Infant Car Seat - What You Need to Know
Most baby car seats can be dismantled from their base, and then reassembled into a stroller compatible with them for easy transportation. This feature makes them popular with parents who intend to take frequent trips out of town.
Regardless of which type of car seat you select Dress your baby in clothing that allows the harness straps to comfortably fit over their shoulders and hips. Bulky clothing or blankets can interfere with a snug harness fit.
Rear-Facing
Infant car seats (also known as convertible car seats with a rear-facing position) are designed to hold newborns and children up to the weight and height limits set by the manufacturer. They are typically equipped with an infant insert that ensures the head of a baby is securely positioned inside the shell of the seat.
The AAP and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recommend that children ride rear-facing until they attain their weight or height limits for car seats, whichever comes first. Certain convertible and all-in one car seats allow your child to ride rear-facing for longer up to age 4 or 5.
Most manufacturers create car seats with an angle of reclining that can be adjusted to prevent the baby's head from sliding backward when the vehicle is stopped. You'll need to study the manual for your car seat to determine how to adjust the reclining angle or watch a video by an influencer of your car seat to learn how. It's also important to avoid wearing your child in bulky clothing like blankets and coats because they can hinder an ideal fit for the harness and block airflow around the baby's neck and chest.
Many parents are reluctant in switching their child from rear-facing position to forward-facing. They worry that the force of the crash could throw their child's legs or feet, or that their neck or head could be hurled forward violently in a side-impact. It's important to keep in mind that rear-facing provides a much better level of protection than forward-facing.
A video posted by an influencer of car seats shows an infant in a forward-facing car seat being thrown around violently in an accident simulator. The head injury that results is a gruesome injury to the head. But the video of the same crash from the rear-facing car seat is not nearly as horrific as the head of a child is held in the car seat's shell.
So, if your state law requires you to move your child's back do not follow it! This is not in accordance with the best practices. The AAP and NHTSA agree that children should remain rear-facing until they reach their maximum weight or height for the car seat.
Forward-Facing
Infant car seats are made to cradle newborns and infants with harnesses that secure them in the seat. Depending on the car seat model parents will be in a position to adjust the angle of recline and headrest for their child's comfort, as well as select a variety of attachments for their stroller. Most infant car seats have a maximum weight and height and the majority of children will outgrow them before they are ready to switch to a forward facing car seat.
While it's understandable that parents want to get their child back as soon as possible, the current standard mandates that kids under one year of age must be rear-facing in a car seat until they're 20 pounds and 1 year of age. This is because the neck muscles of infants aren't strong enough for the force of the rear-end crash which happens when a baby turns forward during an accident.
If a baby is caught in a frontal collision the spinal cord can be stretched and torn which can cause paralysis or even death. If a child is looking backwards in a car the neck bones are held together and protected by the harness, preventing this type of injury.
Rear-facing babies are also less likely to be in the rear of the car in an accident. In the event of a collision they're less likely to be injured by a seat belt that runs across their chests rather than their necks.
With these risks in mind, it's vital for parents to follow car seat safety rules and ensure their child is using the right car seat for their size. Refer to the car seat instructions from the manufacturer as well as your vehicle's owner's manual before making a decision. It's also a good idea to visit an accredited car seat technician in your area for expert assistance and advice.
If an infant is outgrowing their car seat, they may move to a convertible or all-in-1 car seat that starts in the rear-facing location and then transitions to forward-facing once they've reached their weight and height limits. When best infant car seat Pushchairs & Prams reach the recommended weight and age, they can upgrade to a booster with a lap-sash seatbelt.
Convertible
Many new parents are split between a baby car seat or a convertible one. Both have their advantages but which is the best choice for your family? A convertible car seat is a fantastic option for a long-lasting infant car seat.
Convertible infant car seats can be converted from rear-facing to forward-facing as your child grows. This allows them to fit children from infancy until late elementary school, based on the model you choose. Certain rear-facing car seats have higher weight and size limits than infant car seat which allows for more time of use.
Find out if the convertible infant car seat comes with removable inserts for newborns to ensure a comfortable fit for your child. These pads are firm and lift the infant's body so that they can fit into the smallest slots for straps, and then push them slightly forward so that they can prevent their heads from colliding with the straps on their harness.
Car seats for infants also tend to have a handle that parents use to move between cars, and some of them can click into strollers to create a transport system. This feature lets you easily transfer from your car to a stroller, without having to wake your baby.
Your child will eventually outgrow their infant car seat. This could occur when they reach their weight limit or height. Most experts agree that it's time to switch to a convertible seat once the head is within one inch of the top of the seat, but make certain to read the instruction manual to ensure your child is in the right place.
Convertible car seats may seem more expensive than infant car seats at first however, they could be less expensive over time due to the fact that they can be used for a number of years. Certain models also have lower anchors, which make it easier to install. This could help reduce the chance of injury in a crash.
Safety Ratings
Safety is the first thing to consider when shopping for car seats for infants. All infant car seats are required to comply with federal safety standards. However some go above the minimum requirements to give parents additional security.
High-end features like anti-rebound bars as well as no-rethread adjustable harnesses can help to ensure that your child's safety is maintained. Other helpful tools, like load legs that brace the bottom of the seat and help reduce the impact force of a crash are also available.
One way to find out how secure an infant car seat is prior to buying it is to look up its crash test ratings and reviews. It is important to keep in mind that the use of an infant car seat will determine how safe it is. According to our conversations with NHTSA engineers, the majority of accidents that involve infant car seats are caused by negligence -- either inadequate installation or inadequate restraint of the child -but not the actual performance of the seat in a crash.
If you want to be certain that you are using the right car seat for your baby, make sure you choose one that has an easy-to-read manual, plenty of signs that the seat is secure and level and bubbles at the bottom that will show you EXACTLY the best way to place it. When installing the seat tighten the straps around the baby's abdomen and chest. The ratcheting noise it makes when you tighten is an excellent indication.
When you're out and about with your baby in a car seat, do not leave the car seat unattended, even if you are just running into the store or a quick excursion to the park. It's not just dangerous in the event of a crash, but leaving an infant carrier or car seat on a hard surface could also lead to injuries and falls. Seats and carriers that tip or roll can also injure or suffocate babies.
While the decision between an infant car seat and convertible car seats or an all-in-one car seat may feel like it's all about cost at this point be aware that you'll need a booster seat at some point. To save money in the long run, choose an all-in-one or convertible car seat that offers you more options and last longer than a car seat for infants.