chicco.
Expecting a baby? If you plan on doing any traveling by car, you’re going to need a car seat for your new little bundle of love! It’s one of the most important pieces of baby gear that you’ll buy. When used correctly, a car seat can reduce fatal injuries to your baby during an accident by 71%, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Finding and buying the right infant car seat can be tricky. While it’s easy to get drawn into all of the amazing colors and styles, the important thing is that you pick a car seat that is safe for your child. Use our tips to help pick the best infant car seat and give your child a safe ride.
Using a Car Seat Like a Pro
A Good Base Makes a Solid Foundation for Safety
Infant car seats typically come with a base that you install in your car, and then you can click an infant bucket seat in and out of the base. Chicco, one of our favorite places to buy baby gear, has a huge variety of infant car seats with bases.
Most infant car seats can be used with a regular seatbelt in addition to using the seat with the base. The base allows you the convenience of safely clicking your infant in every time without worrying about if the seat is secured in the car with seatbelts. All of the sleep-deprived moms and dads of infants should consider that heavily, as car seats are often misused or not installed properly.
If you are switching your baby back and forth between multiple cars regularly, I highly recommend buying an extra base. Then you can install the base once in each car and know every time your baby is secure without having to readjust and tighten the seat tethers every time you switch cars. Chicco sells extra bases separately, so you can buy as many as you need for each car that you’ll be using.
Latch Right Every Time
The latch system lets you easily clip your car seat using two clips that attach to hooks pre-installed in many cars. I have installed my car seat both using the latch hooks and a seatbelt. While the seat does attach firmly using the seatbelt method and is safe when the seat is installed correctly. I personally prefer using the latch system. Tethering two clips that you can hear click tight always gave me peace of mind.
Chicco uses the latch system and takes things one step further by adding bubble levels to their seats to ensure your car seat is snuggly, safely attached and properly positioned every time. Making sure my kiddo was secure was important to me, and Chicco cars seats go the extra mile to help you ensure your car seat is secure.
Focus on the Five-Point Harness
All babies and young children should be in a car seat with a five-point harness. Simply put, their small bodies are not safely strapped into a seat without that five-point buckle. Look for a car seat that lets you easily adjust the seatbelt. I have argued with my husband multiple times, as he prefers to simply unbuckle the seatbelt without loosening it. The problem: the next time he puts my daughter in the car, he doesn’t readjust the straps to tighten the harness figuring they are already tight. Chicco’s car seats are super easy to adjust which means when the weather and clothing thickness is changing your kiddo is still snug. The only way to ensure your child is safe in the car seat is to tighten those straps every time snuggly across their chest.
Ask for Help Installing it Properly
Not sure how to install your car seat properly? Consult your manual or call your friendly car seat company with questions. Many fire or police stations also offer car seat clinics where they will teach you how to properly install your seat. Ask them to show you both the latch system and how to attach your car seat model with a seatbelt.
Need more reasons to buy a Chicco car seat that is super easy to install and use? Check out this infographic!
This sounds and looks like a great car seat. I love the pattern on the one in the picture!
Super informative posting! I have never really used a Chicco seat before!
I’m so glad there’s so much information out there about car seats now a days. It used to be you were pretty much on your own. Thank goodness that’s no longer true.
I think choosing the best & right car seat for your infant is so important to make sure all is well during your travel. The info-graphic looks very informative with clear answers for everyone’s common questions in choosing the best car seat.
My car has the latch system and I love it. We are down to one car seat now which is awesome!
I loved our Chicco car seat. It was a great investment!
This is so important and is so much easier than when kids were little. I love that the car seats are ‘smart’ and account for installation error through their design.
haha the first time I tried putting a car seat in, I ended up upside down and inside out. Thankfully, I do not have that much trouble anymore!
Ah, thank you for this! We are actually in the market for a car seat…two car seats, in fact!
The infographic is very useful – especially for a first-time parent. We are looking for a new infant seat since the one we had for our son expired (so it was destroyed and thrown away.)
Thanks for the updates on car seat safety. The rules change so often, it’s good the have the latest for my little ones
I just can not believe how much seats have changed over the years. Glad to know what to look for.
Car seats have changed over the years. I’m so glad that there is help out there in assisting the installation and making sure it’s safely installed. Thanks for the tips
Love this post. More people need to learn about car seat safety. I’m so glad I don’t have a car, don’t drive and haven’t been in one in about 5 years…… I am not sure how I’d fit all the seats!
All of the laws and car seat types have changed so much since I last had a kid in one, so I am glad that there are posts like this that help me still stay up to par, just in case 😉
Boy those sure look a lot easier than what we had for our kids. We had twins so that level would have made this a lot easier. I need a gift for my cousins baby, this carseat would be a great gift!
Having the right car seat and having it installed correctly is really important. You can never be too safe.
Chicco car seats sound like they’re super safe. That infographic is a really good safety guide.
Chicco makes great products. Love this car seat, I would choose this if I decide to have more kids.
Wow, things have sure changed since my kids were in a car seat! That infographic was really helpful!
This looks like a great car seat. I love that it has bubble levels to make sure you have it secured correctly.
Those seatbelt-like latch hooks are my FAVORITE. It makes switching bases between cars a breeze, and I don’t like the seats without them!
It has been some time since I have needed a car seat. Chicco looks like a great brand and I love the style of them!
I agree, it does look like a great brand. They sure have improved since we used one.
When I was pregnant I just walked into Babies R Us and picked a seat. I didn’t know much about them, but I was happy with the one I picked.