With having children comes a ton of responsibility that we never had before. We need to make sure that our kids are happy, well-fed, and secure at all times. One of the places where we need to be super mindful of our children’s safety is when we’re out on the road. Whether you’re in your car or a private taxi, you need to bring your own safety system to ensure that your babies are always protected. If you still haven’t got a baby car seat, keep reading below. This handy list will tell you just what you need to consider when picking a baby car seat.

Forward or rear-facing baby car seat?

While most car seats are forward-facing, its recommended that for children under six years, rear-facing car seats are the best option. In any accident, forward-facing car seats mean that your child is propelled forwards because of the force of the crash, and they’re only held back by the safety harness of the safety seat. This puts a great deal of stress and pressure on their neck, head and spine. In contrast, rear-facing baby car seats Singapore let your child’s back be pressed into the seat so that their spine, head and neck are always protected.

Where will you install the car seat?

Getting a baby car seat Singapore isn’t as simple as strolling into the mall and picking on out. Before you research the features of the car seat, you need to know just where and how you’ll be using the seat. Consider whether you want the seat to be permanently fixed in our car, or whether you intend to travel with it. Under the Road Traffic Act, private cabs such as Grab should refuse passengers who are travelling with a child under 1.35m without a car seat. So, make sure you consider the specs of the cars such as whether or not they have ISOfix, a baby tether, and more.

Keep in mind your child’s height and weight.

While it’s true that babies grow incredibly fast, buying a more oversized car seat just so that you don’t have to buy a new one is the worst choice you could make. Equally alarming is picking out a car seat that’s too small for your baby. Make sure to take your baby’s measurements, such as height and weight, to get a car seat that can adequately support your child in every situation.

Make sure that the baby car seat is the right size for your car too!

Once you’ve measured up your baby, make sure you get all the measurements of your car too if you don’t know how you can always ask brands for demonstrations to see just what you need to look for. Not measuring your car can be just as bad as not measuring your baby. Even if you get the perfect baby car seat, you won’t be able to fit it properly. This can make every car ride for your child incredibly dangerous. So, make sure you read all the manuals correctly and install the seat well after taking measurements.

Always capitalize on safety before cost.

This is one of the most common mistakes parents make when buying a baby car seat Singapore, and it’s buying a second-hand car seat. While this may seem tempting, due to the lower price, it’s not worth it. Second-hand car seats can be damaged and therefore won’t protect your kids adequately. Additionally, baby car seats come with expiry dates too, and that might be close-by for your second-hand car seat.

Pick the safest option.

Instead of a 3-point harness seat, consider getting a baby car seat with a 5-point harness. This gives the baby more safety as well as making the car seat more structurally secure.

Practice makes perfect

You want your baby to be fully protected even when you aren’t around. So, make sure all of your baby’s caretakers take the time to practice installing the car seat if they intend to travel in taxis.

The bottom line

At Cars N U, we want to ensure the happiness of you and your family. That’s why we bring you this helpful guide to picking out a baby car seat in Singapore. Assess each of these seven pointers, and you’ll get a baby car seat that’ll keep your baby safe and happy!