Baby Car Seats
We would be the first to accept that selecting a first stage car seat can be a worrying and confusing time.
We hope to make it a little easier for you to understand what you are looking for when making your selection.
Car Seats - The Facts
Baby car seats are categorised by UN safety standards and covered by ECE regulation 44. It is only seats with the 44 regulation that can be used in the U.K.; older seats should be destroyed as they are no longer legal in the U.K.
All U.K. child safety seats are given groups to help guide you through the car seat buying process as your baby grows and their requirements change.
All first stage seats are fitted rearward facing in the car.
Baby Car Seat Stages
Group 0
This stage covers birth up to 10kg these will now, generally be car cots rather than seats.
Group 0+
This is the first stage infant carrier; this seat is from birth to 13kg (Around the 1 year as a guide)
Group 0+ and Group 1
This type of seat will take baby from birth to 18kgs (around 4 years).
Until baby is a minimum of 9kgs the seat will be fitted in the car rearward facing (not all group 1 seats are capable of rearward fitting) - then it will change, turning to a forward facing position in the rear seats of the car.
The seat is fitted into the car by using either the car seat belts directly round the seat, carefully following the manufacturers routing instructions, or a separate base secured by the car's seat belts onto which the child seat is fixed or finely, a base secured by Isofix fittings.
Isofix is a system installed in a car at the point of the car's manufacture; they are not generally able to be retro fitted, so it is important to check if your car has Isofix fitted before choosing an Isofix base for your first stage car seat.
It is now illegal to fit a rear facing seat with an active air bag.
Car cots fit into the Group 0 and are fitted across the rear seats of the car; these may take up 2 or 3 seats and are fitted using the car's seat belts. Car cots are an excellent choice if you tend to make lots of longer car journeys.
Practise fitting your car seat, carefully following the manufactures instructions, before baby is born.
