Infant Carrier Capsules

Infant Capsules are designed to be used from birth and are suitable for newborns and young infants. Capsules approved for use by premature and low birth weight babies are available. Capsule have an inbuilt 5 point harness and are installed in a rear facing position.

Capsules comprise of two main components: the carrier and the base. The base is installed securely into your vehicle. The infant is secured within the carrier which attaches to the installed base. This allows the carrier to be taken in and out of the car with the infant still secured inside. Carriers can also attach directly onto the frame of a pram.

Capsules will be either type A1 or A2 restraints. Type A1 capsules will fit an infant up to around 6 months old, whereas an A2 capsule will fit an infant till they're around 12 months old.

Pros

Portable - Infant can be taken in and out of the car without needing to be removed for the capsule

Designed to suit newborns, premature and low birthweight babies

Can be attached to a pram frame for easy transfers in and out of the car

Can have additional bases installed across multiple vehicles for ease of shared transport

Cons

The combined weight of the carrier and infant can be heavy and difficult to manoeuvre 

Will not provide longevity or value for money, and can only be used for a short period of time

May not provide optimal head and neck positioning when used uninstalled, posing a potential SID's risk

Can be bulky and take up additional space that may impact surrounding seating areas

Who can travel in an infant capsule?

Infants can travel in a capsule from birth and will typically outgrow the carrier between 6-12 months old depending on the restraint.

An infant older than 12 months can continue to use their capsule if their shoulders are below the upper height markers.

However, many parents choose to transition their infant to an extended rear facing (A4) car seat before they outgrow the capsule. Once an infant becomes too heavy to comfortably carry in the carrier, you may decide to retire the capsule. Capsules can be bulky, whereas a compact 0-4 car seat may give you more space in you back seat. 

Do I need an infant capsule for my newborn?

The short answer is, no. Most newborns can travel safety in a rear facing car seat from birth. 

There are infant capsules available that are approved for use by premature or low birth weight babies. If your newborn is particularly small, they may fit better in an infant capsule.  

Will I need two capsules if we have two cars?

No, you don't need two capsules. If you have an infant capsule and want to use the carrier accross two different cars, you can purchase a second capsule base.

One base would be installed into each vehicle allowing you to easily move the carrier between the two cars without needing in purchase an entire second caspule.

Will I need additional hardware to install my capsule?

In some situations, you may need to use additional hardware in order to achieve a secure installation. This might include gated buckles, top tether extensions, or anchor points.

Your installer will discuss this with you at the time of installation. 

How tight should I pull the harness?

As a simple guide, you should be pulling the harness tightly enough that if you were to flip the restraint upsidedown with the infant sitting inside, you would be confident the child's body would stay secured within the harness. While this might seem extreme, the restraints job is to keep the child secured in the event your vehicle is involved in a major collision. 

Ask yourself: If my car rolled over, would the harness keep baby in the car seat?

Should I add any accessories to my capsule?

The short answer is, no. Manufacturers recommend only using the accessories that come with the restraint unless absolutely necessary and only using approved accessories if you do. For example, the "Britax Newborn Infant Insert" can be use with rear facing Britax restraints in addition to the intert that comes with the car seat. However, it should not be used with restraints not manufacured by Britax.

NEVER use aftermarket neck pillows, harness pads, head positioners or other similar accessories. These may impact the correct funtioning of the restraint and could create strangulation or suffocation risks.