Choosing the Right Infant Car Seat for You

          OK, so the dreadful nausea has finally subsided and that baby bump is starting to show more and more every passing day. This can only mean one thing...it's time to start your registry planning! So you finally get your husband out to the baby store and all hyped up with you to help planning your nursery and choosing the perfect car seat. Only when you finally take those first few steps into this magical land of cute little baby stuff you're feeling overwhelmed with all the options! This is when you decide to take it slow and go over to the car seat isle, because what could be easier then just picking out a cute car seat right?? WRONG AGAIN!! HELP!! There are so many different options now with not just the style of fabric you're going to have to choose, but also the safety ratings (I mean every seat has a sticker that says #1 in something) and don't forget the sizes and shapes and all the other bells and whistles.
          Well hold on to those diapers mommies because this is where I come in to save your day! I have already put in the time and research for all of your infant car seat concerns and questions. Listed below will be the first four things that need to be considered when choosing the right infant carrier for you and your growing family. I will also have several other pages to help you through more questions and concerns on different safety ratings, reviews, and facts on the most popular car seats on today's market.
           Ready, because here we go::

1.) Safety First!
          I'm sure it goes without saying, but our baby's safety is our number one priority from the moment the take their first breath...Ok, maybe WAY before that, like when that little stick says positive! With this said, I will not put anything on this blog that is not absolutely safe for your little bundle of joy!

2.) Car Seat Size/Weight
          Ok, so I'm sure while looking at all those cute car seats and their adorable little designs, you had to have noticed how almost every seat has a round of numbers to soon follow it's style name (ie. Chicco KeyFit 30, Peg Perego Primo Viaggio SIP 30/30, Graco SnugRide Click Connect 35, etc.). These numbers are to help inform you of that particular seat's limits and size, such as it's maximum height and/or weight. This comes in handy when deciding how long you are wanting to use the infant carrier (although most parents choose to upgrade around 12 months or so) as well as how big of a baby you and your doctor are expecting to deliver.

3.) Your Car Seats Weight
          When shopping for your infant carrier, you ALWAYS want to keep in mind that the bigger the seat comes, the heavier and bigger it becomes as well! When purchasing an infant car seat, heavy is good, but only to a certain point...remember that you will have weight of that baby in there too when you're lugging that seat around! I also recommend that you take a friend's baby with you when looking for the right seat for you so that you can see the difference with the added weight. Don't have a spare baby on hand? No problem, I used a gallon of distilled water a few isles down.

4.) Stroller Compatibility
          Now, the good news is that if it's not compatible, you can almost always buy an adapter for it now. However, my advice would be to try and find another combination if you can since you're already spending a small fortune on all the bells and whistles that comes with this new baby of yours and the adapter is just another unnecessary added expense. But whatever you choose to do, make sure that you are COMPLETELY happy with both the stroller and the car seat!