Why You Should Consider a
Forward Facing Infant Car Seat
Children younger than one year should not ride forward-facing. In the event of a crash, their weak neck muscles can stretch and cause serious injuries.
Switch to FF instead when your child is at the maximum weight of their current seat or height (or the minimum required for the new car seat). Read your car seat instructions carefully.
Safety
Infant car seats are designed to protect the head and neck of your child in the event of an accident. The forward-facing position can assist in preventing your child from crashing their head against the back of the car seat, which could cause serious injuries.
All forward-facing infant seats feature five-point harnesses that can secure the child by pulling the straps. The shell of the carrier is lined in energy-absorbing foam EPS for better impact protection. Some models also come with a canopy to provide shade from the sun.
The most suitable infant car seats have an adjustable angle adjuster and an angle indicator. This lets you determine the right angle for your child's neck in order to prevent it from flopping over during a collision. The top tether strap is attached to the tether anchor of the vehicle and is positioned from the top. It is important to remember that you may not need to switch your child to an forward-facing car seat until he / is at the maximum weight and height as stated in the manual for the seat.
It's time to switch when your child reaches 20 pounds and a year. Toddlers and babies under one year old have loose, soft neck muscles that can cause whiplash when they are in an accident. In frontal collisions (the most severe and common type), they are more likely to suffer serious neck injuries. When kids under 1 year are riding backwards their heads are cushioned by the car seat and protected from sudden movements that could strain their necks.
If children are moving to a forward-facing car seat, they still need a convertible or an all in-one that has a large rearward weight and height limit. They shouldn't be pushed to an adult
best car seat infant seat until they reach the high back or backless booster seat age and height requirement which is usually around age 4 or 5. You can see the difference in these carseats when you watch these crash videos, but remember 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 in comfort and remain safe during an accident. The seat has a comfortable headrest and body support cushion and an EPS energy-absorbing shell to ensure your child is safe from any impact. The seat comes with a five-point safety harness which can be tightened with a single pull and a center-front adjuster. This will ensure that your child is positioned correctly. A retractable sun canopy will protect your child from the sun. The seat can be locked to the seat belt of your vehicle for safety. It also comes with a clip to lock the buckle in place when the seat is not being used.
If your infant complains of discomfort during a trip or seems to slump forward when sleeping, the seat's angle could be too low for them. This can be corrected by placing tightly rolled towel on the front of your car seat. If this isn't working, bring your child to Rockridge Kids and we will examine the angle of the car seat.
Remember that children should not face forward until they weigh at 20 pounds and are a year old. Their necks are still not strong enough to stand up to the force of a crash in the event that they be thrown to the side on their own. Some experts recommend taking longer to wait since the muscles and bones of children are more flexible.
Many parents choose to purchase convertible car seats that lets their infants be rear-facing until they reach maximum weight or height limits. This allows them to benefit from the advantages of a rear-facing
car seat for newborn seat longer and is easier for parents as they can easily move their child from the rear-facing position to the forward-facing position when their child outgrows it.
The Graco 4Ever 4-in-1 Convertible Car Seat offers your child 10 years of car seat use with just one seat, from rear-facing infant (4-40 lb) to forward-facing 5-point harness with high-back booster (30-100 lb) to backless belt-positioning booster (40-120 lb). It is simple and easy to install with the Smart Fit system that allows you to move the harness and headrest together, without re-threading.
Convenience
When traveling with a young infant, a forward-facing infant car seat can be an excellent choice. It lets you view your child while driving and allows everyone else in the family to get into the vehicle without disturbing your baby or toddler. The car seat can be used in conjunction with strollers which makes it easier for you to get your child into and out of the vehicle when going to the store or running other chores.
Even if your child has reached the age that they are able to change to a car seat that is facing forward it is better to keep them in a rear-facing position for the duration you can. When you look at it from the standpoint of crash tests, a child's head is more secure in a frontal crash when they are facing backwards. This is because when they are facing backwards the entire body including the head, neck and torso is held in the rear of the car seat.
Read the instruction manual of the manufacturer to determine the time you can rotate your child's seat. There will be an upper weight and height limit you shouldn't exceed as well as specific rules for things like the crotch buckle's position. These restrictions are designed to ensure your child's safety as they develop.
Another thing to take into consideration is whether you own a vehicle that has an anchor for tethering your car seat. If so, ensure that the tether is connected to the anchor points of your vehicle as per the instructions in the manual. Also, you should make sure that the harness shoulder straps are just above the shoulders of your child and not too high or low in order to affect the way they are secured in the event of the event of a crash.
A convertible car seat is a good option for parents with several children or who are planning to have more. This is an all-in-one car seat that starts with an infant car seat facing rear and then transition your child to a forward-facing seat once they are old enough and have reached the weight or height limit for the rear-facing car seat.
Style
The car seat for your baby was a must-have for your little one, and you spent a lot of time choosing the right one. But as they get older and start outgrowing their car seat for infants you might be wondering if it's time to flip them around.
While the idea of facing your child forward is exciting, there are several important safety factors to consider. Children should remain rear-facing until they reach their car seat's maximum weight and height limits.
Be aware that children are different in size and age, so you should never base the decision to change to a forward-facing car seat on an exact date on the calendar or if they've reached their legroom limit. Children may appear larger in the rear-facing car seat but that doesn't necessarily mean that it's safe for turning them around, since their spine and bones aren't fully developed.
Some infant car seats come with a built-in alarm to remind that your child to remain rear-facing until they're at least one year old. This is because kids under one year old don't have enough neck muscles to withstand the whiplash of a frontal collision which can result in serious spinal injuries.
Many infant car seats aren't just safe, but also easy to use. These include bases that remain connected to the car and snap out and in to allow you to carry your baby from car to stroller or back to the car and are often paired with a frame stroller to form part of an overall travel system.
If you're about to transition your baby to a forward-facing convertible car seat make sure you do so correctly by following all of the manufacturer's instructions and then examining the car seat for tightness. The car seat should not move more than an inch from side to side or front to rear when it is installed correctly. The harness straps must be placed at or above the shoulders of your child. If you have any concerns or questions you should talk to a certified safety technician in your region or contact the manufacturer of your car seat.
