Why You Should Consider a Forward Facing Infant Car Seat

Children under one year shouldn't ride facing in the direction of forward. In a crash, their weak neck muscles can stretch and cause serious injuries.

Switch to FF instead of FF once your child is at the maximum weight of their current seat or height (or the minimum required for the new car seat). Make sure you read the instructions for your car seat.

Safety

In the case of a collision, infant car seats are designed to protect the neck and head of your child. The forward-facing position could also help prevent your baby from crashing their head against the back of the car seat which could result in serious injuries.

All infant car seat in front seat seats that face forward have five-point harnesses, which can secure the child by pulling the straps. The shell of the carrier is lined with energy-absorbing EPS to provide better protection against impact. Some also have a canopy to provide shade from the sun.

The most effective infant car seats come with an adjustable angle adjustment and an angle indicator. This allows you to set the correct angle for your child's neck to prevent it from flopping over during collisions. The seat also comes with a top tether strap that comes from the top of the car seat and hooks onto the tether anchor inside your vehicle. It's important to keep it in mind that your child may not need to switch to a forward-facing car seat until they reach the top weight and height that is listed in the instruction manual of the seat you are using.

It's the time to switch to a different model when your child reaches 20 pounds and a year. Toddlers and babies under one year old have loose, soft neck muscles which can result in whiplash during an accident. They are more prone to suffer serious neck injuries when they are in a frontal crash (the most common and severe type). Rear-facing car seats shield the neck of children under one year old by cushioning their heads.

When kids move to a forward-facing car seat they should still use a convertible seat or an all-in-one that has a strong rear-facing weight and height limit. The child should not be moved into a booster until they reach the height and age requirements for a high-back booster, which is usually around the age of 4 or 5 years old. You can see the difference in these seats when you look at these crash videos, but keep in mind that the video is slow-motion. Children can be injured when they move too fast.

Comfort

A forward-facing infant car seat allows your infant to ride in comfort and be secure in the event of a crash. The seat features a soft headrest, a body support cushion, and an EPS energy-absorbing foam shell that will ensure your child's safety from any impact. The seat also features a five-point harness with easy one-pull tightening, and an adjustable front center adjuster to ensure your child is in the right position. A retractable sun canopy can shield your baby from the sun. To ensure safety the seat is designed to be secured with the vehicle's seat belt and has an locking clip that keeps the latch buckle secure when not in use.

If your child complains of discomfort during a journey or seems to lean forward when sleeping the seat's angle could be too low for them. You can correct this by placing tightly rolled towels under the front of the car seat to raise it higher. If this does not work, take your baby to Rockridge Kids and we will check the angle of the car seat.

It is important to remember that children aren't yet ready to face forward until they are at least 20 pounds AND one year old (their necks aren't sturdy enough to withstand a force that is applied to them in a crash in the event of falling forward on their own). Some experts recommend waiting longer as the muscles and bones of young children are more flexible.

Many parents choose to buy a convertible car seat which allows their infants to be backwards until they reach the maximum height or weight limit of the seat. This lets them benefit from the advantages of a rear-facing car seat for much longer, and also makes it more convenient for parents since they can easily move their child from the rear-facing position to the forward-facing position when their child is no longer in the position.

The Graco 4Ever Convertible Car seat is a convertible 4-in-1 car seat that allows your child to use the seat for up to 10 years. It converts from rear-facing good infant car seats (up to 40lbs) to a forward-facing harness and high-back seats (30-100 lb) as well as a belt-positioning backless seat (40-120 lb). The Smart Fit system makes it easy to set up. You can move the harness and headrest together without having to re-thread.

Convenience

A forward-facing infant car seat is a great option when you're traveling with a young child. It lets you view your child while driving and allows everyone else in the family to ride in the car without disturbing your infant or toddler. This type of car seat can also be used with strollers which makes it easier to get your little one in and out of the car for trips to the store for groceries or other chores.

But remember that even if your child is old enough to switch to an forward-facing car seat, it's best to keep them rear-facing as long as possible. When you consider it from the perspective of crash tests, children's head is more secure in a frontal crash if they are facing backwards. This is because when facing backwards the entire body including the head, neck and torso is held in the rear of the car seat.

You should check the instructions provided by the manufacturer on when you can change the car seat of your child around. There will be a maximum weight and height limit you shouldn't exceed, as well as specific rules for things like the crotch buckle's position. These guidelines are designed to protect your child as they grow.

Another thing to take into consideration is if you have a vehicle that has an anchor for tethering your car seat. If you do, make sure that the tether strap is properly installed and secured to the anchor points of your vehicle as per the instructions in the seat's manual. Last but not least, make sure that the shoulder straps of the harness of your child are at or below their shoulders, and not too high or low. This will affect how they are secured during the event of a crash.

An excellent option for parents who have multiple children or are planning to have more is a convertible car seat. It's a convertible car seat newborn insert seat that can be used as an infant rear-facing car seat and then moved to a forward facing seat when your child reaches the height or weight limits of the rear-facing position.

Style

The car seat for your baby was a must-have for your child and you spent much time deciding the best one. As your child gets older and outgrows their infant car seat you might wonder if it's time to turn the seat around.

Although the idea of having your baby face forward may be exciting, there are important safety considerations you should be aware of. Children should be rear-facing until they reach the maximum weight of their car seat and height limitations.

Be aware that children differ in both size and age. Don't base your decision on a specific date on the calendar or if you believe they have reached their maximum length. Children may appear larger in the rear-facing car seat but that doesn't mean that it's safe for turning them around, as their spine and bones aren't fully developed.

Some infant car seats have an alarm that reminds you to keep your child facing rear until they're at least one year old. This is due to the fact that children under one year old do not have enough neck muscles to withstand a frontal impact, which could result in serious spinal injuries.

In addition to being secure, many infant car seat swivel car seats come with convenient features that make them simple to use. Some of them have bases that snap into and out of the car and allow you to transport your baby from the car to a stroller and then back. They are typically part of a travel system.

If you're ready to switch your child's rear-facing convertible seat to a forward facing one, make sure you follow all the instructions provided by the manufacturer and check the tightness of the car seat. If it's installed correctly, the car seat shouldn't move more than 1 inch from side to side or from front to back, and the harness straps should be positioned at or over your child's shoulders. If you have questions or concerns regarding the installation of your car seat, call a certified safety technician in your locality or the manufacturer of the car seat.