Choosing Between an Infant and a Convertible Newborn Car Seat
A newborn car seat is also referred to as a baby car seat or infant safety seat. It helps protect babies against injuries and deaths in car accidents. The harness distributes the restraining force to the child's body and head, rather than the neck or spinal cord.
They are available in rear-facing and convertible versions, and with the option of varying weights and height limits. They can also be part of a set for travel that snaps into a stroller base.
best car seat www.pushchairsandprams.uk -facing
Rear-facing infant car seats provide unmatched protection for infants in crashes. They are designed to hold and support children, securing their head, neck, and spine. They also help to disperse the force of a crash from hitting your child's body and minimizing injuries. This is because the child's body does not collide with the vehicle seat or the front seat. Instead, it's a soft, cushioned area inside their car seat.
According to the AAP as well as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Parents should keep their child rear-facing until they reach the maximum weight or height limit. Most kids will outgrow their infant car seats around the age of 1, at which point they can transition to convertible car seats that can be oriented forward. However, many parents prefer to keep their child in a rear-facing car seat until they turn 2.
There are two primary types: infant-only car seat and convertible car seats. Both are safe, however they offer distinct advantages. Infant-only seats, for instance are smaller and lighter. They also have the quick-release base which can easily be detached from the vehicle and reattached to a stroller. Convertible car seat are larger and heavier. They also do not include a base for a stroller.
No matter what type of seat you pick regardless of the type, you must follow the manufacturer's instructions and always use the seat in the back seat of your vehicle. It is also recommended that you place washcloths that are tightly rolled or blankets between the crotch straps and your child to ensure that there isn't any slack in the harness. Also, ensure that the lower anchors are attached to the lower attachment points of the lower anchor bars of your vehicle and that the car seat is properly installed and buckled.
Research has shown that babies who face the rear of the car are less likely to get injured in a car accident. Car seats with rear-facing seats allow babies to feel less stress when they strike the front of the car, as opposed the the back which can result in serious injuries.
Forward-facing
Most parents have given plenty of thought to their infant's car seat. It was an important item on your baby's registry and the way you brought your baby home from the hospital. Now that your child is older, you might be considering turning the car seat around to facing forward. However, it's important be aware that children aren't quite ready for this until they reach the weight and height limits set by the manufacturer of their car seat.
As long as your baby weighs at least 20 pounds and a year old, they should be rear-facing. This is because babies younger than one year don't have enough neck muscles to withstand the whiplash that can result from being caught in a crash and thrown forward. They also face an increased risk of suffering spinal injuries when involved in head-on collisions.
You can buy convertible or all-in-one seat that allows you to keep your child rear-facing until they meet the height and weight limit for the seat. They are usually bucket-style infant seats that come with the base that you can install in your car and can be detached from the base and connected to strollers to form travel systems. However, they typically have smaller maximum weight and height limits than the standard convertible car seat.
You can also purchase a booster. These seats are fitted with a harness and can be converted into a booster seat that allows your child to wear a seat belt when they are ready. The primary benefit of this kind of car seat is that it will remain in your vehicle through the child's life which makes it simple to move your child from one place to another.
It doesn't matter which car seat you pick be sure to read the instructions and adhere to them. Contact a certified car safety technician to ensure that your child's car seat has been installed and used correctly. It is common for parents to abuse car seats, and even the most well-intentioned parents may cause harm to their children. The best way to prevent this is to read the instructions for car seats and following the recommendations of a CPST.
Convertible
Many parents opt for convertible infant car seats because they can develop with your child, allowing them to travel in a safe manner from infanthood to toddlerhood. They are also less expensive than infant car seats and have longevity for a long time. But, it's crucial to choose a model that is simple to install and will fit in your vehicle. Also, make sure that you buckle up your baby properly every time.
Snug straps keep the head from shifting into a dangerous chin-to chest position that can cause strangulation or asphyxiation. Many infant car seats have unbuckled or loose straps. This is a major safety issue. Straps that are not buckled can cause a neck to hang and is the reason of many accidents. If the crotch strap has not been sufficiently tight enough to pass the pinch test, it may be a risk. This test determines whether the crotch buckle fits enough to prevent a baby's legs from sliding around in the seat, causing them to be trapped or cut.
Some convertible infant car seats come with an adjustable torso-height that allows you to alter the height limit according the development of your child. The torso's minimum height should be the same as the height of your infant's shoulders, or one inch lower. Some models come with an infant insert that can help you raise your child up to the right height.
The ideal convertible car seat for babies should be snug, have soft padding and a slim base to allow you to fit it into your vehicle. It should also come with a snug, tight harness that passes the pinch test as well as a small tight-rolled blanket or towel to use in an emergency. It should also include a tether strap which is connected to the anchor points on your vehicle and can reduce crash injuries by decreasing the impact force on your baby. In addition it should include the travel system, which includes an infant car seat that can be paired with a stroller and has a handle you use to move the baby from the car to the stroller.
Safety features
When it comes to choosing the best car seats for their babies, parents have many aspects to consider. Car seats are an important purchase for families with new children because their proper use reduces the risk that a child will suffer a fatal motor vehicle injury by 71 per cent. The decision between a baby car seat and a convertible car seat is based on a few key factors such as safety features and compatibility with your vehicle and user-friendliness.
Car seats for infants are made with a newborn's fragile physiology in mind. The base of the seat is typically in the car and the carrier snaps into place. This makes it easy to transfer your baby from stroller to car and back without causing any disturbance. They have a crotch and harness built in to keep your child safe.
Some infant cars also come with side impact protection, which disperses the force of a crash away from the newborn's neck and head. They come with metal, plastic and foam that absorbs energy, and protects the baby's head from direct contact with the frame of the vehicle or other objects in a collision. Some even have a special pod on the door's side that extends out to shield the baby's head.
Another security feature that's becoming more prevalent in newborn car seats is a chest clip that holds the harness straps flat across your newborn's chest. This prevents the straps from pinching or bending at the shoulders, which could put your baby at higher risk of injury. If you select a seat with this feature, ensure that the chest clip is at armpit height. It is also important to be sure to avoid dressing your baby in bulky clothes that might interfere with the fit of the harness.
Verify that the car seat is fitted in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions regardless of the type you select. Look for the Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children system. The system is comprised of a connector which clips into the lower anchor points of your car and the tether which is attached to an anchor on the vehicle. If your vehicle isn't equipped with LATCH, you can use the seat belt to secure your car seat.