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 switched to an forward-facing car seat when they outgrow the weight and height limits of their current car seat.
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Safety Benefits
Using an infant car seat rear facing is the most secure option for infants and newborns because it supports and cradles their neck and head. "Since their spines aren't fully been ossified, it's crucial to keep the impact of a crash away from their necks and heads" explains Purva Grover, MD, director of Cleveland Clinic Children's Pediatric Emergency Departments. In a frontal collision the baby's head will hit the seat infront of them. This can cause whiplash that can be severe or even fatal. In a rear-facing seat however, the impact is absorbed and dissipated in the back of the car. "It's like a hug," says Adele. In addition, the child's legs are put into their car seat, preventing them from being thrown forward by the rear of the seat or other vehicle surfaces. "This prevents a collision with the inside of their own bodies, causing internal injuries," she explains.
Many parents are opposed to ERF because they fear that their child will become bored or uncomfortable. My son Lukas has never been bored or uncomfortable. He prefers sitting in the rear since the seat reclines and allows him to read a book, or watch TV while doing so.
If you do have an older child who is resistant to being in a rear-facing car seat because of leg length or other reasons Try to convince them that it's the best option for them to travel. Explain that they can remain in their convertible or all-in-one seats provided they do not exceed the height or weight limits that are set by the seat's manufacturer.
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 as they could be swollen during a crash, causing the harness straps to loosen, putting your child at risk for injuries. Always make use of the Pinch Test to ensure a secure fit.
Convenience
Many parents prefer keeping infant car seats facing rear as long as they can because they are easier to use and more mobile than convertible car seats. If you keep your child rear-facing, they may have to be placed in a crib or a bassinet for nap or time to sleep. This could mean waking the baby who is sleeping, which is never ideal. However, the benefits of rear facing outweigh any discomfort.
The headrest is lower for newborns and preemies than for full-term infants. This helps reduce the force of an impact and also ensures that the harness's chest clip is at or below their shoulders rather than at their necks. This is crucial for premature infants who have bones that are weak and are not fully ossedified following birth or pregnancy.
The rear-facing position also lets you see your baby better than when they are facing forward. This lets you monitor their behavior, and ensure they are comfortable and content. Most baby car seats have a built-in baby mirror that can be adjusted to allow you to view your child from almost every angle.
Once your baby outgrows their car seat as infants, or is at the weight or height limit recommended by the manufacturer of their seat, you can switch to a convertible or all-in-1 car seat that will allow them to remain rear-facing until they are at least two years old. Some even have higher rear-facing limits than the rear-only seats that means they are able to be used for longer.
Convertible car seats or all-in-one seats are renowned for being multi-functional. They can be used backward facing, forward facing, and as belt-positioning boosters. They also usually have a larger base in the back of your car which makes them easy to set up and remove. They are more expensive than infant car seats that can be used only once, but they will last longer and will save you money over the course of time.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children ride rear-facing up to the maximum height and weight limits that are set by the manufacturer of their car seat or until they reach at minimum two years old. Many children outgrow their rear-facing infant car seat before age two however, don't be enticed to switch them around earlier -- it's safer to wait.
Weight Limits
It is important to know that all car seats for infants have height and weight restrictions. The majority of infant car seats have a weight limit of 30 to 35 pounds and a height limit of about 30 inches, based on the model. When your child has reached these limits, it's time to move on to the next level of safety. You can choose a convertible car seat that can be switched between forward and rear facing or an all-in-one car seat that allows your child to ride in a rear-facing position until they reach the maximum height and weight suggested by the manufacturer.
There are infant car seat best Pushchairs And Prams from the weight and height limit, that can tell you whether your child is able to go up a level in a car seat. One of them is their comfort level riding rear-facing. You can find these indicators in your child's behavior, and compare it to other children of the same age in their car seats. You can also seek advice from certified child safety specialists at a car-seat inspection station, which is usually operated by local government or community organizations.
Remaining rear-facing for your infant for as long as is possible is the most secure option for them and it's easy to understand why parents are hesitant 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 don't rush to switch to a forward-facing seat too soon, even if they're close to the limits on weight or height of their current car seat.
You can reach a certified child passenger technician if you have any concerns about your child's readiness for the next stage of car seats or if you are worried that you might not be installing the car seat correctly. These experts can be found through community groups, local government offices, and child safety programs. You can locate one near you by looking online or by contacting your local health department or public safety agency. There are also mobile car seat check events that can visit your workplace or at home to help ensure you have the proper equipment and are using it correctly.
Installation
Installing a car seat correctly is essential for its effectiveness. The NHTSA has found that more than half of car seats are installed incorrectly. This includes rear-facing seats. The best way to make sure that your child's car seat is properly installed is to read the manual and have it professionally checked by a certified car safety technician.
Verifying the angle is the first step towards installing a rear-facing infant car seat. Check that the base of the car seat is in a safe position for the weight of your baby, which you can find on the the back of the car seat base or in its user manual.
You should also be sure that your baby's head is placed at the correct angle in the seat. The forward-facing position could put pressure on the spine and neck of babies due to their hefty heads and soft necks. In a rear-facing collision, a car seat's back absorbs the majority of the crash force. This helps protect the baby's neck and spinal cord.
Once your child has reached the limit of weight or height of the infant car seat it's time to change to a convertible seat or all-in one car seat. These can be used in a rear-facing position up until the front-facing limit. If you decide to move to a convertible or all-in-1 car seat, be sure that the new model has a higher rearward-facing limit. Older models have lower limits.
If you opt for an infant car seat that can be detached from the car and re-attached to the stroller, it 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 can be time-consuming and difficult to get the car seat and stroller into and out of your vehicle every time, particularly with a newborn. If you're willing to invest the extra time each time to get it right, this could be a great option for a lot of families. Plan ahead and choose the day when you have plenty of spare time.