Why You Should Consider a Forward Facing Infant Car Seat
Children younger than one year are NOT supposed to ride forward-facing. In a crash, their neck muscles may be stretched and cause serious injury.
Switch to FF instead of FF once your child reaches the weight limit of their current car seat or height (or the minimum requirement for a new car seat). Please read your car seat instructions.
Safety
Infant car seats are made to protect the neck and head of your child in the event of an accident. The forward-facing position also helps prevent your child from hitting their head against the back of the seat, which can cause serious injuries.
All infant car seats with a forward-facing view have five-point harnesses to ensure the child's safety with just one pull tightening, and the shell of the car seat is lined with EPS energy-absorbing foam that provides improved impact protection. Some have an umbrella that protects from the sun.
The most suitable infant car seats have an adjustable angle adjuster and an angle indicator. This allows you to determine the right angle for your child's neck to prevent it from flopping over during an accident. The car seat also comes with a top tether strap that is attached to the top of the car seat and connects to the tether anchor within your vehicle. It is important to keep in mind that your child might not require a 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.
When your child is 20 lbs and a year old, it's time to switch. Infants and toddlers younger than one year old have loose, soft muscles in their necks that could cause whiplash when they are involved in an accident. In frontal collisions (the most severe and frequent type), they are more likely to sustain serious neck injuries. Rear-facing car seats safeguard the neck of children under one year old by cushioning their heads.
When children transition to a forward-facing car seat they should remain in a convertible or all-in-one seat with a high rear-facing weight and height limit. They shouldn't be pushed to a booster seat until they have met the high back or backless booster age and height requirements for the seat which is usually at around the age of 4 or 5. You can see the difference in these seats when you watch these crash videos but keep in mind that the footage is reduced in speed. If a child moves too fast, they may be injured.
Comfort
A forward-facing infant car seat allows your infant to ride comfortably and be secure in a crash. The seat has a soft headrest, a cushion for body support and an EPS energy-absorbing foam shell that will protect your child from any impact. The seat comes with five points of safety harness that can be tightened with a single pull and a front-center adjuster. This will ensure your child is in the right position. A retractable canopy protects your child from sun. For safety the seat is designed to be locked to the seat belt of your vehicle and comes with an locking clip that keeps the buckle securely fastened when not in use.
If your
lightweight baby car seat complains of discomfort or appears to be slouching forward during sleep It could be due to the angle of the car seat is too low. You can fix this by putting tightly rolled towels on the front of the car seat to lift it higher. If this still doesn't help, you can bring your child to Rockridge Kids to have us examine the angle of their carseat.
Keep in mind that children shouldn't face forward until they weigh at least 20 pounds and are a year old. Their necks are not strong enough to stand up to the force of a collision, if they were to be thrown to the side on their own. Some experts suggest staying a bit longer, because the muscles and bones of young children are more flexible.
Many parents opt to purchase a convertible car seat that allows their children to travel rearward-facing until they reach maximum weight or height limits. This allows them to benefit from the advantages of a rear-facing car seat for much longer, and makes it more convenient for parents since they can easily move their child from the rear-facing position to the forward-facing one when their child is no longer in the position.
The 4Ever Convertible Car Seat from Graco is a four-in-one convertible car seat that lets your child use the seat for a period of 10 years. It can be converted from a rear-facing infant (up to 40lbs) to forward-facing harness and high-back seat (30-100 lbs) and then to a backless belt-positioning seat (40-120 lbs). The Smart Fit system makes it easy to put in. You can move the headrest and harness together without the need to re-thread.
Convenience
If you're traveling with a young baby, a forward-facing infant car seat can be the best car seat newborn uk (
navigate to this site) option. This allows you to see your child's face while driving and the rest of your family members can get into the car without disrupting your baby or toddler. The car seat can be used in conjunction with strollers which makes it much easier to get your child in and out of the car when you go to the store or doing other tasks.
Even if your child has reached the age where they can change their car seat to one that is facing forward, it is safer to keep them in a rear-facing position for the duration you can. If you view it from the standpoint of crash test results, a child's head is more secure in a frontal collision when they are facing backwards. This is due to the fact that the entire body -- head, neck, and torso is held by the seat's back when they're facing in this direction.
You'll want to check the manufacturer's instructions for the
best car seat infant time to change your child's car seat around. You'll find that they have a maximum height and weight limit, as well specific rules about things like the crotch strap's location. These rules are designed to protect your child as they grow.
You should also consider whether your vehicle comes with anchors for tethers. If so, ensure that the tether strap is properly installed and secured to the vehicle's anchor points according to the instruction in the seat's manual. Also, ensure that the shoulder straps of your child's harness are at or just below their shoulders, and not too low or high. This will affect how they are secured during an accident.
An excellent option for parents who have more than one child or plan to have more is convertible car seats. This is an all-in-one car seat that starts by being an infant car seat that faces rearwards, then move your child to a forward-facing position once they are old enough and have reached the height or weight limit for the rear-facing position of the car seat.
Style
The car seat for your baby was a must-have for your child, and you spent many hours deciding the right one. As your child grows older and outgrows their infant car seat, you might wonder if it's time to turn the seat around.
While the idea of having your baby face forward could be exciting, there are some important safety considerations you should be aware of. Children should remain rear-facing until they reach their car seat's maximum weight and height limitations.
Be aware that children differ in both size and age. You shouldn't base your decision on a specific date on the calendar or if you think that they have reached their maximum length. It may appear that a child is larger in a rear-facing car seat, but this doesn't mean that it's safe to turn the child around. Their bones and spine aren't fully developed.
It is recommended that you keep your child facing rearwards until they reach one year old, and some infant car seats have an integrated reminder to keep them there. This is because children under one don't have strong enough neck muscles to withstand the force of a frontal collision which can cause serious spinal injuries.
Many
infant carrier seat car seats aren't just secure, but also simple to use. Some include bases that snap in and out of the car which allows you to take your child from the car to a stroller and then back. They are often part an overall travel system.
If you're ready to move your child's rear-facing convertible seat to a forward-facing one, make sure you adhere to the guidelines provided by the manufacturer. Also, make sure you check the fit of the car seat. The
car seat for newborn seat should not move more than an inch from side to side, or from front to back, when it is installed correctly. The harness straps must also be at or above the shoulders of your child. If you have any questions or concerns ask a certified car seat safety technician in your area or call the manufacturer of the car seat.
