20 Myths About Newborn Car Seat: Dispelled

Choosing Between an Infant and a Convertible Newborn Car Seat

A newborn car seat is also referred to as a baby car seat or infant safety seat. It protects babies against injury and death during car accidents. They come with harnesses that distribute the restraint forces across the child's body and head rather than the spinal cord and neck.

They are available in rear-facing as well as convertible versions, as well as with a range of weight and height limits. They could also be part of an entire travel system that snaps into and out of the base of a stroller.

Rear-facing

Rear-facing newborn car seats offer the best protection for infants in crashes. They are designed to support and cradle children, while protecting their neck, head and spine. In  Push Chairs & Prams , they help to disperse the force of a crash from hitting your child's body, reducing injuries. This is because your child's body is not colliding with the vehicle seat or the front passenger seat, but rather a soft, cushioned surface inside of their car seat.

According to the AAP, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, parents should keep their child facing rearwards until they reach the maximum weight or height limit. Most kids will outgrow their infant carseat around the age of 1, at which point they can transition to a convertible car seat that can face forward. Many parents will leave their child in the rear seat until their child turns two.

There are two primary types of rear-facing car seat: infant-only seats and convertible car seats. Both are equally secure, but offer different conveniences. For instance, infant-only seats are lighter, smaller, and have a quick release base which can be easily removed from the car, and then reattached to a stroller base. Convertible car seats are bigger and heavier, but they do not have an integrated stroller base.

No matter what type of seat you pick it is essential to adhere to the manufacturer's guidelines and to always place the seat in the back seat of your vehicle. It is also recommended that you put tightly rolled washcloths or blankets between the crotch straps and your child to ensure there is no gap in the harness. Ensure that the lower anchors of your car seat are correctly installed, and that they are connected to the lower anchor points on the lower anchor bars.

While there is much debate about how long a child should ride with their back facing, research suggests that infants as young as 12 months old are less likely to suffer injuries in car accidents if they are facing the back of the car. 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

Many parents have given lots of consideration to their newborn car seat. It was one of the most important items on the baby registry, and was the method you used to get your child home from the hospital. You may think about changing the car seat to face forward as your child gets older. However, it's important keep in mind that children aren't yet ready until they reach the weight and height limits set by the manufacturer of their car seat.

Until your baby is at least 20 lbs and one year old, they should stay rear-facing. This is because kids under one year old don't have enough neck muscles to handle the whiplash caused by being caught in a crash and thrown forward. They are also at a higher risk of spinal injuries when involved in head-on collisions.

You can buy a convertible or an all-in-one car seat, which allows your child to remain facing the rear until they reach the height and weight limit for the seat. These are typically bucket-style infant seats that come with a base to install in your vehicle. They can also be removed from the base and reattached to strollers to form travel systems. They typically have lower weight and height restrictions than standard car seats.

You can also purchase an extra booster. They are typically equipped with a harness designed for smaller children, and then convert into a belt-positioning booster seat when your child is ready. This type of car seat has the principal advantage that it can be used in your vehicle throughout the duration of your child's childhood, making it easier to transport the car seat from one location to another.

No matter which car seat you choose follow the directions and follow the guidelines. Consult a certified car safety technician to make sure that your child's car seat has been installed and is used in a safe manner. It is common for parents to misuse car seats, and even well-intentioned parents can cause injury to their children. The best way to prevent this is by reading the instructions for your car seat and following the advice of a CPST.

Convertible

Many parents choose convertible infant car seats because they can grow with your baby and allow them to travel in a safe manner from infanthood to toddlerhood. They are also less expensive than infant car seats and offer longevity for a long time. It is important to choose one that fits your vehicle and is simple to install. Also, ensure that you buckle up your baby correctly every time.

Snug straps keep the head from slipping into the risky chin-to-chest position that could lead to strangulation or asphyxiation. A lot of infant carseats have straps that are unbuckled or loose which pose a serious safety risk. Unbuckled straps may cause a neck to hang, which is the cause of many accidents. If the crotch strap has not been sufficiently tight enough to pass a pinch test, it could pose a danger. This test will determine whether the crotch strap is sufficiently tight to stop the legs of a newborn from sliding in the seat and causing them to be injured or trapped.

Some convertible newborn car seats come with an adjustable torso height, which lets you adjust the height limit to suit your child's development. The minimum torso height should be the same as the height of the shoulders of your infant or an inch lower. Some models come with an infant insert that can help you raise your child to the proper height.

The best convertible car seat for newborns should be comfortable, with soft padding and a slim base that allows you to install it easily into your vehicle. It should also come with a tight, snug harness that is able to pass the pinch test as well as an incredibly small, tightly-rolled towel or blanket in case of an accident. It should also come with an tether strap that is attached to your vehicle's anchor points and can reduce crash injuries by reducing the force of impact on your baby. In addition it should include an infant travel system that consists of a car seat that pairs with a stroller, and comes with an attachment that allows you to move the infant from the car to the stroller.

Safety features

Parents have a lot to consider when they're choosing the appropriate car seat for their babies. Car seats are an essential purchase for new families because correctly using them reduces the chance of fatal child collisions in motor vehicles by 70 percent. The choice between an infant car seat and a convertible seat is based on some key factors, including safety features, compatibility with your vehicle, and ease of use.

Car seats for infants are designed to keep the delicate physiology of a newborn in mind. The seat's base is typically in the car, and the seat snaps into place. This makes it easy to transfer your baby from stroller to car, and back without causing any disturbance. They also have built-in harnesses and a crotch strap that ensure your baby's safety.

Some infant cars are also equipped with side impact protection, which is designed to disperse the force of collision away from the newborn's head and neck. They come with metal, plastic, and foam that absorbs energy, and protects the head of the infant from direct contact with the frame of the vehicle or other objects involved in a collision. Some come with a special pod that extends from the door to shield the child's head.

Another security feature that's becoming more prevalent in infant car seats is a chest clip that keeps the harness straps straight across the chest of your baby. This prevents the straps from getting caught or twisting at the shoulders, which could put your baby at greater risk of injuries. If you choose a seat that has this feature, ensure that the chest clip is placed at armpit height. Do not dress your baby in bulky clothing as it can hinder the harness.

No matter what kind of car seat you choose make sure it's installed in your vehicle according to the instructions of the manufacturer. Check for the lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) system that consists of an attachment that clips onto a car's lower anchor points and an tether strap that is attached to the top of the seat and connects to an anchor in your vehicle. If your vehicle does not have LATCH, a belt can be used to secure the car seats.