Got a baby or toddler - or even a child - and have to take a drive? Then you need at least two things. Besides the all-important nappy-and-snack bag, great moms know that getting from A to B with a little one cannot happen without a child safety seat for the car. That’s because it’s law, as Takealot points out, ”The South African road safety law states that your child must be strapped in a seat till the age of 4 years”[1].

From its humble beginnings as a rear-facing frame in the 60s, designs for child car safety seats have changed, and modern finishes now make the functional more fashionable.

These days, style and safety are joined in conjugal harmony and have produced a new generation of amazingly gorgeous and secure car seats for toddlers and babies.

Gone are the days of clunky car seats that clash. No more colour mismatches with your pre-baby car interior. Now, texture incompatibility between the baby seat and your vehicle’s plush pleather seats are a thing of the past. And so are frustrated curses because with design developments it’s no longer a struggle to install (or remove!) the baby seat.

 

Here is a selection of the wide variety of beautiful car seats available online.

 

Baby - Birth to ± 85 cm, 13 kg (birth to ±12 months)

Curvaceous and sturdy with y-shaped seatbelts, the Nania Rock Car Seat is a solid safety seat that is soft on the eye (or sporty, depending on the tones you choose). Baby will be quite comfy and other moms will be completely jealous. #justsaying

  • Rear-facing only
  • Racy red or mute grey to suit your two-seater or your sedan.

Try it with a Bambino Booster Cushion in red or grey.

 

Toddler - ±80 cm - 105 cm, 9-18 kg (±9 months to 4 years)

Try this safety-compliant model from Maxi-Cosi. The 2wayPearl (i-Size) comes in beautifully muted tones including dusty emerald green and powdery deep blue. It fits facing forwards or backwards and has a Side Protection System for ultimate protection in side-on impacts.

  • Improved head and neck protection
  • “Easy-in” harness designed to settle kids in seconds.

Add-ons to enhance: The Belt Upp Safety Strap solves the problem of the single strap belt. The criss-cross design secures sleeping kids and reduces slumping while driving.

 

Child ± 100 - 135 cm, 15 - 36 kg (± 3,5 - 12 years)

This child safety seat is a 3-in-1 that adjusts to your little one’s growth. It will cradle your baby safely until s/he is a child of 12 years or weighing up to 25kg. It comes in black or stone tones with a super-modern, soft, egg-like shape.

  • reclines in 3 positions
  • approved as Group 0 + / 1/2 according to the ECE R44 / 04 regulation

Why this one is a winner: it’s eco-friendlier, allowing you one purchase for multiple growth stages.

Browse throughout many more colours, brands and styles for baby and toddler seats here and here.

 

Wait a minute, do you need to remove the baby car seat temporarily?

Whether it’s moving to a new house or taking the pets to the vet for annual vaccinations while Dada stays home with the baba, we suggest you consider a car-seat and base set. This makes it easier to add or remove the car seat with one click. Installing a base also frees up the car’s built-in seatbelts, and good bases lock in at multiple points for an extra-secure seat. Specific brands may or may not be entirely compatible with other brands, and seats may require a base to function in the first place, so check the compatibility and installation requirements of every car safety seat before you purchase.

We like the BeSafe IziModular Isofix Base for its minimalist finishes.

  • A height adjustable support leg resting on the car's floor absorbs impact between the base and the floor in the event of an accident,
  • The support leg also secures the seat as well as limiting undesirable rotation.

We also love going one step closer to pro mom with the 2wayFixbase.

  • When the 2wayPearl (see toddler above) is fitted to this easy-installation base, it engages smart lights and sounds to let you know when you’ve got the seat fitted securely.

Just note that the base stays in the car and would need to be covered and protected from undue pressure/weight when not in use. Not following instructions e.g. placing heavy items on it with the car seat removed may affect its warranty.

 

[1] https://www.takealot.com/chelino-veyron-deluxe-car-seat-maroon/PLID53638415?gclid=CjwKCAjwmNzoBRBOEiwAr2V27S7p4on4eIhbe6LX9cuA-xuVqP9zyIgXR9YqXiALsQRHuVACV2-jsxoCxGIQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds