How To Install An Infant Car Seat (Or Where To Get Help)

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Most states have laws that specify you must have an infant car seat when traveling with your baby by car. The reason is that accidents while in a motor vehicle cause the highest number of injuries and deaths in children.

Using a car seat can reduce the chance of injury by up to 82% and death by 28%. But did you know that more than half of all baby safety seats for the car were installed incorrectly?

And, for brand-new infants, those statistics were worse — up to 95% of parents installed their car seats incorrectly.

Prevention is key.

We’ll review:

how to choose the right infant car seat,
infant car seat installation tips, and
what infant car seat mistakes to avoid.

Let’s dive in!

Choosing the Right Infant Car Seat

Before we discuss installation, we need to go over some quick reminders about what’s an appropriate car seat for your newborn.

Since we’re talking about a baby infant car seat, you’ll have a few choices to choose from:

a car seat that’s for infants only
a car seat that is convertible (meaning it can grow with your child)

An infant car seat with a base is nice because it allows you to remove the inner insert with baby. Therefore, you can carry baby with you into stores and restaurants in his own seat. (Get ready to develop some serious biceps, Mama!)

As your baby grows, it might be tempting to use an infant booster car seat. However, these aren’t appropriate until your child is much older — weighing anywhere from 40 to 85 pounds.

Every infant car seat weight limit may different, so check with the manufacturer (it’s usually listed in the manual or right on the car seat).

And, while it might be tempting to go for looks — like an all black car seat to match your car’s interior — making sure the car seat you choose is safe is most important. Infant car seat safety should be the first priority.

Installing Your Infant Car Seat Properly

Once you’ve decided upon a seat, it’s time to install it. Here are some quick tips:

Read through the car seat instructions and your vehicle manual to understand how to install the seat correctly.
If you have trouble understanding the instructions, call the seat manufacturer and/or your automaker to get clarification.
Use the provided tether system in your car. If your car is older than 2002, retrofit it with a LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children) system.
Check that the seat is flat on the bottom and has a correct incline. Push hard on the seat bottom to squish the air out of the infant car seat cushion for better positioning.
If your car was manufactured before 1996, check to see if the car seat moves forward even if the belts are tightly buckled. If it does, install a locking clip around the seat belt.
Check if the seat moves side-to-side. If it does, tighten it until there’s no movement.

While these instructions might seem simple, today’s infant car seats can be quite elaborate and confusing. As a result, we’ll outline some of the most common things that go wrong with a car-seat install.

The Most Common Infant Car Seat Install Mistakes

There are plenty of ways you can install your infant car seat incorrectly. According to a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) study, here are some of the most common things parents miss:

1. Wrong: Rear-facing seats with an incorrect recline angle.

The NHTSA study found that 12% of rear-facing convertible seats and 16% of rear-facing infant seats were not angled correctly.

Infant car seats should recline at 30 to 45 degrees. This is in part because a 45-degree angle of recline helps keep baby’s airway unobstructed.

Look for an adjustable foot that helps maintain the correct angle of recline. In addition, it should have a built-in angle indicator that shows you’ve got the right positioning.

2. Wrong: Forward-facing car seats that were too loose.

Forward-facing convertible seats in the NHTSA study were prone to movement — 17% moved more than two inches in a side-to-side motion.

To fix this, give the belt path a tug each time you use the seat to check for motion. If it moves, push on the bottom infant car seat cushion firmly while pulling the latch strap to tighten it.

3. Wrong: Not using a tether anchor on a forward-facing convertible seat.

If the tether strap isn’t connected to the tether anchor, it can’t reduce the seat’s — and your child’s head’s — movement.

Almost 40% of convertibles baby seats that were forward-facing were installed without this important connection.

To fix this issue, just make sure the tether strap is connected to the tether anchor. Anchors are normally found on the car’s rear shelf, the seat back, or the cargo floor or ceiling area.

(Check your car’s manual if you can’t find yours.)

These are just a few of the many — sometimes subtle — ways your car seat could be installed incorrectly, putting your baby at risk of injury if you’re in an accident.

Getting Help with Newborn Car Seat Installation

Even if you think your infant baby seat is installed correctly, it’s a good idea to get it checked by someone who understands infant car seat requirements to be sure.

First, get your newborn car seat inspected. Take it to one of the many inspection locations of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

NHTSA partners with State and local agencies to provide locations around the country for families to get their car seats checked for proper installation. In addition, they ensure you’re using the right seat for your child.

If you know you’re having trouble with installation, you could also go to a local firehouse or police station.

It is important to note, that not every firefighter or police officer knows the correct way to install all the various types of car seats.

You’re better off finding an NHTSA inspection location or seeking a child passenger safety technician. Child passenger safety technicians are experts in car seat installation.

Experts have taken 40 hours of instruction on the curriculum that the NHTSA, Safe Kids Worldwide, and the National CPS Board provides. Most importantly, they have the skills for installing and inspecting of all types of seats.

That makes them the ultimate guide for proper car seat installation and safety. Best of all, they can also provide configuration advice to ensure your car seats are positioned to best advantage in your vehicle.

And, if you’re having some frustration over car seat installation, it’s worth it to leave it to the experts.

Keeping Baby Safe Onboard

With a new baby on board, make sure that her car seat is size appropriate for her age. Also, that you have it installed safely and correctly.

If your newborn infant car seat manual is poorly written or you’re struggling to comply with the instructions, don’t get frustrated.

Find a certified child passenger safety technician or a local NHTSA car seat inspection location. Let an expert help you secure your child’s car seat correctly.

Above all, having a properly-installed seat means peace of mind for you and safety for your child.