A group 0+ car seat is 1 of 3 options you have for your baby’s first safety seat and can accommodate them from newborn all the way through to 13kg.  They are the most common first stage car seat and often form part of a ‘travel system’.

All babies, toddlers and children are required by law to travel in a suitable child restraint with very few exceptions.

The infant seat is backward facing, and ‘bucket’ like, cradling the baby with either a 3 or 5 point harness to strap them in.  You can expect to see a carry handle on the seat which has the dual purpose of allowing you to carry the baby into the house without disturbing them, and it also acts as a roll bar or rebound bar should you be involved in a collision.

Pros of using a group 0+ seat

There are many advantages of using a 0+ seat, rather than a group 0. Group 0+ seats will last longer than the group 0, as it has a 3kg higher weight limit – they can quite often last a baby until they are 12-18 months.  As they are rear facing, they offer maximum safety right up to 13kg.

The fitment of these seats makes them suitable for a wide range of cars, which is handy if the baby regularly travels in different vehicles.  They are also very portable, making it easy to take the seat between the car and house, or you can often clip them onto the pram.

The '90 Minute Maximum Rule' is the recommended amount of time a baby should spend in their car seat.  Ensure you take this into account when using your seat as part of your travel system.

Your baby must ALWAYS travel in their car seat when in the car, even if the journey is more than 90 minutes long; plan regular break stops so the little one can safely have time out of the seat.

Group 0+ seats also come with sunshades, newborn inserts and the carry handle.

Always check your child car seat's instruction on fitting – especially on the positioning of the carry handle!  The handle quite often acts as a roll bar or rebound bar, and it must be in the proper position at all times when in the car.