Car seat question

[EssElsiee]

This might sound silly but I have no idea, how do you attach / fit the car seat into the car?? Is there a universal attachment?? I’m a bit confused.

Well it depends on your car seat and your car. For anyone to help you will need to give more information. Otherwise read the instructions/ask the shop to show you how to fit.

Mostly with the seatbelt or with Isofix anchors if your car has them, sometimes with a combination of tether straps.

Most car seats have an isofix base which fits into isofix anchors in your car.

They will either be held in with the car seat belt or using isofix points in your car (normally using a base if it's an infant carrier).

There are two types - using the seat belt and using isofix. Whilst both are equally safe when properly installed, most people install the seat belt ones incorrectly.

So isofix is worth it IMO If your car is less than 10 years old (or older but nice!) you're likely to have isofix. You can look up what they look like in youtube and then check your car manual.

Halfords (and I suspect other high Street places) will show you how to fit your choice.

Definitely practice taking it in and out before the baby arrives, and maybe keep it in the car from 37 weeks just in case.

www.childcarseats.org.uk/choosing-using/fitting-child-car-seats/

You know, it's all really confusing. Third baby but first with a car and I seriously have given up figuring out what car seat will fit the car, what isofix etc - I've just ordered. I'm guessing that once it arrives it might be clearer (or a waste of money).

If you join the Facebook group Car Seat Advice UK they can advise what seats work with what car. I've seen In Car Safety Centres recommended a lot as they are highly trained in fitting car seats. Places such as Halfords, Mothercare etc are hit and miss. For example I was told it was safe to use a car seat extender in our Ford Focus with short seatbelts (it's really not!).

Also YouTube is good for fitting videos, most branded car seats have their own videos so you can see how to do it correctly

As others have said, either using the car's seatbelt (with infant carriers, you put the lap belt over the "lap" of the seat, and then wrap the diagonal bit around the back usually) or your car will probably have what is known as isofix anchors which is a metal bar or hooks within the seat crease and small gaps to reach it. The car seat (or with infant seats, usually a separate base) will have little metal "arms" sticking out of it which hook into the isofix fitting and secure the car seat or base to the car. The infant carrier clicks on and off the base easily as you can transfer most of them to a pushchair, or just to carry it around. You can also get bases which fit with a seatbelt instead of isofix.

Infant carriers are fairly universal. It's more difficult getting the next stage right. The only two common problems you'll get with infant carriers is that in some cars the back seats are quite sloped backwards, which makes the baby seat quite upright, which isn't good for their breathing. The other problem is if you've got a people carrier which typically have storage boxes under the floor in the rear, if this is the case you need to be careful with bases that come with a support leg, as often the leg isn't allowed to rest on top of one of those boxes.

If you want to get the best advice I'd recommend finding an independent nursery specialist or even car seat specialist (List here) and visiting them with your car before the baby is born to get advice and try a few out in your car before you purchase one.

As far as I experienced, and pregnant with number 4, all car seat should have an image on the sides with pictured instructions on how to attach it to the seat with the belt.

Yes, this is true :) Plus all car seats will come with an instruction manual (please read this! And keep it and re-read it periodically as your child gets bigger) with detailed instructions on all fitting modes (if there are more than one) as well as other useful safety information.

Also as PPs have mentioned many brands put their fitting videos up on youtube, which can be a good way to learn if you're more of a visual person than a diagram person :)