Choosing Baby Capsules and Convertible Baby Car Seats
It's important to choose your baby capsule or baby car seat before your child is born. You need time to try different types of baby capsules and child car seats to find the one that best suits your car's size and shape.
Some cars, including older cars and commercial vehicles, may need modifications or special accessories to fit a baby capsule or car seat correctly.
For babies, you can choose either a:
- baby capsule (suitable for babies up to nine kilograms or approximately six months)
- convertible baby car seat (suitable for babies and children up to 18 kilograms or about four years)
When choosing a baby car seat, keep in mind the steps necessary to correctly install and remove the seat from your car. This is especially important if you need to do this regularly.
Baby capsule or convertible baby car seat?
There are several different styles of baby capsules available. However, you can only use the capsule until your baby weighs nine kilograms.
Convertible baby car seats are used facing rearward until your child reaches nine kilograms or 12 kilograms (depending on the manufacturer's recommendations). Your child can then use the seat facing forward until they are 18 kilograms or about four years old.
However, some convertible baby car seats are quite large and you may have problems fitting it into your car. Before you choose a car seat or capsule for your baby, you need to check:
- Will the baby capsule/ car seat fit comfortably into your car without pushing against the back of the front seat?
- Will there be enough room for other passengers?
- Will there be enough room around the baby capsule/ car seat to allow you to lift the baby and/ or the seat in and out of the car?
When you buy your baby capsule or baby car seat from RACQ, you can be sure RACQ's staff can give you the best advice on the right car seat for your child.
See the range of baby capsules and baby car seats available from RACQ's online shop.
Discount prices on all babies' and children's car seats are available for RACQ members. Not a member of RACQ? Join RACQ now!
How to use car seats for babies and children
All baby car seats are designed to have your baby facing the rear of the car. This is the safest way for a baby to travel in your car while they are still developing their neck muscles.
Baby capsules and child car seats are fitted to the car by the car's seatbelt and a tether strap, which attaches to an anchor bolt/fitting. Every time you use the seat, make sure the harness is adjusted to fit the baby as snugly as possible.
If you use a bunny rug, fasten the harness on the baby first and then put the rug over the baby.
You will need to check the harness regularly and adjust it as the baby grows. The manufacturer's instructions will explain the right way to do this.
