Car seat for the baby
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I joined a group on FB "car seat safety UK" spent a lot on mine but did so much research to make sure it was well worth the cost :)
A good "cheap" option is a Britax babysafe core, it's a good price for the quality and safety that it is
There are lots of variables it's not just a simple matter of cost = safety. Some of the additional cost comes from convenience features that don't enhance the safety at all but just make your life easier. For example we have bought a 360 swivel one because we have a low car and wanted to save our backs but it's not essential so you could go for a cheaper option and still be safe. Check out what is in your budget and what suits your other needs (isofix, fitting a travel system etc) then look up the ADAC rating for safety and see what has the lowest risk number there
This is the one I got because it has great safety reviews with Which? and I like the swivel function. It doesn't transfer onto a pram base but stays in the car. It's £199 which is less than a lot of other options: https://www.mamasandpapas.com/products/joie-ispin-360-isize-baby-to-toddler-car-seat-coal-560779000? Unfortunately not car seats all the same, there are some on the market which are Which? "don't buys" due to not passing their safety tests.
@Tamsin whilst this is a good seat and joie perform more in house testing than the minimum required, unfortunately this seat is not likely to fit from birth even though it is advertised as so. Most babies are about 3-4 months before they get a good safe fit in this. And I would recommend using ADAC to check safety ratings of car seats rather than which? As which? Give points for colours or patterns of fabrics etc whereas ADAC is purely safety.
@Charley thanks but it's the seat I've already bought, I've read the ADAC testing for this model and it says suitable from 40cms so I'm not sure if you read about a different model, there are a few with similar names. I am happy it suits our needs.
Thanks ladies ❤️
@Tamsin yes there are a few models you're right. In car seat safety groups the retailers and admins and mods will say you often won't get a safe fit for a couple of months despite them being safe from birth. Usually the shoulder straps won't come out low enough or baby is very chin to chest. Just something to be aware of when first putting baby in
Cheap will be made of cheap quality material with minimal resting so won’t be as safely rated.