Why You Should Consider a Forward Facing Infant Car Seat
Children younger than one year should not ride facing towards the forward. In the event of a crash, their neck muscles may weaken and be stretched and cause serious injuries.
Instead switch to FF at the time your child reaches the weight or height limits of the seat they are currently in (or the minimums for the new seat). Please read your instructions for your car seat.
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 also helps prevent your child from slamming their head against the back of the seat, which could result in serious injuries.
All infant car seats that face forward come with five-point harnesses that ensure the child's safety with just one pull tightening, and the shell of the car seat is lined with EPS energy-absorbing foam to provide better impact protection. Some have an umbrella to protect from the sun.
The most effective infant car seats have an adjustable angle adjuster and an angle indicator. This allows you to choose the ideal angle for your child's neck to prevent it from flopping over in the event of collisions. The top tether strap connects to the vehicle's tether anchor and is positioned from the top. It is important to keep in mind that your child may not require switching to a forward-facing car seat until they reach the top weight and height limit that is stated in the instruction manual for the seat you're using.
When your child is 20 lbs and a year old, it's time to switch. Toddlers and babies under one year old have loose, soft neck muscles which can result in whiplash during an accident. In frontal collisions (the most serious and frequent type), they are more likely to sustain serious neck injuries. If children under the age of 1 ride rear-facing their heads are protected by the car seat and protected from sudden movements that could stress 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 limit and a high. The child shouldn't be moved into the booster seat until they have reached the height and age requirements for a high-back or backless booster, which is typically around age 4 or 5 years old. You can notice the differences in these seats when you watch these crash videos, however, remember that the video is reduced in speed. A child can be injured when they move too fast.
Comfort
A forward-facing infant car seat will keep your child safe and comfortable during an accident. The seat comes with a soft cushion for the headrest and body and an EPS energy-absorbing cover to ensure your child is safe from any impact. The seat comes with five points of safety harness that can be tightened with one pull and a center-front adjuster. This will ensure your child is properly positioned. A retractable sun canopy can shield your baby from the sun. To ensure safety the seat is designed to be secured by the vehicle's seat belt and has an locking clip that keeps the latch buckle securely fastened when not in use.
If your child complains of discomfort or appears to slump forward when sleeping, it may be because the angle of the car seat is too low. infant car seat newborn www.pushchairsandprams.uk can correct this by putting tightly rolled towels underneath the front of the car seat to raise it higher. If this still doesn't help, you can bring your baby to Rockridge Kids to have us check the angle of their carseat.
Keep in mind that children shouldn't face forward until they weigh at minimum 20 pounds and are a year old. Their necks are not strong enough to take the force of a crash in the event that they fall forward on their own. Some experts suggest waiting longer, as the muscles and bones of young children are more flexible than those of adults.
Many parents opt to buy a convertible car seat which allows their infants to be in a rear-facing position until they reach the maximum height or weight limit of the seat. This lets parents enjoy the benefits a rear-facing seat for a longer amount of time. It is also easier for them because they can easily change their child's position from forward-facing to rear-facing as the child grows out of it.
The 4Ever Convertible Car Seat from Graco is a convertible 4-in-1 car seat that allows your child to 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 lb) as well as a belt-positioning backless seat (40-120 lbs). It is simple and easy to set up using the Smart Fit system that allows you to move the harness and headrest in tandem, without having to re-thread.
Convenience
If you're traveling with a young baby, a forward-facing infant car seat is an excellent choice. This allows you to see your child's face while driving and the rest of your family members can enter the car without disturbing your baby or toddler. This type of car seat can be used with a stroller making it much easier to get your little one into and out of the car for trips to the grocery store or other errands.
Even when your child is at the age that they are able to change to a car seat that is facing forward it is best to keep them in a rear-facing position as long as you can. From the standpoint of crash tests, children's head is more secure in a crash when they are facing backwards. This is because when they are facing backwards the entire body, including the neck, head and torso, is cradled in the car seat's rear.
You'll want to check the instructions provided by the manufacturer on the best time to change your child's car seat around. They will often have the weight and height limit that you shouldn't go over and also specific rules regarding things like crotch buckles. These rules are designed to protect your child's health as they develop.
Another thing to consider is whether you own an automobile with an anchor for tethering your car seat. If you do, make sure the strap is properly fitted and connected to the vehicle's anchor points as per the instructions in the manual of the seat. Additionally, you'll need to 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 restrained in the event of a crash.
A convertible car seat is a good option for parents with more than one child or who intend to have more children. This is an all-in-one car seat that starts off being used as an infant car seat facing rear and then transition your child to a forward-facing seat when they are old enough and have reached the weight or height limit for the rear-facing position of the car seat.
Style
The car seat for your baby was a must-have item for your little one, and you spent a lot of time choosing the right one. However, as they age and begin to outgrow their car seat for infants you might be wondering if it's time to switch them around.
While the idea of having your child face forward is thrilling, there are a few important safety considerations to keep in mind. Kids should remain in the rear until they reach the maximum height and weight limit for their specific car seat.
Keep in mind that children vary in terms of size and age. It isn't a good idea to base your decision on a certain date on the calendar or if you believe they have reached their maximum legroom. Children may appear larger in the rear-facing car seat however, that doesn't mean that it's safe for turning them around, since their bones and spine haven't fully developed.
Some infant car seats come with an alarm built-in to remind you to keep your child rear-facing until they're at least one year old. This is due to the fact that children younger than one year old do not have the strength of their neck muscles to withstand the force of a frontal collision which could cause serious spinal injuries.
In addition to being safe, many infant car seats are equipped with practical features that make them simple to use. They include bases that are in the car and snap out and in to allow you to transport your child from car to stroller or back and often with a frame stroller to form part of an overall travel system.
If you're ready to move your child to forward-facing convertible car seats make sure you do it correctly by following all of the manufacturer's instructions and checking the car seat for tightness. The car seat should not move more than an inch from side to side or from front to back, when properly installed. The harness straps must be placed over the shoulders of your child. If you have any questions or concerns about the fitting of your car seat, you can contact a certified safety technician in your community or the manufacturer of the car seat.