Car Seats - Travel Systems, Infant Car Seats & Booster Seat | Babyhaven

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Your child’s age and weight will be guiding factors in your selection.If your child fits this description, you’ve got a couple routes to go – an infant car seat or a convertible car seat. For smaller babies, an infant car seat is usually the preferred alternative. Designed specifically for infants, they are smaller and will usually be a better fit for an infant. With these models, you will also find that many are compatible with strollers -- forming what is known as a travel system. Convenient stay-in-car bases are also a standard feature with infant car seats which allows for the car seat to simply be snapped in and out of the car seat base, so baby will not have to be transferred in and out of their car seat.
The disadvantage to the standard infant car seat which might have you turning in the direction of the convertible car seat is the lower weight capacity. Most infant models only accommodate babies up to approximately 22 pounds; although, weight capacity will vary based on model and manufacturer. A convertible car seat is unique in that it can be used in the rear-facing position for infants and simply turned ...
... around in a forward-facing position for older children. The weight capacity of a convertible model is higher than that of an infant model. The rear-facing weight capacity is also greater.
This is important because it allows your child to stay rear-facing for a longer time, as recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics. Subsequently, when your child outgrows the rear-facing capacity, the car seat can be turned around and used as a standard toddler car seat. Many parents looking for a car seat that will get their child through their toddler years will turn to a convertible car seat. Even for parents that start out with an infant car seat, however, will look into purchasing a convertible as a second car seat for their child once they outgrow their infant one. If that is what you plan on doing, you’ll be able to keep your child rear-facing longer, and then flip the seat around when they’re bigger and use it as a toddler car seat.
Many of these toddler models are designed as combination car seats which many parents applaud. A combination seat converts from a forward-facing toddler car seat to a booster seat. The Graco Nautilus 3-in-1 is the perfect example of a versatile combination seat, and as such, it is probably the only front-facing car seat you would ever need to purchase. With the Graco Nautilus your child can use the 5-point safety harness in a front-facing position up to 65 pounds. After your child reaches this mark, the Nautilus can be converted into a high back booster and then a backless booster able to accommodate children up to 100 pounds. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends using a 5-point safety harness with your child as long as possible, and many of these combination toddler seats.With the purchase of a combination toddler seat, you will also eliminate the need to make future booster seat purchases as your child grows.