Infant Car Seat - What You Need to Know

The majority of infant car seats can be detached from their base and snapped into a compatible stroller for easy transportation. This feature makes them popular with parents planning to make frequent trips outside of the city.

Whatever type of car seat you pick, dress your baby in clothes that allow the harness straps to comfortably fit over their hips and shoulders. Bulky clothing or blankets can interfere with a snug harness fit.

Rear-Facing

Infant car seats (also called convertible car seats that have an open rear position) are designed to support infants and children up to the weight and height limit set by the manufacturer. These car seats are usually equipped with an infant insert that ensures the head of a newborn is comfortably positioned inside the shell of the seat.

The AAP and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recommend that infants ride rear facing infant car seat-facing until they attain their weight or height limits for car seats, whichever comes first. Certain convertible and all-in-one car seats let your child ride rear-facing even longer, until around age 4 or 5.

The majority of car seats have a reclining angle which can be adjusted in order to stop the baby's back from sliding forward when the vehicle stops. You can either read the instruction manual for your car seat to learn how to adjust the angle, or view a video made by a car seat influencer. Do not place your baby in bulky clothing such as coats or blankets. They could impede an appropriate fit of the harness and block airflow around their necks and chests.

Many parents are hesitant about switching their child from a rear-facing position to forward-facing. They fear that the impact force could eject their baby's legs or feet, or that their neck or head could be violently thrown forward in a side-impact. It is important to remember that rear-facing provides a much better level of protection than forward-facing.

A video from a car seat influencer shows a child sitting in the forward-facing car seat being violently tossed in an accident simulation. The resulting head injury is horrific. But the video of the same accident from the rear-facing car seat not nearly as horrific as the head of a child is within the shell of the car seat.

So, if your state law requires you to move your child to forward-facing, ignore it! This is not in line with best practices. The AAP and NHTSA agree that children should be rear-facing until they reach their maximum weight or the height required for a car seat.

Forward-Facing

Infant car seats are designed to protect infants and newborns with harnesses to help to secure them in the seat. Depending on the model of the car seat parents will be capable of adjusting the recline angle and headrest to suit their child's needs, as well as select a variety of attachments for the baby's stroller. The majority of infant car seats come with the capacity to hold 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.

It's normal parents' desire to turn their baby around as soon as they can, however, the current law requires that children less than one year old remain rear-facing until they weigh 20 pounds and are one year old. This is because the neck muscles of infants aren't strong enough to withstand the whiplash of a rear-end crash, which is what happens when a baby turns forward in a crash.

If a child's neck is moved forward in an accident that is frontal the spinal cord could stretch and tear, which could result in paralysis or even death. If a child is looking backwards while driving, their neck bones are kept together and protected by the harness, which prevents this type of injury.

Rear-facing infants are also less likely to end up in the back of the car during 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.

Parents must ensure that their child is in the right car seat that is suitable for his or 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 local area for expert assistance and advice.

When a baby outgrows their car seat, they can move to a convertible or all-in-1 car seat that is designed to start in the rear-facing position and shifts to forward-facing when they've reached their weight and height limits. They can then upgrade to a booster seat using a a lap-sash adult seatbelt once they've reached their recommended age and weight.

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 one is the best choice for your family? A convertible car seat is an excellent option for a durable infant car seat.

As your child grows, convertible infant car seats can be changed from rear-facing to front-facing. This allows them to fit children from the age of infancy to late elementary school, depending on the model you choose. Some have heavier weight and height limits in the rear position than infant car seats, which allows them to be used longer.

If you decide to buy convertible infant car seats that swivel car seats Be sure to verify whether it has removable newborn inserts that help to ensure a snug and secure fit for your baby. These paddings raise the infant's body so that they can fit into the smallest slots on the straps, and then moves them slightly forward to prevent their head from sliding back against the straps of their harness or the seat's crotch buckle (which puts them at risk for positional asphyxia).

Some infant car seats have handles to make it easier to move between vehicles. Other car seats can be plugged into strollers, creating a travel system. This feature makes it simple to go from your car to your stroller without disturbing your baby for trips to the supermarket mall, the doctor's office, or visits.

Your child will eventually outgrow their infant car seat. This can happen when they reach their weight limit or height. Most experts agree it's time to upgrade to a convertible car seat once your child's head is within one inch of the top edge of the seat. Review the instructions in your seat's manual to ensure that your child is ready.

Although convertible car seats may appear more expensive initially than infant car seats, they may be cheaper in the long term because you'll be capable of using them for many years. In addition, some models come with lower anchors that allow you to install them with less force than traditional car seats, which can lessen the risk of injuries in a crash.

Safety Ratings

When shopping for an infant car seat, safety should be top of mind. All baby car seats must meet federal safety standards, but some exceed the norm to provide extra assurance for parents.

Premium features, like adjustable harnesses with no-rethread straps and bars that prevent rebounding, can aid in ensuring that your child is secure properly and securely. Load legs, which support the seat's base and reduce the force in a crash are also available.

Reviewing crash test ratings and reviews of a car seat for infants can help you determine its safety before purchasing. It is essential to remember that the use of an infant car seat will determine how secure it is. Based on our conversations most accidents involving infant car seats result from misuse -- either improper installation or inadequate restraints of the child.

If you want to be sure that you are using the correct car seat for your infant, make sure you choose one that has an easy-to-read guide, lots of indicators that the seat is level and secure and bubbles at the bottom of the seat that show EXACTLY how to position it. Also, ensure that you firmly tighten the straps to the abdomen and chest of your child before you install it. The ratcheting sound it makes when you tighten it is an excellent indicator.

Finally, when you're out and about with your baby in car seats, don't leave it unattended, even when you're just going to the store or a quick excursion to the park. It's not just dangerous in the event of a car crash, but leaving an infant car seat or baby carrier on a rough surface could also lead to injuries and falls. Seats and carriers that tilt or roll over can also cause injuries to babies or, worse yet they could even suffocate them.

While the choice between an infant car seat newborn car seat [her latest blog] car seat and convertible car seats or an all-in-one car seats may seem like it boils down to cost at this point be aware that you'll need an additional booster seat at some time. To save money in the future consider a convertible or all-in-one car seat that gives you more options and last longer than a car seat for infants.