Convertible seats are very useful and can safe lots of money, because they are used throughout many stages. Some convertible seats can transform from a rear facing seat to a forward facing seat, and some then can be used as a booster seat.

Convertible seats from many manufacturers make it possible for 5-35 pounds rear-facing, so you can keep your baby in the safer rear-facing position up to the weight of 35 pounds.

Convertible safety seats can be installed in a position of rear facing or forward facing seats. You can choose the necessary weight and height from available limits which can differ by manufacturers.  Extra features also vary from seat to seat and by manufacturer.  Choose seats featuring a 5-point harness because these seats are proved to be safer than those with an overhead shield.

Do not buy convertibles for a newborn. They are not safe for newborn babies due to the reason that the bottom harness slots are on the neck on newborns. If you want to use a convertible seat for your newborn, buy a seat with low bottom harness slots which should be below shoulders.

Most convertible seats have 35 pounds of rear facing weight limit, some manufacturers feature 40, and even 45 pounds. Experts advise to place children rear-facing until they outgrow their convertible seat, without any regard to the age. It is very important for safety reasons to leave a child rear-facing until he or she has either outgrown the weight limit for the seat, or the top of the child’s head is within an inch of the top of the shell of the car seat.

If you are going to become a parent think about safety of your child beforehand and choose convertible safety car seats.

Eddie Bauer is a highly recognized brand with a reputation for high-quality, outdoor casual lifestyle products. Eddie Bauer is a well-respected company that produces clothes, outdoor gear and stroller travel systems good looking and designed to answer all the need of the parents.

Features:

  • 1-hand fold and stand with self-locking feature;
  • Storage basket with easy spring-down access;
  • Includes SureFit  infant car seat with adjustable base and front harness adjustment;
  • Fully reclining seat for newborns.

Eddie Bauer Endeavor Travel System you can get with your child where you want. A fully reclining seat for your newborn makes your travel marvelous- your child can sleep uninterrupted as you stroll. A quick click system allows going from riding in the car to strolling on the sidewalk a snap. Endeavor Travel System makes your life easier.

The five point harness system on the Eddie Bauer Aluminum Travel System is an effective way for keeping your child safely in the seat.

The overall design of the Eddie Bauer Aluminum Travel System is sturdy and durable; however, some parents consider it rather heavy.

The large storage basket on the stroller easily springs down for the things you may need to take for the ride. The 1-hand fold and stand with self-lock makes storing the stroller easy.

Chicco Cortina Stroller Travel System has the stroller and the Infant Car Seat features. The Chicco Cortina travel system includes the Cortina stroller and either the Key Fit infant car seat, with a 22 lb. weight limit, or the Key Fit 30 infant car seat, with a 30 lb. weight limit. The travel system has built-in lock-offs for lap/shoulder belts, a single-strap-pull LATCh installation system, dual bubble levelers and a very deep, EPS-foam-lined shell.

It is one of the best systems on the market from the point of  fashion and safety ideas. This travel system offers a lightweight, aluminum frame with a one hand fold. With a suspension system that provides smooth ride  your child will feel comfortable on any road.

This travel system with  the outstanding Key Fit infant car seat and the Cortina stroller is heavier than other systems however it is full-featured and sturdy. The Chicco Cortina stroller is the base of this travel system. It weighs about 23 lbs. and has an adjustable handle, a decent-size basket and a fully reclining seat. The unique feature “memory recline” puts the seat back into the same position it was before when you unfold the stroller.

The frame of the stroller is sturdy without being too heavy. When folded, the Cortina stroller is about 12x21x40, so it fits in almost any trunk or cargo area.

If you’re planning to buy a travel system, think about  Chicco Cortina travel system.

Stroller travel systems are available in all shapes and sizes. Lightweight strollers or full-size packed strollers or jogging strollers- it is up to you what system to buy.

If you store the stroller in a car, check how well it will fit and how much space it takes. If you buy a larger stroller, think about where you will use it and where to store it. Remember that jogging strollers, for instance, don’t always fold as easily for trunk storage.

If it is too difficult for you to choose a ready-made travel system with a car seat and stroller from what manufacturers offer, make your own travel system with separate car seats and strollers. However, different brands may not suit each other when putting the car seat on top of the stroller. This is not a problem for many parents – they simply don’t use the travel systems in such a way. They carry baby in the infant car seat carrier and use the stroller as usual.

We don’t recommend using travel systems used by other people. The car seat components of used travel systems may be unsafe for re-use. You don’t know for sure if the car was in and accident. We also consider car seats that are older than 5 years unsafe. If you still want to use such systems, make a thorough search on to make sure that all of the original parts including instruction manuals exist.

A stroller travel system is a set including a baby stroller, an infant car seat and a car seat base. The infant car seat has a handle for using it as an infant carrier. The car seat base can be seat-belted into a car, making it easier to move baby from car to destination all while strapped into the same carrier. The travel system is the best way to transport sleeping infants.

A stroller travel system is a most convenient way for transporting a baby. The unit of a full-size stroller with an infant car seat allows you to transfer your baby between your stroller and car without bothering him.

Some experts, however, consider them to be too heavy and more expensive than standard models. The other disadvantage they are not suitable for running or jogging. Fortunately, there is a great variety of stroller travel systems on the market and you may choose a better quality, lightweight stroller that goes with your infant car seat. Manufacturers recommend parents before buying a baby travel system, to consider how to use the travel system stroller and car seat and what is important to choose the car seat first.

Strollers add convenience and the car seat keeps your new baby safe in the car. Select travel systems with car seats that fit tightly in your car and that you can easily install and use. Look for 5-point harnesses on infant car seats, and check to see whether or not you can install the car seat without the travel system base.

If you are not ready to buy a full size stroller and don’t want to carry the infant car seat, consider purchasing a universal stroller frame that clips to the car seat bottom. Besides, stroller frames are cheap and convenient to use.

A universal car seat carrier is a device to move your child easily to a child car seat; it is a metal frame on wheels onto which baby’s infant car seat can be quickly and easily clipped.

If you are going to be a parent, think about advantages of the universal car seat carrier.  With this device you will not disturb a sleepy baby by moving him between an infant car seat and a stroller. The alternative of the universal car seat carriers are travel systems, but they can be heavy to push (especially for woman) and hard on the pocketbook. The universal car seat carrier is the best decision for the parents, since it is compact and lightweight and easy to use.

Universal car seat carriers are less expensive than travel systems; they have different features such as: one-hand folding mechanism, removable parent tray with cup holder, fit tray cradles with the red restraint straps, a storage basket, and plastic swivel wheels for easy one-handed steering.

They are ideal for use in malls, on sidewalks or paths. If you are expecting twins, double and triple universal car seat carriers are available.

In conclusion, universal car seat carriers will make your baby remain comfortable and undisturbed in his infant car seat; they are an ideal decision for transporting your baby during their first year of life.

 

Our children should be safe in a moving vehicle – this is the fact we all agree with. The correct installation of a child car seat will save your child’s life and prevent serious injuries.

Read the following tips on how to make sure your car seat is installed the right and safe way.

First of all read your car seat manual carefully. All child safety seats manufactured after September 1, 2002, have to be used with, Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (the LATCH system) which is designed to make usage of the child car seat safer. It is attached directly to anchors permanently attached to the vehicle and you needn’t use the seat belt to secure it. It is highly recommended to use this system.

According to different safety studies, the safest place for a baby is in the middle of the back seat. So install your child car seat only on the back seat of your car.

If you are installing a forward-facing seat, it should be placed flat against the seat’s bottom and back. Check the seat – it should not move and there shouldn’t also be side-to-side motion; get a tight fit.

The straps should remain flat, pay attention to this moment the straps should not be twisted. The straps should be locked when you place your child in the car seat.

It is good to use rolled-up blankets, or towels around newborns to keep them cozy in the car seat. You can use head, neck, and body supports to make sure your baby will be comfortable.

If the head of your child flops forward while moving, make the car seat more horizontal by putting a rolled-up towel or special head support under the front of it.

If you have problems with proper installation of the car seat, manufacturers and experts on child safety advise to visit special safety in the car classes.

 

When  children outgrow their front-facing seats (children – from about age 4 to at least age 8), they should ride in booster seats, in the back seat, until the car seat belts fit properly.

Booster seats are for children under eight, weighing 18 kg – 36 kg. Booster seats make the adult seatbelt fit and work more effectively. The combination of lap and shoulder belts must be used in booster seats. The child’s head must be supported by the top of the booster seat. The shoulder strap must lie across the child’s shoulder and the lap belt must cross low over the hips. The seatbelt adjusters must not be used.

Booster car seats of some manufacturers (Britax, Graco, Sunshine Kids, Recaro, Maxi Cosi) incorporate safety and comfort due to innovative adjustable Side Impact Protection (SIP) wings.

Most manufacturers offer such features as:

1.      Air comfort foam offers increased airflow.

2.     Side Impact Protection through aluminum reinforced side walls and head rest.

3.     Anti-submarining angled seat for maximum safety to prevent a child from slipping below the lap belt during a collision.

When installing booster seat, read instruction manual, because different manufacturers provide specific instructions regarding proper use of booster seats.

When children reach the proper weight more than 20- 35 pounds (depending on a manufacture) and appropriate height they can be moved to a front-facing car seat.

Front-facing car seats must have a properly installed strap. Kids weighing between 20 and 40 pounds should be placed in forward-facing seats. When choosing a car seat for your baby, pay attention to the weight of your child, because car seats are rated for a particular weight, properly chosen, it can protect the child.

The car seat should provide protection at the top of the head of a child. Make sure that your child’s head reaches the top of the shell to prevent hitting of the child’s head on the seat. In a head-on collision the muscles of the neck of a child are not able to adequately support the head so parents should be greatly concerned about the age, weight, height and skills of the baby before moving a child to front facing seats. Serious head and neck injury occur to babies in front facing seats when they are under age, though the baby remained adequately seated in the car seat.

A rear-facing car seat protects babies and toddlers better than any other car seat for baby. According to different researches, a rear-facing car seat is 20 percent safer than a forward-facing car seat. Rear-facing seat is your safest choice. The rear-facing weight and height limits are normally – one year old, 20 pounds and an appropriate height is determined when the top of a child’s head reaches the top of the shell, but nowadays the standard has changed and is – a child can be beyond a year, weight limit is about 35 pounds (it depends on the manufacturer).

Rear-facing seats are considered to be the safest car seats for babies, according to the results of different crash tests. Babies and toddlers have very immature bones and face a great risk of spinal cord injury during a frontal crash, with rear – facing seats this risk lessens largely.

Rear-facing car seats prevent the head from snapping relative to the body in a crash. Children can not withstand the forces on the head and neck in a severe crash, that is why babies should be transported in rear-facing seats as long as possible.

Car accidents are the number 1 cause of death for children under 14. Rear-facing car seats can reduce children injuries and deaths.