best car seats for newborns

Newborns don’t care about quilted leather; they care about angles and physics. In Australia, keep your baby rear-facing for at least 6 months (ideally much longer, often 12–30 months depending on the seat) and ensure the seat complies with AS/NZS 1754.

A capsule is brilliant if you’re in and out of the car all day, while a 0–4 convertible with extended rear-facing is better value if you want one seat to do the lot. Look for ISOFIX compatibility, a no-rethread harness, solid side-impact protection, and covers you can wash after the inevitable dairy-based incident.

Fit it tightly using the top tether; if in doubt, use an accredited fitter—there’s bravery, and then there’s baby-seat guesswork. Check independent CREP safety ratings and choose a seat that suits your car’s anchor layout and rear-seat space.