As a parent, the last thing you want is to have to stress about your baby’s car seat. When you're driving, you need peace of mind that they are safe, comfortable and happy. If you have a young baby or toddler who has not learned how to sit up yet on their own, a car seat is a necessity to protect them from head injuries and keep them comfortable so they can sleep or play whilst on car journeys with you. The stress of picking the perfect car seat for your baby is one thing, but knowing how to fit it and set it up is a whole new ball game and can often be a very frustrating process! However, here at For Your Little One, we're going to make your life a little bit easier and ensure that the process of finding and setting up a suitable car seat is not all that bad! Carry on reading for our guide on how to fit an Isofix base.
What is an Isofix base?
One of the easiest and most trustworthy ways to set up a car seat is by using an Isofix base. They are quick to fit and are guaranteed to stay locked in position. Helping to avoid any potential accidents when your back is turned, they are the perfect choice to make driving with your child a pleasant and stress-free process. Isofix bases provide a more secure and easy way of attaching child seats in cars so that you no longer have to rely on the car's seatbelt to secure the car seat for you. Whilst you can purchase one separately, a lot of child car seats now come with an Isofix base to make sure you are fully equipped with everything you need to ensure your child's safety on the road.
The importance of fitting your child’s car seat correctly
You’re probably already aware of the importance of fitting your child's car seat correctly. In fact, it’s one of the most important things to consider when installing any equipment for your new arrival. That’s because incorrect fitting can cause serious injuries if you end up in an accident. So, if you want to ensure that your child is safe in their car seat, follow these steps to fit your new Isofix base:
How to fit an Isofix base
First off, check that your car seat is level - this will ensure that the seat doesn't tilt forwards or backwards once it is set up. Similarly, make sure the base itself isn't tilted at an angle by holding the base in one hand and wiggling it back and forth. This helps to guarantee that your baby is going to be secure and if you experience any movement in either direction (forwards or backwards) then you know that during an accident your baby isn’t going to stay in one place as they should.
Locate the Isofix base anchor points in your car
The next thing to do is locate the Isofix base anchor points in your car. What are these? Well, they are basically fitting points built into both your car and car seat to allow you to plug the Isofix base in, removing the need for any help from your seatbelts. To prevent the seat from moving once attached, there is also a fabric strap known as a top tether which helps to keep your child secure and a support leg to stop the seat from tilting. Within your car there are three different types of Isofix points, so let’s go through them. The first type is located at the rear of your car on either side and is usually the safest place for an infant seat to be installed. The second type can be found in front or behind your child’s headrest, which means this could be suitable for installing a forward-facing seat that has a built-in harness. The third and final anchor point exists only on one side and can support either a forward or rear-facing seat depending on its orientation. No matter what type of car seat you are using, the anchor points will be crucial when fitting an Isofix base, so it’s important that you become familiar with them to speed up the process. To find out if you have Isofix points, search your car for Isofix labels between the back of your car seats and the base of the car. The location of the points may vary depending on the model of your car, so make sure to check your vehicle's handbook if you are unsure.
Connect your Isofix base and wait to hear a click
Here is where we put our anchor points to good use by pushing the connectors on your Isofix base into them until you hear a click. It’s extremely important that you do not assume that the base is fitted without hearing this click of approval to tell you that it is installed safe and secure. To be thorough and avoid any risk of an accident, check that the seat is level and straight once again before fastening your baby in their seat. Once the base has been installed correctly, you can go off on your travels stress-free knowing that your baby is safe and comfortable in their car seat without having to keep turning around to check on them. Car seats are supposed to make your life easier, not more stressful, so an Isofix base is the perfect addition to your child’s car seat to create a ridged link between the car frame and the seat, reducing forward and sideward movement. With its extremely easy click-in-click-out method, it decreases the chance of wrongly fitted car seat accidents and can give you and your family peace of mind no matter where you go! Want to make your life easier and get your own Isofix base? For Your Little One offers a
range of safe, reliable car seats with Isofix bases to make the process of putting them together hassle-free.
