Infant Car Seat - What You Need to Know

The majority of infant 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 popular with parents who intend to frequently travel out of town.

Dress your baby in clothes so that the harness straps can comfortably be positioned over their hips and shoulders, regardless of which car seat you select. Bulky clothing or blankets can hinder a secure harness fit.

Rear-Facing

Infant car seats, also known as convertible car seats with a rearward-facing position designed to accommodate infants and small children up to a weight and height limit set by the manufacturer. These car seats typically include an infant car seat that swivels insert to make sure a newborn's head is comfortably inside the shell of the seat.

The AAP and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration both recommend that babies remain rear-facing until they reach the weight or height limit of their car seat. Certain convertible and all-in one car seats allow your child to ride rear-facing even longer, until around age 4 or 5.

The majority of car seats have the option of reclining angles that can be adjusted in order to keep the baby's back from sliding forward when the car stops. You'll need to read your car seat's manual to figure out how to adjust the reclining angle or watch a video by an influencer of your car seat to learn how. It is also important to avoid placing your baby in bulky clothing like blankets and coats because they can hinder the snug fit of the harness and cut off airflow around your infant's neck and chest.

Many parents aren't comfortable switching their child from rear-facing position to forward-facing. They are concerned that the force of the crash may eject their baby's legs or feet, or their neck and head could be violently thrown forward in an accident that is side-to-side. However, it's important to remember that the rear-facing position provides more protection than forward-facing.

A video by a car seat influencer shows a child in a forward-facing car seat being violently tossed about in the crash simulation. The head injury that results is horrifying. But the video of the same crash from the rear-facing car seat not nearly as horrific because the head of the child is within the car seat's shell.

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

Forward-Facing

Infant car seats are made to hold infants and newborns, with harnesses that help keep them in the car seat. Parents can adjust the recline angle of the headrest, and stroller attachments depending on the model of car seat. The majority of infant car seats come with an upper weight and height limit, and a majority of children will outgrow them before they're able to transition to a forward-facing car seat.

While it's understandable that parents would like to change their child's behavior as soon as possible The current law requires that kids under one year of age must be rear-facing in car seats until they're 20 pounds or 1 year of age. This is due to the fact that infants' neck muscles aren't strong enough to withstand the force of the rear-end crash that occurs when a child turns to the side in an accident.

If a child's neck is thrust forward during a frontal accident the spinal cord may stretch and tear, which could cause paralysis or even death. If a child is seated backwards in a car their neck bones are held together and protected by the harness, which prevents this kind of injury.

Rear-facing babies are also less likely to be in the back of the vehicle in an accident. In the event of a collision they are 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 using the correct car seat for his or the size. Always refer to the instructions for car seats from the manufacturer and vehicle owner's manual when making a decision. It's recommended to visit a certified car seat technician in your local area to get expert advice and assistance.

When a baby grows out of their car seat, they can change to a convertible car seat. These seats start in the rear-facing mode and switch to forward-facing once they reach their weight and height limits. They can then upgrade to a booster seat with lap-sash adult seatbelts once they've reached their recommended age and weight.

Convertible

Many new parents are torn between choosing an Infant Car Seat newborn car seat or a convertible one. Both have their advantages but which is the best car seats infant choice for your family? A car seat for infants is great for newborns, but if you want something that will last for several years then a convertible may be more suitable.

As your child grows and becomes a convertible infant car seat, they can be moved from front-facing to rear-facing. Depending on the model, they can accommodate children from infanthood to late elementary school. Some have heavier weight and height limits in the rear position than infant car seats, allowing them to be used for longer.

If you decide to buy convertible infant car seats make sure to determine whether it comes with removable infant inserts that help provide a snug and secure fit for your baby. These firm padding lifts the infant's torso so they can fit into the smallest slots on the straps, and then pushes them forward slightly to stop 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 a handle to make it easier to transfer between vehicles. Others can be clicked into strollers, forming a travel system. This feature lets you easily transfer from your car to a stroller, without having to wake up your baby seat.

At some point your child will eventually outgrow their infant car seat, either by reaching their weight limit or their height limit. 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. Consult your seat's instruction manual to ensure that your child is in the right place.

Although convertible car seats may seem more expensive upfront than car seats for infants, they may be cheaper in the long run since you'll be in a position to use them for a long time. Some models also come with lower anchors which allows for a simpler installation. This can reduce the risk of injuries in an accident.

Safety Ratings

Safety is the first thing to think about when buying an infant car seats. All infant car seats have to conform to federal safety standards. However some seats go above and beyond the minimum requirements to give parents extra security.

Premium features, such as adjustable harnesses with no-rethread straps and anti-rebound bars, can help ensure that your child is secure properly and securely. Other useful tools, such as load legs that brace the base of the seat and reduce the impact force of a crash are available as well.

An effective method to determine how safe an infant car seat is before buying it is to look up its crash test ratings and reviews. It is essential to remember that the usage of an infant car seat will determine how safe it is. Based on our conversations with NHTSA engineers, the majority of crashes that involve infant car seats stem from misuse -- either incorrect installation or inadequate restraint of a childand not the actual performance of the seat in the event of a crash.

If you'd like to be sure that you are using the right car seat for your baby, then look for 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 the best way to place it. When installing the seat, tighten the straps around the baby's abdomen and chest. The ratcheting sound it makes when you tighten is a good indicator.

When you're out and about with your infant in a car seat, do not leave it unattended, even when you're just going to the store or a quick trip to the park. It's not just risky in the event of a crash and leaving your infant carrier or car seat on a hard surface can cause injuries and falls. Car seats that tilt or roll over can cause injuries to infants or, even more dangerously they could even suffocate them.

You will require an additional car seat at some time. To save money in the future, choose a convertible or all-in one car seat that will give you more options and last longer than a car seat for infants.