The One Infant Car Seat Newborn Mistake That Every Beginning Infant Car Seat Newborn User Makes Infant Car Seat - What You Need to Know

Most infant car seats can be removed from their base and then reassembled into a stroller that is compatible for easy transport. This makes them popular with parents planning to make frequent trips out of the city.

Dress your baby in clothing that the harness straps comfortably be positioned over their shoulders and hips, regardless of which car seat type you pick. The bulky clothing or blankets could interfere with a snug harness fit.

Rear-Facing

Infant car seats (also called convertible car seats with a rear-facing position) are designed to hold infants and children up to the weight and height limit set by the manufacturer. They typically include an infant insert to ensure that the baby's head is comfortable positioned within the seat's shell.

The AAP and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration both recommend that children remain rear-facing until either they reach the weight or height limit of their car seat. Certain convertible and all-in one car seats allow your child to ride rear-facing even longer, up to age 4 or 5.

The majority of car seat manufacturers offer the option of reclining angles that can be adjusted in order to prevent the baby's back from falling forward when the vehicle slows down. You'll need to read the manual for your car seat to determine how to adjust the reclining angle or find a video from an influencer of your car seat to discover how to do it. Avoid putting your baby in bulky clothing like coats or blankets. They can prevent an ideal fit of the harness and block airflow around their necks and chests.

Many parents are hesitant about switching their child from rear-facing position to forward-facing. They worry that the force of the crash could eject their baby's legs or feet, or that their neck and head may be violently thrown forward in an accident that is side-to-side. It's crucial to remember that the rear-facing position offers much greater protection than the forward-facing position.

A video from a car seat influencer shows a child in the forward-facing car seat being violently tossed in the crash simulation. The resultant head injury is horrendous. But the video of the same crash that was recorded from the rear-facing car seat is not as severe as the head of a child is in the shell of the car seat.

If your state requires you to put your child forward, ignore it. This is not in line with best practices. That is why the AAP and NHTSA are now in agreement that children should remain rear-facing until they hit their maximum height or weight for the car seat, whichever is first.

Forward-Facing

Infant car seats are designed for newborns and infants. Harnesses help secure them into the seat. Parents may be able adjust the recline angle of the headrest and stroller attachments, based on the car seat. Most infant car seats have an upper weight and height limit, and most children will outgrow them before they are ready to move to a forward-facing car seat.

It's understandable parents' desire to change their baby's position as soon as they can, but the current standard stipulates that children younger than one year old remain facing rear until they weigh 20 pounds and 1 year old. This is due to the fact that infants' neck muscles aren't strong enough to handle the force of a rear-end crash that occurs when a child turns to the side during a crash.


If a baby is being thrown forward during a collision with a car the spinal cord can be stretched and strained, resulting in paralysis or even death. If a child is looking backwards in a car the neck bones are kept together and protected by the harness, which prevents this type of injury.

In addition, infants facing the rear are less likely to be thrown into the back seat of the car in an accident. They are also less likely to be injured by a seat belt that stretches across their chest rather than their necks in the event of a collision.

Parents must ensure that their child is in the right car seat for their size. Always consult the manufacturer's car seat instructions and vehicle owner's manual when making an important decision. You can also seek professional advice from a car seat technician who is certified in your region.

When a baby outgrows their car seat, they can move to a convertible or an all-in-one car seat that is designed to start in the rear-facing position, and then shifts to forward-facing after they've reached their weight and height limits. Once they reach the recommended weight and age they can upgrade to a booster seat with a lap-sash seatbelt.

Convertible

Many new parents are torn between choosing an infant car seat or a convertible. Both have advantages, but which one is the best choice for your family? A convertible car seat is a great option for a long-lasting infant car seat.

Convertible infant car seats can be converted from rear-facing to forward-facing as your child grows. Depending on the model, they are able to fit children from infancy to late elementary school. Certain rear-facing car seats have greater weight and size limitations than the infant car seats, allowing for longer use.

Find out if the convertible infant car seat comes with removable newborn inserts to ensure a secure fit for your child. These paddings raise the infant's body so that they can get to the smallest slots on the straps, and then it pushes them forward a bit to stop their head from flopping back against the harness straps or the seat's crotch buckle (which puts the child at risk of asphyxia).

Infant car seats also tend to have a handle parents use to move between cars and can click into strollers to form a travel system. This feature allows you to move from your car to your stroller, without disturbing your baby for trips to the supermarket mall, the doctor's office, or visits.

Eventually, though your child will outgrow their car seat for infants or reach their weight limit or their height limit. Many experts agree that it's time to switch to a convertible seat once their head is within an inch of the top of the seat, but make sure to refer to your seat's instruction manual to ensure your child is prepared.

Although convertible car seats may seem more expensive upfront than car seats for infants but they can be more affordable in the long term because you'll be capable of using them for a long time. Additionally, some models have lower anchors that allow the installation of these seats with less force than traditional car seats, which can reduce injuries in an accident.

Safety Ratings

When it comes to buying an infant car seat, safety should be foremost in your mind. All infant car seats are required to meet federal safety standards. However some go above the minimum requirements to provide parents with extra peace of mind.

Premium features, such as adjustable harnesses with no-rethread straps and bars that prevent rebounding, can help ensure that your child is secured correctly and securely. Other useful tools, like load legs that brace the base of the seat to reduce the impact force in a crash are also available.

A good way to determine how secure an infant car seat is prior purchasing it is to review its crash test ratings and reviews. However it is important to remember that the most important factor in determining how safe an infant car seat is the way it is used. According to our conversations with NHTSA engineers, most accidents that involve infant car seats stem from improper use -- or in the case of an incorrect installation or improper restraint of the child -but not the actual performance of the seat in a crash.

To ensure that car seat for newborn using a car seat for your infant correctly, look for one that comes with an easy-to-read instructions manual and lots of indicators that it is secure and level, including bubbles on the base that inform you EXACTLY which position to put the seat. When installing the seat, tighten the straps around the baby's chest and abdomen. One good sign of this is the ratcheting sound it makes as you tighten.

When you're out and about with your infant in a car seat, never leave the car seat unattended, even if you are just running into the shop or taking a short visit to the park. In addition to being an unwise decision in the event of the event of a crash, leaving your infant car seat or carrier on a rough surface outside the vehicle is a dangerous practice that can result in falls and injuries. Car seats and carriers that tilt or roll over can also cause injuries to infants or, even more dangerously, suffocate them.

You will require a booster car seat at some point. To save money over the long term opt for a convertible or all-in one car seat that gives you more options and last longer than a car seat for infants.