As a parent myself, I can tell everyone who is reading this is that one of the most crucial things that you can buy for your baby is a car seat. Now if you are a first-time parent and are trying to get things organised before your little one comes into this world; a car seat should nearly be the first thing you buy. Speaking from experience it is important not to cheap out when it comes to the safety of your little one. When my wife and I where going through the stages of buying a car seat there are multiple car seats available to you. Even though we only have one child over the years we have seen our friends go through a lot of infant car seats and that makes you think did they really have a proper look and research the baby car seats that are out there? Did they look at all the features that come with them? In this piece we will look at some of the features to look at and some of the what experts say are the best baby car seats that are available in Australia so you can have a look at the different types of car seats and maybe even compare them. 

When it comes to the best baby car seat in Australia there are heaps of things that you need to consider to make sure you are getting the perfect car seat for your little one and what types you can purchase in the Australian market.

We will look at all of the baby car seats that are ideal for all children that are up to the age of 4 years old like a convertible car seat, the best baby car seat or ever a good toddler car seat you will have all the information to make the right decision.

When you and your partner are ready to buy a car seat, there are some crucial things that you should research so you can understand all of the different things that make up the best car seat. You do not want to get a baby seat simply because it is on sale and you really do not want to simply buy one just because it is cheap, as with everything the cheaper a item is generally it is not of the highest quality. Take your time and take everything into consideration because if you buy a baby seat that costs you a little extra you are no doubt getting one of the highest quality and it will last longer than cheaper ones.

Another thing to think about is that you could be better off buying a car seat that has the option to be a convertible, it is a little expensive simply but over time you will save yourself a lot of money for the simple fact that it will last you  a lot longer because you will not have to be buying a new baby car seat when your little one grows up.

As all parents know buying a great baby car seat is that a little on the expensive side is great for peace of mind because it will keep your child safe and get even potentially last your child until they get to the stage where you can transition they to wearing a seat belt.

Now we will have a look at some of the things that parents should look at when they are looking at buying a baby car seat. For most families there is usually one parent that takes their child to school or day-care in the morning and then the other parent will pick them up. This usually involves getting the car seat out of the car and putting it in the other. So, think about the weight of your car seat. If you are like my wife and I, we actually bought a car seat for each car to  avoid this, now it is a little bit more costly but you do not have to worry about constantly taking one car seat in and out of the car all the time. On top of this, any parent that has put a car seat into their car it is not the most easiest thing to do and if you have a heavy seat, it just make sit that little bit harder to do it. Generally, a heavier seat is sturdier and seat but overall, just have a think about the baby car seats weight.

The next thing you should look at is its size, especially if you are looking at buying a rear facing car seat. It is crucial to think about especially if you have a small car like my wife’s or if you have more than one child and need two seats in the back. You can do what we did and look for the best baby car seat brand that is the smallest and compact so it can fit in your car. Convertible car seats give you heaps of room too, allowing your child to grow so ideally you can look for a baby seat that is safe but can also give your child room to grow as they get older.

Then you must think about the age of your child as well as their height and weight. As most parents will know, if you have just welcomed your child into the world, the car seat you WILL have to have is one that is rear facing, simply because it is recommended to be the safest position for your little one to be in when in the car. Once your child starts to grow you can then turn it around so that it is in a forward-facing position which is what we did with our son. Now not all car seats can do this because they are not convertible so it might be worth thinking about getting a convertible car seat.

Usually most newborn or cheap child car seats will not be able to be converted and you will have to buy another car seat once your child grows up. Experts say that it is a good idea for you to look for the best brand car seat that gives you the option to put your child in it from its newborn phase to around the age of 4. The reason why experts say this is because from that age, children from the age of 4 they will be able to then move onto a booster seat and that will usually last them right up until they are ready to go to an adult seatbelt.

Next is without doubt the most crucial thing when buying a car seat. Your child’s safety. Considering that the only reason you buy a car seat is to make sure your child is safe, it is something you do not want to take lightly and you want to make sure that the car seat is of the highest safety quality. Now when it comes to safety there are extremely strict laws in Australia that everyone must follow. They all must have the quality to meet the Australian safety standards. This is usually reasonably easy to see because the car seat will have a sticker on it somewhere saying it does meet the standards. Another thing that you as parents should think about is if your car seat is ISOFIX compatible and that simply means that the car seat has a easy installation system in which you can clip the car seat to the cars anchor points which are usually in the rear of the car. Doing it this way is easier to put the car seat in then the older systems and experts say doing it this way is the best way to ensure your seat is installed the right way.

Then there are the harness systems they car seats have. Most if not all baby seats have a harness system and not a standard seatbelt, as if gives your child a lot better protection if you happen to have an accident. Car seats usually have a 5-point system or a 6-point system. A five-point harness has 5 straps, 2 at the shoulder and hip and one at the crouch, then there is the six-point harness and that has 2 straps at the shoulder, waist, and crotch.

One of the things my wife and I wanted with our car seat is to make sure it was super easy to clean as all parents know, things will get spilt or food will gets squashed into it and other things too so you want the seat to be easily cleaned. Ours was easy to wipe and you can remove the fabrics because they were machine washable.

As your child gets older you will perhaps want what my wife and I have. A forward facing car seat that has some neat features like the ability to recline the seat as well so its better for him if we go on long trips and he can have a sleep in the car, as well having a cup holder for our little man. It helps our son when he is finished having a drink because he can simply put this drink in his cup holder. The best feature you can have if you want to call it a feature is that your seat is easy to put into your car as well as having to ability to be both forward facing and rear facing positions. With my wife and I we were unsure on how to properly install it, so we decided to go to a baby shop where they can professionally install it but also to show us how to do it if we have to do it ourselves.

When my wife and I were car seat shopping one that many people recommended to us was the Britax safe n sound Millenia seat. It is often considered the best brand of baby car seat and is a great choice for parents who emphasize safety features in a car seat. It has side impact cushion technology on the side of the seat and has head protection which gives your child extra protection in case of a crash. This type of seat also gives you the option to have your child in a forward-facing position until they are around the age of 3. Because this this car seat is ISOFIX compatible it makes it super easy to install. It also makes it easy to adjust the seat so you can make your child as safe as possible. It also has up to 4 different recline positions and it has some good handy storage pockets and this is what makes the Britax Safe n Sound Millenia a good choice for parents that want the safest car seat for your child.

The next car seat is the Britax Safe n Sound Graphene. It is recommended for newborns all the way up to kids who are 4 years old. It is an ISOFIX car seat with an anchor system and is a bit on the heavy side weighing in at 8.9 kilos. Its ratings are incredible, it does not rate under 4.5 out of 5 in terms of ease of use, safety, value for money, how easy it is to clean and maintain and also how easy it is to install in your car and does not take up too much space in your car. It passes all the legal requirements, has great head support and its maximum age group is 8 years of age.

Another Britax car seat is the Britax Safe n Sound Maxi Guard Pro. It is suitable for newborns up to a 4-year-old. It weighs in at 8.9 kilo and it rates over 4.5 out of 5 when it comes to car seat safety and they value safety 1st as all seats do, value for money, how easy it is to install, for cleaning and maintenance and the ease of use. It has good support for your child’s head with side impact protection and it can be both forward facing as well as rearward facing which means it is a convertible car seat.

Next, we have the Mothers Choice Avoro convertible car seat. It is super easy to install into your car and you can use it until your baby is 6 months of age in a rear facing position and then switch it to a forward facing position right up until they turn 4. It has good features which includes an adjustable headrest which can be changed to multiple positions, it can recline in 2 different positions which is great of your child sleeps in the car on long trips, all its belts are padded and the cover can be taken off and is machine washable so you can clean it easily.  The Mothers Choice Avoro car seat is a great choice if you want a car seat that will not cost you an arm and a leg and it is light too, it also comes with a huge 6 year warranty too which gives parents great peace of mind for a long time.

The next baby car seat that we look at is the Maxi Cosi Euro NXT. It is suitable for newborns all the way to children who are aged up to 4. It has an ISOFIX anchor system and is convertible so it can go from a front facing position to a rear facing position. It rates over 4 in every key category which includes its quality, ease of use, its safety, how easy it is to adjust, it is great value for money, how easy it is to clean and its easy installation.

So, there are a few of the many baby seats that are available in Australia. So whether you are after a simple baby car seat or you want one that is suitable for older children as well as infants or you want to have an inbuilt harness to provide great padded protection for your child. There are so many different options out there and as a parent, it is so important that you do your research when it comes to buying a car seat. It is something you do not want to rush because it is literally your child’s life you are looking at protecting so make sure you and your partner make the right decision and what is best for you and your child.