There are three main types of car seats that will be used throughout the growth cycle of your children. The type used will be determined by the weight and height of your child rather than the age. In this article, I will detail the three main types of car seats, and the size limit of each so that you will know which car seat is appropriate to use for your child in relation to his or her development.
The first car seat I will cover is the infant car seats. All infant car seats are rear-facing only and can be used until your baby weighs about 30 lbs. However, you may find that different brands have different standards, but the 30-pound limit is the average. Infants should always travel in their car seats every single time they travel by car. They are essential for protecting your child from injury and death in case of an impact.
The next car seat I will cover is the convertible. This one differs from the infant in that it can be used both rear facing and front facing. It can be used until your baby weighs about 40 lbs, and in some cases even heavier. Some can even hold children up to 80 pounds! Because they can accommodate larger children, convertible cars seats are typically larger than infant car seats. Convertibles do not have bases and are not easily moved from one car to another. Some parents find these bigger seats more difficult to use for smaller children.
The last type of car seat I want to cover is the booster. This type is generally the most common type. They are used for children who have outgrown their regular ones but are not yet big enough to use a seat belt. This is usually achieved when your child is about 4'9". Believe it or not, some boosters are built just like the combo seat in that they can feature a back like a car seat. The difference is that they lack the harness restraint system. Once your child has outgrown his or her infant car seat, or the convertible, they should be able to sit safely in a booster car seat.
A car seat must be used every time your child travels with you in your vehicle. Determining which one to use among the three main types is easy when you know what to look for. Your choices are the infant car seat used for children up to 40 lbs, the convertible used for children weighing from 40 lbs up to 80 lbs, and the booster used until your child is big enough to use the seat belt properly. Keep in mind that the age of your child isn't going to be the determining factor in the choice of seat. It's your child's weight and height.
