Infant Car Seat - What You Need to Know

The majority of baby car seats can be detached from their base and slid into a stroller that is compatible to make it easy to transport. This feature makes them very popular with parents planning to take frequent trips out of the city.

Whatever type of car seat you select, dress your baby in clothing that allows the harness straps to comfortably fit over their shoulders and hips. Large blankets and clothes can make it difficult to get an appropriate fit.

Rear-Facing

Infant car seats (also known as convertible car seats that have rear-facing positions) are designed to support newborns and children up to the weight and height limits set by the manufacturer. These car seats typically come with an infant car seat best insert that ensures a newborn's head is comfortably inside the shell of the seat.

The AAP and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration both recommend that infants remain rear-facing until they reach the weight or height limit of their car seat. 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 an angle of reclining that can be adjusted to prevent the baby's head from sliding forward when the vehicle is stopped. You'll need to read the manual of your car seat to figure out how to adjust the reclining angle or watch a video by an influencer for your car seat to learn how to do it. Do not place your baby in heavy clothing, such as coats or blankets. They could hinder an ideal fit of the harness and block airflow around their neck and chest.

Many parents are reluctant to change their child's position from a rear-facing position to a forward-facing one because they worry the force of a crash will cause the baby to lose their legs and feet or that their neck and head may be thrown violently forward in a collision with a side. It's important to remember that rear-facing offers a greater level of protection than forward-facing.

A video posted by a car seat influencer shows an infant in a forward-facing car seat being violently tossed around in an accident simulator. The head injury that follows is terrifying. However, the video of the same crash from the rear-facing car seat not nearly as bad, because a child's head is cradled in the car seat's shell.

So, if your state law requires you to change your child's face forward do not follow it! This is not in accordance with best practices. The AAP and NHTSA agree that children should stay rear-facing until they reach their maximum weight or height for the car seat.

Forward-Facing

Infant car seats are designed to hold infants and newborns with harnesses to help secure them in the seat. Depending on the car seat model parents might be in a position to adjust the headrest and recline angle for their child's comfort, as well as choose from a variety of attachments for the baby's stroller. Most infant car seats come with the capacity to hold a maximum weight and height and the majority of children will outgrow them before they're ready to transition to a forward facing car seat.

It's natural for parents to want to turn their baby car seat around as soon as they can, but the current standard requires that children less than one year old remain facing rear until they weigh 20 pounds and 1 year old. This is because infants' neck muscles aren't strong enough to withstand the whiplash of the rear-end crash which happens when a child turns to the side in a crash.

If a baby's neck gets moved forward in an accident in front the spinal cord may stretch and tear, which could lead to paralysis or death. If a child is seated backwards in a car the neck bones are kept together and protected by the harness, which prevents this type of injury.

Rear-facing babies are also less likely to be in the back of the vehicle in an accident. They're also less likely be injured by the seat belt that extends across their chests, as opposed to their necks, in the event of a collision.

With these risks in mind, it's vital for parents to adhere to car seat safety rules and ensure their child is using the right car seat for their height. Check the instructions for car seats from the manufacturer and the owner's manual for your vehicle prior to making a choice. You can also seek expert advice from a technician for car seats who is accredited in your area.

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

Convertible

Many new parents are torn between choosing an infant car seat or a convertible. Both have their benefits but which is the right choice for your family? An infant car seat is great for newborns, but if you want something that will last for many years it is likely that a convertible would be a better option.

As your child grows in age, convertible car seats for infants can be moved from rear-facing to front-facing. Depending on the model, they can fit children from infancy to late elementary school. Some rear-facing car seats have greater weight and size limitations than the infant car seat that allow for more use.

Check if the convertible car seat is equipped with removable infant inserts that will ensure a snug fit for your child. The firm padding raises the infant's body so that they can fit into the smallest slots on the straps, and then it pushes them forward a bit to prevent their head from sliding back against the harness straps or the buckle for the crotch (which puts them at risk of positional asphyxia).

Infant car seats also tend to have a handle parents use to move between cars and can be connected to strollers to create a travel system. This feature lets you easily transfer from your car to a stroller without wake your baby.

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 convertible car seats when your child's head is within one inch of the top edge of the seat. Check the instruction manual to make sure your child is in the right place.

Convertible car seats may seem more expensive than baby car seats at first, but they can be more affordable over time since you can use them for a number of years. Some models also have lower anchors, which allow for easier installation. This could help reduce injuries during the event of a crash.

Safety Ratings

Safety is the most important factor to think about when purchasing infant car seats. All infant car seats have 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 and no-rethread adjustable harnesses are a great way 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 the safety of an infant car seat is prior purchasing it is to review its crash test ratings and reviews. However, it's important to remember that the most crucial factor in determining how safe an infant car seat is actually how it's used. Based on our conversations most accidents that occur in infant car seat for travel car seats are caused by negligence, whether it's due to incorrect installations or improper restraints on the child.

If you want to make certain that you are using your infant car seat correctly make sure you choose one that has an easy-to-read manual, plenty of indicators that the seat is secure and level, and bubbles on the bottom that will show you EXACTLY the best car seat infant way to place it. Make sure you be sure to secure the straps the chest and abdomen of your child when you install it. A good indication of this is the ratcheting sound it produces as you tighten.

Even if you're just going to the market or making a quick trip into the park, it's not a good idea to leave your infant car seat newborn (made a post) unattended in the car. Apart from being a terrible idea in a crash, leaving an infant car seat or a carrier on a hard surface outside of the vehicle is a risky option that could result in falls and injuries. Seats and carriers that tip over or roll can also injure or suffocate infants.

You will require an additional car seat at some point. Select a convertible car seat or an all in one seat to save money in the long run. These seats will provide more options and last longer than infant car seats.