7 Simple Changes That'll Make The Biggest Difference In Your Newborn Car Seat
Choosing Between an Infant and a Convertible Newborn Car Seat A newborn car seat or infant safety seat or baby car seat, is a way to protect infants from harm and death in vehicle accidents. good infant car seats have harnesses that distribute the force of restraining over the child's body and head instead of the spinal cord or neck. They are available in rear-facing and convertible versions, and with an array of weight and height limits. They are also a part of a set for travel that snaps into a stroller base. Rear-facing Rear-facing newborn car seats offer the most complete protection for infants during crashes. They are designed to hold and support children, while protecting their head, neck, and spine. They also help to reduce injuries by keeping the force of an accident from hitting your child. This is because the child's body does not hit the seat of the vehicle, or front passenger seat. Instead, it's a soft, cushioned surface inside their car seat. According to the AAP as well as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, parents should keep their child rear facing until they reach their car seat's maximum weight or height limit. Around the age of one, most children will outgrow the infant car seat and move on to a convertible seat that can face forward. Many parents will leave their child in the rear seat until their child turns two. There are two types: infant-only car seat and convertible car seats. Both are equally secure, but have different features. Infant-only seats, for example, are smaller and lighter. They also have an easy-release base that can be easily removed from the vehicle and reattached to the stroller. Convertible car seat are heavier and larger. They also do not include a stroller base. It is crucial to use the back seat, regardless of the type of seat. You can also place a blanket that is tightly rolled or washcloth between the crotch straps and your child to ensure that the harness is secure. Check that the lower anchors of your car seat are securely installed, and that they are connected to the lower attachment points on the lower anchor bars. Research shows that babies who face the rear of the car are less likely to be injured in an accident. Babies in rear-facing car seats also experience less impact when they hit the front of the car, in contrast to the back of the car seat which can cause serious injuries. Forward-facing Most parents have spent a lot of time into their newborn car seat. It was an important item on your baby registry and the method you took your baby home from the hospital. Now that your child is getting older though, you might be thinking about changing the car seat around to facing forward. It's important to keep it in mind that your child isn't ready until they've reached the weight and height limits established by the manufacturer of their car seat. Until your baby is at least 20 lbs and one year old, they should remain rear-facing. This is because kids under a year don't have strong neck muscles that can withstand the whiplash caused by being caught in a crash and thrown forward. They are also at a higher risk of injury to the spine when involved in head-on collisions. You can buy a convertible car seat or an all-in one seat that allows you to keep the child rear-facing up until the child is at the weight and height limits of the seat. These seats are usually bucket-style infant car seats that attach to a base for placement in your vehicle. The base can be removed and connected to strollers as a system for travel. They tend to have lower weight and height restrictions than a standard car seat. You can also buy a booster. They are typically equipped with a harness for younger children, and then convert into a belt-positioning booster seat when your child is ready. This kind of car seat has the main benefit of being used in your car for the duration of your child's childhood, making it easier to move them from one vehicle into another. No matter which car seat you choose, always read the manual and follow the installation guidelines. It is recommended to consult a certified seat safety technician to ensure that the child's car seat is installed and used in a safe manner. It is not uncommon for parents to make mistakes with car seats, and even the most well-intentioned parents could cause harm to their children. The best way to avoid this is to read the instructions for car seats and following the recommendations of a CPST. Convertible Many parents opt for convertible infant car seat because they can grow with their baby and allow them to travel safely through infancy and toddlerhood. These seats are also less expensive than infant car seats and offer longevity for a long time. It is important to choose one that fits your car and is easy to install. Additionally, be sure to protect your baby by securing them in a proper manner each time. Snug straps keep the head from moving into a dangerous chin-to-chest position which could lead to asphyxiation or strangulation. A lot of infant carseats come with straps that are loose or not buckled which pose a major safety risk. Straps that aren't buckled could cause a neck to hang, which is the cause of many accidents. The crotch buckle can also be a danger when it isn't tight enough to pass the pinch test. This test will determine if the crotch buckle fits enough to stop a baby's legs from slouching down in the seat and leading to them getting trapped or cut. Some convertible infant car seats include an adjustable torso that lets you alter the height limit to suit the growth of your child. The minimum torso height should be equal to the height of your infant's shoulders or one inch lower. Some models come with an infant insert to help raise your child to the correct height for the seat. The ideal convertible car seat for babies should be comfortable, with cushioning that is comfortable and a small base so that you can install it easily into your vehicle. It should also come with an incredibly tight, snug harness that passes the pinch test as well as a small tight-rolled blanket or towel for an emergency. It should also come with an anchor tether that connects to the anchor points of your vehicle, which will minimize injuries from collisions by reducing the impact force. It should also come with the travel set that includes a stroller and car seat that can be used to transfer your infant from the vehicle to the stroller. Safety features When it comes to choosing the best car seats for their newborns parents must consider a myriad of aspects to consider. However, car seats are an essential purchase for families with young children because using them reduces the chance of fatal collisions in motor vehicles by 70 percent. The decision between a child's car seat and a convertible model comes down to several factors, such as safety features, compatibility of your vehicle, and the ease of use. Car seats for infants are designed with the delicate physiology and physiology of a newborn in mind. They typically have the base that is able to stay in the vehicle, and an infant carrier that snaps into the position, making it simple to move your baby from the car to stroller and back without causing any disturbance to them. They also have built-in harnesses and a crotch strap to ensure your baby's safety. Some infant cars are also equipped with side impact protection that is designed to disperse the force of collision away from the baby's head and neck. Foam, metal, and plastic absorb energy and protect the baby's face from direct contact with a vehicle frame or any other object involved in a collision. Some even include a special pod on the door side that extends to protect the baby's head. Another safety feature that's becoming more common in car seats for newborns is a chest clip that keeps the harness straps straight across the chest of your baby. This prevents the straps pinching or twisting around the shoulders, which could expose your child to the risk of injury. If you opt for a car seat with this feature, ensure that the chest clip is positioned at armpit level. Do not dress your baby in heavy outerwear since it could cause interference with the harness. Regardless of which kind of car seat you pick make sure it's installed in your vehicle in accordance with the instructions provided by the manufacturer. Look for the Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children system. This system consists of an attachment that clips onto the lower anchor points of your car, and an tether that is attached to an anchor in the vehicle. If your car does not have LATCH, a belt can be used to secure the car seats.