What is a Toddler Booster Car Seat?

When you become a parent, you'll find yourself learning all sorts of new things about child care and the equipment that you need to keep your baby safe and healthy. For instance, you will find that one of the most important purchases that you will ever make for your baby is a car seat. There are several different kinds of car seats on the market. You'll first have to choose between an infant seat and a convertible car seat when your baby arrives, then get a toddler booster car seat when he's older.

But what exactly is a toddler booster car seat? Toddler booster seats are very different from both infant seats and convertible seats, although they also serve the primary function of keeping a child protected while on the road. Infant seats are commonly used as recliners and infant carriers aside from being used to secure a baby in the car. They are rear-facing and must be replaced when a child is a year old. Convertible seats meanwhile are meant to be used rear-facing or forward-facing until a baby is at least four.

A booster car seat for toddlers is a forward-facing seat. Unlike a convertible seat, it can only be used in a single position. It fastens onto a vehicle seat by means of the built-in seat belts and safety restraints, and is meant to be used every time a child travels in the car. This last point is important, as many parents are less careful with car seats when their children are bigger and have already transitioned to a forward-facing seat.

Booster seats are intended for the use of older children, and a booster should be the last car seat that you buy. Babies can be kept in rear-facing infant seats until they are about 20 lbs in weight, and in convertible seats until they weigh around 40 lbs. You know your child is ready for a booster when he weighs more than 40 lbs and 4 years old. Both requirements should be satisfied; if he is lighter than 40 lbs he will not have enough bulk to be safe in a booster. If he is less than 4 years old, his bones and muscles may also be inadequately developed.

There are two different types of booster seats. The first type of booster has a high back which has its own harness and provides some form of back and neck support and also protects your child's head. Backless boosters meanwhile only provide your child with enough height to allow the car's regular seatbelt to lie correctly across his body. Experts agree that a high-back booster is safer because it gives more protection in the event of a crash.

When your child reaches 4 feet and 9 inches in height and has turned eight years old, then you may take him out of his booster seat and use the adult seatbelts in your vehicle. Before then, make sure that he's strapped into a toddler booster car seat when you go out for a ride.

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