An informative article by Gina Alissia.

Fitting a car seat correctly is as important as buying the correct car seat for your baby in the first place. An incorrectly fitted child seat can be as dangerous as not using a child seat at all!

Choosing the right baby car seat – The ideal method to ensure the correct fitting is to purchase the car seat from a reputable store with fully trained personnel that can demonstrate how to fit car seats correctly prior to purchase and then let you practice fitting it yourself. Additionally, once you get the seat home – do not attempt to fit until you have read all the manufacturer’s instructions. Once you are confident you can fit the seat correctly please keep instructions in glove box for future reference.

You will find that many online baby car seats reviews will actually score car seats on ease of fitting and clarity of instructions, this further re-enforces the importance of correct fitting. Please read the following tips which will help you to ensure your child seat is correctly fitted.

1) Push down on car seat when tightening the straps, this eliminates any excess movement caused by soft upholstery and ensures a secure fit.

2) Adjust the harness every time the seat is used. Many buckles will allow the straps to gradually loosen over time so this has to be checked regularly. Once you get into the habit of doing it every trip it only takes a few seconds. When doing this also check the condition of the straps for fraying or splitting, if you see any evidence of this then do not use the seat again.

3) Once harness is fastened make sure that it is tightened correctly by ensuring you can only get two fingers in-between straps and the child’s chest.

4) Make sure the belt is around child’s pelvis – not the tummy!

5) Don’t put a child in a front facing seat too soon, there is a temptation to use a front facing seat as soon as possible as the child becomes more aware of the surroundings. Do not put a child under 9kg in a front facing seat.

6) Children are very inquisitive and as they get older will attempt to play with buckles on the car seat and may succeed in releasing themselves. This can be avoided by making sure they have in car toys, music or audio books to keep their attention.

7) If leaving car for extended periods in hot weather always cover the car seat. Some of the fittings on the car seat can become hot enough to cause burns on sensitive young skin.

[Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/]

Technorati Tags: car seat installation, carseat, carseat review, toddler carseat

Another informative article from Angela Martinez.

 Your doctor will stress that your child should always ride in a safety car seat, but what’s best for my child. Well all situation are different and not every car seat will work for every child. So here are some tips and facts about the different types of car seats that might help you in buying the best car seat. Once your child is at least 1 year old and weighs at least 20 pounds, she can ride forward facing in her car seat. Although, studies show that it is still safer for her to ride rear facing for as long as she can comfortably do so.

There are 5 types of car safety seats that can be used forward facing.

1. Convertible seats are ones that can be used rear facing or forward facing.

2. Forward facing toddler seats can only be used forward facing with a harness. These are for children who weigh up to 80 pound. You must check the specifications on each model, because some can only be used up to 40 pounds.

3. There are car seats that can be used forward facing or as a booster. These are called a combination forward facing/booster seat. These car seats can be used forward facing for children weighing up to 40 to 65 pounds, depending on the model. They can be used as a booster car seat without the harness for children weighing up to 80 to 100 pounds.

4. Some vehicles are made with forward facing car seats built right in. Read your vehicle owner’s manual to find out the weight and height limits for your particular vehicle. They will vary.

5. Travel vests are a pretty new product on the market. They are a safe alternative for forward facing child car seats. Travel vests can be useful when you have a vehicle with only lap seat belts in the back seat. They are great to move from vehicle to vehicle, so you do not have to take your car seat in and out. Travel are used for large toddlers who can no longer fit in a traditional car safety seat or for children who just simply will not stay in their car seat. They can be used for children between 20 pounds all the way up to 168 pounds.

Installation tips for forward-facing seats

1. The car safety seat must be installed tightly in the car. The harness should fit snug against your child.

2. When rear facing, the shoulder straps must be in the slot at or below your child’s shoulders. To switch a convertible seat to forward facing, you must move the shoulder straps to the slots at or above your child’s shoulders.

3. With some car seats you may have to adjust the angle of the seat to recline.

4. Vehicles made after 2002 should come with the LATCH system. This is used to secure car safety seats. If you have this, it should be used. It keeps the car seat more secure than an ordinary seat belt. Check your owners manual for your vehicle to find out where your tether anchors are located in your car. Use your manual for you particular safety car seat to learn how to use this system with your car seat.

Always use your manual and your car seats specification when using and installing it. Remember, even though you think your little one is big enough to ride with just a seat belt, statistics show they are not. Even children from the age of 4 to 8 years should be in a booster seat. So keep your child safe and use a safety seat.

She is the mother of 5 children, ranging in age from 15 mo. up to 18 yrs. of age. She is the author of a variety of articles about family life and all it’s craziness. From babies to teens, she enjoys sharing ideas on what works for her. I you find that you need help sometimes then visit her. http://tobeatoddler.blogspot.com/ http://lotsofcrazykids.blogspot.com/

[Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/]

Technorati Tags: carseat, carseat review, toddler carseat

A review by Barbara Wibault.

This high-quality car seat is designed to last throughout your child’s infancy and early years. It starts out as a rear-facing infant seat for children ranging up to 35 pounds. It can be turned around to accommodate older babies up to 65 pounds.

Designed with your child’s safety in mind, the Britax Boulevard boasts a HUGS (Harness Ultra Guard) system. This car seat includes features like side-impact protection, a firm five-point harness, and deep seat walls with head support. With construction meant to increase the amount of shock absorption, your child will be safely nestled in the Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) impact foam.

Although safety is the most important feature of this car seat, it is equally crafted to make installation effortless. An easy-turn knob allows parents to adjust the headrest and harness height without removing the seat from the vehicle. It can also be easily removed for use in additional cars or air travel.

The Britax Boulevard simply looks great, as well. At first glance, you can tell that this seat is plush enough for children but stable enough for your peace of mind. The seat boasts a fully washable cover in a variety of stylish colors. The shoulder belts come with comfort pads to keep your child fully secure, and an integrated toddler and removable infant pillow add just the right touch of luxury to your little one.

Britax Decathlon Car Seat

The Britax Decathlon car seat is among the top-rated safety seats for young children and infants. As with all Britax products, safety and high-quality construction are the two most important factors in designing and building their products.

Meant to grow with your child, the Britax Decathlon has three buckle positions that change as your child gains height and weight. It is certified for use for rear-facing infants of as little as 5 pounds and reverses for forward-facing use up to 65 pounds.

It also comes complete with a five-point harness system, which is just the beginning of its safety features. The car seat currently exceeds all U.S. crash safety standards. It does this with it’s one-pull strap adjuster, a HUGS (Harness Ultra Guard) system to reduce head movement and improper positioning, and a LATCH connection to anchor the seat to your car whether it is front- or rear-facing.

The Britax Decathlon also provides a nice finish to a car seat. Its fully removable cover is machine washable and comes in a variety of finishes to suit your tastes and car.

The removable head and body pillows provide comfort while also securing your child in the seat, especially since they are provided for both infants and toddlers. The also provide an overall plush look to the seat, making sure your child is nestled comfortably and (hopefully) quietly throughout your car or air travel.

Barbara, a young mother writes car seat and baby stroller reviews at: http://www.baby-strollers-guide.com

[Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/]

Technorati Tags: carseat, carseat review, toddler carseat

Another informative article from June Carr.

I can think of nothing in life more important than protecting my child, any mother would feel the same, however when driving we have little or no control over what another driver might do. With this thought in mind, it’s important you use a Britax car seat to provide your child maximum protection should an accident occur.

CAR SEAT FACT: According to Consumer Reports, Britax is a British company that is now manufacturing car seats in the US. The car seat is considered high-end, child safe and comes standard with many easy to use features.

While there are certainly car seats less expensive, the Britax car seat is in my opinion “top of the line”, and I wouldn’t consider any other brand for my 4 year old.

It’s been about 10 years since they first entered the US child car seat market; they were almost immediately welcomed with rave reviews. This was the first time parents were introduced to a seat that not only properly restrained their children, but also provided side impact protection; this was unheard of before.

CAR SEAT STATISTIC: Studies reveal that 90% of child car seats are not used the right way. Car seats reduce the risk of death by 71% for infants and by 54% for children ages 1-4.

BRITAX CAR SEATS ARE COST EFFECTIVE: When I was growing up money was tight and often I had to wear “hand me downs”. Today, with many parents facing rising costs, parents are faced with the problem of protecting their children, while maintaining a family budget. Britax rose to the occasion and created a seat giving parents the best of both worlds; a “top of the line” car seat that adjusts (or grows), it’s called the Adjusta-fit system and (at least for a time) can accommodate a growing child avoiding the need to buy a second seat.

Pediatric Recommendation: The American Academy of Pediatrics, realizing many will be travelling to visit friends and family, strongly recommends children weighing 40 pounds or less be restrained in safety seats.

While I don’t personally know the officers of the Britax Corporation, I feel certain they must be parents with children of their own. They too must have faced the decision all parents face, what is the best car seat for the money, and more importantly which offers the greatest protection for my child? In each case they rose to the top, offering multiple models each constructed with top-of-the-line materials, each pleasing and stylish.

The Britax Car Seat is constructed with “True Side Impact Protection” (a company trademark) and contains thick side walls coupled with outstanding head support, designed with total protection in mind. The engineers didn’t stop here, but built stabilization bars into each seat offering significant protection should an accident occur. Just like us parents, infants and children need their heads protected and this is accomplished by carefully cradling the head ensuring proper position is maintained and maximum protection offered.

All in all this car seat is crafted with an engineering mind (offering the utmost protection) coupled with an eye toward design and style. Not only will your child be protected, they’ll also be riding in style.

To say that Britax manufactures the perfect child safety seat is an understatement; it is a work of engineering art and should be considered by any safety conscious parent.

Before you buy your baby’s seat make sure to visit “Car Seat Reviews” for the real story behind Britax Car Seats, Chicco Car Seats and more. Don’t leave your baby’s safety up to chance.

[Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/]

Technorati Tags: carseat, carseat review, toddler carseat