Choosing Between an Infant and a Convertible Newborn Car Seat
A car seat for newborns is also referred to as an infant safety seat or baby car seat, is a way to protect infants from injury and even death in car accidents. They are fitted with harnesses that distribute the restraining forces over the head and body of the child rather than the spinal cord and neck.
They are available in rear-facing as well as convertible versions, and with the option of varying weights and height limits. They can also be part of a travel set that snaps into a stroller base.
Rear-facing
Rear-facing newborn child car seats provide unbeatable protection in accidents for infants. They are designed to support and cradle children, ensuring their neck, spine and head. They also aid in reducing injuries by keeping the force of an accident from striking your child. This is because the child’s body does not collide with the car seat or the front seat. Instead, it is a soft, cushioned area within their car seat.
According to the AAP, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration The AAP and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recommend that parents keep their child facing rearwards until they reach the maximum weight or height limit. The majority of children will outgrow their infant car seats around the age of one at which point they can move to convertible car seats that is able to face forward. But, many parents prefer to keep their child in a rear-facing car seat until the 2nd birthday of their child.
There are two main types: infant-only car seats and convertible car seats. Both are equally safe however, each has its own features. Infant-only seats, for example, are smaller and lighter. They also come with the quick-release base which can be easily removed from the vehicle and reattached to a stroller. Convertible car seats are bigger, heavier, and don’t have an integrated base for strollers.
Whatever seat you select, it is important to adhere to the manufacturer’s guidelines and always use the seat in the back of your vehicle. It is also recommended to place washcloths that are tightly rolled or blankets between the crotch strap and your child to ensure that there is no slack in the harness. Also, ensure that the lower anchors are connected to the lower attachment points of the lower anchor bars of your vehicle and that the car seat is properly fitted and buckled.
While there is much debate about how long a child should ride with their back facing, research suggests that babies up to 12 months old are less likely to suffer injuries in car accidents if they’re facing the back of the car. Car seats with rear-facing infants also experience less impact when they strike the front of the car, in contrast to the back of the car seat which can result in serious injuries.
Forward-facing
Many parents have given lots of attention to their baby’s car seat. It was a key item on your baby registry as well as the way you brought your child home from the hospital. Now that your child is older though, you might be considering turning the car seat facing forward. It’s important to keep it in mind that your child’s not ready until they reach the weight and height limits set by the 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 neck muscles that can withstand the whiplash that can result from being forced forward in an accident. Additionally they are at a higher risk of suffering spinal injuries in head-on accidents.
You can buy a convertible car seat or an all-in one seat that allows you to keep the child rear-facing until the child reaches the weight and height limit of the seat. They are usually bucket-style infant seats that have an installation base that can be inserted into your vehicle. They can also be detached from the base and attached to strollers to form travel systems. However, they usually have smaller weight and height limits than the standard convertible car seat.
If you prefer, you can purchase a premium nania easyfix booster seat made in france seat. These seats are equipped with a harness, and can be transformed into a booster seat that allows your child to wear a seat belt once they are ready. This type of car seat has the main benefit of being used in your vehicle throughout the duration of your child’s life, making it easier to move them from one vehicle into another.
No matter which car seat you pick, read the instructions and adhere to the guidelines. Consult a certified car safety technician to make sure that your child’s car seat is properly installed and used properly. It is typical for parents to misuse car seats, and even well-intentioned parents may cause harm to their children. It is best to study the instructions on the car seat and follow the advice of a CPST.
Convertible
Many parents choose convertible infant car seat, as they grow with their child and enable them to travel safely through infancy and toddlerhood. They are less expensive than infant ones and have a a longer lifespan. It is important to choose one that fits your vehicle and is simple to install. Also, make sure to protect your baby by buckling them properly every time.
Snug straps stop the head from shifting into a dangerous chin-to chest position that could lead to strangulation or even asphyxiation. Many infant car seats have straps that are unbuckled or loose, and this is a serious safety risk. Straps that aren’t buckled could cause necks to hang and is the reason of many accidents. If the crotch strap is not enough tight to pass the pinch test, it can be a risk. 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 trapped or cut.
Some convertible infant car seats include torso heights that are adjustable, which allows you to alter the height limit according your child’s growth. The minimum torso height should be the same as the height of your infant’s shoulders or one inch lower. Some models come with an infant insert that can help bring your child up to the proper height for the seat.
The most suitable convertible infant car seat in front seat car seat should be a snug fit, comfortable padding and a small base that lets you install it in your car. It should also have a snug, tight harness that passes the pinch test, and a small, tightly rolled towel or blanket in case in the event of an accident. It should also have a tether strap which is connected to your vehicle’s anchor points and can reduce crash injuries by reducing the impact force on your baby. In addition, it should come with the travel system, which includes a car seat that pairs with a stroller, and comes with a handle you use to move the infant from the car to the stroller.
Safety features
When choosing the right car seats for their infants parents must consider a myriad of aspects to consider. Car seats are an essential purchase for families with young children because using them can reduce the risk of fatal collisions in motor vehicles by 71 percent. The choice between an infant car-seat and a convertible one is based on a variety of factors, including safety features, compatibility with your vehicle, and convenience.
Car seats for infants are created with the delicate physiology of a newborn in mind. They typically have the base that is able to stay in the car and a carrier that snaps into place, making it easy to move your baby from the car to stroller, and then back without causing any disturbance to them. They come with a crotch as well as a harness built in to ensure your child secure.
Some infant cars come with side impact protection that disperses the force of a crash away from the infant’s head and neck. They have plastic, metal, and foam that absorbs energy and shields the baby’s head from direct contact with the vehicle frame or other objects involved in a collision. Some have a special sock that extends beyond the door to protect the child’s head.
A chest clip is another safety feature that is becoming more common in car seats for newborns. It keeps the harness straps firmly against your baby’s chest. This stops the straps from pinching or bending around shoulders, which could expose your child to risk of injury. If you decide to purchase a car seat that has this feature, ensure that the chest clip is placed at armpit level. Also, you should be sure to avoid dressing your baby in bulky outerwear which could hinder the fit of the harness.
Make sure that the car seat is fitted according to the manufacturer’s instructions regardless of the type you choose. Check for the Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) system comprising a connector that clips into a car’s lower anchor points and a tether strap that attaches to the top of the seat and connects to an anchor on your vehicle. If your vehicle doesn’t have LATCH, a seatbelt may be used to secure the car seats.