We’ve briefly touched on this at the beginning of this article but if you’re still confused, here are some of the major differences that distinguish the two:

• Infant car seats: they are rear-facing only and have a lower weight limit (usually up till 35 pounds and 32 inches). They certainly won’t last as long as convertible car seats, but they win in the portability department. Parents can carry it by the handle or clip it into a stroller to move baby from one spot to another without removing baby from it.
• Convertible car seats: can be both rear and forward-facing – a newborn can use it until they are eligible for the forward-facing position so that certainly gives better value for money, as it can last you till the preschool years (or even longer). Cost-efficiency is certainly one of their top appeals but they won’t give the same portability, and you won’t be able to use it as part of a travel system.

This depends on two things: (1) the maximum weight or height requirements of the specific make and model of your car seat, and (2) how quickly your baby reaches these requirements.

Most infant car seats have a height limit between 30 and 35 inches and a weight limit between 30 and 35 pounds but do check your car seat’s manual to be sure. When baby reaches either milestone i.e. if they’ve reached the height limit but is still under the weight limit or vice versa, you should stop using the infant car seat. Most babies outgrow it around one year of age or so.

If you plan to take your baby out in the car, that is not a question – you’re going to need a car seat. But whether or not you need an infant car seat or you should just get a convertible one, that is a matter of personal preference.

They latter may seem to be the more cost-efficient option (mainly because they have a longer lifespan) but there are actually a few distinct advantages to using an infant car seat:

• Easier and a more straightforward installation. You can just quickly click it into the backseat and off you go unlike convertible car seats which need to be uninstalled and reinstalled every time you remove it from the car. The heavier and bulkier design don’t help to that too, but do make sure you purchase the car seat base (if it doesn’t already come with one) if you want to enjoy said convenience.
• On the same note, it is easier to transfer a sleeping baby from car to stroller (and vice versa) using an infant car seat that is compatible to the stroller – or you can create your own travel system using adapters.

Speaking of transferring a sleeping baby, it is generally not advisable for babies to sleep in a position other than a firm, flat surface (such as their crib/bassinet). The infant car seat falls out of that scope so it is generally considered an unsafe place for babies to sleep in (especially for long stretches) because they may slump down and end up in a chin-to-chest position that could potentially cause suffocation.

But do not panic, it’s natural that babies fall asleep in their car seats. Have another rider sit next to baby to ensure they do not fall into said chin-to-chest position and just move them to a crib when you’ve reached your destination.

This is not recommended by the experts. If you must, it should be one that you know of its history – those that had ever been in a car accident, no matter how minor, should never be used again and needs to be replaced immediately.