Choosing Between an Infant and a Convertible Newborn Car Seat
A car seat for newborns or infant safety seat or a baby car seat, protects infants from injury and even death in car accidents. They have a harness that distributes force of restraining over the child's body and head rather than the spinal cord and neck.
These seats are rear-facing or convertible and come in a range of heights and weight limits. They can also be part of a travel system that can click into and out of a stroller base.
Rear-facing
Rear-facing car seats for newborns offer the best protection for infants in crashes. They are designed to cradle and support children, while protecting their head, neck, and spine. Additionally, they assist to disperse the force of a crash to prevent your child's body from being hit which reduces the risk of injuries. This is because the child's body doesn't hit the seat of the vehicle or the front passenger seat. Instead, it is a soft, cushioned area in their car seat.
According to the AAP as well as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, parents should keep their child facing rearwards until they reach the weight limit of their car seat or height limit. At around the age of 1, children will outgrow the infant car seat and move on to a convertible seat that can be oriented forward. However, many parents will want to keep their child in a rear-facing seat until their 2nd birthday.
There are two main kinds of rear-facing car seats convertible car seats. Both are equally safe and safe, but they each offer different advantages. Infant-only seats, for example are lighter and smaller. They also have an easy-release base that can be removed from the vehicle and then attached to the stroller. Convertible car seats are larger and heavier, but they do not come with a built-in stroller base.
No matter what type of seat you choose it is essential to adhere to the manufacturer's guidelines and to always place the seat in the back of your vehicle. You can also put a blanket that is tightly rolled or washcloth between the crotch harness and your child's harness to ensure the harness is tight. In addition, make sure that the lower anchors are attached to the lower attachment points of your vehicle's lower anchor bars and that the car seat is properly fitted and buckled.
Research shows that babies who sit in the rear of the car are less likely to be injured in an accident. Car seats with rear-facing seats allow babies to experience less impact when they hit the front of the car, as opposed the the back, which can lead to serious injuries.
Forward-facing
The majority of parents have given a lot of attention to their baby's car seat. It was an important item on your baby's registry and the way you brought your child home from the hospital. Now as your child gets older, you may be thinking about changing the car seat forward-facing. It's important to keep in mind that your child isn't yet ready until they reach the weight and height limits set by their car seat manufacturer.
When your baby is at least 20 lbs and one year old, they should be rear-facing. This is because kids under one year old don't have enough neck muscles to withstand the whiplash that results from being caught in a crash and thrown forward. They also face greater risk of suffering from spinal injuries when involved in head-on collisions.
You can buy a convertible car seat or an all-in-one one that will allow you to keep the child rear-facing up until the child reaches the weight and height limits of the seat. These seats are typically bucket-style infant car seats that connect to a base that can be installed in your vehicle. The base can be detached and attached to strollers as a travel system. They are typically lighter in weight and height restrictions than a standard car seat.
You can also purchase a booster. These seats are equipped with a harness and can be transformed into a booster that allows your child to wear a seat belt once they are ready. This type of car seat has the principal benefit of being used in your car for the duration of your child's childhood making it simpler to move the child from one vehicle to another.
No matter which car seat you pick be sure to read the instruction manual and follow the installation instructions. Consult a certified car safety technician to ensure that your child's car seat is installed and used properly. It is common for parents to misuse car seats, and even the most well-intentioned parents could cause harm to their children. It is recommended to read the instructions on the car seat and follow the guidelines of a CPST.
Convertible
Many parents opt for convertible infant car seats because they grow with your baby, allowing them to travel safely from the time of infancy until toddlerhood. They are also less expensive than infant car seats and have an extended lifespan. However, it is important to select a seat that is easy to install and will fit in your vehicle. Also, ensure that you secure your baby correctly every time.
Snug straps keep the head from shifting into a dangerous chin-to chest position that could result in strangulation or asphyxiation. Many infant car seats have straps that are not buckled or loose. This is a serious safety issue. Unbuckled straps may cause a neck to hang and is the reason of a lot of accidents. The crotch buckle can also pose a risk in the event that it is not secure enough to pass the pinch test. This test will determine if the crotch strap is tight enough to prevent the legs of a newborn from slouching in the seat, causing them to get trapped or cut.
Some convertible car seats for newborns come with an adjustable torso height, which lets you adjust the height limit to suit the growth of your child. The minimum torso height must be equal to the height of your infant's shoulders, or one inch lower. Some models include an infant insert that will aid in raising your child up to the proper height.
The best convertible newborn car seat should have a snug fit, comfortable padding, and a slender base to allow you to install it easily in your car. It should also come with a snug, tight harness that passes the pinch-test and a small tight-rolled blanket or towel for an emergency. It should also come with a tether strap that attaches to the anchor points of your vehicle, which can reduce crash injuries by reducing the force of impact on your baby. Additionally it should include the travel system, which comprises an infant car seat that can be paired with a stroller, and comes with a handle you use to transport your infant from the car to the stroller.
Safety features
When choosing the right car seats for their newborns, parents have many things to take into consideration. Car seats are a crucial purchase for new families because their proper use can reduce the chance that your child will suffer a fatal motor vehicle injury by 71 per cent. The decision between a baby car seat and a convertible one is dependent on several aspects, including safety features, compatibility with your vehicle, and convenience.
Car seats for infants are made with the fragile physiology of a newborn in mind. The base of the seat is typically in the car and the carrier snaps into the position. This makes it simple to move your baby from stroller to car, and back without causing any disturbance. They also come with harnesses built-in and a crotch strap that keep your baby secure.
Some infant cars are equipped with side-impact protection that disperses the force of a crash away from a newborn's head and neck. Foam, metal, and plastic absorb energy and protect the baby's face from direct contact with a vehicle's frame or any other object involved in the event of a collision. Some even have a special pod on the door side that extends out to protect the baby's head.
A chest clip is another safety feature that is becoming more prevalent in car seats for newborns. It keeps the harness straps flat against the chest of your baby. This prevents the straps from pinching or twisting around the shoulders, which could place your baby at a higher risk of injuries. If you choose a car seat that has this feature, ensure that the chest clip is positioned at armpit level. It is also important to be sure to avoid dressing your child in bulky clothing which could hinder the fit of the harness.
Verify that the car seat is installed in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions regardless of the type you choose. Look for infant car seats on sale and Tethers for Children system. This system comprises an attachment that clips onto the lower anchor points of your vehicle and the tether which is attached to an anchor in the vehicle. If your vehicle doesn't have LATCH, a belt can be used to secure car seats.