Car seats are essential – you won’t be able to leave the hospital if a rear-facing car seat is not available or fitted in your vehicle. Toddlers can also ride in convertible child seats, but infant car seats are specially designed for newborns. Infant child seats provide additional support for your child’s head, neck and spinal cord, all of which are still increasing in strength and stability, and are rear facing, essential for early childhood safety.
Unlike convertible child seats, infant car seats can be easily removed from the car, carried around, or clipped to a stroller. More than 1 in 10 parents take home a baby weighing less than 5 pounds, but nearly half of the infant car seats have a starting weight of 5 pounds, only few support babies 4 pounds or less.
Using a car seat that is not designed for your baby’s weight will make your child less safe and void the car seat warranty. Check out the list below for the best preemie car seats that will provide your child with the extra support and comfort that they’ll need.
Product Review:
Preemie Post’s top 5 preemie car seats (all five of these car seats make the cut, I personally used the Chicco Key Fit 30):
- Graco SnugRide SnugLock 35 Elite Infant Car Seat, Baby Car Seat, Oakley:
About the item:
• Brand: Graco
• Installation Type: LATCH
• Material: Metal
• Color: Oakley
• Orientation: Rear Facing
The Snug Ride Snug Lock 35 Elite Infant Car Seat uses either the vehicle’s seat belts or latches for a hassle-free, worry-free installation for backward-facing toddlers. You can be confident that you can have a secure installation in three easy steps. To make installation even easier, In Right Latch provides a 1-second connection, and a base with 4-position reclining and an easy-to-read level indicator helps eliminate installation guesswork.
Safe Adjust Harness System
The Simply Safe Adjust harness system allows you to adjust the height of the harness and headrest at the same time, so it’s as easy as it is safe. The safety core absorbs impact forces in the event of a head-on collision. Cleaning the seat is a breeze.
Connecting technology
This item contains Click Connect technology which provides a secure one-step attachment to all Graco Click Connect strollers making it easy to create a custom travel system that best fits your lifestyle. The Snug Ride Snug Lock 35 Elite helps protect rear-facing infants from 4 – 35 lb and up to 32 “.
Pros:
• Quick and easy cleanup with Rapid Remove Cover
• ClickConnect technology provides a one-step secure attachment to your Graco ClickConnect stroller and base
• An adjustable base with four reclining positions and an easy-to-read spirit level helps eliminate installation guesswork.
• Rotating canopy with windows and visor provides babies with sunscreen and sunscreen for a comfortable ride for your child
• Detachable newborn head and body support cushions the baby
Cons:
• None except it can be slightly hard for beginners.
- Britax B-Safe 35 Infant Car Seat – Rear Facing | 4 to 35 Pounds – Reclinable Base, 1 Layer Impact Protection, Ashton (E1A183D):
Britax has always brought when it comes to safety and coziness.
Product details:
• Brand: BRITAX
• Installation Type: Seat Belt, LATCH
• Material: Steel and mesh fabric
• Color: Ashton
• Orientation: Rear Facing
Rear-facing seat:
The B 35 safe child car seat is engineered with key britax safety technologies. The rear-facing seat has a side-effect protection cover and the patented safe cell impact protection system incorporates a steel frame and an energy-absorbing base.
Removable head pad cushions:
The removable baby head pad cushions your baby, while providing extra support. Easy installation using the secure center latch and built-in locking devices simplifies securing the base of the baby car seat. The B safe 35 car seat is FAA approved without a base.
Thanks to the click & go system, you can securely attach the baby car seat to any Britax stroller or bob to make a shiny travel system that is perfect for your lifestyle. The B safe 35 baby car seat can be used facing backwards, with a height of 32 ”or less.
Dimensions:
Infant car seat dimensions 17.75” w x 25” h x 26.5” d, seat area 13” d x 8.75” w, shoulder width 10”, harness slot heights 5” to 11”. The seat back height is 20 inches.
Pros:
• Protection of the head, neck and trunk from side impacts.
• Safety cell technology helps absorb impact energy.
• Secure center latch that’s easy to attach and fix.
• High-strength steel frame reinforces the base.
• Easily removable cover.
• Extra large canopy protects the baby from sun and rain.
• Built-in blocking.
Cons:
• This cannot fit in Honda Odyssey 2019; the base connector straps do not tighten far enough to make the base immovable in the car’s seats.
- Safety 1st Onboard 35 LT Infant Car Seat, Monument 2:
Product details:
• Brand: Safety 1st
• Installation Type: Latch
• Color: Monument
• Item Dimensions LxWxH: 15.75 x 18 x 30.5 inches
• Item Weight: 14.99 lbs
The Safety 1st comfort in the 35LT child car seat fosters peace of mind with its outstanding safety features. This latched child seat, which fits 4-35 lbs in backward mode, gives your baby a safe and secure travel fit.
Ultra-lightweight construction:
This easy-to-carry child car seat features an ultra-lightweight design using next generation technologies and includes side impact protection. Head and body inserts provide newborn babies with added comfort and support. Adjust the fit of your child in the car seat with four levels of harness spaced apart to make it more comfortable to sit, whether your child is tiny or tall.
Can be used on an aircraft:
Adjust the harness with a single pull to ensure a tight fit. When you leave home on a trip, this seat is ready for use on an aircraft.
Quick Click-Equipped stroller:
Compatible with any stroller equipped with QuickClick, this car seat attaches with one simple click. Easy to clean, the car seat cushion is easy to remove and ready to use in the washer and dryer. JPMA safety standards and one year limited warranty.
Pros:
• Rear mode for kids from 4lbs to 35lbs
• Ultra-lightweight infant car seat with superior safety using next-generation engineering
• Deep side and side impact protection with energy absorbing material
• Additional newborn support with head and body inserts
• The heights of the four harnesses are properly spaced so that your child will fit all the way from 4-35 lbs.
• The seat is also designed to be easy for parents to use. The height of the base is adjusted to fit the car exactly.
• The car seat pad is machine washable and tumble dry safe.
Cons:
• None.
Safety 1st believes that parents should have less worries and more joyful moments.
- Chicco KeyFit 30 Infant Car Seat, Orion
Product details:
• Brand: Chicco
• Installation Type: LATCH
• Material: Foam
• Color: Orion
• Item Dimensions LxWxH: 27.5 x 17 x 24 inches
About this item
• Recline Sure Leveling Foot, Ride Right Level, Super Cinch LATCH for easiest installation
• Designed for travel systems in compatible Chicco strollers (sold separately)
• Detachable newborn head and body support
• Easy-to-pull 5-point harness
ReclineSure leveling foot
The Chicco child car seat KeyFit 30 has been designed with innovative features that make it the easiest child car seat to fit, which is easy, precise and secure to fit every time. The KeyFit 30 in-car base has a ReclineSure adjustable foot and two RideRight bubble levels. indicators to help you reach and check the correct angle in the car seat.
Premium LATCH connectors:
The base is also equipped with a premium LATCH connector and a Super Cinch tightening device for a secure fit with little effort. For alternative mounting with vehicle seat belts, clear belt routing and integrated lockoffs facilitate belt placement, tightening, and locking in place. The smooth underside helps protect the vehicle seat from damage.
Removable head and body support:
The car seat support includes a removable head and body support to accommodate newborns up to 4 kilograms. A five-point harness with a single-pull clamp helps maintain baby safety, and the backing case is lined with energy-absorbing EPS foam for improved impact protection. An adjustable, detachable canopy provides shade from the sun.
Compatible strollers:
The KeyFit 30 is designed for use in the travel system with compatible Chicco strollers. The roof rack attaches easily to the base and stroller with a reassuring audible click. With a two-position carrying handle and one-handed opening, it is just as easy to remove.
Pros:
• ReclineSure leveling foot helps to achieve proper base angle
• RideRight Level-Indicator confirms base angle
• SuperCinch LATCH Titoner helps to fit tightly
• Detachable newborn head and body support
• Detachable canopy provides shade
• Compatible with Chicco strollers for travel systems
• 5-point harness with one-pull tie toner
• Carrier shell lined with EPS energy absorbing foam for improved impact protection
• Smooth underside helps protect vehicle seats
Cons:
• Chest buckle tilts back into chest, not flat
• Car seat gets slightly warm.
• Sun shade can be difficult to adjust.
- Evenflo LiteMax Infant Car Seat:
Product details:
• Brand: Evenflo
• Installation Type: Seat Belt
• Color: Azalea
• Item Dimensions LxWxH: 18.3 x 17.8 x 30 inches
• Item Weight: 16 Pounds
About this item
• Extended Use: Suitable for growing older babies: 4-35 lbs nominal weight and 4 shoulder strap positions.
• Lightweight: very lightweight and easy to carry.
• Ergonomic handle: more comfortable to carry in the bend of the arm.
• Full Cover Canopy: Provides complete protection from sun, wind and rain.
Evenflo continues to redefine industry standards with rollover-tested car seats. The Litemax 35 Infant Child Seat is the easiest child seat to carry. It is designed with your lifestyle in mind. The extremely lightweight carrier and ergo handle are uniquely designed to maximize the comfort of carrying your child. The Litemax 35 also comes with an easy-to-install base with a two-step vehicle belt lockoff for quick and safe installation.
Recline options:
The Litemax 35 offers 4 reclining options to optimize your child’s comfort on long car rides. For nearly a century, we have been a leader in security, innovation and education. At Evenflo, we continue to go beyond government standards by offering car seats that exceed 2X the Federal Crash Test Standard.
Pros:
• The easiest child seat to carry: Lighter than major competitors with a dedicated ergonomic handle designed for maximum comfort when carrying a child.
• Integrated Belt Lockoff System: Provides peace of mind that the base is installed safely and correctly.
• In-car base with reclining indicator: A separate in-car base that facilitates the transfer of child seats in and out of the car. The easy-to-read pendulum level indicator indicates that the seat is properly leveled in the vehicle for proper installation.
Cons:
• The styrofoam inside the seats makes little noise in case of mishandled.
Warranty:
For 90 days from the original purchase of this Product, Evenflo warrants to the original end-user (Buyer) this Product (including any accessories) against defects in material or workmanship.
Buying Guide:
There are some things specifically to look for when looking for a car seat for a preemie:
• Minimum weight requirements
Most convertible seats and some infant bucket seats require a minimum weight of 5 pounds. Since many premature babies will weigh less than what is indicated at discharge from the hospital, try to find a seat with a lower weight requirement. Finding the right place is pretty easy. A child bucket seat with a minimum weight requirement of 4 lbs, but definitely be careful when choosing.
• Body support for small babies (infant insert)
Most infant car seats come with some kind of infant insert to add a little more support to the newborn. Some child seats only have head support, while some child seats support the whole body. Additional support is important not only to add cushions, but also to keep your baby’s chin away from your chest. Newborns have no control over their heads and are more likely to fall forward in their child seat. With a good baby insert, you can avoid this slump by placing your baby’s head slightly behind your chest.
• Lowest harness position
When attaching a car seat belt to a child, the seat belts should be as close to shoulder level or slightly below shoulder level. … Too high in many seats, leaving seat belts above shoulder level, not at or below shoulder. Many child bucket seats have the lowest seat belt level around 6 inches, but if you look around you can find seats with a 5 inch seat belt level. This is best for premature babies.
• Handle position
I didn’t realize this could be a problem until I read the owner’s manual for a child car seat for toddlers. Infant bucket seats have a handle that can be moved when carrying the child seat, with the handle up, but some child seats require this handle to be in the “down” position when the child seat is in the car. there is. In addition, some child seats state that a certain amount of space is required between the child seat and the child seat in front of it when the steering wheel is down. This can be a problem if you are using a more compact car such as a sedan.
• Harness adjustability
It is becoming more and more standard for car seats to have non-padded seat belts, but there are still many things that do not have this feature. As your child grows, you will need to adjust the position of the harness belt, which are intended. A non-re-threading belt is a belt that can be easily adjusted without removing the harness or pulling it through the next slot.
• Weight of seat
One of the factors I think is important when dealing with child seats is how easy it is to carry. In my experience, babies tend to fall asleep in the car and it’s a shame to have to wake them out of their child seat! A lightweight seat that can be easily removed from the car is the key to keeping your child asleep. Anything under £ 10 will suffice, but the lighter you find it, the easier it will be to carry.
• Expiration
You will find that car seats always have an expiration date. Most car seats are rated for 5 to 10 years. Obviously, your child won’t be using the child car seat for that long, but if you’re going to use it for more than one child, this expiration date could be important in saving you money down the road.
• Height and weight limits
All child seats have both a minimum and maximum weight limit. The larger these ranges, the longer the car seat should be usable. Most children grow beyond the height class rather than the weight class, so keep that in mind for child seats that boast high weight restrictions.
Special Side equipments that you will need for your preemie?
Premature babies have special needs that are not common to all babies. First, they are so small that it can be difficult to hold them. Second, they require very frequent feedings, and third, they may have special medical needs. This may require special equipment. The popular options are:
• feeding pillow (helps to contain and support your tiny baby)
• small sleepers with latch
• preemie flow bottle teat
• hospital breast pump
• hand-free pumped bra
• baby monitor
• No-touch car seat label requesting privacy for your more medically vulnerable child.
Passing the Car Seat Test:
As long as your breathing and heart rate do not change during the test, your baby will pass. Here are some simple tips to make sure your kid has the best shots.
Put a buckle on the seat, just as you would when you go home. This allows doctors and nurses to make the most accurate readings. The straps should fit snugly and the baby should not lean forward at all.
Wrap during the test so that the whole thing can sleep. Be sure to wrap it, not under the harness strap, to prevent safety issues.
Recline the seat to the extent permitted by the manufacturer. Newborns need to recline anyway to keep their airways open. Manufacturers usually place level indicators on their infant seats to tell if they are reclining properly.
Do not get tested immediately after breastfeeding: give your baby time to digest breast milk or formula to reduce the likelihood of reflux.
The Takeaway:
If you’ve already bought a car seat, check its specifications, it may fit your premature baby. Otherwise, check out my detailed checklist above to help you make the right choice for both you and your little one.
