As a new parent, there is a lot to learn.  We need to figure out what baby supplies we’ll need, and we need to learn a little bit about each of them.  One thing your child can’t go without is a car seat.  Riding with your baby in the car while not having them strapped in a car seat is against the law.  It is far too dangerous to ride with your baby in the car if they’re not securely fastened.

So, whether you’re buying all the items or you’re having a baby shower, make sure a car seat is on your list!  To gain some knowledge on what kind of car seat you’ll need, first read about the different kinds of car seats on the market:

Children’s Car Seats – Different Kinds:

Infant:  An infant seat is what most parents put their newborn in.  These last usually until they’re about 30 lbs and over a year old.  Infant seats start out facing backward to avoid any head and neck injuries, and then are turned forward once your baby weighs 20 lbs AND reach one year of age.

Convertible:  Convertible seats can be bought for an infant or when your child grows out of their infant seat.  The weight requirements are usually 5-60 lbs.  This seat is to only be used forward facing since your child’s neck has gained some control and muscle.  The nice thing about these is that you can avoid buying an infant seat if you go with these right from the beginning.  The only complaint is that you can’t carry your child around easily like you can with an infant seat.

Booster:  Booster seats are usually for children weighing 40-100 lbs.  Most states require children to be in a booster seat until they reach 4’9″.  In that case, your child will be strapped in this seat until then.  This is the last seat your child will need!

As you can see, there are a few different car seats your child will go through.  It helps to learn a little bit about them before you buy one.  Never having kids before leaves us a little lost, and not too sure of what to buy.  So, the question is, are you going to go with an infant or convertible seat for your newborn?