Keep Your Child in an Infant Car Seat Rear Facing
Keeping your child in a car seat that is rear-facing is the best option. Children should only be moved to a forward-facing car seat once they reach the weight and height limits of their current seat.
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Safety Benefits
Rear-facing infant car seats are the best option for newborns and young babies. This is because they support and cradle their head and neck. "Since their spines haven't ossified yet, it's important to keep the impact of a crash away from their necks and heads," says Purva Grover, MD, director of Cleveland Clinic Children's Pediatric Emergency Departments. In a frontal crash a baby's head would strike the seat in front of them, causing a whiplash effect that can be fatal or even fatal. In a rear-facing car seat, however, the impact is absorbed and absorbed at the back of the car. Adele says, "It feels like a hug." In addition, the child's legs are secured into their car seat, preventing them from being thrown forward against the rear of the seat or any other surface of the vehicle. "This helps to prevent collisions with the inside of their bodies, which can cause internal injuries," she explains.
Many parents avoid ERF because they think their child will be uncomfortable or bored. This is not the case for my son, Lukas. In fact Lukas prefers to ride backwards because the recline feature allows him to sit on his legs and read a book or watch TV.
If you have children who are reluctant to be rear-facing because of their leg length or for other reasons you can convince them that this is the best infant carrier car seat option. Explain that the child is able to remain in the convertible or all-in one car seat so long as the height or weight limits aren't exceeded.
Be sure to secure your child in a rear-facing car seat with the lower anchor system of the vehicle or a seat belt. Don't let them wear bulky clothing, such as winter coats, since they can compress in a crash and cause the harness straps to loosen, putting your child at risk for injury. Make sure to use the Pinch Test when fitting your child's harness.
Convenience
Many parents prefer keeping infant car seats rear-facing for as long as they can, because they are less cumbersome and more mobile than convertible car seats. If you keep your child rear-facing, he or she may require being placed in a crib or bassinet for nap or bedtime. This could result in waking the sleeping child, which is not ideal. However, the security advantages of rear facing are greater than any inconvenience.
Preemies and newborn babies are smaller than full-term infants, so the headrest of their car seat is lower. This reduces the force of an impact and also ensures that the harness' chest clip is placed below their shoulders instead of at their necks. This is particularly important for premature babies, who have weaker bones and still aren't ossified due to pregnancy or birth.
Additionally the rear-facing position offers the best view of your baby than forward-facing. This allows you to observe their behavior and make sure they are comfortable and content. The majority of infant car seats come with a built-in baby mirror that can be adjusted to allow you to view your child from virtually any angle.
You can utilize a convertible car seat or an all-in-one car seat to keep your child rear-facing until they reach their recommended weight or height limit. Some models even have higher rear-facing limits than the rear-only seats that means they can be used longer.
All-in-one or convertible car seats are known for their versatility. They can be used backward facing, forward facing, and as belt-positioning boosters. They are also simpler to remove and install because they are built with a large base at the back of your vehicle. They're more expensive than single-use infant car seat travel car seats, but they last much longer than a standard infant seat and will save you money in the long run.
The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests that children remain rear-facing until they reach the maximum weight and height limits set by the manufacturer of their car seat or at least 2 years old. old. Many children outgrow their rear-facing infant car seat before the age of two, but don't be tempted to switch them around earlier. It's safer to be patient.
Weight Limits
All infant car seats have weight and height limits you need to be aware of. The majority of infant car seats have a weight limit of 30 to 35 pounds and a height limit of about 30 inches, depending on the model. When your child reaches these limits, it's the time to move to the next level of safety. This could be a convertible car seat that can change between forward and rear facing, or an all-in one car seat that lets your kiddo ride in a rear-facing position until they reach the maximum height and weight that is recommended by the manufacturer.
In addition to the weight and height limit, there are other factors that indicate your child is ready to move on to the next stage of a car seat, such as their level of comfort while sitting rear facing. You can look for these signs by watching your child's behavior, and then comparing them to other children of similar age in their carseats. You can also ask for help from certified child passenger safety specialists at a car seat inspection station which are often operated by local government agencies or community-based organizations.
Keep your infant rear-facing for as long as you can is the most secure option for them and it's easy to see why a lot of parents are reluctant to turn their children back until they're mature. But you can ward off this temptation by ensuring your child's seat is properly installed and that you do not rush to change them to a forward-facing seat too quickly even if they're close to the weight or height limits of the car seat they're currently in.
If you're unsure whether your child is ready for the next stage in their car seat or you're worried you might not have installed the car seat correctly contact a certified child passenger safety technician. These specialists can be found through community groups, local government offices, and child safety programs. You can search for one near you or call your local public health or safety department. There are also car seat check events that are mobile which can come to your workplace or home to make sure you have the correct equipment and are using it correctly.
Installation
A car seat must be installed correctly to be effective. Sadly, the NHTSA estimates that more than half of car seats are installed incorrectly (and this includes rear-facing). The best method to make sure that your child's car seats are installed correctly is to read through the manual, and after that, have them assessed by a certified vehicle safety technician.
The first step to install a rear-facing infant car seat is to test the angle. Check that the car seat base is set at a suitable angle to support the weight of your child, which you can find on the the back of the car seat base or in the user's manual.
You should also be sure that your baby's head is at the right angle when in the seat. Babies have heavy heads and soft necks and a forward-facing position can cause pressure on their neck and spine in a crash. In a rear-facing collision, a car seat's back absorbs most of the crash force. This protects the baby’s neck and the spinal cord.
When your child has reached the weight or height limit of the infant car seat it's time to change to a convertible car seat or an all-in-one car seat. These seats can be used in a rear-facing configuration until the front-facing limit. Make sure to purchase an infant car seat that has a higher rear-facing limit if you decide to switch to this type of seat as older models have lower limits.
Parents who often transport their children by car will find it convenient to select an infant car seat that is able to be removed and connected to strollers. The only drawback is that it can be time-consuming and difficult to get the stroller and car seat into and out of your vehicle every time, particularly with infants. If you're willing to invest the extra time each time to get it right, this could be a viable alternative for many families. Plan ahead and choose a day that you have plenty of spare time.
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