Keep Your Child in an Infant Car Seat Rear Facing

Insuring that your child is in an infant car seat facing rearwards is the most secure option. Children should only be able to switch to an forward-facing car seat when they outgrow the weight and height limitations of their current car seat.

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Safety Benefits

Utilizing a car seat for infants rear facing is the safest option for infants and newborns due to the way it holds and supports their head and neck. "Since their spines haven't been ossified yet, it's vital to keep the impact of a crash away from their necks and heads" says Purva Grover, MD, director of Cleveland Clinic Children's Pediatric Emergency Departments. In a frontal crash the head of a child would strike the seat in front of them, creating a whiplash effect that can be fatal or severe. However, with a rear-facing car seat the impact is absorbed by the seat, and dissipated by the back of the vehicle. Adele says, "It feels like a hug." In addition, the child's legs are put into their car seat, which prevents them from being thrown against the rear of the seat or other vehicle surfaces. "This prevents a collision with the inside of their bodies, which can cause internal injuries," she explains.

Many parents avoid ERF because they think their child is bored or uncomfortable. My son Lukas has never been uncomfortable or bored. In fact Lukas prefers to ride rear-facing since the recline feature allows him to cross his legs and read a book or watch tv.

If you have a child who is reluctant to face the rear due to their length of legs or other reasons convince them that this is the most secure option. Explain that the child is able to remain in the convertible or all-in-one car seat so long as the weight or height limits aren't over.

Be sure to secure your child in a rear-facing car seat using the lower anchor system of the vehicle or a seat belt. Don't let them wear bulky clothes such as winter coats. These can compress during a crash, causing the harness straps to become loose. This puts your child at risk of injury. Use the Pinch Test when fitting your child's harness.

Convenience

Many parents prefer keeping infant car seats rear-facing as long as possible because they are more user-friendly and more mobile than convertible car seats. If you decide to keep your child rear-facing, he or she may require being placed in a crib or bassinet for nap or at bedtime. This could result in waking the sleeping child which isn't ideal. However, the security advantages of rear facing are greater than any discomfort.

The headrest is lower for newborns and preemies than for full-term babies. This helps reduce the force of an accident and ensures that the chest clip on the harness is below or at the shoulders, not at the neck. This is especially important for premature babies, who have weaker bones, and aren't fully ossedified from pregnancy or birth.

In addition the rear-facing position offers the best car seat for newborn view of your child than facing forward. This allows you to observe their behavior and make sure they are happy and comfortable. Many portable infant car seat car seats have built-in baby mirrors that can be adjusted to see your child from almost every angle.

You can utilize convertible car seats or an all-in one seat to keep your child facing the rear until they reach the recommended weight or height limit. Some even have higher rear-facing limits than rear-only seats, meaning they can be used for longer.

Convertible car seats or all-in one seats are known as versatile. They can be used rear-facing or forward facing and as belt-positioning boosters. They usually also have a large base in the back of your car making them easier to set up and remove. They are more expensive than infant car seats that are used once, but they'll last longer and save you money over time.

The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests that children remain rear-facing until they have reached the maximum weight and height limits set by the car seat manufacturer or at least 2 years older. It's common for children to outgrow their rear-facing infant car seat when they reach the age of two. However, it's best to wait.

Weight Limits

All baby car seats have weight and height limits that you need to keep in mind. The majority of good infant car seats car seats have a maximum weight limit of 30 to 35 lbs and the height limit is around 30 inches, based on the model. If your child is reaching these limits, it's the time to move to the next stage of safety. You can choose a convertible car seat that can change between forward and rear facing, or an all-in one car seat that allows your child to ride in a rear-facing position until they reach the maximum height and weight suggested by the manufacturer.

There are other aspects apart from the weight and height limits, that can indicate whether your child is able to make the next step in a car seat. One of these is their comfort level riding rear-facing. You can observe these indicators in your child's behavior and compare it with other children similar to them in their car seats. You can also seek advice from certified child safety specialists at a car-seat inspection station, which is usually run by local government or community-based organizations.

Keep your infant rear-facing for as long as you can is the best option for them, and it's easy to understand why so many parents are hesitant to turn their children around until they're completely grown. You can ward off this temptation by making sure that your child's car seat is properly installed and don't switch them to a front-facing seat before they're ready even the weight or height is within the limits of their existing seat.

Contact a certified child passenger technician if you have concerns regarding your child's ability to be ready to move on to the next level of car seats or if you are worried that you might not install the car seat correctly. These experts can be found through community organizations, local government offices, and child passenger safety programs. You can search online for a specialist near you or call your local public health or safety department. There are also mobile car seat check-in events which can come to your home or workplace to help ensure you have the proper equipment and are making use of it properly.

Installation

A car seat has to be properly installed to be efficient. Sadly the NHTSA estimates that more than 50% of car seats are installed incorrectly (and this includes rear facing). The best way to make sure that your infant car seat travel car seats are correctly installed is to read the manual, after that, have them examined by a certified car safety technician.

The first step to install an infant rear facing car seat is to test the angle. Make sure the base of the car seat is in a safe position for your baby's weight, which you can find on the indicator on the base of the car seat base or in the user's manual.

You should also make sure that your baby's head is positioned correctly in the seat. Babies have heavy heads and soft necks, and a forward-facing position can cause pressure on their necks and spine in the event of a collision. In a rear-facing collision, the car seat's back absorbs most of the crash force, which shields the baby's delicate neck as well as spinal cord.

When your child is at the limit of weight or height of the infant car seat, it's time to change to a convertible seat or all-in one car seat. These can be used in a rear-facing position to the front-facing limit. If you decide to switch to a convertible or all-in-one car seat, be sure that the new model has a higher rearward-facing limit. Older models have lower limits.

If you choose an infant car seat that is able to be removed from the car, and then re-attached to a stroller, this is a great option for parents who want to transport their infants in and out of the car frequently. The only drawback is that it could be tricky and time consuming to move the stroller and car seat in and out of your vehicle each time, especially with infants. This is a great option for a lot of families, if they are willing to take the time to make it happen every time. Plan ahead and pick the day you will have plenty of time.