Keep Your Child in an Infant Car Seat Rear Facing

Keep your child in an infant car seat best car seat rear-facing is the best option. Children should only be moved to an forward-facing car seat when they outgrow the weight and height limitations of their current car seat.

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Safety Benefits

Using an infant car seat rear facing is safest for newborns and babies because of the way it supports and cradles their neck and head. Purva Grover MD director of Cleveland Clinic Children's Pediatric Emergency Departments, says that because their spines aren't ossified, it's crucial to keep the force of a crash away from their necks and head. In a frontal collision, the baby's head is likely to hit the seat in front of them. This can cause whiplash that can be severe or even fatal. However, in a rear-facing car seat, the impact is absorbed by the seat and dissipated through the rear of the vehicle. "It's like a hug," says Adele. In addition, the child's legs are tucked into their car seat, preventing them from being thrown forward by the back of the front seat or any other surface of the vehicle. "This keeps them from colliding with the inside of their bodies, causing internal injuries," she explains.

Many parents resist ERF because they think their child will be uncomfortable or bored. My son Lukas has never been uncomfortable or bored. He prefers sitting in the rear since the seat reclines, which allows him to read a book or watch TV while doing so.

If you have a child who is reluctant to be rear-facing due to their leg length or for other reasons, convince them that this is the best option. Explain that your child can remain in the convertible or all-in one car seat so long as the weight or height limit is not exceeded.

Be sure to lock your child in a rear-facing car seat using the lower anchor system of the vehicle or a seat belt. Do not let them wear bulky clothing, such as winter coats. These can compress when a collision occurs, which can cause the straps of the harness to loosen. This puts your child at risk of injury. Always make use of the Pinch Test to ensure a snug fit.

Convenience

Many parents prefer to keep their infant car seats facing rear for as long as is possible, as they are easy to use and are more portable than convertible car seats. However, keeping your child in a rear-facing car seat may mean they have to be taken out of a crib or bassinet at times of nap or at time of bed. This could mean waking the sleeping baby which isn't optimal. The security advantages of rear facing infant car seat-facing far outweigh this inconvenience, however.

Newborn babies and preemies are smaller than full-term infants and therefore the headrest of their car seats is lower. This helps reduce the impact of an accident and ensures that the chest clip on the harness is at the shoulders, not at the neck. This is especially important for premature babies, who have weaker bones, and aren't fully ossedified from pregnancy or birth.

Additionally the rear-facing position gives a much better view of your baby than forward-facing. This lets you easily monitor their behavior and make sure they are happy and comfortable. The majority of baby car seats have a built-in baby mirror that can be adjusted to allow you to view your child from almost any angle.

Once your baby outgrows their car seat as infants or is at the weight or height limit set by the seat manufacturer, you can switch to a convertible or all-in-one car seat that allows them to remain rear facing until they reach two years old. Some rear-facing car seats have limits that are higher than rear-only car seats which allows them to be used for a longer period of time.

Convertible car seats or all-in-ones are known for their versatility. They can be used forward-facing, rear-facing or as belt positioning boosters. They typically also have a larger base in the back of your car making them easier to install and remove. These seats are more expensive than the infant car seats that are used once, but they will last longer and save money over time.

The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests that children remain rear-facing until they reach the maximum weight and height limits established by the manufacturer of their car seat or at least 2 years old. older. It is normal for children to outgrow their rear-facing infant car seat by the time they turn two years old. However, it's best to wait.

Weight Limits

All infant car seats have weight and height limits that you have to keep in mind. Most infant car seats have a maximum weight limit of 30 to 35 pounds and a height limit of about 30 inches, based on the model. When your child reaches the limits, it's time to move to the next level of safety: either a convertible car seat that can be switched between rear facing and forward 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.

There are other aspects apart from the weight and height limits, that can tell you if your child is ready to move up a stage in a car seat. One of them is their comfort level when riding in a rear-facing. You can identify these signs by watching your kiddo's behavior and looking at other children in their car seats. You can also ask for help from certified child safety technicians at a car seat inspection station that are usually run by local government agencies or community-based organizations.

Remaining rear-facing for your infant for as long as is possible is safest for them, and it's easy to see why a lot of parents are reluctant to turn their kids around until they're mature. However, you can avoid this temptation by making sure your child's car seat is correctly installed and you don't rush to switch to a forward-facing one too quickly, even if they're close to the weight or height limits of the car seat they're currently in.

Contact a certified child passenger technician if there are any concerns regarding your child's ability to be ready for the next stage of car seats or if you are concerned that you may not be installing the car seat correctly. These experts can be found through local community organizations, government offices and child passenger safety programs. You can search online for a specialist near you, or contact your local public health or safety department. There are also mobile car seat check-in events that will visit your workplace or home to help ensure you have the right equipment and are using it correctly.

Installation

Installing a car seat correctly is vital to ensure its safety. The NHTSA states, with regret, that more than half of car seats are installed incorrectly. This includes rear-facing seats. The best way to make sure that your infant car seat is properly installed is to study the manual and have it professionally checked by a certified car safety technician.

The first step to install a rear-facing infant car seat is to check the angle. Make sure the car seat base is at a safe angle for the weight of your baby, which you can find on the the back of the car seat base or in its user's manual.

Also, make sure that your baby's head is in the right angle in the seat. Babies have big heads and soft necks, and a forward-facing posture could cause pressure on their neck and spine in the event of a collision. In a rear-facing crash the back of the car seat absorbs most of the crash force, which protects the baby's delicate neck and spinal cord.

When your baby is at the weight or height limit of their car seat for infants and is now weighing more than a pound, it's time to move to a convertible or all-in-one car seat, which can be used in the rear position until your child has reached their front-facing limit. If you decide to change to a convertible or an all-in-one car seat, ensure that the new model has a higher rearward-facing limit. Older models have lower limits.

If you opt for an infant car seat best car seat that can be removed from the car and re-attached to strollers, this is an ideal option for parents who need to transport their infants in and out of the car frequently. The only downside to this is that it could be time-consuming and difficult to maneuver the stroller and car seat in and out of your vehicle each time, especially with a newborn. If you're willing to invest the extra time each time to get it right, this could be a viable option for many families. Plan ahead and pick the day you will have plenty of spare time.