Choosing the right car seat for your infant took a lot of time and effort before the baby was even born. You select one that you believe is user-friendly and safe for your newborn. But do you know how can you use baby car seat without base? Because it is the easiest and most accurate method to have an infant car seat in your car or a taxi.
If you frequently use taxis or ride-sharing services like Uber or Lyft, you should invest in a car seat that can be installed without a base. Even though convertible car seats have many benefits, they can be hard to put in because they have tethers and latches.
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Pick the right infant car seat.
There are two main types of baby bucket seats: regular belt paths and European belt paths. For ease of use, most baby carriers come with bases. This enables the parents to simply place their children on the bases that have already been placed, wait for the click, and proceed. Most of these seats can also have their bases bolted into the car if you follow a few simple steps.
Before buying a car seat, most parents look at how safe and easy it is to install. But if you use rideshares and taxis often, you might want to get one with a “European belt path” feature. A European belt path lets you stretch the chest part of the safety belt behind the baby car seat and safeguard it through a unique “belt path” on the back. This gives the car seat more than one place where the safety belt can hold it.
Can you use baby car seat without base?
Most of the time, you do not require the base to use your car seat correctly. It’s just a bonus. If you don’t have the base, you’ll need to thread the seat belt through the slots on the side and tighten it the same way you did before.
Some European seats, like the Cybex, some Maxi-Cosis, and the Nuna PIPA, have a “European belt path” that goes behind the head of the seat. Most of the time, it’s easier to set up these seats without a base than to set up their American counterparts.
Where to install an infant car seat without base
If everything else is the same, the safest place for any child seat is in the second row. Even though head-on crashes are among the most common, they are also the most dangerous. If you put your baby in the middle of the car, there will be more space between it and a car that hits him from the side.
If the seat in the middle doesn’t work, you can put it on either side. Both have their pros and cons.
How to Install a Baby Car Seat Without Base in safe way
- Place your car seat so that it faces the back of the car.
- Pull the seat belt out and put the lap part through the guides for the lap belt just on the car seat.
- Put the part of the belt that goes over the shoulder through, making sure it is flat. (If the car seat has a European belt path, you’ll pull the shoulder band in behind the child’s seat and secure it in that belt path.)
- Sometimes your seat belt has a level indicator. Check it and Fix it.
- To make the locking mechanism work, take down the shoulder belt.
- Make sure the installation is tight by pushing on the car seat and pulling on the safety belt. If you try to move the seat, it shouldn’t move more than an inch.
- Check again to make sure the seat is level.
Practice installing the baby car seat without base.
Don’t wait until you insert a car seat without a base to try it for the first time. Practice helps you get better. Before going on a trip, try putting the seat in with and without the baby. Practice more than once before you go.
Try placing the seat in both the middle and the sides of the back seat. Research findings have shown that sitting in the middle of the back seat is up to 43% safer for babies. But some center seats stick out a bit, making installation hard.
Confirm the installation.
You can probably find an inspection station near you for peace of mind. This service is offered at many local police and fire stations, but not all of them. You can confirm it by using the “find a tech” search feature on the National Child Passenger Safety Certification website to find someone in your area.
