Key takeaways: Both infant seats and convertible seats can be safe from birth when used correctly. Infant seats are portable; convertible seats last longer and allow longer rear-facing. Check that the seat fits your baby’s weight and height and your car. Correct installation matters most.
Choosing a car seat is one of the most important purchases you’ll make. The safest seat is one that fits your child, fits your car, and is used correctly every time.
Infant Car Seats
What they are: rear-facing-only seats with a carrier that clicks into a base left in the car.
Pros:
- Portable: you can carry a sleeping baby inside without unbuckling (though babies shouldn’t sleep in car seats outside the car).
- Often fit small newborns well.
- Many work with strollers.
Cons:
- Babies outgrow them, often within the first year, by height or weight.
- Heavy to carry as your baby grows.
Convertible Car Seats
What they are: seats that start rear-facing and later convert to forward-facing. They stay installed in the car.
Pros:
- Last for years.
- Allow longer rear-facing, often to 40 to 50 pounds.
- Cost-effective over time.
Cons:
- Not portable.
- Some don’t fit very small newborns well. Check the minimum weight and height and how the harness fits.
From the author
From First Breath to First Birthday is my month-by-month guide to your baby’s first year, written as a NICU and postpartum nurse. My book is a month-by-month guide to your baby’s first year, including the warning signs that mean it’s time to call the doctor.
All-in-One Seats
These go from rear-facing to forward-facing to booster. They can be economical, but check fit for newborns and your vehicle.
What the AAP Recommends
The AAP recommends children ride rear-facing as long as possible, until they reach the highest weight or height allowed by their car seat. When they outgrow a rear-facing-only infant seat, switch to a convertible seat installed rear-facing.
How to Choose
- Fit your baby: check weight and height limits and how the harness fits a newborn.
- Fit your car: try installing it before you buy if possible, or check the store’s return policy.
- Easy to use correctly: look for clear level indicators and easy harness adjustment.
- Meets federal safety standards: all car seats sold in the U.S. must meet them.
- Expiration date: check the date of manufacture and expiration.
Higher price doesn’t necessarily mean better crash protection. All seats must pass the same federal standards.
Installation
Use the seat belt or LATCH system as the manual directs. The seat shouldn’t move more than 1 inch side to side or front to back. Find a certified Child Passenger Safety Technician through NHTSA or Safe Kids Worldwide for a free check.
The Bottom Line
Infant seats offer portability; convertible seats offer longevity. Choose a seat that fits your baby and car, keep your child rear-facing as long as the seat allows, and get your installation checked.
Want more support for your baby’s first year? My book, From First Breath to First Birthday, is available on Amazon.
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- Hot Car Deaths: Simple Habits That Prevent Tragedy
Sources
- Durbin DR, Hoffman BD; Council on Injury, Violence, and Poison Prevention. Child passenger safety. Pediatrics. 2018;142(5):e20182460.
- National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Car seats and booster seats; car seat recommendations by age and size. https://www.nhtsa.gov/equipment/car-seats-and-booster-seats
- Safe Kids Worldwide. Car seat safety. https://www.safekids.org
- American Academy of Pediatrics. Car seats: information for families. HealthyChildren.org. https://www.healthychildren.org
This article is for general education and is not a substitute for individualized medical advice. Always talk with your baby’s health care provider or your own provider about your specific situation. If you think your baby or you may have a medical emergency, call 911.
