What Infant Car Seat Rear Facing Experts Want You To Learn
Keep Your Child in an Infant Car Seat Rear Facing
The safest way to ensure your child remains in a rear-facing infant car seat is to keep them there. Children should only be moved to the car seat facing forward once they have reached the limit of their weight and height in the seat they are currently in.
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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 been ossified yet, it's vital to keep the force of a crash off their heads and necks," explains Purva Grover, MD, director of Cleveland Clinic Children's Pediatric Emergency Departments. In a frontal crash, the head of a child would hit the seat in front of them, causing a whiplash effect that can be fatal or severe. In the rear-facing car seat the impact is absorbed by the seat and dissipated by the back of the vehicle. "It's like hugging," says Adele. The legs of the child can be secured into the car seat to prevent them from being thrown against the back of the front seat or any other vehicle surface. "This keeps them from colliding with their own body, which can 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 uncomfortable or bored. He prefers sitting rear-facing, because the seat reclines and allows him to read a book or watch a show while doing so.
However, if you have a child that is resistant to being in a rear-facing seat due to of leg length or any other reason Try to convince them that it's the safest way for them to travel. Explain that they can remain in their convertible or all-in one car seats provided they do not exceed the height or weight limits set by the seat manufacturer.
Also, make sure to secure your child in a rear-facing car seat with the vehicle's lower anchor system or seat belt. Don't let them wear bulky clothing like winter coats, since they can compress in a crash and cause the straps of the harness to become loose and place your child at risk of injury. 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 they can because they are a breeze to use and more portable than convertible car seats. If you choose to keep your child rear-facing, they may need to be put in a crib or a bassinet at nap or time to sleep. This could result in waking the sleeping child, which is not ideal. However, the security advantages of rear facing far outweigh any discomfort.
The headrest is lower for newborns and preemies than for full-term infants. This helps to reduce the force of an accident and ensures that the chest clip on the harness is below or at the shoulders, and not at the neck. This is important for premature infants, whose bones are still weak and have not ossified after birth or pregnancy.
In addition the rear-facing position offers a much better view of your baby than forward-facing. This lets you monitor their behavior and make sure they are happy and comfortable. Many infant car seats have a built-in mirror that can be adjusted to ensure that you can observe your child from any angle.
You can choose convertible car seats or an all-in one seat to keep your child rear-facing until they reach the recommended weight or height limit. Some models even have higher rear-facing limits than the rear-only seats, meaning they can be used longer.
Convertible car seats or all-in-one seats are renowned for being multi-functional. They can be used rear facing, forward facing, and as belt-positioning boosters. They usually also have a larger base in the back of your car making them easier to set up and remove. They are more expensive than car seats for infants that are used once, but they'll last longer and save money over the course of time.
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. Many children grow out of their rear-facing infant car seat before the age of two However, don't be enticed to change them earlier. It's safer to be patient.
Weight Limits
You should be aware that all infant car seats come with weight and height restrictions. 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. If your child is reaching these limits, it's time to move 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 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 also other factors that indicate your child is prepared for the next phase of a car seat, such as their comfort level while riding rear facing. You can look for these signs by watching your child's behavior, and then looking at other children in their car seats. You can also ask for help from a certified child passenger safety experts at a car seat inspection station, which are often run by local government agencies or community-based organizations.
It's recommended to keep your child rear-facing as long as you can. Get Source is the reason why many parents wait until their children are grown before turning them around. But you can ward off this temptation by ensuring your child's seat is properly installed and you don't rush to transition to a forward-facing one too soon, even if they're close to the limit of weight or height of their current car seat.
If you're unsure whether your child is ready to move on to the next stage of car seat or you're concerned that you may not be installing their current car seat in a correct manner contact a certified child safety technician. These specialists are available through community groups, hospitals, local government offices, and child safety programs. You can locate one near you by searching online or calling 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 make sure you have the correct equipment and are making use of it properly.
Installation
A car seat needs to be installed correctly in order to be effective. The NHTSA has found that more than half of car seats are installed incorrectly. This includes rear-facing seats. The best method to make sure that your infant car seats are correctly installed is to go through the manual, and after that, have them checked by an accredited car safety technician.
The angle check is the first step to installing an infant car seat that faces rearwards. You can verify the angle of the base on the side or in the user manual to make sure it is safe for your child's weight.
Also, ensure that your baby's head is correctly positioned in the seat. The forward-facing position can create pressure on the spine and neck of babies with their heavy heads and soft necks. 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.
Once your baby has reached the height or weight limit of their car seat for infants It is the time to switch to a convertible or an all-in-one car seat, which can be used in the rear-facing position until your child reaches their front-facing limit. If you decide to switch to a convertible or all-in-one car seat, make sure that the new model has a higher rearward-facing limit. Older models have lower limits.
Parents who often transport their infants by car will be able to select an infant car seat that can be detached and attached to a stroller. The only drawback is that it could be tricky and time consuming to move the car seat and stroller in and out of your vehicle every time, particularly with a newborn. If you're willing to invest the extra time each time to do it done, this could be a great option for many families. Plan ahead and choose the day when you have plenty of time.