Keep Your Child in an Infant Car Seat Rear Facing

The most secure method to ensure your child is in a rear-facing infant car seat is to keep them there. Children should only be moved to a forward-facing car seat when they reach the weight and height limitations 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 are able to support and cradle their neck and head. "Since their spines aren't fully been ossified yet, it's vital to keep the impact of a collision off 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 hit the seat in front of them, creating a whiplash effect that can be fatal or severe. In a rear-facing seat, the impact is absorbed by the seat and then dissipated at the back of the car. "It's like a hug," says Adele. The legs of a child can be secured into the car seat to prevent them from being thrown against the back of front seat or any other surface in the vehicle. "This stops them from hitting their own body, which could cause internal injuries," she explains.

Many parents are against ERF because they fear their child will be bored or uncomfortable. My son Lukas has never been bored or uncomfortable. He prefers sitting rear-facing since the seat reclines and allows him to read a book, or watch TV while he does so.

If you have a child who is reluctant to face the rear due to their length of legs or other reasons, convince them that this is the most secure option. Explain that your child can remain in the convertible or all-in one car seat as long as the weight or height limits are not exceeded.

Be certain to strap your child into a rear-facing car seat tightly by using the vehicle's lower anchor system or seat belt. Don't allow them to wear bulky clothes like winter coats as they can compress in the event of a crash and cause the harness straps to loosen and put your child at risk for injury. Make sure to use the Pinch Test when fitting your child's harness.

Convenience

Many parents prefer to keep their infant car seats rear facing for as long as is possible, as they are a breeze to use and more mobile than convertible car seats. If you choose to keep your child rear-facing, he or she may need to be put in a crib or bassinet at nap or time to sleep. This could mean waking the sleeping child, which is not ideal. The benefits of rear-facing outweigh this inconvenience, however.

Preemies and newborns are smaller than full-term newborns, so the headrest of their car seats is lower. This reduces the impact force and also ensures that the harness' chest clip is at or below their shoulders, not at their necks. This is particularly important for premature babies who have weaker bones and still aren't ossified due to pregnancy or birth.

The position that faces the rear lets you see your baby much better than a forward-facing position. This lets you easily check their behavior and make sure they are happy and comfortable. Many infant car seats have a built-in mirror that can be adjusted so you can view your child from any angle.

When your baby is outgrowing their infant car seat or reaches the height or weight limit set by the seat manufacturer you can move to a convertible or all-in-1 car seat that will allow them to remain rear facing until they reach two years old. Some models even have higher rear-facing limits than rear-only cars which means they can be used longer.

Convertible car seats or all-in-ones are renowned for their versatility. They can be used in forward-facing, rear-facing, or as a belt-positioning booster. They also usually have a large base in the back of your car which makes them easy to install and remove. They're more expensive than single-use infant car seats but they last much longer than an infant car seat and will save you money in the long run.

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

Weight Limits

You should be aware that all infant car seats have weight and height limits. The majority of them have a weight limit of 30 to 35 pounds and a height limit of around 30 inches or so, based on the model. Once your child reaches the limit, you can proceed to the next level of safety. You can either choose a convertible seat that allows your child to ride either forward or rear-facing or an all-in one car seat.

There are other factors aside from the weight and height limits, that can tell you whether your child is ready to move up a stage in a car seat. One of them is their comfort level riding backwards. You can identify these signs by watching your kiddo's behavior and looking at other children of similar age in their car seats. You can also seek assistance from a certified child passenger safety specialists at an inspection station for car seats that are usually run by local government agencies or community-based organizations.

Keeping your infant rear facing as long as possible is safest for them, and it's easy to see why a lot of parents are hesitant to move their kids around until they're mature. You can ward off this temptation by making sure that your child's car seat is properly installed and don't change them to a front-facing car seat before they're ready even the weight or height is near the limits of their current seat.

If you're unsure whether your child is ready for the next stage in their car seat or you're concerned that you may not be installing their current car seat correctly contact an accredited child safety technician. These specialists are available through community groups, local government offices, and child passenger safety programs. You can find one near you by searching online or calling your local health department or public safety agency. Mobile car seat check-in events can be held at your home or office to make sure you have the right equipment and that you are using them correctly.

Installation

A car seat must be installed correctly to be efficient. Sadly, the NHTSA estimates that more than half of all car seats are not installed correctly (and this includes rear-facing). The best way to ensure that your infant car seat is installed correctly is to read the manual and have it professionally checked by a certified car safety technician.

The angle check is the first step in installing an infant car seat that faces rearwards. Make sure that the car seat base is at a safe angle to support the weight of your child and height. You can check this on the indicator on the base of the car seat base or in the user's manual.

Also, ensure that your lightweight baby car seat's head is correctly positioned in the seat. Babies have large heads and soft necks, and a forward-facing posture could put pressure on their necks and spine in a crash. In a rear-facing crash the back of the car seat absorbs most of the crash force, which protects the baby's delicate neck as well as spinal cord.

When your child is at the weight or height limit of the infant car seat swivel car seat, it is time to switch over to a convertible car seat or all-in one car seat. These can be used in a rear-facing position up until the front-facing limit. Be sure to get an infant car seats cheap car seat that has a higher rear-facing limit if you choose to change to this type of seat, because older models have lower limits.

Parents who often transport their children by car will appreciate the ability to select an infant car seat that is removable and connected to a stroller. The only downside to this is that it can be tricky and time consuming to maneuver the stroller and car seat into and out of your vehicle every time, particularly with infants. However, if you are willing to invest the extra time each time to get it right, this could be a viable alternative for many families. Make sure to plan ahead and select the day that you have plenty of time spare.