Make a family mobility plan

Child restraint system manufacturers try to adapt their various models to different lifestyles, needs and functions. But choosing the best child restraint system can become a headache for many families; in addition to the financial outlay involved, we are not specialists in this product and it is difficult to get it right.

An interesting idea is to draw up a mobility plan on the use of child restraint systems, according to our needs.

Let’s look at some examples of different mobility solutions to show how important it is to think before purchasing child restraint systems.

In general, we start by breaking down the choice according to the height of the child, bearing in mind that our chosen solution will have a range of use from 40 to 105 cm, and then beyond this, from 100 to 150 cm.

Once we have done this, we need to assess which mobility solution we require. Do we have a vehicle with ISOFIX? Will we need to swap the child seat between different vehicles? Will we need to get out of the vehicle for short periods of time, e.g., to take older siblings to school?

If the answer to these questions is yes, we should consider buying a rotating base with ISOFIX on which we can install a baby carrier, as this will allow us to get out of the car with the baby when we need it and, later on, we can buy a convertible seat that is installed on the same base. Also, if we have several cars, we can buy more than one base.

On the other hand, if the answers are no, our requirements are different. In this case, the best option would be a rotating restraint system from 40 to 105 cm.

The list of questions and answers can be as long and complex as we need, but it will give us an idea of what we need.

Once we have chosen our mobility system, without deciding on a specific brand or model, we should go to a specialist shop to see what options we have. There is one vitally important issue: how to install the child restraint system in our vehicle. We have to remember that many of the problems we may encounter in the first few months, such as the baby’s head falling forward, crying and the child’s lack of comfort, are related to the choice of child restraint system and, in many cases, to its compatibility with the car.

For this reason, our tips for correctly choosing a CRS include drawing up a mobility plan and analyzing the compatibility of the child restraint system with our vehicle.

From 105 cm upwards, we should take a similar approach, although, in many cases, the variable of another child must be introduced, in the case of families with two children.

This simple exercise can help us to get it right when buying a child restraint system and also save us money, as good planning will prevent us from having to change child restraint systems because we have made the wrong choice.