The best car seats for you and your baby are the ones that fit your lifestyle and budget. All car seats sold in the US have passed crash tests for safety. How safe a car seat is for your child depends on a few factors, such as the size, height and weight of your child. Also there are difference between a rear facing seat and a forward facing seat. The rear facing seats are considered safer, but can only be used up to a maximum height/weight depending on manufacturing specifications. Finding the best car seats can be simple once you decide which category your child falls in.

There are the baby seats or infant carriers that are rear facing and can hold newborn babies from 5lbs to 22lbs, and heights up to 29 inches. The best car seats have a 5-point harness system, which is considered safer than an overhead shield. Some infant car seats have bases to allow easy access. They should be set at no more than 45 degrees to provide head and neck support. Once you find the best car seats make sure you do not place them in a seat containing airbags. Your child must remain in a rear-facing seat until he is over 20lbs and over a year old. If your child is over the weight limit before he is 1 year old, you should place him in a larger rear-facing seat.

Convertible car seat are often considered the best car seats because they can be the most economical. Because they can last many years by converting into a forward facing and even turning into a booster seat as your child grows. They usually hold your child rear facing up to 35lbs and some manufactures go higher. There typically is a large selection of convertible seats to match your style preferences. But again for safety the best car seats are left rear facing until the child outgrows the weight limit or the top of is his head is with in an inch of the top of the car seat.

After your child out grows his rear-facing seat they need to move up to a booster seat. Because seat belts were made to safely restrain adults a booster seat is needed to boost your child to the appropriate height where the seat belt properly positioned. There are two types of boosters a high back and no back. Studies have shown the best car seat boosters are the ones with high backs because offer better protection in side impact. The time when a child is ready to sit without a booster is not age or weight specific but more when he can sit in the seat and the seat belt fits properly. This is all depends on the size of the child and the design of the vehicle.

To take the 5-Step Test to see if a child is ready to ride without a booster visit us at the site listed in resource box.

Did you know that even the best car seats expire? To find out when they expire, recommendations about buying used car seats, how to properly install your car seat, and where the safest seat to place your car seat.