Baby Car Seats at Kiddisave - The One Stop Baby Shop

According to UK law all children until they are either 135cm tall (about 4ft 5in) or 12, must use the correct car seat. It is illegal for a child who is both under 135cm tall and under 12 to use solely an adult seatbelt and can result in the driver of the car having a £30 fixed penalty notice. If your case goes to court, the maximum fine is £500. If your child uses an adult seatbelt before they are tall enough to, the lap part of the belt sits too high on his stomach, in a crash it could damage his internal organs. There is also a risk of him slipping under the belt. The rules also say that rear-facing baby seats MUST NOT be used in a seat protected by a frontal airbag unless the airbag has been deactivated.

Choosing the right car seat for your baby's age and weight is very important. You must also make sure that it is properly installed. If a car seat doesn't seem to fit your car perfectly, or if it seems difficult to fasten in place, do not buy it. Some seats work better in some models of cars than others. Kiddisave offer a try before you buy on all car-seat models to help make sure you get the right model for your vehicle.

Newborns: A car seat is one piece of equipment you really need before your baby is born, whether or not you own a car. If you are having your baby in hospital and are going home by car, you will need to put them in a seat. It is important to only use a second-hand seat if you are certain of its history.

Children under three: until their third birthday, your baby or toddler must use a child car seat appropriate for his weight in any vehicle regardless of where they are sitting in the vehicle.

Children three and over: until he is 135cm tall (about 4ft 5in) or 12, your child must use the correct car seat. It is illegal for a child who is both under 135cm tall and under 12 to use solely an adult seatbelt.

Modern child restraints are designed for specific weight ranges of child, so check your child's weight before you go shopping.

• Group 0 and Group 0+ / Stage 1. These are infant carriers which are rear-facing and for children up to 10kg and up to 13kg respectively (from birth to nine or 12 months).

• Group 1 / Stage 2. Child seats, forward-facing and for children 9kg to 18kg (about nine months to four years).

• Group 2 / Stage 3 and Group 3 / Stage 4. Booster seats and cushions for children from 15kg to 25kg (about four to six years) and from 22kg and up to 36kg (about six to 12 years). Many models in these groups can be modified to accommodate children as they grow.

Group 0 and Group 0+ / Stage 1

If your baby weighs up to 13kg she needs to be in a rear-facing seat. These are known as Group 0, up to 10kg Group 0+, up to 13kg, or stage one car seats. This is a good option, because your baby travels facing the rear of the car for longer, providing head and neck vital support. As long as the crown of your baby's head does not stick up above the top of the seat, she should stay facing backwards for as long as possible.

As small babies sleep so much, you can often move your baby in and out of the car while they are sleeping without waking her up. Infant carriers have a carrying handle to make this easier. They also usually come with little pillows known as head huggers, which make sure that your newborn baby's head doesn't wobble about as they travel in the car. You will need to use these for the first three months or so until your baby can hold their head up on their own. Many car-seats can be used as part of a travel system so that baby can be easily transferred between car and pushchair without disturbing them. Kiddisave have a huge selection of car-seats and travel systems available in a range of brands, colours and prices.

IsoFix bases makes putting your Baby carrier in the car even easier as the base fit securily into your car and does not need to be removed, making putting baby into the car hassle free.

Maxi-Cosi have introduced the new FamilyFix which uses the same IsoFix base for both group 0+ and Group 1 car-seats, which is a first in the industry. With Light and sound technology you can make sure that your base is correctly fitted, ensuring absolute safety. There are 3 Green lights that check that the base is correctly fitted on the IsoFix anchoring points in the car, that the support leg has been clicked into the right height and position and that the Maxi-Cosi Pebble (Group 0+) or Pearl (Group 1) car seat has clicked securely onto the base. Three green lights and – just to be absolutely sure – one beeps and you’re safe to go!

The new Maxi-Cosi FamilyFix Base and Maxi-Cosi Pebble and Pearl are available in a range of colours today at Kiddisave – The One Stop Baby Shop.