Surprisingly, many expectant parents do not put a lot of thoughts into the infant seat.  Very often, they push the purchase to the last minute.  Yet it is one of the most important items for your baby.  We will show you what you need to do to bring your precious baby home safely.

1. Don't ever, ever buy a used infant seat

You may see it on ebay, you may see it on craigslist.  The seller says the baby has grown and will sell the infant seat to you for $20, with the extra latch base too!  Well... don't buy it!  Don't even go buy used from a store.  The fact is that you do not know the history of the infant seat; whether it has been in a crash before.  If it has, chances are that this infant seat is structurally defective and unsafe for your baby.  It is not worth any price to put your baby into danger, and espeically not worth it when a good infant seat can be had for as little as $80.

2. Don't spend a lot of money on infant seat

Some parents like to spend, and that is fine.  But why spend more than necessary?  Infant seats are not graded by how expensive they are.  They are graded by how well your baby is protected.  Spending a lot of money on the infant seat, but not installing it properly or strapping the baby in properly will not do your baby any good.  Do your research on the quality and contruction of a infant seat, and compare different features.  Buy for quality, not for price.

3. Do buy an infant seat at least 3 months in advance

Typically, the 2nd trimester is the most comfortable for expectant mothers.  Use it!  Shop around and compare prices.  Of course, you can do the shopping online.  But realistically, don't you want to check out what your baby will be riding in?  Whether it is comfortable?  What materials and extras do they come in?

But there is a more important reason for buying early: infant seat check.  The infant seat check appointments are hard to come by, and a typical wait is about one month.  Buying early will give you plenty of time to schedule this appointment.

4. Do make an appointment for infant seat check

So you bought the infant seat, and you went ahead and installed it... possibly without even reading the installation guide.  Guess what?  About 80-90% of the infant seats in the US are installed INCORRECTLY prior to a infant seat check.  Even if you have confidence in your installation, it is still a good idea to check it out.  These infant seat appointments are hard to come by, and it's best to schedule one early.  Typical infant seat check locations are highway patrol stations, police departments, and some car dealers.  Call them and ask for an appointment.

5. Do learn how to strap your baby in the infant seat

Some parents think that once they get the infant seat latch base installation checked, their job is done.  No, no, and no!  The baby is still strapped to the infant seat by you, and proper strapping is essential to the correct functioning of the entire baby infant seat system.  So go, take a class, and learn how to properly strap your baby to the infant seat.  It would be time and money well spent.