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Carriers - Car Seats:

There are many stages of carriers and car seats that your child will go through, and these are mostly dependent on your baby's size. Here is a basic breakdown of type of carriers and car seats and the approximate age or size your child will be when they will need to use it.

• Infant carrier/car seat—this is the one that doubles as both a carrier and a car seat for the baby. These are great because the baby is in a laying position, which means there are no problems with sleeping during car rides. You always place these car seats facing the back of the car, never facing forward. Depending on what kind you buy, they are rather lightweight, too. There are many different kinds, and the kind you should buy is all dependent on your preferences. Some of these are the kinds that buckle directly into the car, and some have a base that stays in the car at all times. With this kind, you only remove the carrier, and you don't have to fumble with seat belts when putting the carrier into the car. You just have to place the car seat on the base, and pull the release lever when it is time to remove it. Another benefit of these is that the actual carrier tends to be a lot lighter than the kind with the base intact. Some carriers come in a set, with a stroller that they attach to. This way, you can use the stroller even when the baby can't sit up (these also work out well for when you arrive somewhere that you will be using the stroller and the baby is asleep-you don't have to wake him, you just transfer the car seat). Even still, some carriers come with a built-in rocker, so that you can rock the baby back and forth. This doesn't work while it is buckled into the car, though.

• Upright car seat—this is the kind of child car seat that sits upright and faces the front. These are left in the car even when your baby isn't in it. The best time to begin using a seat of this kind is when your child can sit upright on his own. This is the best time to start using one of these for three important reasons: 1) Your child has to be big enough to be safer in this type of car seat than they would be in a carrier, and about the time your child is sitting up, they will weigh the correct amount, 2) Your child needs to be able to sit up on their own, otherwise this car seat is not only less safe, it is also more uncomfortable to the child, and 3) By the time your child can sit up on their own, they tend to stay awake for much longer periods, and these car seats aren't very comfortable to sleep in (especially not when compared to a carrier), so it is good that they don't fall asleep the second they start riding. One downfall to these types of seats is that you always have to get your child out of the seat when you arrive somewhere, which means that if they are sleeping, you will have to wake them up.

• Boosters—this kind of child car seat that simply lifts the child up so that the seat belt in the car will work better. There are a couple of different kinds of these seats, including the big kind that looks like a miniature bucket seat, as well as the small booster (looks similar to a booster seat for a kitchen table). Either of these kinds can work well, and they both have their pros and cons. The bucket seat kind usually has a five-point harness system, so that it can be used on a smaller child, and then adjusted as they get bigger. The small booster is really for older children and is a lot less bulky that the big seat. This comes in handy during those times you need to remove or replace the seat. Both of these are best used when the child has outgrown the basic upright car seat.

Each phase of car seat has many different options, some have straps in different places, some have bars that go across the top, some are easier to carry than others, etc. You should always look into all car seats before making a decision, and consider things such as how comfortable your child will be (the upright car seats are especially important for considering this, because some of them have sides to them that your child can lay their head on, and some don't—this type of thing is very important).

Another important point is that all car seats are different in that they accommodate certain weights, so it is important to read the box and be certain you are following the guidelines. Also, there is a certain way to install a car seat to make sure that a child is as safe as possible (this doesn't work on carriers, because the baby is inside the seat when you put it in the car): You will want to set the car seat inside the car, and, before buckling it in, you should get inside the car seat. This may paint a very amusing picture, but the parent shouldn't try to actually sit inside of it, they should just place one or both knees on it, putting as much weight as you can. You should buckle the car seat in while holding this weight on it. When you release your weight, the seat will be held as tightly in place as possible, which will make it much safer for your child in the event of sharp turns or even a car accident.

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