Infant Car Seat - What You Need to Know

Most infant car seats can detach from their base and snap into a compatible stroller frame for easy transportation. This feature makes them popular with parents who are planning to take frequent trips out of the city.

Dress your baby in clothing that the harness straps can comfortably fit over their hips and shoulders regardless of the car seat type you choose. The bulky clothing or blankets could hinder a secure harness fit.

Rear-Facing

Infant car seats (also called convertible car seats that have rear-facing positions) are designed to hold newborns and children up to the weight and height limit set by the manufacturer. These car seats are typically equipped with an infant insert that ensures the head of a baby is securely in the shell of the seat.

The AAP and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration both recommend that infants remain rear-facing until they reach the weight or height limit of their car seat. Certain convertible and all-in one car seats allow your child to ride rear-facing for longer up to age 4 or 5.

Most manufacturers design their car seats with a reclining angle that can be adjusted to keep the baby's head from falling backwards when the newborn car seat is stopped. You'll need to study your car seat's manual for instructions on how to adjust the reclining angle or watch a video by an influencer of your car seat to learn how to do it. It's also important to avoid putting your baby in bulky clothing like blankets and coats because they can hinder the snug fit of the harness and block airflow around the baby's chest and neck.

Many parents are hesitant to change their child's position from rear-facing to forward-facing as they worry the force of a crash will cause the baby to lose their legs and feet or that their neck and head might be thrown violently forward in a side collision. But, it's important to remember that the rear-facing position provides much greater protection than the forward-facing position.

A video from a car seat influencer shows a child in a forward-facing car seat being violently tossed in the crash simulation. The resulting head injury is horrendous. However, the video of the same crash from the rear-facing car seat is not nearly as horrific because the head of the child is held in the car seat's shell.

If your state requires you to face your child in the opposite direction, do not follow it. This is not in accordance with best car seats infant practices. The AAP and NHTSA agree that children should be rear-facing until either they reach their maximum weight or height for the car seat.

Forward-Facing

Infant car seats are designed to hold infants and newborns with harnesses to help secure them in the seat. Depending on the model of the car seat parents might be able to adjust the recline angle and headrest to ensure their child's comfort as well as select a variety of attachments for their stroller. The majority of infant car seats come with an upper weight and height limit, and the majority of children will outgrow them before they're ready to be switched to a forward-facing car seat.

While it's understandable that parents are eager to change their child's behavior as soon as they can, the current standard mandates that children who are less than one year old of age must be rear-facing in a car seat until they're 20 pounds or one year old. The reason is that neck muscles of infants are not strong enough to withstand whiplash from an accident that rears them, which happens when a child turns forward in an accident.

If a baby's neck gets moved forward in an accident that is frontal, the spinal cord can stretch and tear, which could lead to paralysis or death. But, if a child is seated backwards in the car the neck bones remain together and are protected by harness straps, which prevents this type of injury.

Rear-facing infants are also less likely to be in the rear of the car in an accident. In a collision, they're less likely to get injured by a seat belt that is positioned across their chests, instead of their necks.

Considering these risks It is crucial for parents to follow the safety guidelines for car seats and ensure their child is in the right car seat for their height. Always refer to the manufacturer's car seat instructions and the vehicle owner's manual before making the decision. It's recommended to visit an accredited car seat technician in your area to get expert advice and assistance.

When an infant outgrows their car seat, they may move to a convertible or an all-in-one car seat that is designed to start in the rear-facing position and then transitions to forward-facing once they've reached their weight and height limits. They can then upgrade to a booster seat with lap-sash adult seatbelts after they've reached their recommended weight and age.

Convertible

Many new parents are torn between a baby car seat or a convertible. Both have advantages but which is best car seat for your family? A convertible car seat is an excellent option for a durable car seat for infants.

As your child grows in age, convertible car seats for infants can be repositioned from front-facing to rear-facing. Based on the model, they can be used for children as young as late elementary school. Some have heavier weight and height limits in the rear-facing position than car seats for infants, allowing them to last longer.

Check if the convertible car seat is equipped with removable infant car seat newborn (on front page) inserts that will ensure a snug fit for your child. These firm pads lift the baby's body so they can fit into the smallest slots for straps, and then move them forward a bit in order to prevent their heads from slapping against the straps of their harness.

Infant car seats are also likely to have a handle parents use to move between cars and can click into strollers to create a transport system. This feature allows you to go from your car to your stroller without disturbing your baby for trips to the grocery store, mall, or doctor visits.

Eventually, though your child will outgrow their car seat for infants in the event of reaching their weight limit or their height limit. Many experts agree that it's time to upgrade to a convertible car seat when your child's head is within 1 inch of the top edge of the seat. Consult your seat's instruction manual to ensure your child is prepared.

Convertible car seats can appear more expensive than baby car seats at first however, they could be less expensive over time due to the fact that they can be used for many years. Certain models also have lower anchors which allows for a simpler installation. This can reduce injuries during an accident.

Safety Ratings

Safety is the first thing to think about when buying car seats for infants. All car seats for infants are required to meet the safety standards set by the federal government. However some seats go above and beyond the minimum requirements to provide parents with extra peace of mind.

Premium features like anti-rebound bars as well as no-rethread adjustable harnesses can help to ensure that your child's safety is ensured. Load legs, which brace the base of the seat and reduce the force in an accident, are also available.

Checking the crash test ratings and reviews of a car seat for infants will help you determine its safety prior to purchasing. However it's important to keep in mind that the most important aspect in determining how safe an infant car seat is how it is used. According to our conversations the majority of accidents involving infant car seats are the result of improper use, either through improper installation or inadequate restraints for the child.

To ensure that you're using an infant car seat correctly, look for one with a easy-to-read instruction manual and plenty of indicators that show it's secure and level, including bubbles on the base that tell you EXACTLY which position to put the seat. When installing the seat tighten the straps around the baby's chest and abdomen. One good sign of this is the ratcheting sound it produces when you tighten.

When you're out and about with your child in a car seat, do not leave it unattended, even if you are just running into the shop or taking a short trip to the park. It's not just dangerous in a car crash however, leaving an infant car seat or infant carrier on a hard surface can cause injuries and falls. Seats or carriers that tip or roll can cause injuries or even death to babies.

While the choice between an infant car seat and a convertible car seat or all-in-one car seats may seem like it's all about cost at this point, keep in mind that you'll need a booster seat at some point. To save money over the long term, choose a convertible or all-in-one car seat that will give you more options and last longer than an infant car seat.