Finally Revealed Best Car Seats For Preemies

Best Car Seat For Preemies

The 4-month old was smiling as if saying this was fun let’s do it again… it was after the horrible accident…

Accidents are on the rise.

If you don’t believe me check out your insurance premiums. To keep your loved one safe, you need to get the best car seats possible.

With preemies, the story is different. They are so little and fragile, yet you have to travel with them. Probably this is the reason why you’re looking for a car seat for them.

Look:

In normal circumstances, it takes a few weeks for a parent to find the right car seat. There are so many of them on the market. Now with preemies, there aren’t any dedicated car seats for them. So you have to dig in and spend even more time.

This is the reason why I’ve created the Best Car Seats For Preemies article. By reading it, you will save valuable time. And by getting to the end, you most likely will be able to find the right fit for you.

Your little one might be small, and they are a fighter. In a few years, there will be no difference between other kids.

Also, I won’t leave you hanging. I will reveal to you which car seat was tested in the real crash above. You will find out how it performed.

Let’s get this best article started.

#1 Britax B-Safe 35 Infant Car Seat  – Best Car Seat For Preemies

Britax B-Safe 35 Best Car Seat For PreemiesBritax B-Safe 35 Infant Car Seat won the Best Car Seat For Preemies award. It has everything to keep your little darling safe. The main issue with most infant carriers is that they don’t have adequate head support.

That’s crucial if your little one came prematurely. With Britax B-Safe, you don’t have to worry about this. They have done a great job, and your little one will be snug and comfortable.

It’s an excellent car seat for premature babies. The lowest weight setting is set to 4 pounds, and it can be used until your baby reaches 35 pounds.

This funny story happened with some friends of mine. They came home from the hospital, and their little one didn’t want to go to sleep. She cried a lot, but there was no sleep what so ever. They were both tired and at the end of their wits. As a last resort, the father placed the little one in this car seat, and she has fallen asleep in a matter of minutes.

This was their routine for the next six weeks. When it was sleep time, the father was driving around for 15 minutes or so until the little one was in a deep sleep.

This is proof that it’s super comfortable. Since it’s an infant carrier, you can place it on a carrier, and you will have the perfect travel system.

As you can see, the B-Safe is the best car seat for Preemies, so if it’s urgent, get it now.

Pros:

This car seat does not expire great for the long term

The best material since it doesn’t show wear and tear after a year of heavy use

The easiest infant car seat to install

Cons:

It’s not shopping cart compatible

The space between the handle and the canopy is small.

#2 UPPAbaby Mesa Infant Car Seat – Easiest Install Seat For Preemies

UPPAbaby MESA Infant Car SeatUPPAbaby did a great job with the Mesa infant carrier. As you know a poorly installed car seat won’t provide the necessary safety for your little ones. This is why they went out of their way to make the install as safe as possible.

The latch system is so easy that you will get it right every time. To install the base, you have to pull out the latches and connect them. After that, you push down on the base, and the latches will tighten by themselves. What will they think of next?

The UPPAbaby Mesa is ideal for Preemies because it has all the right safety features. Not only that, but the fabric is free from all those toxic chemicals. This is why the price is higher than the rest of the car seats. If your little one has sensitive skin, then the UPPAbaby is a safe infant carrier to go with.

The lower weight limit is set to 4 pounds, and it can be used until your little one reaches 35 pounds or 32”.

It’s not a heavy carrier. It weighs just under 10 pounds. This means that you will be able to carry your little one back and forth between the house and the car without issues.

The Mesa is compatible with strollers. This means that you will be able to simply click the carrier out from the car and add it to the stroller, thus having a travel system.

If you value easy installation, then this is the right one for Preemies.

Pros:

It’s the safest car seat, and it’s top rated

It’s the perfect carrier for running errands

Leveling indicator that helps you get the perfect install

Cons:

It’s a pricey infant car seat

A few parents reported that their baby gets hot in it

#3 Chicco Keyfit 30 Infant Car Seat – Most Popular Car Seat For Preemies

Chicco KeyFit 30 Infant Car SeatIt’s not only the most popular car seat for preemies, but it’s one of the highest-rated ones. I’ve just checked on Consumer Reports, and this infant carrier is the highest rated over there.

If you value safety, you have found the perfect carrier for that. The Chicco Keyfit 30 comes with Recline sure leveling leg. As you know, during an accident, there’s a lot of energy traveling through the car. The Leveling leg absorbs that energy, so it doesn’t end up damaging your little one.

The lowest weight is set at 4 pounds, and it can be used until your child reaches 30 pounds. Being an infant carrier, it can only be installed in rear-facing mode, both with a base or without it.

The installation is quite easy, no matter if you use the latch or the seat belt. Of course, the latch system is the fastest one.

I don’t know what Chicco did, but this car seat is perfect for calming down a cranky baby. I remember that my husband used to place my daughter in it and gently rock it back and forth. In a matter of minutes, she has calmed down.

This is one of the few infant carriers that offer full coverage from the sun. The others tend to leave way too much, which bothers most kids.

Being the highest-rated and being the safest, this is why it’s the best choice for Preemies.

Pros:

It’s the highest-rated car seat according to Consumer Reports

It’s easy to transfer them in and out from the car

You can install it in 5 minutes, and it is just as easy to adjust

Cons:

It’s not compatible with most shopping carts

The canopy doesn’t drop low enough.

#4 Clek Liing Infant Car Seat – Best Car Seat For Sensitive Skin Babies

Clek Liing Infant Car SeatNowadays, more and more kids have sensitive skin. Rashes and red spots are all too common. The thing is that there are so many harsh chemicals used nowadays. It’s not good for the environment, and it’s definitely bad for our little ones.

Clek is known for making the most eco –friendly car seats. They have outdone themselves with this infant carrier. There are no chlorinated and brominated chemicals on the cover. They use natural merino wool. Best of all, there are no flame retardants either. This is why it’s so ideal for Preemies with sensitive skin.

Since it caters to preemies, the lowest weight limit is 4 pounds, and you can use it until your little one reaches 35 pounds or 32”.

It’s not only eco-friendly, but it has a narrow profile, so there’s enough space for two more car seats. Not only that, but it also has a load leg that will absorb most of the impact energy and protecting your little one from harm.

There’s no denying that it’s a pricey car seat. Still, it offers the best protection, and there are no chemicals on the cover. All in all, it’s worth every penny.

The installation is super simple. It uses the rigid latch method. You will be done in a matter of seconds, and it will be perfect every time.

If you have a preemie baby who has skin sensitivity and you want the best protection, the Clek Liing will be a great travel buddy.

Pros:

It’s one of the safest infant carriers you can buy

The fabric is chemical-free so ideal for sensitive skin babies

The load leg is a lifesaver it reduces the rebound energy by 40%

Cons:

It’s the most expensive infant carrier that you can buy

The infant cushion has rubber safety labels that get hot and sticky

#5 Graco Snugride Snuglock 35 – Honorable Mention

Graco SnugRide SnugLock 35 Platinum XT Infant Car Seat This incident happened with some friends of ours. It was their typical daily commute. The parents were dropping their 4-month old at the daycare.

Things turned to the worst when they crossed that faithful intersection. Another car just T-boned them. The crash was loud. Glass shards were flying everywhere. The car door bent under the huge pressure.

There was so much energy that their car was projected in the dirt. The airbags did a great job of protecting the family from harm. As soon as they could, the parents got out of the car to check on their daughter.

When they opened the door, they were surprised. She was smiling as if she wanted to say that was fun, let’s do it again.

It’s one of the safest car seats you can get for preemies. As you have seen above, it was tested in a real scenario and protected the little one. There wasn’t a scratch on her.

Since it caters to preemies, the lowest weight is set to 4 pounds, and the upper levels are at 35 pounds.

It’s comfortable and safe what else is there about the car seat?

Well, it has one of the easiest installs I’ve ever seen. No matter if you use the latch system or the seat belt, it’s just as easy. All you have to do is to feed through the correct place the belts and then pull down on the SnugArm. This will make the install tight.

For that story alone was worth reading this part.

Pros:

If you value safety and comfort, this is the car seat for you

It’s easy to use even grandparent hands can adjust it

It’s compatible with Graco strollers no converters are needed

Cons:

It’s a heavy car seat, and it will give you a decent workout until the child learns to walk

Few people reported that the chair wiggled

#6 Safety 1st Onboard 35 Air 360 Infant Car Seat – Most Affordable Car Seat For Preemies

Safety 1st onBoard 35 Air 360 Infant Car SeatThis incident happened with some friends of mine. Their 4 months old was sitting quietly in the back. Then the unthinkable happened.

They have gotten into the most horrible accidents. It was a rollover accident. As you know, there are few of them, but they contribute the most fatalities.

The car has rolled 8 to 10 times, finally resting on the side. The car got totaled instantly. The airbags protected the mother. When she came about, she checked on her daughter. She was safe and sound. There wasn’t a scratch on her.

This Onboard infant carrier comes with the Air 360 protection. This means that no matter the accident, your little one will be safe from harm. Even though this is not an expensive infant carrier, it has rollover protection. Only a handful of car seats have it.

If you’re on a budget, then this infant carrier is a great choice for preemies. It offers the best protection possible because your little one will be safe from all angles.

Since it caters to preemies, then the lowest weight limit is set to 4 pounds, and it can be used until 35 pounds or 32” whichever is reached first.

The Safety 1st Onboard 35 Air 360 is an excellent choice for parents with preemies who want the best protection at an affordable price.

Pros:

Safe and sturdy, so your little one is protected in any crash

They went above and beyond with the mega padding

The material is nice and soft and not scratchy

Cons:

Canopy doesn’t remain fixed it slides down

It takes up a lot of space not much space left for the front row.

Buyer’s Guide

This was a long article with a lot of info. And I’m known to over-deliver. This is why I include a buyer’s guide with this best article.

I know how hard and long you have to look to find the perfect car seat. That’s why I’m sharing with you this buyer’s guide. Within a few seconds, you will know if the car seat is worth your time or not. You will be able to eliminate them so fast. If it’s something that you might consider, then you will be able to spend more time on them.

Before we can get to the buyer’s guide, I have two important tips for you.

First of all, you have to pick the right spot for the car seat. Not all places in the car are equal. The safest place is in the middle of the car. Now I know that’s not possible for everyone. This is why I will give you the second-best option, which is behind the driver.

The second important tip is about the install. I’ve read troubling statistics that show 75% of car seats are poorly installed in the US. That’s a troubling number. If the install isn’t tight enough, then the seat can’t provide the best protection possible.

Make sure during the install that the wiggle room is less than an inch. Also, measure it in the right place. Like many parents, I was guilty as charged with measuring it on the wrong end. The wiggle room should be measured at the end, which is closest to the car’s back seat. The far side will wiggle no matter what, and it supposed to do that.

If you have doubts about your install, then don’t hesitate to reach out to a licensed professional. Also, businesses such as Amazon are starting to provide car seat installation services for a fee. Now you have no reason not to get the perfect install.

Let’s get this buyer’s guide started.

Safety

This is top of my list, and so it is with all parents. The good news is that all car seats are safe because they have passed the government standards. The bad news, on the other hand, is that not all car seats are equal.

You see, some barely pass while other over-deliver. Which one would you like to protect your child?

The typical protection offers safety from the front and rear impact. Now some brands are a few that have side impact protection (SIP for short). This ranges from one up to three layers.

A handful of models have rollover protection. As you know, these accidents are rare, but they contribute the most to road fatalities.

My best advice is going with the most protection you can afford.

Size Limits

Did you know that you can save money on car seats without looking for a deal passed midnight?

Yes, it’s true, and the secret is so simple. All you have to do is plan ahead. If your little one is using the car seat more, then you’re saving money. Every time you have to upgrade that’s money out of your pocket.

This is why all in one car seat is so popular nowadays. They cater from the cradle until they get their driver’s license.

Another thing to check out here is the weight of the car seat. This is particularly important with infant carriers and car seats for traveling.

It’s a good idea to check if the car seat offers extended rear-facing. The longer your child sits in rear-facing mode, the safer they are.

Install

You’re in luck convertible car seats are typically easy to install. You can both use the latch system or the seat belt. Keep in mind that the latch system is limited up to 65 pounds beyond that. You have to use a seat belt.

Fabric

We’re talking about kids, so accidents and messes will be all too common. This means that you will be the one who has to clean up after them. This is why it’s so important to check out ahead of time the cleaning options.

There are concerns that only allow spot cleaning while the majority offers the machine washing option.

This would be my handy-dandy buyer’s guide. Put it to good use.

Also see: What kind of car seat should a 3 year old be in?

Conclusions

We have reached the of the Best Car Seats For Preemies article. I hope it was a valuable one for you.

By now you should know which car seat is the right fit for you. Now I’ve had just checked the stocks, and they are running low. If you want it, then take action and get it now.

I would love to hear from you. You can share your experiences below.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ):

Do preemies need a special car seat?

Since preemies need some extra love and attention then it’s best to go with infant car seats, infant carriers. This will keep them safe and snug with the infant insert.

How long can a premature baby be in a car seat?

It’s advised to not let premature babies stay in a car seat longer than 30 minutes in the first month. After that you can gradually increase it.

Can you put a baby in a car seat after feed?

Yes, you can put a baby in the car seat after feeding. Although make sure that you burp them so they don’t get an upset stomach.

Can you use a convertible car seat as a preemie car seat?

It’s possible if they have passed the car seat test. I highly recommend sticking with infant seats. They are portable and easier to handle. Even though some convertible car seats have a low weight limit like 4 pounds I still recommend going with infant seats they look much safer. Make sure you install it on the back seat.

What the minimum weight that an infant seat or a convertible car seat can accommodate?

The minimum weight is 4 pounds and others have a minimum weight of 5 pounds. The infant seat is much suited for preemies. Probably weighing less than 4 pounds they won’t be able to leave the hospital.

What kind of safety features do preemie car seats should have?

Two things are important: EPS foam and side-impact protection. EPS foam is included in all premier car seats and so is side impact protection. As you know side impact protection is the most important one of them all. The adjustable crotch strap is a good one when they get older. There are many car seat brands that are recommended by the american academy of pediatrics for preemies.  The chest clip should go below shoulder level. I can’t say the EPS foam enough it’s that essential for babies. For the best car seat safety check out the car seat test.

Do I need an infant insert with a preemie car seat?

The thing is that if you want the best car seat safety you will need to use an infant insert. Preemie babies have a low weight so the infant insert will be mandatory i’m afraid. Good news is that you will only need the infant insert (infant inserts) until they reach 11 pounds. The american academy of pediatrics recommends it. If there’s a small baby then with bellow the minimum weight limit than the car beds are warranted. The infant car seats are different from a car bed (car beds). With preemies make sure you only get a rear facing car seat those are the best infant seats. Taking the baby home in a car ride might be challenging. Make sure they have the sufficient weight rating for the car bed (car beds).

How do you install these preemie car seats?

You can use the latch connectors for the fastest install. Also you can go with the seat belt. Both of them are safe. The latch connectors seems to be the easiest one from them all. Make sure you read the manual first for speedy install of a rear facing car seat. The eps foam foam should be top quality. The harness adjuster should come below shoulder level. The harness system is very important. Make sure that the tension indicator is in the green the harness height can be modified by the harness adjuster and the buckle position is comfortable. The shoulder straps and the strap covers should be padded. These rear facing car seats usually come with multiple harness slots (harness slot). The harness straps can be hidden when they are not in use. EPS foam is the key differentiator. The chest clip should go below the armpit level. The strap slot is movable.

What is the best overall car seat for preemies?

The Britax B-Safe 35 Infant Car Seat is the best overall car seat for preemies.

Which car seat is easiest to install?

The UPPAbaby Mesa Infant Car Seat is the easiest to install.

Which one has been most popular with parents of preemies?

The Chicco Keyfit 30 Infant Car Seat has been the most popular with parents of preemies.

Which car seat should I get if my baby has sensitive skin?

If your baby has sensitive skin, you should get the Clek Liing Infant Car Seat.

What are the best seats for preemies?

The Britax B-Safe Ultra Infant Car Seat is one of the most reliable and safest car seats for preemies, as it has a lower minimum weight allowance than other infant car seats, allowing it to be used from 4 pounds and up.

Does Britax make car seats for preemies?

Yes, Britax makes car seats that are suitable for preemies. The dual stage cushion system offers extra support and comfort, while the harness holders keep straps out of baby’s way. It also features multiple recline positions to help ensure proper installation in any vehicle seat.

What is the best infant seat for preemies?

The Graco Click Connect Stroller is one of the best infant car seats for premature babies with a secure five-point harness system and adjustable headrest offering superior side impact protection. It also comes with an adjustable handlebar, making it easier to maneuver on all terrains.

Where can I find a car seat bed for preemies?

Car seat beds designed specifically for preemie babies can be found online or in retail stores such as Walmart or Target. These special beds provide additional padding and support to ensure your little one is snugly secured in their infant car seat at all times.”

Last Updated on November 7, 2023 by Brian Beasley

Written by Linda Reid

Hey there, I'm Linda, a mom of three cool kids. I've tried so many car seats, you could call me a "Car Seat Detective." Searching for the perfect car seat can feel like finding a needle in a haystack, but don't worry! I've committed to researching and reviewing car seats that are super safe, cozy, and great for growing kids. Together, we'll find the perfect car seat that keeps your child safe and cozy, and makes you feel like a super-parent!