5 questions to ask before buying a car seat

Still in doubt about which car seat to buy? Check out 5 questions and answers to help you decide which one suits your little one, your car and your family life.

1. Is portability essential to me?

If you want to be able to carry your sleeping baby from car to house or supermarket trolley, go for an infant carrier (Group 0+). These have a handle and are usually lightweight, so they can be removed from the car and carried around, and used indoors as a rocker. You can buy them as part of a travel system with the bonus that it snaps into your pushchair chassis. These are good until your baby weighs 13kg (usually about 12 months old) but you’ll find the baby carrier difficult to lift and manoeuvre after about six months.

2. Do I want a fixed car seat?

If so, you will want a combination car seat (also called Group 0+/1). These have a longer life than infant carriers, lasting from birth until your child is around 4 years old. Like a toddler car seat, these stay strapped (or fixed) in the car, initially rear-facing, then swiveled to face the front when your child weighs 9kg or can sit unaided.

3. Should I buy a second hand car seat?

No. You cannot be sure that it hasn’t been in an accident because it may have suffered invisible damage. Even if you know the seat’s history, wear and tear will mean that the belts may not be as tight as they should be.

4. Does my car have a passenger airbag?

If so, your baby must go in the back seat – inflated airbags can be lethal to babies. Some airbags can be disabled, but you need to check this with the manufacturer of your car.

5. Will anybody else be driving my baby around?

If a child-minder or grandparent will be taking your baby out and about, you also need to check the car seat will fit in their car, and they need to practice fitting it. Portable (Group 0+) seats will fit most cars, but Group +/1 may prove more tricky.

If you usually use two cars, buy two seats. Otherwise, you can bet that car number one, complete with seat, will be zooming towards the horizon at precisely the time you need to strap your baby into car number two.