Car safety with baby: the car seat

January 14, 2022

We are moving away from proximal parenting, free movement, and baby furniture and clothing with this article. Here, we will be talking about the car seat for your child!

Our creations, and the values we defend, promote emotional security and the adapted environment that babies / children need to develop. Physical security is elementary to allow everything else, and beyond the interior of the house in which baby will spend a lot of time, the car is another environment that must be approached with safety.

We know that the question of car seats is central for many because it is very nebulous and with a lot of misinformation or unclear and very abundant explanations.

Are you expecting a baby, or do you already have children? The question of car seats has certainly already arisen, or will arise before the baby arrives. How do you get home from the maternity ward? (If you are giving birth at home, you can still continue reading 😉). Do you choose equipment that is compatible with the stroller, or a separate car seat? What is a carrycot? Are all seats the same? Is a carrycot as safe as a car seat? Front or rear facing?? So many questions that we (or others) will answer.

Car seats are mandatory for children under 10 years old. So to comply with the law, and to ensure baby's safety, here are some useful resources to help you better understand and choose.

Car seat standards

Since the end of 2020, approved car seats have been subject to the UN R129 standard. Before that, there was the R44 standard. You can still find the latter in circulation (if we dare say so...) since manufacturers are authorized to sell them until 2024.
The new UN R129 standard is commonly called the "i-Size" standard.

This approval is a prerequisite that you must pay attention to, it is the only guarantee of having equipment that does not represent a danger in itself! It applies to all equipment that we call car seats here and which include:

The nacelle , to transport your newborn in a lying position (when returning from the maternity ward, for example);
The shell seat , from birth to 1 or almost 2 years.

These first two pieces of equipment have the advantage of generally being able to be attached to the stroller as well. It's practical.

The ^2nd age seats, to transport your child who is between 10 months and 5 years old (approximately);
The booster seat for your child from 3 and a half years old and up to around 12 years old.

The ages listed represent an average of what most manufacturers/builders indicate. However, these are not safety recommendations.... Uh, what do you mean?

Safety is not just about standards, but also about (crash) tests. Just like for cars.

How to choose your car seat?

That's a good question. Since you shouldn't rely only on the standard (which is the minimum to have), how do you choose your seat?

Not all car seats are equal! To begin with, France is one of the countries that authorizes the sale of carrycots... others have banned them because they are not safe enough.

Then, to find the right shoe for you, or the right seat for your child, you are not alone!

This blog post is not sponsored or partnered with in any way. However, we want to tell you about an association, created by a company, that does a lot in terms of awareness and information.

This is the Association " Voyager Dos à la Route by Securange" (VDR) (links at the bottom of the page). You will learn on their site everything there is to know about the different seats, about the best seats according to your budget and your use. Above all, you will be convinced that you should keep your child "back to the road" for as long as possible, because he is much (much) safer that way. Their site is a gold mine that we invite you to browse far and wide. And, the cherry on the cake, the association's volunteers run a Facebook group on which they answer questions, very quickly, and give advice to support your requests or even a photo of your seat installation!

You can also find out more on the UFC Que Choisir website, which informs consumers on a wide range of topics, including car seats.

With this quick approach, and especially these two substantial resources, you will be able to better understand what is available on the market, and you will find what suits you while buying a safe product for your baby.

Remember, the brand does not make safety! Look at the test results, the use cases (size, age, weight, ...), and above all, be wary of buying used seats.
It's better to buy a seat that fits and keeps your baby safe from the start, rather than realising it later and no longer being able to travel with peace of mind.