Infant Car Seat - What You Need to Know

The majority of baby car seats can be dismantled from their base, and slid into a compatible stroller for easy transportation. This makes them very popular with parents who intend to frequently travel out of town.

Regardless of which type of car seat you choose, dress your baby in clothes that allow the harness straps to comfortably fit over their hips and shoulders. Bulky clothing or blankets can hinder a secure harness fit.

Rear-Facing

Infant car seats, also known as convertible car seats with a rear-facing position are designed to fit infants and children of a smaller size as long as they meet the weight and height limit that is set by the manufacturer. These car seats are usually equipped with an infant insert that ensures the head of a newborn is comfortable placed inside the seat shell.

The AAP and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recommend that children ride rear-facing until they reach their weight or height limits for car seats or the weight limit for the car seat, whichever is first. Some convertible or all in one car seats allow your child to be rear facing for longer, until about age 4 or 5 (depending on the model).

Most car seat manufacturers include an adjustable reclining angle that can be adjusted to prevent the baby's back from slipping forward when the vehicle slows down. You can read the manual for your car seat to find out how to adjust the angle, or view a video made by an influencer for your car seat. It's also important not to placing your baby in bulky clothes, like blankets or coats as they could hinder an ideal fit for the harness and block airflow around the infant's neck and chest.

Many parents are hesitant to change their child's position from rear-facing to forward-facing as they are concerned that the impact force could eject the baby's feet and legs, or that their head and neck may be thrown violently forward 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 by a car seat influencer shows a child sitting in a forward-facing car seat being violently tossed around in the crash simulation. The resultant head injury is horrific. But the video of the same crash from the rear-facing car seat not nearly as bad because the head of the child is cradled in the shell of the car seat.

So, if your state law requires you to change your child to forward-facing do not follow it! This is not in line with the best practices, which is why the AAP and NHTSA now agree that children should remain rear-facing until they hit their maximum height or weight for the car seat, whichever is first.

Forward-Facing

Car seats for infants are designed to cradle newborns and infants with harnesses to help to secure them in the seat. Depending on the model of car seat, parents may be able to adjust the angle of recline and headrest to suit their child's needs, as well as select a variety of attachments for the stroller of their baby. The majority of infant car seats come with an upper weight and height limit, and the majority of children will outgrow them before they're able to transition to a forward-facing car seat.

It's normal for parents to want to turn their baby around as soon as they can but the current standard stipulates that children younger than one year old stay rear-facing until they weigh 20 pounds and are one year old. The reason is that the neck muscles of infants aren't strong enough to withstand whiplash from a rear-end collision, which occurs when a child turns forward in the event of an accident.

If a child is being thrown forward during a collision with a car seat newborn, the spinal chord can be stretched and strained, resulting in paralysis or even death. However, if a kid is seated backwards in the car the neck bones stay together and are protected by the straps of the harness, which help prevent this kind of injury.

Rear-facing infants are also less likely to be in the rear of the car in an accident. They are also less likely to be injured by the seat belts that stretch across their chests instead of their necks, in a collision.

Parents must ensure that their child is using the right car seat for her size. Check the car seat instructions from the manufacturer and the owner's manual of your vehicle before making a choice. You can also seek out professional advice from a car seat technician who is accredited in your region.

If an infant is outgrowing their car seat, they can change to a convertible or all-in-1 car seat that starts in the rear-facing location and shifts to forward-facing when they've reached their weight and height limits. Once they reach the recommended weight and age they can upgrade to a booster using lap-sash seatbelts.

Convertible

Many new parents are confused when it comes to choosing between a car seat for infants and convertible seats. Both have their benefits but which is the best for your family? A convertible car seat is an excellent option for a durable car seat for infants.

As your child grows, convertible infant car seats can be moved from front-facing to rear-facing. This allows them to fit children from infancy until the end of elementary school, based on the model you select. Some rear-facing car seats have higher weight and size limits than the infant car seats which allows for more time of use.

Check if the convertible infant car seat has removable newborn inserts to ensure a comfortable fit for your child. These firm pads lift the baby's body so they can fit into the smallest slots for straps, and then push them forward slightly to stop their heads from hitting the straps on their harness.

Infant car seats also tend to have a handle parents use to transfer between cars, and some of them can be connected to strollers to create a transport system. This feature allows you to transfer your car to your stroller without waking your baby, for trips to the store mall, the doctor's office, or visits.

Your child will eventually outgrow their infant car seat. This can occur when they reach their weight or height limit. Most experts agree that it's time to switch to a convertible seat when their head is within an inch of the top of the seat, but be certain to read the manual to make sure your child is in the right place.

Although convertible car seats may appear to be more expensive in the beginning than car seats for infants, they may be cheaper in the long term because you'll be able to use them for a long time. Certain models also have lower anchors, which allow for easier installation. This could help reduce the chance of injury in an accident.

Safety Ratings

When it comes to buying an infant car seat, safety is foremost in your mind. All infant car seats must meet federal safety standards, however some surpass the minimum requirements to provide additional peace of mind for parents.

Premium features such as anti-rebound bars and no-rethread adjustable harnesses are a great way to ensure your child's safety ensured. Other helpful tools, like load legs that brace the base of the seat to reduce the impact force in a crash are available as well.

Examining the crash test ratings and reviews of a car seat for infants will help you determine the safety of the product before purchasing. It is important to remember that the usage of a car seat for infants will determine how safe it is. Based on our conversations with NHTSA engineers, most accidents that involve infant car seats stem from misuse -- either inadequate installation or inadequate restraint of the childand not the actual performance of the seat in a crash.

To ensure that you're using a car seat for your infant correctly, look for one that comes with an easy-to-read instruction manual as well as plenty of indicators that it is safe and level, such as bubbles on the base that tell you EXACTLY where to position the seat. When installing the seat tighten the straps around the lightweight baby car seat's chest and abdomen. One good sign of this is the ratcheting sound it makes as you tighten.

Even if you're just running to the store or making a quick trip into the park, you shouldn't leave your infant Car seat newborn unattended in a car. It's not only a terrible idea in the event of a crash, leaving your infant car seat uk car seat or a carrier on a hard surface outside of your vehicle is a risky option that can result in injuries and falls. Seats and carriers that tilt or roll over can also hit and injure babies or, worse yet, suffocate them.

While the decision between an infant car seat and a convertible car seat or all-in-one car seat might seem like it's all about price at this point but keep in mind that you will need a booster seat at some point. To save money in the future consider a convertible or all-in-one car seat that will give you more options and last longer than a car seat for infants.