Choosing the Right Car Seat for Baby, Toddler and Child

Choosing the Right Car Seat for Baby, Toddler and Child - Cara Miller

Step one: Rear-facing car seats: Infant and convertible

Stage 1

The safest position for babies in a car is in the backseat in a rear-facing car seat. It is recommended, and even law in some provinces, that your baby needs to stay rear facing until they are at least 1 year old and weigh 10kg (22 pounds). The majority of infant seats on the market have a weight limit of 20 to 22 pounds, but there are a few manufacturers that carry infant seats with a weight limit of 30 to 35 pounds. Make sure you check with your car seat manual to be certain what the weight limit of your seat is. Weight limits must be strictly followed.

My baby has outgrown their infant seat before their first birthday, what now?

If your child outgrows their infant seat before their first birthday, you should switch to a convertible seat. Look for a seat that has a rear-facing limit to at least 14kg (30 pounds although some newer seats on the market have a 35 to 45 pound limit). Convertible seats are great for parents that wish to keep their babies rear facing past one year of age, a growing trend that is becoming more popular. In parts of Scandinavia children are kept rear-facing up to four years of age as it’s proven to be the safest. The American Academy of Pediatrics even recommends keeping your baby rear-facing well past age one until the weight and height limits of your rear facing convertible seat have been met.

Once your baby has reached the rear-facing weight limit of their convertible seat, it can be turned forward facing in your vehicle. All forward-facing car seats must be anchored to the vehicle using the top tether strap on your car seat. If you can not find the tether anchor on your car check your vehicles' owner manual. If it is an older model car it may not be equipped with an anchor. Ask your dealership about having an anchor properly installed. Most dealerships will do this for free or charge a nominal fee.

Step two: Forward-facing seats, combination seats, 3–in- 1 seats or forward-facing then high-back booster

Stage 2

Three-in-one car seats are marketed as the only seat a child will need from 5 to 80 pounds. These seats can rear-face to 30 to 35 pounds then forward-face for children over the age of one and 10kg (22 pounds), then convert to a seat belt positioned booster seat at 18kg (40 pounds). Many parents have problems with these seats. Some find that their child outgrows the harness before they reach 40 pounds, or their child reaches 40 pounds before they are mature enough to sit in a booster seat (Transport Canada recommends age four-and-a-half.) Many of these seats, when used in booster mode, don't place the adult belt appropriately on the child. Another issue is the expiry date. The majority of car seats on the market today expire after six years (see this chart from Transport Canada). Many parents will end up needing another seat after the 3-in-1 because it has expired, but their child is not ready for an adult belt.

This provided an opportunity for manufacturers to develop newer seats that are accommodating children longer with both higher harness slots as well as higher weight limits (47 to 65 pounds on some seats). With so many new options available parents are also choosing these new seats that will keep their children in a harnessed seat past the minimum weight of 40 pounds and keeping them harnessed until the height and weight limits have been reached. Children as old as six or seven can stay safely harnessed in some seats. When out shopping for the next stage seat, why not take a measuring tape with you? This will allow you to see which seats have higher harness heights, and save you from having to purchase another seat prematurely.

** since this article was first published, many 3-in-one manufacturers have now increased the limits on their car seats. Many now rear face to 35 lbs and forward face to 50lbs with 5 point harness. They have also raised their top harness slots to accomodate taller children.

Step three: It’s booster time (ages 4 to 9 and over 40lbs up to 145cm- 4’9”)

Booster Stage

Once your child has reached the harness height/weight limit of their forward-facing seat and are at least 40 pounds and four years of age it’s time to look at booster seats. Adult seat belts are just that, designed for an adult. A booster seat lifts children up so that the seat belt fits safely over their body. Some parents also say their children are happier as it lifts them up so that they can see out the window.

Booster seats can only be used if your car has lap-shoulder belts. They can not be used with lap only belts. There are two types of booster seats.
High Back: These seats support your child’s head in low back seats. Some also have integrated Side Impact Protection for added safety.
Backless: These have just a seat; they are safe in cars with high back seats and headrests.

Children should use a booster seat until the middle of their ears is above the top of the car’s seat or the back of the high-back booster seat.

Step four: When is my child ready for just the seat belt?

Generally when a child reached 145cm (4’9”) they are tall enough to use your vehicle’s seat belt, however since children’s proportions differ so much, they may need to still be in a booster past this height. Here is a Five Step Test to see if your child is ready for the seat belt only. If you can answer yes to all of these questions then your child is ready to move to the seat belt only.

1. Does the child sit all the way back against the auto seat?
2. Do the child's knees bend comfortably at the edge of the auto seat?
3. Does the belt cross the shoulder between the neck and arm?
4. Is the lap belt as low as possible, touching the thighs?
5. Can the child stay seated like this for the whole trip?

Other car seat facts

Always read your car seat manual and vehicle owner’s manual. Not only will the car seat manual help you to install your seat correctly, it will give you height and weight guidelines that must be followed for that particular seat. The vehicle owner’s manual will assist you in locating the proper tether/UAS points in your vehicle as well as where you can or cannot install a car seat.
Always purchase a seat in Canada that has the CMVSS sticker attached. Seats sold in the US may look the same as Canadian models, but have not been tested to Canadian Safety Standards. You can read more about this on Transport Canada’s Website.
80 to 90 percent of all car seats in Canada are installed improperly, to make sure you don’t fall into this category, have your seat checked by a Child Restraint Safety Technician. Check with your local health unit for volunteers in your area or attend a local clinic.
Never use aftermarket products in your car seats. This includes replacement seat covers, head huggers and cuddle bags that have not been provided by the manufacturer. If you want to keep your baby warm in their infant seat, a shower cap style cover is considered a safe option, but not anything that goes behind babies back. These items may interfere with the way your car seat functions in a collision.
When placing a child in a seat, remember that for a child who is rear-facing, the harness must be placed at or below the shoulders and for a child who is forward-facing the harness must be placed at or above the shoulders. Also remember that the correct placement of the chest clip is level the child’s armpits and that you should only be able to place one finger in between the child’s collar bone and harness for the proper tightness.

About the Author

Cara Miller

Cara Miller is CanadianParents.com's Community Producer, a mother of 4, and Certified Child Restraint Systems Technician from Saint John, NB. Learn more about Cara Miller

Comments

Tanya | August 31, 2008 at 9:06 pm - §

I would just like to find some info on the head supports that come in a new born car seat.....the hospital told us that they are illegal in NB but what I have read thus far says nothing to that effect...why would these be illegal? The support of a newborns neck is very important and how do you have control of that wihtout these support pieces? Anyone know anything about this or could provide me with the proper info and lead me in the right directtion?
Dana | September 17, 2008 at 10:11 am - §

i was told the same thing pull out all of the extra supports and padding that comes with the seat. i was told use a recieving blanket and roll it and put that around your babies head to keep them supported.
Saje | September 19, 2008 at 1:30 pm - §

Hi, I am a Nationally Certified Children's Restraint System's Instructor in Ontario. All of the padding and head supports that come with your car seat have been tested with the seat and are safe and legal to use. It is illegal to buy a third party aftermarket product and add it in to the seat. Always make sure that you have read and understood both the manual for the car seat and for your vehicle.I hope that helps.Saje
Juli Gurski | January 10, 2009 at 1:12 pm - §

I have a car seat that was given to me. It looks a little older, but I am wondering if it would still meet the Canadian standards. It's an Evenflow Ultra Premier Model 235119CP1.
Cara | January 13, 2009 at 10:23 am - §

Juli,You brought up a great point that I should have mentioned above! There should be a sticker with the date of manufacture on it. For most Evenflo seats the suggested life of use is 6 years from the DOM. Here's more info from Health Canada on the expiration of car seats: http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/cps-spc/pubs/cons/children_seats-sieges_enfant-eng.php
Lfaccio | January 26, 2009 at 5:15 pm - §

Based on what I've read above, I suppose the sleeping bag type of blanket that goes under the baby and zips up around (there are holes for the straps) are not a good idea either? Question: When the words "illegal" are used, are we talking criminal charges?
Cara- Ladybug Mom | January 29, 2009 at 9:18 pm - §

Lfaccio,Those types of bunting bags are not recommended, there is a "shower cap style" bag that goes over the infant seat that is safer for baby. Here's a really informative thread on our message boards you can read more about why they are not safe. http://forum.canadianparents.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=651117#Post651117
Samantha - Shanora | January 31, 2009 at 4:35 pm - §

As for the term 'illegal', They are not illegal to use or to buy, however it is STRONGLY recommend that aftermarket products are not used with any seat, and it can interfere with the way the seat would protect your child in a collision. If you are using a seat that is not a Canadian model, or are improperly using it, then yes that's considered illegal, and you can face fines, or even having your seat taken from you at a road side check stop.
Shelly | April 4, 2009 at 5:29 pm - §

I have a 8 mth old son who weighs 24 lbs and his seat is suppose to be rear facing but it seems like his legs are bent against the back of the seat.. I was wondering is it OK to put him forward facing because of his legs or does he have to stay rear facing..Thanks
Andrea | May 14, 2009 at 5:43 pm - §

Question?I have a son who has just turned two. He weighs 40lbs and is just over 36 inches tall. Am I still required to wait until he turns four before I can move him into a booster seat?
Kayla | May 20, 2009 at 2:48 am - §

I cannot express enough how much you should not be moving your 2 year old to a booster seat. That is extremely dangerous for your child. There are carseats out now that go to 65 pounds forward facing in a 5 point harness. (See the Graco Nautilus, Britax Frontier, etc...) They then convert to a Booster to 100 pounds. Try one of these first.
Jason | July 14, 2009 at 6:58 pm - §

I have a graco infant carseat where the CMVSS sticker has come off. i've already contacted graco they say their's nothing they can do , i should contact transport canada. At transport canada they say their's nothing they can do i should contact the manufacturer. So what could I do? the seat is only 2 years old
Samantha - Shanora | February 7, 2010 at 10:54 am - §

Jason, sorry its taken this long for someone to respond. As for your sticker, the only issue you may have with it not being on the seat is proving that this is in fact a Canadian seat. However if you have your manual with the seat, you should be able to easily prove that its a Canadian seat. If you still have the sticker, feel free to tape it back onto the seat with packing tape (just make sure to clean the area well otherwise the tape will just fall off.), this way it is still on the seat. Sometimes the stickers don't stick that well.