How To Outsmart Your Boss Newborn Car Seat
Choosing Between an Infant and a Convertible Newborn Car Seat
A newborn car seat, also known as an infant safety seat or a baby car seat, protects babies from injury and death in car accidents. They have a harness that distributes the force of restraining over the head and body of the child instead of the spinal cord or neck.
These seats are rear-facing or convertible and are available in a range of heights and weight limits. They may also be part of a travel system that can click into and out of a stroller base.
Rear-facing
Rear-facing car seats for newborns provide unmatched protection in crashes for infants. They are designed to hold and support children, ensuring their neck, spine and head. Additionally, they assist to reduce the force of a crash from hitting your child's body which reduces the risk of injuries. This is because the child's body doesn't hit the seat of the vehicle or the front seat. Instead, it's an upholstered, soft surface inside 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 outgrow their infant car seats around age 1 and can move to convertible car seats that is able to face forward. But, many parents want to keep their child in a rear-facing car seat until they turn 2.
There are two kinds of rear-facing car seats that are convertible and infant-only car seats. Both are safe, however they offer distinct advantages. For instance, infant-only seats, are smaller and lighter. They also have an easy-release base that can be removed from the vehicle and reattached to the stroller. Convertible car seats are larger, heavier, and do not come with an integrated base for strollers.
It is important that you always use the back seat regardless of the type of seat. It is also recommended that you place tightly rolled washcloths or blankets between the crotch straps and your child to make sure that there isn't any slack in the harness. Make sure that the lower anchors of your car seat are securely installed, and that they are connected to the lower attachment points on the lower anchor bars.
Research suggests that babies who are facing the rear of the car are less likely to be injured in a car crash. Car seats with rear-facing seats allow babies to be less impacted when they hit the front of the car, in contrast to the rear which can result in serious injuries.
Forward-facing
The majority of parents have given plenty of thought to their infant's car seat. It was a key item on the baby registry, and how you got your baby home from the hospital. You might consider changing the car seat to face forward as your child gets older. It's important to keep it in mind that your child isn't yet ready until they've reached the weight and height limits that are set by the manufacturer of their car seat.
Rear-facing is recommended until your baby weighs at least 20 pounds and is at the age of one year. This is because kids under one year old don't have enough neck muscles to withstand the whiplash that can result from being thrown forward in an accident. They also face a higher risk of spinal injuries when involved in head-on collisions.
You can buy a convertible or an all-in-one car seat that allows you to keep your child rear-facing until they meet the height and weight limit for the seat. They are usually bucket-style infant seats that have the base that you can install in your car and can be detached from the base and connected to strollers to create travel systems. They tend to have lower weight and height restrictions than a standard car seat.
Alternatively, you can get a booster seat. These seats are equipped with a harness, and can be transformed into a booster that lets your child wear a seat belt when they are ready. This type of car seat has the primary benefit of being used in your vehicle for all of your child's growing years, making it easier to transport the car seat from one location to another.
Whatever car seat you choose be sure to read the instruction manual and follow the installation guidelines. Get a certified safety technician to ensure that your child's car seat has been installed and used correctly. The misuse of car seats is common, and even well-meaning parents can injure their children if they don't understand what they're doing. The best way to avoid this is by reading the instructions for car seats and following the advice of a CPST.
Convertible
Many parents choose a convertible newborn child car seat, as they grow with their baby and allow them to safely travel through toddlerhood and into infancy. These seats are cheaper than infant ones and have a longer life span. However, it's important to choose a model that is simple to install and is suitable for your vehicle. Be sure to protect your baby by securing them properly every time.
Snug straps keep the head from moving into a dangerous chin-to-chest position which could lead to strangulation or asphyxiation. A majority of infant car seats have straps that are loose or not buckled. This is a serious safety issue. Unbuckled straps may cause a neck to hang and cause of numerous accidents. If the crotch strap isn't enough tight to pass the pinch test, it may be a risk. This test will determine if the crotch buckle fits enough to prevent a baby's legs from slouching down in the seat and causing them to be injured or trapped.
Some convertible newborn car seats include an adjustable torso that allows you to adjust the height limit to suit the growth of your child. The minimum torso height should be equal to the height of the shoulders of your infant or an inch lower. Some models include an infant insert to assist you in raising your child up to the right height.
The best convertible car seat for newborns should be snug, have soft padding and a slim base to allow you to install it easily into your vehicle. It should also feature a secure, tight harness that passes the pinch-test and a small tight-rolled blanket or towel for an emergency. It should also have an attachment tether to the anchor points of your vehicle, which can help reduce injuries during collisions by reducing the force of impact. In addition it should include a travel system, which comprises a car seat that is paired with a stroller and has an attachment that allows you to transport your infant from the car to the stroller.
Safety features
Parents must think about when choosing the appropriate car seat for their infants. Car seats are an essential purchase for families with young children because using them can reduce the risk of fatal child motor vehicle collision injuries by 71 percent. The decision between an infant car seat and a convertible car seat comes down to some key factors such as safety features that are compatible with your car and user-friendliness.
Car seats for infants are designed with a newborn's fragile physiology in mind. They typically have an attached base that remains in the car and an infant carrier that snaps into place, making it easy to transfer your baby from car to stroller, and then back without disturbing them. They have a crotch and harness built in to keep your child secure.
best car seat for newborn uk have side-impact protection, which distributes the force of the collision away from the baby's head and neck. Plastic, metal and foam absorb energy and shield the baby's face from direct contact with the frame of a vehicle or any other object in the event of a collision. Some include a special pod that extends beyond the door to protect the head of the child.
A chest clip is another safety feature that is becoming more popular on newborn car seats. It keeps the harness straps firmly against your baby's chest. This stops the straps from pinching or twisting around the shoulders, which can expose your baby to higher risk of injuries. If you choose a seat with this feature, make sure the chest clip is at armpit height. Avoid dressing your baby with heavy outerwear since it could interfere with the harness.
Verify that the car seat is set up according to the instructions of the manufacturer, regardless of what type you choose. Check for the lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) system that consists of a connector that clips into a car's lower anchor points and an tether strap that is attached to the top of the seat and hooks to an anchor in your vehicle. If your car does not have LATCH, a belt can be used to secure car seats.