Choosing Between an Infant and a Convertible Newborn Car Seat

A newborn car seat is also referred to as an infant safety seat or baby car seat, is a way to protect babies from injury and death from car accidents. They come with a harness that distributes restraining forces over the head and body of the child rather than the spinal cord or neck.

They are available in rear-facing and convertible versions, and come with an array of weight and height limits. They can also be part of an entire travel system that snaps into and out of a stroller base.

Rear-facing

Rear-facing infant car seats offer unbeatable protection in crashes for infants. They are designed to support and cradle children, while protecting their neck, spine, and head. They also help to reduce the force of a crash to prevent your child's body from being hit which reduces the risk of injuries. This is because your child's body isn't colliding with the vehicle seat or front passenger seat, but rather a soft, cushioned surface inside their car seat.

According to the AAP, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, parents should keep their child rear facing until they reach the weight limit of their car seat or height limit. At around the age of 1, children will outgrow the infant car seat and be moved to a convertible seat that can face forward. Many parents will leave their child in the rear-facing seat until they turn two.

There are two main types of rear-facing car seats that are convertible and infant-only car seats. Both are equally secure, but offer different conveniences. For example, infant-only seats are smaller, lighter, and have a quick release base which can be easily removed from the car and then reattached to the base of a stroller. Convertible car seats are bigger, heavier, and do not come with an integrated base for strollers.

It is important that you always use the back seat, regardless of the type of seat. It is also recommended that you place washcloths that are tightly rolled or blankets between the crotch strap and your baby to ensure that there is no gap in the harness. Check that the lower anchors of your car seat are correctly installed and are connected to the lower attachment points on the lower anchor bars.

Research has shown that babies who face the rear of the car are less likely to be injured in an accident. Babies in rear-facing car seats also have less impact when they strike the front of the car, as opposed to the back of the car seat, which can cause serious injuries.

Forward-facing

Many parents have invested a lot of thought into their newborn car seat. It was a key item on your baby's registry and the method you used to bring your child home from the hospital. You might think about changing the car seat to face forward as your child gets older. It's important to keep it in mind that your child isn't yet ready until they've reached the weight and height limits that are set by the manufacturer of their car seat.

Until your baby is at least 20 pounds and a year old, they should stay rear-facing. This is because kids under a year don't have strong enough neck muscles to handle the whiplash caused by being forced forward in an accident. Furthermore, they are at greater risk of spinal injuries in head-on accidents.

You can purchase a convertible car seat or an all-in one seat that lets you keep the child rear-facing up until the child is at the weight and height limit of the seat. These seats are usually bucket-style infant car seats that swivel car seats that attach to a base for placement in your vehicle. The base can then be removed and attached to strollers as a travel system. However, they tend to have lower maximum weight and height limits than the standard convertible car seats.

Alternatively, you can get a booster seat. They are typically equipped with a harness for younger kids and convert to a belt-positioning booster seat when your child is ready for it. This type of car seat has the principal advantage that it can be used in your car for the duration of your child's growing years, making it easier to transport the car seat from one location to another.

No matter what car seat you pick, always read the manual and follow the instructions for installation. It is also a good idea to speak with a certified car seat safety technician to ensure that the child's car seat is properly installed and used properly. It is common for parents to abuse car seats, and even the most well-intentioned parents could cause harm to their children. It is recommended to read the instructions on the car seat and follow the advice of a CPST.

Convertible

Many parents choose convertible infant car seat since they grow with their baby and enable them to travel safely through infancy and toddlerhood. These seats are less expensive than infant seats and have longer life span. It is essential to select a model that fits your vehicle and is easy to install. Also, make sure that you secure your baby in the correct way each time.

Snug straps stop the head from shifting to a risky chin-to-chest stance which could lead to asphyxiation or strangulation. Many infant car seat rear facing car seats have straps that are loose or not buckled. This is a major safety issue. Straps that are not buckled can cause a neck to hang and is the reason of numerous accidents. If the crotch strap has not been tightened enough to pass the pinch test, it may pose a danger. This test will determine if the crotch buckle is close enough to prevent a baby's legs from sliding around in the seat, result in them being cut or trapped.

Some convertible car seats for newborns include an adjustable torso that lets you alter the height limit according to your child's growth. The minimum torso height should be equal to the height of your infant's shoulders or one inch lower. Some models come with an infant insert that will help you raise your child to the correct height.

The best car seat newborn uk convertible car seat for babies should be comfortable, with soft padding and a slim base to allow you to put it in your vehicle. It should also include a snug, tight harness that passes the pinch test, and a short, tightly rolled blanket or towel in the event of an accident. It should also come with a tether strap that attaches to your vehicle's anchor points, which can reduce crash injuries by cutting down the force of impact on your infant car seats best. Additionally, it should come with an infant travel system that comprises a car seat that is paired with a stroller and an attachment that allows you to move the baby from the car to the stroller.

Safety features

Parents must take into consideration when selecting the right car seat for their newborns. Car seats are an essential purchase for new families because correctly using them can reduce the risk of fatal child collisions with motor vehicles by 71 percent. The decision between a baby car seat and a convertible seat comes down to a few key factors that include safety features, compatibility with your vehicle and the ease of use.

Infant car seats are designed with a newborn's fragile physiology in mind. They typically have an attached base that remains in the vehicle and a carrier that snaps into place, making it easy to move your baby seat from the car to stroller and back without causing any disturbance to them. They have a crotch and harness built in to keep your child secure.

Some infant cars are also equipped with side impact protection that distributes crash force away from the infant's neck and head. Plastic, metal and foam absorb energy and shield the baby's face from direct contact with a vehicle's frame or any other object involved in the event of a collision. Some have a special sock that extends from the door to shield the child's head.

A chest clip is another safety feature that is becoming more common in car seats for newborns. It keeps the straps of the harness flat against your baby's chest. This prevents the straps from pinching or twisting at the shoulders, which can put your baby at greater risk of injury. If you decide to purchase a car seat with this feature, ensure the chest clip is positioned at the armpit level. It is also important to be sure to avoid dressing your child in bulky clothing that might interfere with the harness's fit.

Verify that the car seat is installed according to the manufacturer’s instructions regardless of the type you choose. Check for the Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) system comprising a connector that clips into the lower anchor points of a car and the tether strap, which is attached to the top of the seat. It then connects to an anchor inside your vehicle. If your car doesn't have LATCH, you can still use a seat belt to secure your car seat.