Rear Facing Infant Car SeatIn the event of a crash rear-facing infant car seat absorbs the forces of the crash and shields your baby's neck and head. In the event of a crash, they also stop your child's legs hitting the front of the car seat. This can result in serious injuries or even death.
All toddlers and infants must ride rear-facing until they reach the height or weight limit of their car seat's manufacturer. This applies to
best infant car seat car seats as well as convertible seats.
Rear-facing infant car seat is specifically designed for newborns and smaller infants.
A rear-facing infant car seat is one type of child seat that has only a rearward-facing position. These seats are made for newborns and smaller babies, usually up to 35 pounds. The seat's base is narrower than other car seats. They are ideal for cars with small trunks and help to save space on the back of the car. In addition, many baby car seats can be converted into strollers to make traveling with a baby much easier.
Infants born before 37 weeks of gestation are advised to use rear-facing infant car seats. They are more spacious and more comfortable than standard car seats, which can be difficult to get in and out of for small babies. The infant car seat offers more cervical and head support than a forward-facing car seat. This can to protect infants and small babies in the event of a crash.
The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests that children remain in the rear until they attain their maximum weight and height for the car seat or at around two years old. This is due to the fact that the spine of a child is more able to strengthen in this position and prevent injuries to the spine. It is important to keep in mind that children and infants are more prone to suffer serious injuries when they are facing forward.
In the case of an accident, the rear-facing seat absorbs most of the force of the impact, protecting the baby’s head, neck and spine. When a child is seated in a chair that faces towards the front, their heads could be dropped into the console or dashboard of the vehicle, which can cause serious injury.
Many parents believe that a child is ready to transition to an adult booster seat or a forward-facing car seat by the age of two. This is a huge mistake. It is safer for children to remain rear-facing in their car seat until they are three or four years old, based on recent studies published in BMJ Injury Prevention. The longer a child stays rear-facing, the more cervical vertebrae grow and develop ossification.
Installation and removal is easy.
The majority of rear facing
infant car seat rear facing car seats come with an easy-to-install base that can be fitted into your car and can be removed when no longer required. This is a convenient feature that allows parents to keep the child in their car seat without getting out of the car, particularly during bad weather or night when it is more difficult. It is also simple to change between vehicles and let parents or other caregivers access the child's car seat.
When your child has outgrown their car seat for infants in height and weight then it's time to transition to a booster or convertible. But, it's important to keep in mind that children are more secure when they remain in the rear-facing car seat as long as they can. In fact, it's recommended by many safety experts to have children ride rear-facing until their second birthday or when they reach the height and weight limit of the car seat manufacturer.
In a frontal crash, the child who is rear-facing in a car seat absorbs the majority of the forces in the event of a crash by absorbing them around their neck, head and the spine. If a child is rear-facing in a car seat the force of crashing may cause their head to be thrown forward causing serious injury or even death.
If you are worried about your child's safety when rear-facing, keep them warm by wrapping them in blankets. Avoid placing a blanket that is loose behind or underneath them. Be cautious when wearing bulky clothing that might interfere with the tightness of the harness. Also, ensure that the chest clip is flat against the shoulder and that the harness straps are free of gaps.
Many experts in child safety believe that if children sit in rear-facing car seats for a longer period of time they'll be five times more protected in the event of a crash. This is due to the fact that in a crash, kids' heads are large for their bodies - may be thrown forward using force that would otherwise be taken up by their torsos and necks. With rear-facing seats children's heads are protected by the headrest of the seat and is cradled by their back in an accident, shielding them from the most severe injuries.
They guard the neck and head of your child.
When a baby is in a rear-facing car seat, their neck and spinal cord are cradled against the back of the safety seat in the event of a crash. In a frontal collision (the most common) infants who are in forward-facing car seats are being thrown against the dashboard. This can cause neck injuries, and even death. Infants in rear-facing seats are cradled and cushioned by their car seat's back while their heads are supported by the headrest.
Infants also have an easier breathing experience when they are positioned in a rear-facing car seat as their chins are placed against their chest. When children are sitting in forward-facing car seats their chins are often pushed down and this can block their airways and make it difficult for them to breathe. Children who sleep in a front-facing car are 75% more likely than kids who doze off in a rear-facing seat to suffer a head injury.
A baby's spine and brain are still developing. This makes them more vulnerable to a crash. In the event of a crash that involves an infant facing forward and the head of the child may hit the buckle on the dashboard or the seat belt. This could cause the spinal cord to be stretched, which can result in serious injuries or even death. This is why it's so important to ensure that your child is in the rear-facing car seat for as long as possible, until they outgrow the weight and height limits of their infant car seat.
Some infant car seats come with an insert specifically designed to in supporting the head of a child. When a child is no longer using it, the insert can be removed. Many car seats also have anti-rebound bars or load leg features that absorb the impact of a collision. This is important as it minimizes the impact on your child, and could even keep him from being ejected.
The recommendation of NHTSA is to keep your child in an infant car seat that faces rearwards until they reach the weight and height limit of their car seat. Once they reach that point then, they should move to convertible car seats or an all-in-one car seat that can be used rear facing and converted to forward facing as they get bigger.
They are easy to clean.
All car seats, no matter if they are convertibles or all-in one car seats are able to be removed easily and quickly. In many cases, they snap directly into frame strollers and travel systems for on-the-go errands and make life much easier! These seats are simple to clean. They have covers that can be washed in the machine and parts that are removable and can be cleaned in the washing machine and dried. This is especially important as children are messy!
In the event of an accident the position that is facing back will support a child's neck and head. This is especially important for young children. Their heads and spinal cords are more flexible, and they also have lots of cartilage. During a crash, their head could snap backward and stretch their spinal cords, possibly result in serious injuries. Many experts in car safety recommend that children remain in the rear for as long as possible.
It may be tempting to switch your child's seat into a booster when they are ready, but each switch reduces their protection in the event of a crash. In a frontal collision, the child's head could be dropped towards the side and possibly strike the plastic shell or dashboard. This increases the chance of injury. The ideal is for children to ride rear-facing until they reach the maximum weight rear-facing or height limit of their seat, or until they're 2 years old.
If you're not sure if your child is ready to transition out of their rear-facing seat, consult an accredited CPST in your area who can assist. They can help you determine the moment when your child is ready to change seats and make sure they are safe in their car seat.
Many parents believe that their child is no anymore a baby car seat when they reach their maximum rear-facing weight limit or height. However, there are a number of factors to consider, including the size of your vehicle and your child's unique body shape. Many infant cars seats have built-in recline indicators that show you when your child's head is not extended beyond the
top rated infant car seats of their seat. Review the instructions for your
best car seats for newborns uk seat and the owner's manual for more details on safe recline.
