what car seat do i go with

[lil_attitude27]

i am looking for a 5 pt harness car seat for my daughter who just turned 2 and is 26 lbs. i was looking at a option for her to be in until she is 80lbs. can anyone help me ??? i want something safe with side impact i am so confused on how to choose

[Papooses]

Barely 2 years old & 26# is pretty tiny . . . I'd much rather see a child that age/size still riding RF There are plenty of convertibles out now that would keep your child safest RF & still safely harnessed FF after reaching the RF limits.

Safest practice =
1. keeping kids RF until the maximum RF limits,
2. then harnessing until the maximum FF limits,
3. then boostered until they reach the maximum booster limits,
4. then always always wearing their seatbelt.

RF is safest in every kind of crash, included side impacts, but especially frontals (which are the most common)

Otherwise, any 5 point harness seat is safe when correctly used. It's all about following the manuals for both the vehicle + the carseat & not "graduating" kids too early (because each seat type "graduation" is actually a demotion in safety: you can learn more details about the benefits of RF at my site in my signature)

That said, if you really do not want to keep kiddo RF, I'll try to help you narrow down your FF choices. What vehicle, year, make, model? What is your budget?

	Forward Facing Car Seats A forward-facing car seat is one in which the child sits facing the front of the car. The seat should be installed in the back seat of your vehicle. Most forward-facing only seats are for children above 20 pounds.

	Rear Facing Car Seats A rear-facing seat is one in which the infant faces the back of the car. Always install a rear-facing seat in the back seat of your car. This is the safest position for an infant. NEVER place a rear-facing seat in the front seat of a vehicle with passenger airbags.

	Convertible Car Seats Convertible seats are for infants and toddlers. The seat can be used as a rear-facing seats for younger children, and switched to a forward-facing seat on the child's first birthday if the child weighs at least 20 pounds. However, experts recommend keeping the child in a rear-facing position until he or she outgrows the weight or height allowed by the safety seat.

	Booster Seat A booster seat raises your child up so that the car's lap and shoulder belts fit correctly. The lap belt should fall across the upper thighs. The shoulder belt should go across the middle of the shoulder and chest. A booster seat is used for older children up to about 80 pounds. Some states have passed laws requiring booster seats for children up to age 8 or 80 pounds. Check your state's law.