I can’t help but check out all the cute babies when I’m waiting on line for my splurge latte at my local Starbucks. But lately, my thought process has been something like this: Oh, what a cute baby. But, hm, he’s definitely outgrown that infant car seat. Should I tell his mom that it’s time to trade up?
Fit Tip
Infant car seats are generally meant for babies 30 inches in height or less. But unless you’ve just been to the pediatrician for a well-child check-up, it’s tough to get a read on your baby’s height. Nonetheless, here’s an easy way to gauge if your baby is ready for the next-stage car seat: Look at your baby’s head when he’s sitting in his infant car seat. If his head is at the top or less than an inch from the top of the car seat, it’s time to get a convertible car seat. Use it in the rear-facing position until it’s safe to turn it forward facing, based on the manufacturer’s recommendations. (Keep the instruction manual handy.)
Your baby will outgrow his infant car seat before you know it. Most do by the time they’re 6 to 9 months old.
From personal experience, I have used an infant carrier as well as a convertible car seat. I feel both have their pro’s and con’s. I still feel that my infant is most secure in an infant carrier when they are under one, but when she out grew that, I decided on a convertible car seat so that I would not need a booster as well down the road. There is a great article at http://www.allreviews.com/car-seats/2010/01/09/what-kind-of-baby-car-seat-should-you-buy/ that goes over reasons why one might work better than the other for you.
Kristin, thanks for your comments! Consumer Reports agrees with you. Infant car seats are best for infants who continue to meet the seat’s height and weight recommendations. You can definitely skip the toddler booster seat if play your cards right. As far as boosters go, when kids reach around 40 pounds, they’re eligible for a belt-positioning booster, which will last them until they weigh 100 lbs and reach 57 inches in height. Then, they’re ready for regular seat belts. As with my own kids, they were there before I knew it. It goes fast!
How I found great Car bargains…
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Thanks for writing about this. There’s a lot of solid tech info on the internet. You’ve got a lot of that info here on your web site. I’m impressed – I try to keep a couple blogs pretty live, but it’s a struggle sometimes. You’ve done a great job with this one. How do you do it?
Thanks Kristian!
Admirable blog! I’ll probably be referencing some of this info in my next assignment.
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I will check back again later to see how you responded. Thanks, Elan Johnson .