What are some guidelines on choosing a carseat?

The carseat with its harness safety-belt is able to be fitted rear-facing, and it’s recommended your baby stays rear-facing until about a year old, or around 12 kg. Then the carseat is turned around to be forward-facing — and I tell you, that can make one very happy toddler, as car drives become so much more interesting for them. Later, when your child is at about 14–18 kg, you will promote him again to a booster-seat (which is usually just polystyrene covered in material) that uses the normal vehicle diagonal safety-belt. Legally, children are required to use a carseat or booster-seat until their 7th birthday. From their 7th to 8th birthday, they need to be secured in an approved child restraint if one is available. But ‘best practice’ strongly recommends that children are in a booster-seat until 148 cm tall or 11 years of age.