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BU Y I N G GUIDE
HOW TO BUY A CAR SEAT Shopping for a car seat can be overwhelming with so many models, price points and safety features. Whether you’re in the market for a seat for your babe, toddler or big kid, here’s how to make sure every ride is a safe one.
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CONVERTIBLE CAR SEAT
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INFANT (OR BUCKET) CAR SEATS Infant car seats are designed for preemies and babies weighing at least two kilograms (four pounds) and can be used until they reach the seat’s weight or height limits— usually 14 to 16 kilograms (30 to 35 pounds)— or if your baby’s head sits 2.5 cm (1 inch) below the top of the car seat. Infant car seats are only installed rearfacing, which is the safest position for protecting your baby’s head, neck and back in the case of a sudden stop or collision. Opt for a seat with an easy-to-read recline level indicator—there are a variety of types
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available, ranging from a simple sticker to a bubble. This will help you to adjust your baby’s car seat to an optimal angle, so their chin stays off their chest, allowing for unobstructed breathing. No one plans to have a small baby, but the car seat you choose should have features to accommodate one just in case. Look for a seat with a harness that includes a low setting, to create minimal distance between the harness and the crotch buckle,
todaysparent.com November+December 2021
says Katherine Hutka, president of the Child Passenger Safety Association of Canada, health promotion specialist at Child Safety Link and a mom of two. The harness straps should be at or just below your baby’s shoulders to help prevent them from sliding up toward the top of the car seat in the case of a sudden stop or accident. “We don’t want the straps to be floating up around their ears,” says Hutka. “It puts them at greater risk of injury.”
PHOTO: CARMEN CHEUNG
PURCHASING THE RIGHT car seat involves striking a balance between your kid, your car and your lifestyle. Depending on your child’s weight and height, your options are infant (or “bucket” seat), convertible and booster. (We’ll talk about all-in-ones, too.) All car seats legally sold in Canada will have the National Safety Mark sticker, which means they’ve been tested and deemed safe. The “safest” car seat for your child is one that is compatible with your vehicle and has been correctly installed.
