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Here's Which Car Seat Your Child Should Be Riding In

by Mishal Ali Zafar

There are a zillion products out there for babies these days, and parents have a huge pool of things to choose from. When it comes to the most important things parents will get, however, it's the things that will keep your baby safe. The most notable safety measure you will take as a parent? Putting your baby in a car seat. With the abundance of choices available, you want to know, what kind of car seat should my child be in?

Community safety expert for SafeWise, Sarah Brown, tells Romper that the kind of car seat your child should be in really depends on their weight and height. "You should try to keep your child in a rear-facing car seat until they are 2 years of age or weigh at least 30 pounds," she says.

She explains that rear-facing car seats are the safest types of car seats because their shell is designed to offer maximum support to your child and it can distribute the force of a crash equally. Brown suggests you should always check your car seat manufacturer instructions for their suggested height and weight requirements, because those requirements can vary with different car seats.

If your child is past the age of 2, and you need to switch to a front-facing car seat, Brown suggests you make sure the seat has a five point harness, which supports five points of contact on your child's body — both shoulders, both sides of the hips, and their crotch. She advises keeping children in these seats until they are at least 40 to 60 pounds, and switching to a booster seat until they're at least 100 pounds. You can even use a backless booster seat if your car has headrests.

Safety is the most important thing for a parent, and following the proper guidelines when you buckle them in will keep your babies safe and sound. Baby gear is overwhelming, but car seats shouldn't be.