Keep Your Child in an Infant Car Seat Rear Facing

The most secure method to ensure your child remains in a rear-facing infant car seat is to keep them there. Children should only be moved to an forward-facing car seat when they outgrow the height and weight limits of their current car seat.

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Safety Benefits

The use of a car seat for infants rear facing is safest for infants and newborns 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 are not yet formed, it is vital to keep the force from a crash away from their necks and head. In a frontal collision, the baby's head is likely to strike the seat in front of them. This can cause whiplash that is severe or even fatal. However, with a rear-facing car seat, the impact is absorbed by the seat and then dissipated by the back of the vehicle. "It's like hugging," says Adele. In addition, the child's legs are secured into their car seat, preventing them from being thrown against the back of the front seat or any other surfaces in the vehicle. "This keeps them from crashing into their own body, which can cause internal injuries," she explains.

Many parents avoid ERF because they believe their child will be bored or uncomfortable. My son Lukas has never been bored or uncomfortable. In fact, he prefers to ride rear-facing because the seat's recline feature lets him sit on his legs and read an article or watch TV.

If you have children who are reluctant to be rear-facing due to their leg length or other reasons convince them that this is the safest option. Explain that the child can remain in the convertible or all-in-one car seat as long as the height or weight limits aren't exceeded.

Also, be sure to secure your child into the rear-facing car seat securely by using the vehicle's lower anchor system or seat belt. Avoid letting them wear bulky clothes such as winter coats. These can compress during a crash, causing the harness straps to become loose. This puts your child at risk of injury. Always perform the Pinch Test to ensure a secure fit.

Convenience

Many parents prefer keeping their infant car seats facing rear for as long as is possible, as they are simple to use and more mobile than convertible car seats. However having your child in a rear-facing vehicle might mean they have to be moved into the bassinet or crib at time of nap or time of bed. This could mean waking the sleeping child and this isn't a good idea. The safety advantages of rear-facing overshadow the inconvenience, however.

The headrest is lower for newborns and preemies than for full-term infants. This helps reduce the force of an accident and ensures that the chest clip of the harness is at the shoulders, and not at the neck. This is essential for premature infants with bones that aren't strong enough and have not been ossified since birth or pregnancy.

Additionally the rear-facing position offers the best view of your baby than the forward-facing position. This lets you easily monitor their behavior and ensure they are content and happy. Most infant carrier seat car seats come with built-in baby mirrors that can be adjusted to allow you to view your child from almost any angle.

Once your baby outgrows their car seat for infants, or reaches the height or weight limit suggested by the manufacturer of their seat You can then switch 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 have even higher rear-facing limits than the rear-only seats that means they can be used longer.

Convertible car seats or all-in-one seats are renowned for being versatile. They can be used backward facing, forward facing, and as a belt-positioning booster. They usually also come with a large base at the back of your car, making them easier to set up and remove. They are more expensive than single-use infant car seats, but they last much longer than a standard infant seat and will save you money in the long run.

The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests that children remain rear-facing until they reach maximum weight and height limits established by the car seat manufacturer or at least 2 years older. Many children are outgrowing their rear-facing infant seat before the age of two however, don't be enticed to switch them around earlier -- it's safer to keep it in the rear for a while.

Weight Limits

All infant car seats have weight and height limits you need to be aware of. The majority of infant car seats have a maximum weight limit of 30 to 35 pounds and a height limit of around 30 inches, based on the model. When your child has reached these limits, it's the time to move to the next stage of safety. This could be a convertible car seat that can be switched between forward and rear facing or an all-in-one car seat that lets your kiddo ride rear facing until they reach the maximum height and weight recommended by the manufacturer.

There are other factors apart from the weight and height limit that can indicate whether your child is able to go up a level in the car seat. One of them is their comfort level when riding rear-facing. You can look for these signs in your child's behavior and compare it with other children similar to them in their car seats. You can also ask for assistance from a certified child passenger safety technicians at an inspection station for car seats that are usually run by local government agencies or community groups.

It is recommended to keep your child rear-facing for as long as you can. This 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 don't rush to transition to a forward-facing seat too soon even if they're close to the limit of weight or height of the car seat they're currently in.

If you're unsure whether your child is ready for the next car seat stage or you're worried you might not have installed the car seat correctly, reach out to a certified child safety technician. These specialists are available through community groups and hospitals and local government offices and child passenger safety programs. You can search for one near you, or contact your local public health or safety department. There are also mobile car seat check-in events that will visit your home or workplace to make sure you have the proper equipment and are using it correctly.

Installation

The correct installation of a car seat is crucial to its effectiveness. Sadly the NHTSA states that nearly 50% of car seats are installed incorrectly (and this includes rear facing). The best way to be sure that your child's car seats are installed correctly is to read through the manual, and after that, have them checked by an accredited car safety technician.

The first step to install an infant rear facing car seat is to test the angle. Check that the base of the car seat is at a safe angle to support the weight of your child and height. You can check this on the the back of the car seat base or in its user's manual.

Also, ensure that your baby's head is properly positioned in the seat. Babies have heavy heads and soft necks and a forward-facing position can cause pressure on their necks and spine in the event of a collision. In a rearward-facing collision the back of a car seat absorbs most of the crash force. This protects the baby's neck and spinal cord.

When your baby is at the height or weight limit of their car seat for infants, it is time to move to a convertible or all-in-1 car seat that can be used in the rear-facing position until your child has reached their front-facing limit. Make sure you purchase an infant car seat that has more rear-facing capacity if you choose to change to this type of seat, since older models have lower limits.

Parents who often transport their children in cars will be able to pick an infant car seat for travel car seat that is able to be removed and attached to the stroller. The only drawback is that it could be tricky and time consuming to maneuver the stroller and car seat into and out of your vehicle every time, particularly with infants. This could be a good option for a lot of families, who are willing to take the time to do it right each time. Make a plan and pick the day when you have plenty of spare time.