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– IN THIS ARTICLE –
Are you looking for a cute and safe pink infant car seat for your baby princess? Surprisingly, there are fewer girly pink infant car seats on the market in 2021 than there were in 2020. I don’t know if it’s due to the pandemic or because gender-neutral colors are trending lately, or both! But that’s not an issue. There are reliable options for every budget, taste, and lifestyle. Also because most moms prefer the newborn pink car seat and stroller combo, we included this info as well.
Of course, because I don’t run a lab to test all the adorable infant girl car seats, I did the responsible person’s homework. I read hours of real mom reviews and selected the ones that can be more helpful. Also, I included some practical and technical information provided by the manufacturers or retailers’ websites. Finally, there is also information from reviews that rank on Google’s first page, so you can have a triple check.
1. Infant Car Seats & Newborn Safety 101
Specialists and the American Academy of Pediatrics strongly recommend infants to be driven in car seats in the rear-facing position for as long as possible and children to be driven in a car seat or booster until they are tall enough to wear the seat belt properly.
Infant car seats are designed to be used in the rear-facing position and harnessed. Also, it is made to be mobile. Meaning that you can easily remove it from the car, with the baby in it, and carry it around or attach it to a compatible stroller (what is known as the travel system: stroller with infant car seat). In general, the brands cater infant car seats for babies under 1 year old or 35 pounds (it can last you longer or less depending on the car seat model and your baby size).
However, some parents choose to skip the infant car seat and go straight with the convertible or all-in-one. So here are the most common pros and cons I’ve been reading about on hundreds of parents reviews:
- Pros: you may save money and research time, buying only one car seat that will last from newborn to preschool years depending on the model you choose and your child’s height and weight.
- Cons: convertibles are not made for mobility. They are heavier and they must stay in the car, unlike the infant car seat, which can be easily carried with the baby in it. Also, some parents may find the convertible car seat too big and uncomfortable for newborns during the rear-facing position stage.
♥︎ Car Seats Safety
There are 2 main criterias for car seat safety: compliance and proper installation. And stick to both of them is the parent’s responsibility.
- Compliance: all car seats sold by retailers in the USA must comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 213 and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) guidelines. So, make sure you chose car seats from reliable brands and trustworthy retailers that respect federal law (not counterfeit).
- Proper installation: try to install your car seat as soon as you get your hands on it. As much as the manufacturers do R&D, not all seats will be perfect for every car model out there. Also, not all people can figure it out instinctively. And it’s better to be safe than sorry. If you are not sure, you can call the manufacturer, reach out to the fireman, look for a certified passenger safety technician (CPST or CPS technician). If you still don’t feel safe, you may have time to return it and get another one without losing money.
In conclusion, unlike some mom-shamming websites may say, what’s the problem with wanting a pretty car seat? As long as it is safe, like mentioned above, why settle for a gender-neutral black/grey car seat when you want & can have a girly pink one?
2. Best Girly Pink Car Seats for Infants
What Real Moms Love: Lightweight, comfortable, affordable.
“Car seat is amazing. So lightweight and very comfortable for my daughter. As a mom of 2, I needed a lightweight but affordable car seat and this one is perfect. Highly recommend.” Reviewed by Catherine, Sep 15, 2020 (Review from Walmart.com)
What the internet says: Safety. com: Easy to install | BestCarSeatHub: 8.5/10
❦ Shop at
?? Use limit: Up to 35 pounds
✓ Meets or exceeds Federal Safety Standards
‼️ Side Impact Protection
? LATCH-compatible | Click Connect™ technology
⚖️ Installation level indicator
?? One-hand adjustment harness
● Car seat weight: 7.2 lb
? Stay in the car base
✈️ FAA Aircraft Approved (without the base)
? Machine wash removable cover
⛱ Rotating canopy
? Compatible Travel Systems: Graco strollers
What Real Moms Love: Lightweight, easy to install, padded.
“This is a car seat my daughter chose for her first baby. I bought this for her after she did a lot of research first and it’s been a great seat. Much easier than those I used with my children because of the base that makes it so much easier to take in and out if the vehicle and you can even buy extra bases to have in other vehicles!Reviewed by Angela, April 8, 2020 (Review from Walmart.com)
What the internet says: Safety. com: Easy to install | BestCarSeatHub: 8.5/10
❦ Shop at
?? Use limit: Up to 35 pounds
✓ Meets or exceeds Federal Safety Standards
‼️ Side Impact Protection
? Integrated belt lock-off system
⚖️ Installation level indicator
?? Upfront harness adjustment
✈️ FAA Aircraft Approved
● Car seat weight: 8.17 lb
? Stay in the car base
? Ergonomic Handle
? Machine washable fabrics
⛱ Full-Coverage Canopy
? Compatible Travel Systems: Sibby – sibling ride-along travel system, INVIGOR8 – jogging system.
What Real Moms Love: Soft, easy to carry, affordable.
“It’s soooooo cute and soft! I thought it was going to feel/look cheap since it was inexpensive but it wasn’t! It’s easy to put in and out of the base for the car and the stroller (which you’d have to buy separately)”. Reviewed by Akasha, May 17, 2020. (Review from Walmart.com)
❦ Shop at
?? Use limit: Up to 35 pounds
✓ Meets or exceeds Federal Safety Standards
‼️ Side Impact Protection
? LATCH-compatible
⚖️ Installation level indicator
?? One-hand adjustment harness
✈️ FAA Aircraft Approved (without the base)
● Car seat weight: 13.09 lb
? Stay in the car base
? Ergonomic Handle
? Machine wash removable cover
⛱ 2-panel ratcheting canopy with UPF 50+
? Compatible Travel Systems: Baby Trend Snap Tech Stroller
What Real Moms Love: Easy to install, ease of use, base.
“Our daughter is almost 15 months and this seat has been so wonderful. After all the research and reviews this was such an awesome purchase! Will use it for our second baby!!!”. Reviewed by Sholbrook, December 30, 2020. (Review from Walmart.com)
What the internet says: wirecutter: On the list | babylist: Inexpensive | Safety. com: Easy to install | BabyGearLab: 4 stars & Best value | BestCarSeatHub: 9.7/10 | Parentingpod: Value for money.
Compatible Travel Systems: Click Connect™ technology for a secure one-step attachment to all Graco Click Connect™ strollers.
❦ Shop at
?? Use limit: Up to 35 pounds
✓ Meets or exceeds Federal Safety Standards
‼️ Side Impact Protection
? SnugLock® technology 1-minute installation
⚖️ Installation level indicator
?? Upfront harness adjustment
● Car seat weight: 17.55 lb
? Stay in the car base
✈️ FAA Aircraft Approved (without the base)
? Ergonomic Handle
? Machine wash removable cover
⛱ The Silent Shade™ canopy
What Real Moms Love: Easy to install, ease of use, padded.
“I was researching good car seats throughout my pregnancy for my twins. I was looking at car seats that would be safe enough for a baby starting at 4lbs. And my research had come up with this car seat. The padding in this car seat is amazing, especially for newborns. When my boys were leaving the NICU the nurse said this car seat was very nice and had tons of great padding. One of the nurses said that maybe we should let other parents know about this car seat.”. Reviewed by Gidget325, 2018. (Review from buybuyBaby.com)
Compatible Travel Systems: Click Connect™ technology for a secure one-step attachment to all Graco Click Connect™ strollers.
❦ Shop at
?? Use limit: Up to 35 pounds
✓ Meets or exceeds Federal Safety Standards
‼️ Side Impact Protection
? SnugLock® technology 1-minute installation
⚖️ Installation level indicator
?? Upfront harness adjustment
✈️ FAA Aircraft Approved (without the base)
● Car seat weight: 21.89 lb
? Stay in the car base
? Ergonomic Handle
? Machine wash removable cover
⛱ The Silent Shade™ canopy
What Real Moms Love: Easy to install, ease of use, padded.
“Recently bought this product after being recommended by a friend. Easiest install I have experienced with a car seat. Personally, I took it all apart to wash everything and that was also extremely easy to take apart and put back together. Compared to the safety 1st car seat I will be purchasing the Evenflo gold infant car seat for future children. 10/10”. Reviewed by Sbuttler, December 2020. (Review from Evenflo.com)
Compatible Travel Systems: Shyft Smart Modular, Verge3 Smart, Pivot Xpand
PS. Evenflo belongs to the same group that owns Cybex. Despite the design differences between both brands, the SensorSafe technology is the same!
❦ Shop at
?? Use limit: Up to 35 pounds
✓ Meets or exceeds Federal Safety Standards
‼️ Side Impact Protection
? Integrated belt lock-off system + Secure Max Installation System
⚓️ SafeZone® Load Leg Technology
?? ? Smart-tech harness chest clip with SensorSafe™ technology
● Car seat weight: 9 lb
?Stay in the car base
? Machine washable fabrics
⛱ Full-Coverage Canopy
? Use Without a Base: easy on aircraft, carpooling, rental vehicles, etc.
What Real Moms Love: Design, comfort, safety features.
“I got this car seat a couple of weeks ago and I love it. Installation was pretty easy (I use the base station) it is also easy to attach the car seat onto the station. My absolute favorite is the ergonomic lie-flat position (only outside the car) but it needs a bit of practice to change the seating into the lie-flat position. What I also like is the xl sun canopy. I’m traveling a lot to Europe, so for me, it was very important that the car seat can be used in Europe as well and this is possible with the European belt routing for safe installation without a base. The seat itself is kind of heavy but I’m not carrying the seat long distances so it works perfectly for me.”. Reviewed by JenBi, March 2020. (Review from Cybex.com)
Compatible Travel Systems: All CYBEX strollers using car seat adapters.
❦ Shop at
?? Use limit: Up to 35 pounds
✓ Meets or exceeds Federal Safety Standards
‼️ Linear Side Impact Protection
⚓️ Load leg base
?? ? Smart-tech harness chest clip with SensorSafe™ technology
✈️ FAA Aircraft Approved
● Car seat weight: 13.9 lb
? Stay in the car base
? Ergonomic lay-flat position for out of car
? Machine wash removable cover
⛱ XXL sun canopy with a UPF 50+
? Use Without a Base: easy on aircraft, carpooling, rental vehicles, etc.
What Real Moms Love: Easy to install, ease of use, padded.
“My husband was in an awful wreck when our son was in the back seat, he was only 8 weeks old. He was hit almost head-on, the other driver going 45-50 mph. Airbags deployed, both cars were totaled, the works. It was an awful sight to see. My son in the back seat? Completely unaffected. He had absolutely no injuries, and everyone from the paramedics, to the ER physicians we took him to just in case, praised the car seat, and our installation of the base. The base was easy enough to install, my husband had just installed it in that vehicle that morning. I can’t praise this seat enough. On the way home from the ER that night, we stopped at BuyBuyBaby to buy another one.”. Reviewed by KM2012, 2018. (Review from buybuyBaby.com)
What the internet says: BabyGearLab: 4,5 stars
Compatible Travel Systems: any travel system-compatible Peg Perego stroller
❦ Shop at
?? Use limit: Up to 35 pounds
✓ Meets or exceeds Federal Safety Standards
‼️ Side Impact Protection
? LATCH-compatible | Right Tight System
⚓️ Load Leg Base & Anti-Rebound Bar
✈️ FAA Aircraft Approved
● Car seat weight: 10 lb
? Stay in the car base
? Ergonomic Handle
? Hand wash removable cover
⛱ Extendable Pagoda Hood canopy with UPF 50+
?? Made in Italy
Doona Infant Car Seat & Stroller
PS. The Doona is highly targeted for counterfeit. Make sure you buy it from the Doona website or reliable stores, like AlbeeBaby, buybuyBaby, etc. Avoid getting it from unknown 3rd part sellers in marketplace websites. This is a high-price product, so be aware if you see a deal that seems too good to be true. It probably is.
What Real Moms Love: Ease of use, quality, safety features.
“This car seat saved my son’s life! We were just in a very bad accident, rear-ended by a large truck, pushed into oncoming traffic, and hit head-on by another large truck then spun into a pole. My car was destroyed and I am severely injured with broken bones but the Doona kept my son entirely unharmed! He was laughing and smiling moments after as if nothing happened. Buying a replacement as required by law but the Doona was perfectly sturdy and intact!”. Reviewed by HollyH, January 11, 2020. (Review from Doona.com)
What the internet says: babylist: Car seat-stroller combo | Whattoexpect: For travel | Mommyhood101: 10th best | Safety. com: Easy to install | BabyGearLab: 4,5 stars & Top pick | verywellfamily: Car seat-stroller combo
Compatible Travel Systems: One motion operation from car seat to stroller
❦ Shop at
?? Use limit: Up to 35 pounds
✓ Meets or exceeds Federal Safety Standards
‼️ Side Impact Protection
? LATCH-compatible
● Anti-rebound technology
✈️ FAA Aircraft Approved
● Car seat weight: 16.5 lb
? Stay in the car base
● Inner cushion anti-bacterial, hypoallergenic with humidity and thermal regulation
? Machine wash removable cover
⛱ Stretch canopy
Avoiding counterfeit car seats
All the car seats featured at The Mood Guide are said to comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 213 and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) guidelines. Of course, counterfeit sellers don’t care about safety or their reputation. They are scammers trying to cash in some easy money.
That’s why we only feature renowned manufacturers and a few trustworthy retailers who are not infamous for selling counterfeit. Plus, we decided to include this information in every car seat post we are updating in 2021 because it feels right.
At the end of 2019 the CNN released an article about counterfeit car seats being sold online and how dangerous they can be. Even more disturbing was to find out that online stores, unlike brick-and-mortar, can’t be legally accountable for selling counterfeit.
Not all online store is a villain, though. The main sources of worry are marketplaces that sell directly from third-party sellers, without any control over what’s shipped to your house.
This accountability gap, besides unlimited greed and lack of humanity, is what enables scammers to sell fake products online.
In March 2020, the Shop Safe Act , a bipartisan bill, was introduced in hopes to incentivize e-commerce retailers to take steps to avoid counterfeit offers of products that can cause health or life risk to American people.
What can we do?
In the meanwhile what we can do to protect our kids is spread awareness and be extra careful about the retailers we are buying from. If something looks too good to be true, then it probably is.
Therefore, if we can prevent at least one person from buying a fake unsafe car seat that can cost a child’s life, it is worth it.
As much as we are brought to believe that we are too small to make a difference, it’s our money and our shopping that sustains the economy. We are the buyers, we have the power.
☾ Pink Backpack diaper bags.
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