You know what's the worst? When your kid does that thing where they throw their arms up, arch their back and become very slippery as soon as you place them in their convertible car seat. This stealth move is particularly annoying if your little angel is rear-facing in that car seat, making it almost impossible to reposition them. This is when a rotating car seat is a sanity saver.
If your baby doesn't pull this move yet, don't worry, they will. That's why the best rotating car seat is a must-have on every newborn checklist. Because one day that innocent infant will catch on and decide that they hate car rides and being restrained.
What is a rotating car seat?
Rotating car seats swivel towards you, which makes getting that wet noodle of a child safely into the car so much easier. When you've buckled them in, simply rotate the seat back position and off you go.
Swiveling car seats are great for rear-facing kids because they take the stretching, climbing and contortions required to strap a toddler into a backward seat out of the equation.
What to look for in the best rotating car seat
It's important to consider how long you'd like to keep your child rear-facing when shopping for a rotating car seat. The rear-facing maximum weight can vary in swiveling seats—and is often less than the forward-facing maximum weight.
You'll also want to keep in mind the size of your back seat and how many car seats you plan on installing. In short, make sure you'll have lots of room to fit and swivel your new car seat in your car.
"Rotating car seats are bigger and heavier than your usual car seat," explains Juliana Amador, a certified car seat consultant. "Does it fit in the car? Are the parents tall? A rotating car seat in the rear-facing position will take up a lot of space because of the angle that needs to be installed. In this case, parents should consider how much space the car seat will take while rotating."
Amador says a good measure is adding one to two inches to the dimension of the car seat after taking measurements.
Finally, pay attention to the swiveling mechanism and think about how you'll want to use it. Some offer one-handed operation, which means you can hold a squirmy baby in one arm and rotate the seat with the other. (Or you can always just leave the seat rotated when you take your kid out of the car so it's ready for the next trip.)
https://www.todaysparent.com/shopping/best-rotating-car-seats/
