What's The Most Important "Myths" About Newborn Car Seat Could Be True
Choosing Between an Infant and a Convertible Newborn Car Seat
A newborn car seat is also referred to as a baby car seat or infant safety seat. It protects babies against injuries and deaths in car accidents. They are fitted with a harness that distributes the restraining forces over the head and body of the child rather than the neck and spinal cord.
These seats can be either front-facing or convertible, and are available in a variety of sizes and weight limits. They can also be part of a travel system that can click into and out of the base of a stroller.
Rear-facing
Rear-facing newborn car seats offer the most complete protection for infants during crashes. They are designed to hold and support children, while protecting their neck, spine, and head. They also aid in reducing injuries by stopping the impact of an accident from striking your child. This is because your child's body is not hitting the car seat or the front seat, but rather the soft, cushioned 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 rear-facing until they reach their car seat's maximum weight or height limit. Around age 1, most children will outgrow the infant car seat and move on to a convertible seat that can face forward. Many parents will put their child in the rear seat until they turn two.
There are two kinds of rear-facing car seats: infant-only seats and convertible car seats. Both are safe, but have different features. For instance, infant-only seats are lighter and smaller. They also have an easy-release base that can be easily removed from the vehicle and attached to the stroller. Convertible car seats are heavier and more spacious. best car seats for infants don't include a base for a stroller.
Whatever seat you choose, it is important to follow the manufacturer's instructions and ensure that you use the seat in the back of your vehicle. It is also recommended that you place washcloths that are tightly rolled or blankets between the crotch strap and your baby to make sure that there is no slack in the harness. Also, ensure that the lower anchors are anchored to the lower attachment points of your vehicle's lower anchor bars and that the car seat is correctly fitted and buckled.
Research has shown that babies who sit in the rear of the car are less likely to be injured in a car crash. Babies in rear-facing car seats also experience less impact when they crash into the front of the car, in contrast to the back of the car seat which can result in serious injuries.
Forward-facing
Most parents have given plenty of attention to their baby's car seat. It was an important item on your baby registry and the way you brought your baby home from the hospital. You might think about changing the car seat to face forward when 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 established by their car seat manufacturer.
Until your baby is at least 20 lbs and a year old, they should remain rear-facing. This is because children younger than one year don't have neck muscles that can withstand the whiplash caused by being caught in a crash and thrown forward. They are also at an increased risk of suffering injury to the spine when involved in head-on collisions.
You can purchase a convertible or all-in-one car seat that allows your child to remain rear-facing until they reach the weight and height limits for the seat. These seats are typically bucket-style infant car seats that connect to a base for placement in your vehicle. The base can be removed and connected to strollers as a travel system. They tend to have lower weight and height restrictions than a standard car seat.
Alternatively, you can get a booster seat. They are typically equipped with a harness for younger kids and convert into a belt-positioning booster seat when your child is ready for it. This type of car seat has the primary advantage that it can be used in your vehicle for all of your child's childhood, making it easier to transport them from one vehicle into another.
It doesn't matter which car seat you pick be sure to read the instructions and adhere to the guidelines. It is also a good idea to consult a certified safety technician for your seat to ensure that your child's seat is installed and used properly. Incorrect use of a car seat is common, and well-meaning parents can injure their children if they don't know what they're doing. The best way to avoid this is to follow the car seat instructions and following the guidelines of a CPST.
Convertible
Many parents choose to purchase convertible infant car seats since they can grow with your child which allows them to travel safely from the time of infancy until toddlerhood. They are also less expensive than infant car seats and have longevity for a long time. It is essential to select the right model that is compatible with your vehicle and is easy to install. Also, ensure that you secure your baby properly every time.
Snug straps stop the head from shifting into a dangerous chin-to chest position that can cause strangulation or even asphyxiation. A majority of infant car seats have unbuckled or loose straps. This is a major security issue. Straps that are not buckled can cause a neck to hang and cause of many accidents. If the crotch strap has not been tightened enough to pass a pinch test, it can pose a danger. This test determines if the crotch buckle is tight enough to stop a baby's legs from sliding around 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 adjust the height limit based on your child's development. The minimum torso height must 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 raise your child to the correct height for the seat.
The ideal convertible infant car seat should have a comfortable fit, comfortable padding and a small base that allows you to put it in your vehicle. It should also come with a snug, tight harness that passes the pinch test and a small and tightly-rolled blanket or towel to use in an emergency. It should also come with an anchor tether that connects to the anchor points of your vehicle, which could minimize injuries from collisions by reducing the force of impact. It should also include an infant travel set that includes a car seat and stroller that can be used to transfer your child from the car to the stroller.
Safety features
When it comes to choosing the best car seats for their infants parents must consider a myriad of factors to consider. Car seats are an essential purchase for new families because their proper use can reduce the chance that a child will suffer a fatal motor vehicle accident injury by 71 per cent. The decision between a child's car seat and a convertible one is based on a variety of factors, such as safety features, compatibility of your vehicle, and the ease of use.
Infant car seats are made with the fragile baby's physiology in mind. They usually come with a base that stays in the vehicle and the carrier snaps into the position, making it simple to move your baby from the car to stroller, and then back without causing any disturbance to them. They have a crotch and harness that are built-in to keep your child safe.
Some infant cars are also equipped with side impact protection that disperses the force of a crash away from the baby'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 involved in an accident. Some even include a special pod on the door side that extends out to shield the baby's head.
Another safety feature that's becoming more common in infant car seats is a chest clip that holds the harness straps flat across your newborn's chest. This prevents the straps pinching or twisting around the shoulders, which could put your child at risk of injury. If you choose a car seat with this feature, make sure the chest clip is set at armpit height. Also, you should be sure to avoid dressing your baby in bulky outerwear that might interfere with the harness's fit.
Make sure that the car seat is installed according to the manufacturer’s instructions, regardless of what type you select. Look for the lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) system, which consists of connectors that clip into the lower anchor points on a car and the tether strap, which is attached to the top of the seat. It then connects to an anchor in your vehicle. If your vehicle doesn't have LATCH, a seatbelt may be used to secure the car seats.