Note: I wrote this review while participating in a campaign for Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Chicco and I received a promotional item to thank me for my participation.

When I was pregnant with Shane, I didn’t know anything about baby gear. I didn’t have any friends with kids & while I knew my way around Google, I found conflicting information everywhere about most things. &Some things, I didn’t even think about- like car seats.

I knew that it was incredibly important to have your car seat installed correctly, and to make sure the straps were correct, but I never thought about the actual seat. I was fortunate enough to receive two car seats at my baby shower- one stand alone car seat and one that came with a stroller- and so we had enough for both of our cars without me having to do research. The car seats I had were fine, but now that I’ve been around the Mommy block for awhile, I want the best of the best for the next time that I have to pick out a car seat.

The “best” means different things to different people, but for me it means that I want a car seat that will keep my kid safe- and that I can use for more than a year. This is especially important now that the age guideline for infant car seats has been raised. When Shane was a baby, it was recommended to keep your child rear-facing as long as possible but for at least 1 year. Shane was a big baby & so he barely made it to a year before he outgrew his infant car seat. In hindsight, it makes me nervous that we switched him to forward-facing so young, but after all, that was the age they said to switch him at and he’d outgrown his car seat.

Shane at 11 months- already just about too big for his infant car seat!

Luckily, along with the guidelines shift, car seats themselves have shifted. Infant seats are easier to find in larger sizes that can accommodate newborns through two year olds, so you don’t have to buy a new seat each year.

Shane’s only three but the guidelines have already changed from his baby days. Here’s a quick-reference guide to the new safety standards:

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I’ve been doing my research on car seats lately because I’m hoping to be in the market for one soon. I really like the Chicco NextFit Convertible Car Seat because it grows with your child and can accommodate them from 5 lbs. to 65 lbs- that means even Shane would still fit in it! It has a lot of features that allow it to be installed easily- something that I can appreciate because I am horrible at installing car seats & always need Justin to do it. This seat has a ReclineSure 9-position leveling system that you can adjust with one hand for an accurate fit, and it takes the guesswork out of installation with the two RideRight bubble levels that tell you if the seat is at the correct angle- in both rear and front facing modes.

Whether you’re new to the world of car seats or a seasoned pro, Chicco’s Car Seat Safety Advocate Julie Prom has some great tips to share:

Rear-facing is safest.  The American Academy of Pediatrics and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recommend rear-facing as long as possible. Parents should keep child rear-facing until at least 2 years old, longer if the car safety seat weight and height limit allows. Young children are fragile and are best protected in a rear-facing car seat. To ensure a child can stay rear-facing as long as possible, purchase a convertible seat when your baby outgrows the infant seat. 

Most children younger than 5-years old are not mature enough to sit without a full harness. Keep your child in a forward-facing car seat with a harness until at least 5 or 6 years old. 

Most common mistakes can be avoided by simply following manufacturers’ instructions. All car seats must meet stringent Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards to be sold in the U.S. It is when they are not used correctly that makes them unsafe. Always read and follow the instructions for the safety seat. Also, read the vehicle owner’s manual section on child restraints. 

Always buckle your baby into the safety seat first, and then cover the baby with blankets. Avoid bulky clothing and add-on products such as car seat buntings. This can interfere with proper harness fit and crash performance of the seat. A good trick for older children is to buckle them in without their jacket and then put it back on them backwards over the harness. Not only do these techniques ensure proper harness fit, but also avoids overheating by allowing the baby to be easily uncovered or the child to take his jacket off once the car gets warmer.

Always use the top tether when installing a forward-facing car seat. The tether reduces movement of a car seat in a crash and helps to achieve a tight installation.

Buy It: The Chicco NextFit Convertible Car Seat can be purchased at Babies R Us, Target, BuyBuyBaby and Specialty Stores for the suggested retail price of $299.

What do you wish you knew more about when you had your first child?