Selecting Baby Strollers and Car Seats
Buying baby strollers and car seats for our children is not as easy as it was for our parents. When they were buying these items there wasn’t a large selection as only a few companies manufactured them and they pretty much all resembled each other. These days there are so many different baby strollers and car seats on the market it can be confusing. The point of this article is to give you some helpful tips to make the decision making a little clearer for you.
One of the first things that you need to consider is safety. This holds true whether it is a car seat or a stroller. There is no doubt that you agree, the safety of your child comes first above everything else. Make sure that any of the baby strollers and car seats that you are considering are safe and have been thoroughly tested. Every stroller should have an automatic lock that clicks into place when you unfold it so that when you put your child into it it doesn’t fold back up on them. Car seats need to meet all of the requirment that are set forth in the federal and state regulations for car seat and child safety.
Baby Strollers
For baby strollers there are a few things to consider. First you should see how easy it is to fold and unfold. Some of the models on the market allow single handed operation, which is a real plus when you have a child in the other hand and do not wish to put him/her down. The stroller must have brakes and make sure that they engage easily. There are models that have brakes on the back wheel that engage with a simple flick from your foot. The nest thing that you should consider is the handle Baby strollers these days come with little trays that can hold the things that you need, like a hook for your purse and shopping bags, cup holders, and a place for your cell phone. Lastly, you need to take into consideration what the stroller is constructed of. Is it going to be strong and durable, or does it seem too flimsy? Getting a stroller with metal components can insure that you will get some wear out of it, while cheaper materials like plastic tend to not hold up so well under regular use.
Car Seats
With car seats, you need to worry about what is going to work best for your child and yourself , besides the obvious issues of the childs safety. Manufacturers develop car seats for all of the developmental stages of your childs growth. Seats that are “rear facing”, are made for children that are 20 poounds or less and less than a year old. Forward-facing car seats are for ages one year to four and 20 to 40 pounds. Booster-type car seats are for ages 4 to 8, up to four foot nine inches in height. A regular seat belt can be used on children beyond these stages of development. For an all around seat that is designed for nearly all of the developmental stages, you will want to go with a style known as the convertible car seat.
Ultimately, the baby strollers and car seats that you select should be more about what is easy for you to use and what is comfortable, yet safe, for your child. Making use of these items should not be a chore or a struggle to make get them to function properly.