I received a sample for this review/feature. Opinions expressed are my own.
One of the biggest purchases for a new baby is a car seat. It is what keeps them safe from point A to point B in case of a car accident. There are so many different car seats out there and it can be overwhelming and confusing. Graco understands the desire to provide your little ones with the best protection possible when getting into a vehicle. Graco‘s new TrueShield Technology provides children with extra protection when out on the road. These new innovations provide side impact protection from your child’s head to hips, in case of a side impact accident.
Graco TrueShield Technology will be available in 2017 in:
- The SnugRide? Infant Car Seat for rear-facing infants from 4 – 35 lbs.
- The Extend2Fit? 3-in-1 Car Seat which provides up to five inches of additional legroom for children to ride rear-facing longer, up to 50 lbs.
- The TurboBooster? 2-in-1 booster seat with a high back and backless option to help keep your big kid safe. The TurboBooster? LX ft. TrueShield? has been side impact tested for occupant retention by the vehicle belt in highback booster mode only.
This here is the Graco? SnugRide? 35 Platinum Infant Car Seat featuring TrueShield Technology. I will be using it for my third baby girl that I am currently pregnant with. I know she will be safe when I bring her home from the hospital in this car seat.
Safety is of the utmost importance when installing a car seat. In fact, a recent study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) found that 49 percent of infant car seats were incorrectly installed*. Please make sure to read the car seat instruction manual as well as your vehicle’s manual before attempting to install the car seat.
Recommended Use:
- Rear-Facing Use Only
- Weight: 4 lb ? 35 lb
- Height: Up to 32″
- Child’s head must be at least 1? from the top of the headrest
This car seat includes a built in level indicator on the base. The vehicle must be on level ground before installing. Ensure bubble is entirely in the dark blue line for infants over 3 months, and within both the light blue and dark blue lines for infants 0-3 months. Don?t forget about the Inch Test when installing your car seat. Always check your car seat (using your non-dominant hand at the belt path) to ensure it does not move more than an inch left to right, or front to back for a secure installation. Make sure the car seat base is a minimum of 80% on the vehicle seat. Graco has labels on our car seats marking the 80/20 rule to show the allowable amount of overhang.
Reminders for Proper Fit to Child:
- Chest Clip: Chest clip should be level with child’s armpits.
- Harness Height: Harness straps should be at or just below the child’s shoulders.
- Buckle Position: The correct slot is the one that is closest to your child without being underneath them.
- Pinch Test: When tightening the harness straps, check at your child’s collarbone to ensure you are unable to pinch any excess webbing. If you can pinch access webbing, tighten the harness. If your fingers slide off the harness straps without pinching any excess fabric on the straps, it is tight enough.
This car seat base was actually super easy to install. After reading through the instructions it took me about 10 minutes before I felt sure it was tight and ready to go. The bucket part the baby sits in is not bulky and is actually light-weight so it won’t be hard to carry it and baby once she arrives. The straps are super easy to tighten and I really like that you only have to push one button on the top of the handle in which to lower it back. The fabric is soft and I am super picky when it comes to car seats but I feel super comfortable putting my newborn in this once she arrives!