Last Updated on September 16, 2022
If you have just bought a babystart car seat, you might be wondering how to fit it. Babystart car seats are usually sold by Argos, and are rather fiddly to fit in the car. These seats support rear-facing babies up to ten or nine kilograms, and scored the lowest marks possible in independent tests. Let’s look at how to fit one so that you’ll be able to enjoy a safe journey with your little one.
Argos sells a range of babystart car seats
Although Argos no longer lists the Babystart car seat in their catalogue, they still stock a range of Babystart products. The company produces pushchairs, highchairs, baby carriers and other equipment. Its safety tests, which are carried out by car club Which?, have helped improve child car seat safety over the past decade. However, the retailer has yet to offer replacement seats or alternatives for existing models.
Parents are advised to buy new seats if they want to avoid the risk of a seat catching fire. A number of the seats sold by Argos fail to meet the safety regulations set by the European Union. If you’re considering buying a used car seat, which should you buy? Which? recommends against this as second-hand car seats are not guaranteed to be safe. Argos’ car seat also failed to pass the Which? crash test, which is more rigorous than current UK standards.
They are fiddly to put in the car
A common complaint about Babystart car seats is that they’re hard to fit in the back seat of your car. There’s no padding, and the straps are difficult to adjust. The velcro band is fiddly, and you need to wiggle your fingers through a small slit in the fabric to extend the harness straps. This also leads to improper adjustment.
They only support rear-facing to 10 or sometimes even 9kg
While the recommended rear-facing age for a seat is four months old, many Babystart models can support babies up to nine or ten kilograms. This means that if your child is above this weight, you’ll have to consider getting a different seat or upgrading to a booster. Rear-facing is safer than forward-facing, and studies show that rear-facing is 96% more effective at preventing serious injury. But, you should be aware that most of these seats only support rear-facing to 18KG, or sometimes even less. The 18KG limit is just too high for your average sized child – your child may outgrow the seat too quickly.
When you’re shopping for your first child’s car seat, you should consider the safety and growth potential of all three features. You should also consider the safety of the rear-facing seat belt. A rear-facing seat belt runs diagonally. While this may not pose a problem for small kids, it can become difficult as your child grows older. Besides, the seat must always be in full recline in order to be effective, which can be annoying for older children. Another disadvantage is the time that your child can safely be rear-facing in this seat will be shorter than that of other 0+1 seats.
They scored lowest possible score in independent tests
The Babystart Multi-Recline child car seat has failed safety tests and has been branded as a “don’t buy” by consumer group Which? It was found that the car seat was a lethal product and failed the safety tests carried out by Which? at speeds higher than the official EU safety standards. Even though it was classed as safe for children up to 18kg, the Which? report advised parents to replace the seat with a better one.
Despite the fact that the Babystart has been discontinued, Argos is still selling a range of its products including pushchairs, highchairs, baby carriers, equipment and more. Its child car seats have been subjected to independent tests by German car club ADAC, which have contributed to improving the safety of child car seats over the past decade. However, despite the poor performance of Babystart car seats, they still offer some advantages over other brands.
About The Author
Wendy Lee is a pop culture ninja who knows all the latest trends and gossip. She's also an animal lover, and will be friends with any creature that crosses her path. Wendy is an expert writer and can tackle any subject with ease. But most of all, she loves to travel - and she's not afraid to evangelize about it to anyone who'll listen! Wendy enjoys all kinds of Asian food and cultures, and she considers herself a bit of a ninja when it comes to eating spicy foods.