Helpful Tips When Buying Your First Child Car Seat Choice is everywhere we look.
On the internet, in the store, through your mail box, emails.
We are bombarded with people selling us stuff, and let's be honest, they're not all bad deals.
Sometimes you can get really lucky and end up paying massively reduced prices on something.
The important thing to remember though, is even if you are being offered what seems like an amazing deal, you still need to do your research and actually relate what is on offer to what you need or can realistically afford.
This is even more relevant when buying your first child car seat.
There are certain things you must bear in mind before you spend your dollars.
Brand names Whilst many brand names give a certain feeling of reassurance, you should check that any particular model you are interested in has the features that you think will be necessary.
If you are unsure about what features you think you need, speak with your parents, or friends or work colleagues and gain their insight.
Don't be swayed if they try to put you off a particular brand though.
All companies, no matter how good they are, still manage to let some lemons escape from their factories.
The vital thing is how do they respond to such a problem? In the same way, some people will be adamant that their favorite brand is the only one in town.
Listen to what they say, do some more research, and make up your own mind.
Safety Regulations Make sure that any seat you are thinking of buying has the relevant safety certificate and that your child's weight is acceptable for use with that particular seat.
Although virtually all main brands adhere to safety regulations it is possible that a cheap import seat may not.
Make sure you check before you buy.
Weight of the seat Once they have placed their child seat in their car, some people will never take it out, other than if they sell the car, or perhaps for the odd spot of cleaning.
If this is likely to be you, then the weight of a seat really won't matter.
Others though like to have a child seat that can be removed, either to take from car to car, or if baby is asleep, and they don't want to wake him, to use it as a temporary carry cot.
Bear in mind that even though some are lighter than others, there aren't any really light seats, so by the time they have a child in them you will be carrying quite a lot of weight.
Size of the seat How much space will it take up in your car? Do you already have one child with a car seat? Do you carry a pet in the car? Will there be room for your shopping? Many things to take into consideration, but again, although some seats are slightly smaller, don't expect them to be half the size of the others because they won't be.
Features You will need to further establish not only how you will use the seat, for example moving between cars, but also, how often.
Is it likely that you may only use it once a week for example.
In that case, you may feel that a seat that doesn't have removable covers for washing is acceptable for you if it is slightly cheaper.
Or, reversing that scenario, you may feel that a removable cover is essential and you wouldn't buy a seat without one.
Does it have arm rest? If not, do you think that is likely to be a problem for your baby? Some seats come with one or even two cup holders.
These can be great for your baby as they will encourage them to look after their own drinks and not be so reliant on Mom or Dad Price Don't let your natural desire for a bargain getting in the way of buying the right seat for your child.
Consider all the tips I have given you then think of your personal wants and needs.
Also, don't just buy the first seat you see.
Whether it's a bargain Britax or an excellent Evenflo, still continue looking around.
You may still end up buying the first seat you see, but at least you will have satisfied yourself that you have shopped around and not overlooked anything.