The Britax Roundabout, a popular convertible car seat.

All About Car Seats

There are three main types of car seats on the market today. First, the infant car seat is designed for the youngest of children, up to 20 or 22 pounds. Most of these seats have two parts, the base which stays strapped in to the vehicle's safety belt system and the carrier which snaps out and allows the baby to be carried without unfastening the infant from the harness (very important if Baby has finally fallen asleep!) The infant car seats are designed to be rear-facing, where the infant faces the rear of the vehicle. It is important for infants to be seated rear facing for the first year of life, until the muscles of the neck are strong enough to withstand the force an accident could impose on them.

A second type of car seat is called the convertible seat, and is designed for newborns through toddlers, or up until 40 pounds. This seat is designed to be used rear-facing for the first year of life, or up until the weight restrictions (usually 30 pounds). After this, the seat can face forward until the child reaches the upper weight limit, usually 40 pounds, although some car seats can be used longer. The most popular type of harness system for infants and toddlers is the five-point system, where the child is clipped by a series of three clips designed to evenly disperse the force of impact. The five-point system is highly recommended, although other systems (such as the three-point or overhead bar) may still be available.

After the child graduates from the convertible seat, it's time for a booster seat. These seats no longer use a separate harness system, the child and seat are both strapped directly into the vehicle's seat belt. The booster is designed to raise the child up in the seat so the vehicle's harness can function correctly. Booster seats should be used until the child is 80 pounds, at which time the child will be ready for the use of the regular seat belt. While some boosters are rated for children as light as 30 pounds, it is important to keep children in the 5-point restraint systems for as long as possible.

Baby Products Center: Buy Car Seats Online

Visit the Baby Products Center in order to buy car seats and other gifts for baby online. ... Clilck on any of the infant car seats above in order to buy them ... the top right corner of ...

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Child Carseat Safety FAQ

Home | Forums | Carseat Basics | FAQ | LATCH | Free Carseat Inspection | Site Index Car-Safety.Org Carseat FAQ The recommendations in this list are based on current best practice in the ...

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Narrow car seats (for Angela)

Narrow car seats (for Angela) by "Multimom" <multimom4@[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Dec 10, 2002 at 01:13 AM...

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BabyCenter | Community: BBS - Car safety tips | narrow car seats -...

"narrow car seats - must fit 3 in back" Posts: 5 Last Post: Feb 9, 2005, 7:09 AM (PST)

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Mumsnet Discussions

... Latest Thu, 27-May-04, 1:03:18 PM Anyone know of any Narrow Car seats 6 messages. Latest Sat, 22- May-04, 10:42:12 AM Twins and public transport 4 messages. Latest Mon, 17-May-04, ...

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Berkeley Parents Network: Carseats and Travel

...are in a narrow body aircraft (two rows of seats) then the car seat must be placed next.....Car Seats > Carseats and Travel .. Car Seats on the Plane ..Car seat logistics for.....be ...

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BabyCentre | Car Seats Buying Guide

...06/03/2002 .. Need suggestions of narrow car seats-trying to get a booster, forward.....facing fixed car seat. The rear facing car seats do not fit into our car (Renault ...

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Automotive Links - Seats

...net .. Seats4cars... Aftermarket car seats all cars, street race and off road.....WIDE CENTER ARMREST! "Easily Replace The Narrow Factory Unit." We a... http://www.....seats....Seats .. ...

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Mumsnet Discussions - Anyone know of any Narrow Car seats (Multiple.

...Multiple Births : Anyone know of any Narrow Car seats (7 messages) Click here to add a.....9mth+ is quite narrow. we also have a small car and can fit these 2 seats and an adult ...

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Seats4cars, Aftermarket car seats all cars, street race and off road

D $79.00. E $86.00. F (note these brackets mount two seats) $157.00 ... D111T. GTV ... D112T ... D112T. SPIDER (NARROW SEAT) D116F ... D116F...

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