Published 10 February 2026
The first drive is still a drive. Transport agencies require an approved rearward-facing restraint from birth. The seat must carry AS/NZS 1754, it must be installed before you need it, and it must not sit in front of an active airbag.
If you can, buy and fit the seat in the third trimester. Take the car, the seat and the book to an authorised fitter. Practise the buckle with a doll or a bag of rice if the fitter suggests it. Do not rely on a partner watching a video in another country.
Capsules are convenient when you also have a pram frame that accepts the shell. Convenience does not outrank the mark or the tether. Convertible seats that start rearward can also be a first seat if the newborn inserts are still allowed on the label. Ask the fitter to show you when those inserts must come out.
After you are home, stay rearward. The six-month date is a legal door, not an alarm clock. Read when to turn before anyone redecorates the shell.
This page is general information for Australian readers. It is not safety advice, a product ranking, or a fitting service. Always read the restraint label and the manufacturer instructions, confirm the current rule with the road agency in the state or territory where you are driving, and have the finished install checked by an authorised fitter.
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Why this sits on the article desk
The old /baby-car-seat-articles/ tree collected short news. This rebuild uses the same tree for education so the backlinks still reach a paragraph that can be responsible. If you followed a 2000s headline here, use the related links to find the current rule, not the old anecdote.
Read the disclaimer before you treat any sentence as a fitting instruction. Then, if you need a longer version, open the matching guide in /guides/.