10 Meetups About Forward Facing Infant Car Seat You Should Attend
Why You Should Consider a Forward Facing Infant Car Seat Children younger than one year should not ride facing forward. In the event of a crash, their neck muscles that are weak could be stretched and cause serious injuries. Switch to FF instead of FF when your child reaches their current seat's maximum weight or height (or the minimum requirement for the new car seat). Please review your car seat instructions. Safety In the event of a crash, infant car seats are designed to protect your child's head and neck. The forward-facing position can assist in preventing your child from crashing their head against the hard back of the car seat which could cause serious injuries. All infant seats with a forward-facing feature five-point harnesses, which secure the child by simply pulling the straps. The shell of the car seat is lined with energy-absorbing foam EPS to offer better protection from impact. Some have a canopy to provide shade from the sun. The best infant car seats feature an angle indicator and an adjustable angle adjuster, which allows you to set the correct angle of your child's head to prevent the car seat from slipping over in the event of a collision. The car seat also comes with an upper tether strap that is attached to the top of the car seat and hooks to the tether anchor within your vehicle. best car seats for newborns uk Push Chairs & Prams to keep it in mind that your child may not require switching to a forward-facing car seat until they reach the top weight and height allowed listed in the instruction manual of the seat you're using. It's time to switch when your child reaches 20 pounds and a year. Infants and toddlers younger than one year old have soft, loose neck muscles which can result in whiplash during the event of a crash. In frontal collisions (the most severe and common type), they are more likely to suffer serious neck injuries. When children younger than 1 year are riding in a rear-facing car seat their heads are cushioned by the car seat and shielded from sudden movements that can stress their necks. If children are moving to a forward-facing car seat, they should use a convertible or all-in-one seat with a high rear-facing weight and height limit. They should not be moved to a booster seat until they have met the high back or backless booster seat age and height requirements typically at around the age of 4 or 5. It is evident the difference in these carseats when you watch these crash videos, but remember that the video is slow-motion. If a child moves too fast, they could be injured. Comfort A forward-facing infant car seat will keep your child safe and secure in the event of an accident. The seat features a soft headrest, a cushion for body support, and an EPS energy-absorbing foam shell to keep your child safe from impact. The seat comes with a five-point safety harness that can be adjusted with a single pull and a center front adjuster. This will ensure your child is properly positioned. A retractable canopy protects your baby from the sunlight. For safety, the seat is designed to be secured to the seat belt of your vehicle and includes an locking clip that keeps the buckle securely fastened when not in use. If your baby complains about discomfort or seems to slump forward when sleeping, it may be because the angle of the car seat is too low. You can correct this by putting tightly rolled towels under the front of the car seat to lift it up more. If this doesn't work, you can bring your child to Rockridge Kids and we will examine the angle of the car seat. Remember that children should not face forward until they weigh at least 20 pounds and are a year old. Their necks are still not strong enough to take the force of a crash should they fall to their front on their own. Some experts recommend waiting even longer, because the bones and muscles of young children are more malleable than those of adults. Many parents choose to buy a convertible car seat that allows their children to be rear-facing until they reach maximum weight or height limits. This lets parents benefit from the advantages of a rear-facing seat for a longer amount of time. It can also make it easier for parents as they can easily switch their child's position from forward-facing to rear-facing as the child grows out of it. The Graco 4Ever 4-in-1 Convertible Car Seat provides your child 10 years of car seat use with just one seat, ranging from rear-facing infant (4-40 lb) to forward-facing 5-point harness with high-back booster (30-100 lb) to a belt-positioning booster that is backless (40-120 lb). The Smart Fit system makes it easy to set up. You can move the harness and headrest together without having to re-thread. Convenience When traveling with a young infant, a forward-facing infant car seat is an excellent choice. This allows you to see your child as you drive and the rest of your family can get into the car without disturbing your toddler or baby. This type of car seat can be used with strollers which makes it easier to get your child in and out of the car to go to the store for groceries or other tasks. However that even when your child is old enough to switch to a forward-facing car seat it's better to keep them rear-facing for as long as possible. When you look at it from the perspective of crash tests, a child's head is safer in a frontal crash when they are facing backwards. This is due to the fact that the entire body — including the head, neck, and torso is supported by the back of the car seat when they're facing in this direction. Check the instructions of the manufacturer to determine how you can rotate the seat of your child. They usually have an upper weight and height limit you shouldn't go over, as well as specific rules for things like crotch buckles. These limits are meant to protect your child's safety as they develop. Another thing to think about is whether you have an automobile with Tether anchors for your car seat. If you do, make sure that the tether strap is properly installed and secured to the anchor points of your vehicle as instructed in the seat's manual. Lastly, you'll want to make sure that the shoulder straps of your harness are just above your child's shoulders and not too low or high, as this will affect the way they are secured in an accident. A good choice for parents with multiple children or are planning to have more children is a convertible car seat. It's a convertible car seat that can be used as a rear-facing infant car seat and then converted to a forward-facing seat when your child reaches the height or weight limits of the rear-facing position. Style You've put in a lot of time and effort in choosing the right car seat for your child. As your child grows older and outgrows their car seat for infants, you might be wondering if it's time to turn the seat around. Although the idea of having your child face forward can be exciting, there are some important safety considerations you should keep in mind. Children should be rear-facing until they reach their car seat's maximum weight and height limits. You should also be aware that children are very different in terms of size and age, therefore, you shouldn't decide on when you should switch to forward-facing on some specific date on the calendar or when they've reached their limit of legroom. A child might appear larger in the rear-facing car seat but that doesn't mean that it's safe for turning them around, since their bones and spine haven't fully developed yet. Some infant car seats come with a built-in alarm to remind you to keep your child rear-facing until they're one year old. This is due to the fact that children under one year old do not have enough neck muscles to take a direct hit, which could result in serious spinal injuries. Many infant car seats are not just secure, but also simple to use. These include bases that remain in the car and snap out and in to let you carry your baby from car to stroller or back again and often with a frame stroller as part of the travel system. If you're ready to move your baby to forward-facing convertible car seats, be sure to do so correctly by following all of the manufacturer's instructions and examining the car seat for tightness. When properly installed the car seat shouldn't move more than one inch from side to side or front to back, and the harness straps must be positioned at or over the shoulders of your child. If you have any concerns or questions, talk to an accredited car seat safety technician in your area or call the manufacturer of your car seat.