As a parent, there are so many exciting “firsts” to look forward to with your new baby – the first step, first word, first smile. But there’s one first that can be overwhelming, and even a little scary — the first ride home from the hospital.

We have a long history of first rides home, as Britax has been a leader in child safety technology for more than 50 years. At Britax, we are committed to improving child safety through research, testing, design, and community advocacy. We engineer all our products to meet U.S. and Canadian standards, and we make significant investments in advanced technology, research, and development.

We never stop working to improve our products and technologies. We‘re happy to share our safety knowledge and experience with you to help make that memorable first ride home run smoothly.

Before your baby arrives, you’ll need to take some time to find the right car seat for your vehicle and your family. When it comes to choosing a car seat, there are a number of things to consider.

 

Type of Car Seat

There are 3 different types of car seats that can accommodate a newborn infant. Please note that each car seat will have a different minimum weight requirement.

Infant seats (also known as “bucket” seats) arenly and are typically outgrown between 6 months and 1 year of age. They come with 2 components: a base that is installed into the vehicle and a seat that can come in and out of the base. This allows parents to conveniently take their child in and out of the car without having to remove them from the car seat itself (although you should not leave a baby in a car seat for longer than 2 hrs). Often, the seat portion can be attached to a stroller for easy transitions between car rides and walks.

 

 

Convertible car seats will go both rear and forward facing with a 5-point harness and can potentially last until the child is 5 years of age. While these types of seats do not click onto strollers and cannot be used as child carriers outside of a vehicle, they can help you save on car seat costs as you will most likely only have to purchase a booster after this seat is outgrown.

 

 

All-in-one seats will go both rear and forward facing with a 5-point harness and then convert into a booster later on. This seat is designed to take your child from the newborn stage all the way through booster mode until they’re ready to sit on the vehicle seat with a seat belt. Like the convertible car seat, this type of car seat cannot be attached onto a stroller and cannot be used as a child carrier outside of the vehicle. But again, you may be able to save on car seat costs by not having to purchase an infant seat or a booster separately.

From convenience to cost, there are lots of things to consider when choosing the type of car seat you will bring your newborn home in. Make sure to weigh out all the pros and cons and choose what works best for YOUR family.

 

Safe & Easy Installation

Infant seats usually come with a base to install in your vehicle, making it easy to put the baby in safely every time. It’s important to choose a seat that you are comfortable and confident installing, so you’ll know your little one is as safe as can be. It never hurts to practice installing the seat before you make your decision. Vehicles that are newer than 2002 will typically offer the option of installing the car seat using a LUAS (Lower Universal Anchor System) or LATCH system. It is important to note that there may be limits to where you can install the car seat with LUAS in your vehicle, and there are weight restrictions on both the anchors and anchor points.

An alternative to using LUAS is to install the car seat with the seatbelt. Thanks to Britax’s newly added ClickTight installation, which can be found on our Willow infant car seat (found in the Willow Brook travel system), Willow S infant car seat, and Willow SC infant car seat, parents or caregivers can be sure their seat is installed securely on the first ride and beyond.

Comfort Features & Fabrics

All of our new Willow ClickTight infant car seats have washer and dryer-friendly SafeWash car seat covers and inserts that are also naturally flame-retardant without the addition of flame-retardant chemicals. The Willow SC offers SafeWash combined with StayClean technology for fabrics that resist stains, moisture, and odors and are safe for the washer and dryer.

 

Ease of Mobility

Having an infant seat designed for travel flexibility can be an important feature to many caregivers, particularly if you often find yourself using taxis, Ubers, or Lyfts, or if you travel frequently or don’t own a vehicle. Infant seats like the Britax Willow, Willow S, and Willow SC can be easily installed without the base by using the attached European Belt Guide on the back of the shell. A secure and easy install can be achieved thanks to the European Belt Guide and the vehicle’s seat belt, so you won’t have to lug around a base on your travels.

A travel system can also help parents get around with ease, as it combines the safety of an infant car seat with the mobility of a stroller. Britax currently offers 3 travel systems, including the Willow Brook, Willow Brook S+, and Willow Grove SCwhich each come with a stroller, an infant car seat, and a base as well as some stroller accessories. Many strollers have attachments that make them compatible with your preferred infant car seat, so you can create a customizable travel system.

Also be sure to take into consideration the infant seat’s handlebar when thinking of mobility. The Willow SC offers a unique aluminum carry handle that easily adjusts with one hand to keep the other hand free.

 

Above and Beyond Safety Features

When looking at infant seats, safety features are, of course, an important part of the decision. The Britax Willow, Willow S, and Willow SC infant seats are side impact tested and feature SafeCell technology, which acts as a crumple zone and helps absorb crash energy. The Willow S and Willow SC infant seats also have a built-in anti-rebound bar, which helps reduce movement during a crash and provides parents that extra peace of mind on every trip.

 

 

Placing The Seat In The Correct Spot

Aside from installing the car seat correctly, you’ll also want to consider where you’re going to put the car seat in your vehicle. The rear center is generally the safest location; however, vehicle seat contour and width can sometimes prevent a secure installation.

It’s also important to note that if you plan on installing the seat in the center with the LUAS (or LATCH), you’ll need to check your vehicle’s owner’s manual to be sure your vehicle offers this type of installation for the center seat (many do not).

If the center seat is not the ideal spot for your vehicle or car seat, the next best place to install it is behind the front passenger. You will never have to open up your child into traffic on this side of the car.

It’s a good idea to install the car seat about 6-8 weeks before your due date so you can plan for unexpected surprises.

Placing Your Baby in the Seat

Once your little one arrives, you’ll need to go through a few safety checks before you hit the road to ensure that they’re sitting in the seat correctly.

The harness is the part of the seat that holds your child in securely. When properly snug, you should not be able to vertically pinch the webbing at the child’s collar bone. If you can pinch the webbing, you will need to tighten the harness further to achieve the proper fit.

The placement of the harness is also important for keeping your child safe. The chest clip is a pre-positioning component, which helps keep the harness properly situated on your child’s shoulders. It should be positioned around armpit level.

Be sure to adjust your harness height according to your child’s growth as needed. Even when you are not using the car seat in the vehicle, you should always make sure the harness is positioned properly and snug around your child.

 

Now that you’ve taken the time and done your research to choose the perfect car seat for that first ride home, you can sit back and enjoy every second of parenthood. We hope this guide has helped calm your nerves during this exciting time in your life.