Best Booster Seats

Best Booster Seats

Finding the best booster seats begin with some basic information about car seats and what you need to know about them.  For the sake of argument we will consider booster seats and car seats to be interchangeable in this brief article.

The best booster seats for an infant will be one in which the seat faces towards the rear of your vehicle. This gives the best protection in the event of an impact or a quick stop for an infant who is unable to support the weight of their own head. The seat will be nicely reclined backwards, providing a safe and comfortable cocoon for your infant.

It's important to choose a rear-facing booster seat which is sturdy and dependable, yet light to carry. Young babies sleep a lot and often, and the last thing you want to do after finally getting your child to sleep in a car is to wake them by removing them from their warm and cozy seat. Having an easily detachable car seat, which is light to carry means you can ferry your baby from car to house with as little disturbance as possible.

These rear facing car seats are only suitable for younger infants. Once they've grown to weigh in around 20 pounds, or the top of their head is nearing the upper edge of the seat and thus no longer protected properly, you'll need to move to a forward facing car seat.

These seats are much more upright, but the higher end models can be adjusted to provide a more horizontal position to help your toddler sleep during longer trips. Because of the upright position, it's essential that your child is able to sit up on their own before using this kind of booster seat. Forward facing seats are built to last for a few years, and most will be good until your child reaches the age of 4 to 6.

Before we finish, there are two extremely important things to bear in mind when buying the best booster seat.

First, you should be very careful when buying one that isn't brand new. Although it might seem like a bargain to get a second hand seat, there's no way of knowing for sure its history. It may have been involved in an accident at some point in the past, resulting in weaknesses that may not be visible to the naked eye. These weaknesses could endanger your baby even in a minor accident. You should only buy a used seat when you can be absolutely sure of the history - such as when buying off close friends or family.

Finally, baby car seats shouldn't be fitted in front seats where an airbag is fitted. In an accident, the inflation of the airbag could cause serious injury or suffocation to a child, so always fit car seats in the rear of the vehicle in this case.

Obviously price is always a concern when making any purchase but there are times when you have to err on the side of safety especially when it comes to your little bundle of joy. When looking for the best booster seats make sure you do your homework and get the best seat possible and don't skimp on the quality.