Say "Yes" To These 5 Infant Car Seat Rear Facing Tips
Keep Your Child in an Infant Car Seat Rear Facing
The most secure way to ensure your child remains in an infant car seat that faces rearwards is to keep them there. Children should only be transferred to a car seat that faces forward when they reach the limit of their weight and height in their current seat.
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Safety Benefits
The use of a car seat for infants rear facing is the safest option for infants and newborns because it holds and supports their head and neck. Purva Grover MD director of the Cleveland Clinic Children's Pediatric Emergency Departments, says that because their spines aren't yet ossified, it's crucial to keep the force of the crash away from their necks and head. In a frontal crash the baby's head could strike the seat in front of them, causing whiplash that could be severe or fatal. In a rear-facing seat, the impact is absorbed and absorbed in the back of the car. Adele says, "It feels like a hug." The child's legs can also be secured into the car seat to prevent them from being thrown against the back of the front seat or any other surface of the vehicle. "This keeps them from colliding with the inside of their bodies, which causes internal injuries," she explains.
Many parents avoid ERF because they fear their child is bored or uncomfortable. My son Lukas has never been uncomfortable or bored. He prefers sitting in the rear, because the seat reclines, which allows him to read, or watch TV while doing it.
If you do have an older child who is resistant to being in a rear-facing seat due to of leg length or other reasons try convincing them that it's the safest way for them to travel. Explain that they can stay in their convertible or all-in one car seats as long as they don't exceed the height or weight limits set by the manufacturer of the seat.
Also, be sure to secure your child into the rear-facing car seat securely with the vehicle's lower anchor system or seat belt. Don't let them wear bulky clothing, such as winter coats. They could compress in the event of a crash, making the straps of the harness to loosen. This puts your child at risk of injury. Always use the Pinch Test to ensure a snug fit.
Convenience
Many parents prefer keeping infant car seats rear-facing as long as they can because they are less cumbersome and more mobile than convertible seats. If you keep your child rear-facing, he or she may have to be placed in a crib or bassinet at nap or at bedtime. This may require waking up the baby who was sleeping which isn't optimal. However, the security advantages of rear facing far outweigh any discomfort.
Preemies and newborn babies are smaller than full-term newborns, so the headrest of their car seat is lower. This reduces the impact force and also ensures that the harness's chest clip is located below their shoulders, not at their necks. This is crucial for premature infants whose bones are still weak and have not been ossified since birth or pregnancy.
Additionally the rear-facing position offers a much better view of your baby than forward-facing. This lets you easily monitor their behavior and ensure that they are comfortable and happy. The majority of infant car seats come with built-in mirrors that can be adjusted to ensure that you can observe your child from any angle.
Once your baby outgrows their infant car seat or reaches the height or weight limit set by the seat manufacturer you can move to a convertible or an all-in-one car seat that allows them to remain rear facing until they are at least two years old. Some models even have higher rear-facing limits than rear-only cars that means they can be used longer.
Convertible car seats or all-in-one seats are renowned for being versatile. They can be used rear-facing, forward facing, and as a belt-positioning booster. They are also simpler to set up and take down because they have a large base in the back of your vehicle. They are more expensive than single-use infant car seats however, they last longer than an infant 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 set by the car seat manufacturer or at least 2 years old. old. It's common for children to outgrow their rear facing infant car seat when they turn two years old. However, it's best to wait.
Weight Limits
All baby car seats have weight and height limits that you have to keep in mind. The majority of infant car seats have a maximum weight limit of 30 to 35 lbs and a height limit of around 30 inches, depending on the model. When your child reaches these limits, it's the time to move on to the next stage of safety: either a convertible car seat that can switch between rear facing and forward facing or an all-in-one car seat that lets your kiddo ride backwards until they reach the maximum height and weight that is recommended by the manufacturer.
There are other aspects aside from the weight and height limit that can indicate whether your child is ready to make the next step in the car seat. One of them is their level of comfort when riding in a rear-facing. You can look for these signs by watching your child's behavior and looking at other children in their carseats. You can also ask for help from certified child safety specialists at a car seat inspection station that are usually run by local government agencies or community groups.
Keep your infant rear-facing for as long as you can is the most secure option for them and it's easy to understand why parents are hesitant to turn their kids around until they're completely grown. It's possible to avoid this temptation if you make sure that your child's car seats is properly installed and don't change them to a front-facing seat before they're ready even when their weight or height is close to the limits of their existing seat.
top rated baby car seats can contact a certified child passenger technician if you have any concerns about your child's readiness for the next phase of car seats or if you're concerned that you may not installing the car seat correctly. These experts are available through community organizations, hospitals local government offices, and child passenger safety programs. You can search online for a specialist near you, or contact your local public health department or safety agency. There are also mobile car seat check events which can come to your workplace or home to ensure that you have the correct equipment and are using it correctly.
Installation
A car seat must be properly installed to be efficient. The NHTSA reports, sadly, that almost half of car seats are set up incorrectly. This includes rear-facing seats. The best way to be sure that your child's car seats are installed correctly is to read through the instructions, and then have them checked by an accredited car safety technician.
The first step to install a rear-facing infant car seat is to determine the angle. Check that the car seat base is in a safe position for your baby's weight and height. You can check this on the indicator on the base of the base or in its user manual.
Also, ensure that your baby's head is correctly positioned in the seat. Babies have heavy heads and soft necks, and the forward-facing position could put pressure on their necks and spine in a crash. If a rear-facing collision occurs the back of the car seat absorbs the majority of the crash force, which shields the baby's delicate neck and spinal cord.
Once your child has reached the weight limit or height of the infant car seat, it's time to move to a convertible car seat or an all-in-one car seat. They can be used in a rear-facing position until the front-facing limit. Be sure to get a new infant car seat that has a higher rear-facing limit if you choose to change to this type of seat as older models have lower limits.
If you select an infant car seat that can be removed from the car and then reattached to strollers, this is a great option for parents who want to get their infants in and out of the car often. The only downside to this is that it could be tricky and time consuming to get the car seat and stroller in and out of your vehicle every time, particularly with a newborn. If you're willing to spend the extra time each time to get it done, this could be a great option for a lot of families. Make sure to think ahead and pick a day when you will have plenty of time to spare.