Choosing Between an Infant and a Convertible Newborn Car Seat

A car seat for newborns, also known as an infant safety seat or baby car seat, is a way to protect infants from harm and death in vehicle accidents. They are fitted with a harness that distributes restraint forces across the head and body of the child rather than the spinal cord or neck.

These seats can be either front-facing or convertible, and are available in a range of heights and weight limits. They may also be part of an entire travel system that snaps into and out of a stroller base.

Rear-facing

Rear-facing car seats for newborns offer the best car seat newborn uk protection for infants in crashes. They are designed to hold and support children, protecting their spine, neck and head. They also aid in reducing injuries by stopping the force of an accident from striking your child. This is because the child's body does not hit the seat of the vehicle or the front seat. Instead, it is an upholstered, soft surface within their car seat.

According to the AAP and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Parents should keep their child rear-facing until they reach the maximum weight or height limit. Around the age of one, most children will outgrow the infant car seat rear facing car seat and transition to a convertible car seat for newborn seat that can face forward. However, many parents will want to keep their child in a rear-facing seat until the 2nd birthday of their child.

There are two primary types of rear-facing car seat: infant-only seats and convertible car seats. Both are safe, but offer different conveniences. For instance, infant-only chairs are smaller, lighter, and have a quick release base that can be easily detached from the car and reattached to a stroller base. Convertible car seats are heavier and more spacious. They also do not come with a stroller base.

It is crucial to always use the back seat, regardless of the seat type. You can also place a tightly rolled blanket or washcloth between the crotch straps and your child to ensure the harness is securely secured. Check that the lower anchors of your car seat are properly installed, and that they are connected to the lower attachment points on the lower anchor bars.

There is a lot of debate over the length of time a baby can ride rear-facing, research shows that infants up to 12 months old are less likely to sustain injuries in car accidents when they are facing the rear of the car. Car seats that are rear-facing allow infants to experience less impact when they hit the car's front, as opposed the the back which can result in serious injuries.

Forward-facing

The majority of parents have spent a lot of time into their newborn car seat. It was an important item on your baby registry as well as the method you used to bring your child home from the hospital. Now as your child gets older, you might be thinking about changing the car seat around to forward-facing. However, it's important remember that children aren't ready for this until they reach the height and weight limits set by the manufacturer of their car seat.

Rear-facing is recommended until your baby weighs at minimum 20 pounds and reaches the age of one year. This is because children younger than one year old don't have enough neck muscles to handle the whiplash that results from being caught in a crash and thrown forward. Furthermore they are at a higher chance of suffering spinal injuries from head-on accidents.

You can buy a convertible car seat or an all-in one seat that allows you to keep your child facing forward until the child reaches the weight and height limits of the seat. These seats are usually bucket-style infant car seats that connect to a base for installation in your vehicle. The base can be removed and attached to strollers as a system for travel. They are typically lighter in weight and height restrictions than a standard car seat.

Alternatively, you can get a booster seat. These seats are fitted with a harness, and can be transformed into a booster seat that lets your child wear a seat belt once they are ready. The main advantage of this type of car seat is that it will remain in your vehicle through the early years of life, making it easy to move your child from one vehicle to another.

It doesn't matter what car seat you select be sure to read the instructions and follow them. Contact a certified car safety technician to ensure that your child's car seat has been installed and used properly. It is not uncommon for parents to abuse car seats, and even well-intentioned parents can cause injury to their children. It is best to read the instructions on the car seat and follow the advice of a CPST.

Convertible

Many parents choose convertible infant car seat because they can grow with their baby and enable them to travel safely through toddlerhood and into infancy. They are cheaper than infant car seats and have an extended lifespan. It is important to choose a model that fits your vehicle and is simple to install. Be sure to ensure your child's safety by buckling them in a proper manner each time.

Snug straps prevent the head from shifting to a dangerous chin-to chest position that can cause strangulation or asphyxiation. Many infant car seats have loose or unbuckled straps, and this is a major safety risk. Straps that aren't buckled could cause a neck to hang and cause of numerous accidents. The crotch buckle could cause danger when it isn't tight enough to pass the pinch test. This test determines whether the crotch buckle is secure enough to stop the legs of a newborn from slouching in the seat which could cause them to be trapped or cut.

Some convertible newborn car seat include torso heights that are adjustable, which allows you to adjust the height limit based on the development of your child. The minimum torso must be equal to the height of the shoulders of your infant, or one inch lower. Some models come with an infant insert to help bring your child up to the appropriate height for the seat.

The best convertible newborn car seat should have a snug fit, comfortable padding and a narrow base that lets you put it in your car. It should also have a snug, tight harness that is able to pass the pinch test and an incredibly small, tightly-rolled towel or blanket in case there is an accident. It should also include an attachment tether to the anchor points of your vehicle, which can minimize injuries from a crash by reducing impact force. In addition it should include a travel system, which includes a car seat that is paired with a stroller, and comes with a handle you use to move the baby from the car to the stroller.

Safety features

When selecting the right car seats for their babies, parents have many factors to consider. Car seats are an essential purchase for families who are starting a new life and their use can reduce the chance that children will be the victim of a fatal motor vehicle injury by 71. The choice between an infant car seat and a convertible seat is based on a few key factors that include safety features and compatibility with your vehicle and the ease of use.

Car seats for infants are created with the delicate physiology and body of a newborn in mind. The seat's base is usually in the car and the good infant car seats carrier snaps into place. This makes it simple to transfer your baby from stroller to car and back without disturbing them. They also come with built-in harnesses and a crotch strap to keep your baby secure.

Some infant cars have side-impact protection, which distributes the force of a crash away from the infant's neck and head. Metal, plastic and foam absorb energy and shield the baby's face from direct contact with the frame of a vehicle or any other object in a collision. Some include a special pod that extends from the door to protect the head of the child.

Another safety feature that's becoming more common in infant car seats is a chest clip that keeps the harness straps straight across your newborn's chest. This stops the straps from pinching or bending at the shoulders, which could put your baby at greater risk of injury. If you select a seat that has this feature, ensure that the chest clip is set at the armpit height. It is also important to not dress your baby in bulky outerwear which could hinder the harness's fit.

Verify that the car seat is set up according to the manufacturer’s instructions, regardless of what type you choose. Look for the Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children system. The system is comprised of an attachment that clips onto the lower anchor points of your car and the tether which is attached to an anchor in the vehicle. If your vehicle isn't equipped with LATCH, you can use the seat belt to secure the car seat.