Infant Car Seat - What You Need to Know

The majority of baby car seats can be removed from their base and snapped into a stroller that is compatible for easy transport. This makes them popular with parents who are planning to travel frequently outside of the city.

Regardless of which type of car seat you select make sure your child is dressed in clothes that allow the harness straps to comfortably fit over their shoulders and hips. The bulky clothing or blankets could hinder a secure harness fit.

Rear-Facing

Infant car seats (also known as convertible car seats that have an open rear position) are designed to hold infants and children up to the weight and height limits set by the manufacturer. They are typically equipped with an infant insert that makes sure the head of a baby is securely placed inside the seat shell.

The AAP and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recommend that infants ride rear-facing until they reach their weight or height limits for the car seat or until they reach their weight limits, whichever comes first. Some convertible and all-in-one car seats allow your child to remain rear-facing for longer, up to age 4 or 5.

Most manufacturers have their car seats designed with the ability to adjust the reclining angle. be adjusted to prevent the baby's head from sliding forward when the vehicle is stopped. It is necessary to read 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. Avoid putting your infant in heavy clothing, such as blankets or coats. They could hinder an ideal fit of the harness and hinder airflow around their neck and chest.

Many parents aren't comfortable changing their child's rear-facing position to forward-facing. They worry that the force of the crash could eject their baby's legs or feet, or their neck and head could be violently thrown forward in a side-impact. It's important to keep in mind that the position of rear-facing provides more protection than forward-facing.

A video by a car seat influencer shows a child sitting in a forward-facing car seat violently tossed in an accident simulation. The head injury that follows is horrifying. The video of the same accident from the rear-facing seat is not as bad because the child's head is being held by the shell.

If your state requires you to put your child forward, don't do it. This is not in line with the best practices. The AAP and NHTSA agree that children should stay rear-facing until either 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 secure them in the seat. Parents may be able adjust the headrest, recline angle, and stroller attachments depending on the car seat. The majority of infant car seat in front seat car seats come with an upper weight and height limit, and a majority of kids will outgrow them long 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 requires that children less than one year old stay rear-facing until they weigh 20 pounds and 1 year old. The reason is that neck muscles of infants aren't strong enough to withstand whiplash caused by a rear-end collision. This occurs when a child turns forward in the event of an accident.

If a baby's neck gets forced forward in an accident in front the spinal cord may stretch and tear, which can lead to paralysis or death. But, if a child is facing backward in the car the neck bones stay together and are secured by harness straps, which prevents this kind of injury.

Rear-facing babies are less likely to be in the back of the vehicle in an accident. They're also less likely to be injured by the seat belts that stretch across their chests rather than their necks, in a collision.

Parents must ensure that their child is using the right car seat for the size. Take a look at the car seat instructions from the manufacturer as well as the owner's manual for your vehicle prior to making a decision. It's also a good infant car seats idea to visit an accredited car seat technician in your area to get expert advice and assistance.

When a baby outgrows their car seat, they may move to a convertible or an all-in-one car seat that starts 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 lap-sash seatbelts for adults after they've reached their recommended age and weight.

Convertible

Many new parents are split between choosing an infant car seat or a convertible one. Both have their advantages however which one is the best choice for your family? A car seat for infants is perfect for infants, but if you want something that will last several years, a convertible is probably the better choice.

As your child grows, convertible infant car seats can be repositioned from front-facing to rear-facing. They are able to accommodate kids from infancy through late elementary school, depending on the model you select. Certain rear-facing car seats come with greater weight and size limitations than the infant car seats cheap car seats, allowing for longer use.

Make sure that the convertible infant car seat comes with removable Infant Car seat newborn inserts that will ensure a secure fit for your child. These paddings raise the infant car seats on sale's torso, so they can get to the smallest strap slots, and it pushes them forward a bit to stop their head from flopping back against the harness straps or the buckle for the crotch (which puts the child at risk of asphyxia).

Infant car seats are also likely to have a handle that parents use to move them between vehicles and can be connected to strollers to create a travel system. This feature lets you easily transfer your car to a stroller, without having to wake your baby.

At some point your child will outgrow their car seat for infants or reach their weight limit or their height limit. Many experts agree that it's the right time to switch to a convertible seat once their head is within an inch of the top of the seat, but be certain to read the manual to ensure that your child is prepared.

Convertible car seats might seem more expensive than baby car seats at first, but they can be cheaper over time because they can be used for a number of years. Some models also have lower anchors, which allows for a simpler installation. This could help reduce the chance of injury in a crash.

Safety Ratings

Safety is the most important factor to consider when shopping for infant car seats. All infant car seats must meet federal safety standards, however some exceed the norm to offer extra peace of mind for parents.

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

A good way to determine how safe 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 secure it is. According to our conversations with NHTSA engineers, most accidents that involve infant car seats result from negligence -- either incorrect installation or inadequate restraint of the childbut not the actual performance of the seat in the event of a crash.

If you want to be certain that you're using the correct car seat for your infant, make sure you choose one that comes with an easy-to-read instruction guide, lots of indicators that the seat is level and secure and bubbles at the bottom of the seat that show EXACTLY the best way to place it. Make sure you be sure to secure the straps the abdomen and chest of your child before you install it. The ratcheting noise it makes when you tighten is an excellent indication.

Also, when you're out and about with your infant in a car seat, never leave it unattended, even when you are just running into the shop or taking a short visit to the park. It is not only dangerous in a car crash, but leaving an infant car seat for travel carrier or car seat on a hard surface could also lead to injuries and falls. Seats and carriers that tip or roll can cause injuries or even death to infants.

While the decision between an infant car seat and convertible car seats or an all-in-one car seat may feel like it comes down to the cost be aware that you'll need an additional booster seat at some time. Select a convertible car seat or an all-in-one car seat to save money over the long run. These seats provide more options and last longer than infant car seats.