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-   -   "Child Seat" for Babies & Kids (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/road-safety/9215-child-seat-babies-kids-40.html)

The one I have doesn't have a 5-point harness. The "hip" straps are missing, so you only have the 2 shoulder straps that lock together and go into the single joint at the hip (between the legs). It's fairly secure and does its job though I imagine 5-point harnesses are safer.

For a 7-month old please consider a convertible seat instead of pure rear-facing like mine. These tots grow like anything and you may find he has outgrown this in a matter of months. Advantage of a convertible seat is that you can flip it over and use it front-facing once the infant has outgrown it.

for my 7 month old son, I already have a mothercare car seat that was bought when my daughter was born. Since now she is about 15 kgs, its time to upgrade her to a new seat while this one will be continued to be used for my son. As per the label on the seat, this can be continued to use until 13 kgs of weight, that is roughly double than what he is now. So that should take atleast a year more of work for this seat I guess.

Good that I found this thread (as well). Have read through many pages, but I still have a few questions. My daughter is 10 months old and weighs approx 6.5kgs.
1. From what I understood an Infant seat is not required any more. It has to be the seat for the next level (Toddler seat?).
2. Any good brands/shops which sell these seats? I checked up one on Sarjapur Road (M&M subsidiary), but was confused on what to buy. The salesman too was not very convincing.
3. Will the seat have to be a rear facing one? Or at the age of 10 months can a baby placed in a baby seat in a front-facing mode (in the back-seat).
4. Are there seats available which can first be a "Toddler Seat" and later can be converted to a "booster seat"? I ask this question mainly from the cost angle. The price range (in the shop I visited) was any where between INR 7,000 to INR 12,000/- (and even higher). So do not want to go for a seat which costs a fortune, but would not be usable after 2-3 months. Or for how long can a Toddler seat be put to good use (i.e comfortable for the baby, and it provides safety to her as well)
5. Do these seats offer a comfortable position for sleeping? I am not comfortable in keeping a baby lying down in the back seat (because she would get thrown about in case of sudden braking), and wifey is not comfortable to hold her continuously.
6. Are there seats available which can be placed as and when needed? I don't want a baby chair permanently fixed on the car.

Any advice would be highly appreciated. Our travels generally are for 7-10 hours; 70% is on highways but 30% could be on bad roads as well.

I don't have the answers to all your questions, but I've tried to answer the ones I do know based on personal experience.

It depends on the age, weight and height of the child, and on the comfort factor too. My daughter got car-sick a couple of times when sitting in the rear-facing seat for long journeys. That has never happened in the forward facing seat.

I would suggest any mothercare store (they have them inside shoppers stop, and also independent ones). Mom & me also has lots of branches in Bangalore and they stock these seats. Additionally, they are available in baby shops but range may be more limited. As it's a safety critical item, do make sure you get one that has a CE or UL quality certification.

I think rear facing till 12 months but it also depends on weight and height

We used a rear-facing (infant) seat till my daughter turned 1 year old, then switched to a forward facing toddler type seat that she is still using comfortably at age four. It cost about INR 11,000 three years ago.

Some models can be reclined (the one we have has 3 positions). Use the reclined one for sleeping and the upright one for sitting up while awake.

I've not come across any seats that can be permanently attached. Usually, they are placed in the car when needed and secured using the seatbelt. The child is held in the seat using a separate multi-point harness. Some of them are ISOFIX compatible but I'm not sure if any car in India is sold with ISOFIX points.

- Infants upto 12 months ( or atleast 10 kgs ) , need to be placed in a rear facing seat. Since they are not completely in control of their neck incase of any 'event' only a rear facing seat can protect their neck.

- However, I would continue to suggest you should place your child in a rear facing seat until they are 15 months old or 13 kgs of weight.

- You cannot place your child ( as of now at 10 months ) in a front facing seat.

- BUT as noopster suggested in the above post - you can try to look for ' combination car seat ' also called as convertible car seats.

These seats serve as both rear facing :

Group 0+ ( from birth to 12 months and weight upto 9 kgs )

and Forward facing :

Group 1 and Group 2 ( from 1 year to 3.1/2 or 4 years and weight upto 18 kgs)

-- In my opinion the better brands are Maxi Cosi or Mother care but Im sure if you can check you will find many more. Choose what is best for you and fits your budget.

But please make sure irrespective of what you select , you only choose a seat that has 5 point harness. This provides the best possible safety. I have heard and read where 3 point seats have done more harm than good to children.

I would never recommend the booster seats since I dont think they provide 5 point harness.

I think this will answer most of your above queries , if not all.

If a combination car seat is available, I for sure would try that. Because I cannot afford one seat for Group 0 and then in a few months time look for another one in Group 1 and Group 2 category. A booster seat, I feel can be thought about much later.

Thanks for the inputs. Can you share a picture of a seat with 5 point harness? It would help me a lot.

The 5 point harness sets are the one with 5 point contact on the seat.

For Example, 1 each on left & right shoulder , 1 each on left & right hip and 1 for the groin.

That is the belts emerge from these points and usually are clipped together at one single point.



I would also strongly advise that you please read some more journals and information on the internet. There are various resources to know more about car seats , its safety and usage and CROSS CHECK the information that I have provided.

The information that I have given you is in good faith and should not be taken for granted or final.

Im saying this because since it involves our respective children we should take due care in their safety. There is no bigger asset that than their well being.

I will be glad to provide any more information if I can provide.

On the topic, check this on Volvo website. Quite useful for choosing the right seat for age/weight combination.

So this is what i have now for my 5yr old daughter who is 3ft tall and weighs 16kgs.

http://www.shoppersstop.com/kids/mot...luxe-grey.html

Now have ordered this:
http://www.shoppersstop.com/kids/mot...-car-seat.html

This looks like a bed to me. Correct me if I am wrong here. How did you use this? Or is it just a bit of padding placed on the seat, and on top of it you make the baby sit??

It is advised to use rear facing seat at least till 12-15months based on the weight of the kid. For my younger one we used rear facing till 15months. Since your kid is already 10months, you can look for convertible seat which can be used both ways. In shopper stop I have seen convertible seats which can be used from 0month till 4years.

Good one :thumbs up

Have been using 2 of this for last 3-4 years now & I'm completely satisfied & very glad to have bought this

I have that one too - except in a shocking pink colour. Used in my wife's car. In this one the child AND the seat are secured using the car's 3-point harness. The advantage in this one (supposedly) is that you can use it for "commuter" transport i.e. on taxis, buses or trains that happen to be seatbelt-equipped. Also it's super portable so easy to transfer between cars if someone else (grandparents etc.) pick up the child.

It's a simple booster seat.

yes hope my daughter likes it as well.

well if it was left to my daughter even this would have been in pink :D

So you bought a nice car. Then take your kids on a drive.

You are a very safe driver. You drive slowly. Just under 50 kmph.
Kids are playing in the seats. A truck in the opposite lane is suddenly cut off because a biker stopped. The truck guy is in front of you.

You hit the brakes in panic. But combined speed of the truck and yours is about 48 kmph. You will most probably survive.

Your unrestrained kids .....


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K6tsgzFvVI0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3YF34gzwiaQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LveIjgPVqCs