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, helps protect infants from injury and even death in car accidents. The harness distributes the restraining force over the child's head and body instead of the neck or spinal cord.
They can be rear-facing or convertible and come in a range of heights and weight limits. They can also be part of a travel system that clicks into and out of a stroller base.
Rear-facing
Rear-facing car seats for newborns offer the best protection for infants in crashes. They are designed to hold and support children, ensuring their neck, spine and head. They also aid in reducing injuries by keeping the force of an accident from hitting your child. This is because the body of your child is not colliding with the vehicle seat or the front passenger seat, but rather a soft, cushioned surface inside of their car seat.
Parents should make sure that their child remains rear-facing until they reach maximum height or weight limit of their car seat, as per the AAP and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Around the age of one, most children will outgrow their infant car seat and move on to a convertible car seat that can face forward. Many parents will keep their child in the rear-facing seat until their child turns two.
There are two main types: infant-only car seats and convertible car seat. Both are equally safe however, each has its own features. For instance, infant-only seats are smaller, lighter and have a quick release base that can be easily detached from the car and reattached to the base of a stroller. Convertible car seats are larger and heavier, and do not have a built-in stroller base.
No matter what type of seat you choose, it is important to adhere to the instructions of the manufacturer and always use the seat in the back of your vehicle. cheap infant car seats is also recommended that you place washcloths that are tightly rolled or blankets between the crotch strap and your child to ensure there is no gap in the harness. 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.
While there is much disagreement about the length of time a baby can ride with their back facing, research suggests that infants as young as 12 months old are less likely to be injured in car accidents if they're facing the back of the car. Rear-facing car seats allow babies to feel less stress when they strike the car's front in contrast to the rear which can result in serious injuries.
Forward-facing
Most 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 took your baby home from the hospital. You may think about changing the car seat to face forward when your child gets older. It's important to keep in mind that your child's not ready until they've reached the weight and height limits that are set by the car seat manufacturer.
Rear-facing is recommended until your baby weighs at minimum 20 pounds and reaches the age of one year. Children younger than one year do not have the neck muscles necessary to resist whiplash resulting from being thrown in an accident. They also have an increased risk of suffering injury to the spine when involved in head-on collisions.
You can purchase a convertible car seat or an all-in-one one that will allow you to keep the child rear-facing up until the child is at the weight and height limit of the seat. These seats are typically bucket-style infant car seats that are attached to a base for placement in your vehicle. The base can then be removed and attached to strollers to form a travel system. However, they usually have smaller weight and height limits than a standard convertible car seat.
You can also purchase a booster seat. These seats come with a harness and can be transformed into a booster seat which allows your child to wear a seat belt when they are ready. The major benefit of this kind of car seat is that it can remain in your vehicle all through the early years of life making it easy to transport your child from one place to another.
Whatever car seat you choose make sure you read the instructions and follow the installation instructions. Get a certified safety technician to make sure that your child's car seat is installed and used properly. It is typical for parents to make mistakes with car seats, and even the most well-intentioned parents can cause injury to their children. The best way to prevent this is to follow the car seat instructions and following the guidelines of a CPST.
Convertible
Many parents choose a convertible infant car seat, as they grow with their baby and allow them to travel safely through toddlerhood and into infancy. They are also less expensive than car seats for infants and have an extended lifespan. But, it's crucial to choose a model that is simple to install and will fit in your vehicle. Also, make sure to ensure your child's safety by securing them properly every time.
Snug straps prevent the head from shifting into a dangerous chin-to chest position that can cause strangulation or even asphyxiation. Many infant car seats have straps that are loose or not buckled. This is a serious safety issue. Straps that are not buckled can cause necks to hang, which is the cause of many accidents. The crotch buckle could be a danger if it is not tight enough to pass the pinch test. This test determines whether the crotch buckle fits enough to prevent a newborn's legs from slouching down in the seat, leading to them getting cut or trapped.
Some convertible infant car seats include an adjustable torso that lets you alter the height limit based on your child's growth. The minimum torso height must be the same as the height of your infant's shoulders or one inch lower. Some models include an infant insert to help you raise your child up to the proper height.
The most suitable convertible infant car seat should have a snug fit, comfortable padding and a slender base that lets you put it in your car. It should also come with a snug, tight harness that passes the pinch test, and a short, tightly-rolled towel or blanket for an emergency. It should also have a tether strap that attaches to the anchor points on your vehicle, which can reduce crash injuries by reducing the impact force on your baby. Additionally it should include the travel system, which consists of a car seat that is paired with a stroller and a handle you use to move the baby from the car to the stroller.
Safety features
Parents have a lot to think about when choosing the right car seat for their babies. Car seats are an important purchase for new families and their use can reduce the chance that children will be the victim of a fatal motor vehicle injury by 71 per cent. The decision between a child's car-seat and a convertible one comes down to several aspects, including safety features, compatibility with your vehicle, and convenience.
Infant car seats are made with the delicate physiology and baby's physiology in mind. The seat's base is usually located in the car and the carrier snaps into place. This makes it easy to transfer your baby from stroller to car and back without disturbing them. They have a crotch and harness built in to ensure your child safe.
Some infant cars are equipped with side-impact protection that disperses the crash force away from a newborn's neck and head. Plastic, metal and foam absorb energy and shield the baby's face from direct contact with a vehicle frame or any other object in a collision. Some include a special pod that extends from the door to shield the head of the child.
A chest clip is another safety feature that is becoming more common in car seats for newborns. It keeps the harness straps firmly against the chest of your baby. This prevents the straps pinching or bending around shoulders, which could expose your child to the risk of injury. If you opt for a seat with this feature, ensure that the chest clip is set at the armpit height. It is also important to avoid dressing your child in bulky clothing that might interfere with the fit of the harness.
Verify that the car seat is fitted according to the manufacturer’s instructions, regardless of what type you choose. Look for the Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) system comprising a connector that clips into the lower anchor points of a car and the tether strap, which is attached to the top of the seat. It then connects to an anchor inside your vehicle. If your vehicle does not have LATCH, a seatbelt may be used to secure the car seats.