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Newborns are best protected when travelling by a Newborn Baby Car Seat approved from birth (Group 0), that is specifically designed for the unique and delicate postural needs of a newborn, with adequate recline and padding.

Using an infant car seat is the first step towards keeping your baby safe in the car. Correctly installing it and strapping your baby in securely is equally important. Even if you buy the safest possible car seat for your baby, if it's not fitted or used correctly, it won't be able to perform as it was designed in a crash.

Here are some important facts and steps to ensure you keep your baby as safe as possible while travelling in the car.

1. READ THE MANUAL

The best way to ensure that you use your car seat correctly is to read the manual! The manual contains vital information that you need to be aware of in order for the car seat to perform optimally in a crash. The manual will advise where the car seat may be installed in the car and it will instruct you on how to install it correctly. It will also tell you how to adjust the car seat to fit your baby properly. Do not improvise or go against anything stated in the manual. Most European manufacturers do not allow any kind of adjustments or additions such as using a pool noodle to recline it, so be careful not to do anything that is not explicitly stated in the manual.

2. INSTALL THE CAR SEAT CORRECTLY

a) SECURING THE CAR SEAT TO THE VEHICLE

Correct installation of an infant seat used without a base:When installing an infant car seat without a base, using only the seatbelt, the seatbelt makes a snake-like pattern once routed correctly called Serpentine Routing.

Place the car seat on the vehicle bench with the baby facing backwards. You will see blue seatbelt guides on the car seat; 2 over the front of the seat and 1 at the back of the seat. Route the lapbelt of the seatbelt through the 2 seatbelt guides in the front of the seat i.e. where the baby’s legs/lap would go. Buckle the seatbelt in.

Pull out any slack in the seatbelt to get it in securely. You can watch our video HERE on how to install a car seat using the seatbelt.

Correct installation of an infant seat with an ISOfix base: Attach the 2 ISOfix anchors to the vehicles ISOfix brackets and make sure the indicators turn green. Push the base into the vehicle backrest to tighten it. Drop the load leg until it makes full contact with the floor and the indicator turns green. Click the car seat onto the base and check that the indicator turns green. If you are using an ISOfix base, you should not use the seatbelt as well.

For an infant seat being used with a belted base: Route the seatbelt through the base as indicated by the manual. If a load leg is present, lower it until it makes full contact with the floor. Check that all indicators are green.

*Note that load legs may not be installed over underfloor storage compartments. Contact your vehicle dealership to order an approved filler, if you have underfloor storage compartments. Alternatively, buy a car seat without a load leg.

Check your manual for the correct position it should be in.

4. RECLINE ANGLEInfants have poor head control and are at risk of positional asphyxiation if their car seat is too upright. The correct recline angle for a baby without head control is approximately 45 degrees. If your car seat is too upright, you can try installing it without the base (if you are using one) to get a more reclined position.

But please check this with your manufacturer before doing this.

5. CHECKING FOR MOVEMENTUp to 1 inch (2.5cm) of movement is permitted. You can check this by giving the car seat a firm shake at the belt path or near the ISOfix points with your non-dominant hand. Do not be alarmed if it moves more at the headrest

6. ADJUSTING THE HARNESS AND HEADRESTPlease refer to your manual for instructions on how to adjust the headrest and harness to the correct height. For rear facing car seats, the harness must be at or just below the shoulders. The bottom of the headrest should usually be in line with the bottom of the baby’s ears, and the head should be less than an inch below the top of the headrest.