A baby's tiny world begins to unfold from the time she takes her first ride in the world outside.
A happily gurgling baby safely tucked into a car seat with a view of the scenery beyond the window is an utterly delightful sight.
However, getting the right car seat is not always a well-researched decision by parents who want to get the cheapest, best and most long-lasting option in the market.
A low-down on the main considerations: Rear-facing car seat These are essentially meant for infants where the baby faces the rear of the car while riding.
Paediatricians recommend that babies ride rear-facing until they are 12 months and weigh at least 20 to 30 pounds.
These come with precise weight and height specifications to ensure maximum safety for its occupant.
The safest position to install this type of seats is at the center of the back-seat of the vehicle, using either the anchorage system of the car seat & belts with locking clips.
The main purpose is to protect the baby's vulnerable parts like the head, neck and spine from sudden stops or collisions.
Convertible or forward-facing car-seats The rear-facing infant seats can sometimes double as forward-facing seats, meant for toddlers or babies above a year old and more than 22 pounds in weight.
Typically, the baby is ready to face forward in his seat when the head height is just short of an inch from the seat's top edge.
The front-facing car seat comes with a five-point safety harness mechanism to constrain and secure an active baby in a way that any colliding force is distributed across the strongest body parts like the shoulder, hip and crotch.
They also have tether straps that hold the top of the car seat firmly and prevent the seat from moving ahead in case of a collision.
It is hence vital to anchor the car seat very firmly in its base and attach the safety belts as per the specifications to avoid any casualties to the baby in front-facing position.
Booster seats Booster seats are meant for older children above at least 40 pounds.
Once the weight specification is crossed, the safest bet is to shift the child into a booster seat fitted directly on the seat of the vehicle.
The booster seats do not come with a seat base or harness belts.
Instead they are attached to the seat of the vehicle and strapped using the shoulder belts, which hold both the seat and baby firmly in place.
The safest position to strap the booster seat in your vehicle is at the centre of the back seat.
Positioning the belts is crucial, with the lap belt going across the hips (and not the tummy) and shoulder belts through the chest (and not the neck) in order to ensure the safest fit.
Other considerations Apart from the baby's age and size metrics, there are other factors too, that can influence the choice.
Type of vehicle: Car seats do not fit into every vehicle model.
The best approach is to take the floor model and try fitting it into your vehicle to check for fitment, anchorage and lateral leg space for free leg movements.
Ease of installation: Assembling or dissembling the car seat, converting orientation from rear to forward or simply making fitting adjustments is something parents just have to learn, and an easy mechanism is always helpful.
Ease of maintenance: The car seat is going to be the beneficiary of food crumbs, spilled liquids, throw-ups and a lot of stains.
Hence, a seat cover that's easily washable is an added bonus.
Know your brand: Do check the technical specifications, installation instructions and recalled model data of various brands for your babies.