Why You Should Consider a Forward Facing Infant Car Seat
Children younger than one year old are NOT supposed to ride forward-facing. In the event of a crash, their weak neck muscles can stretch and cause serious injury.
Switch to FF instead of FF once your child reaches the weight limit of their current car seat or height (or the minimum for a new car seat). Check the instructions for your car seat carefully.
Safety
In the case of a collision, infant car seats are designed to protect your child's head and neck. The forward-facing position can assist in preventing your child from crashing their head against the hard back of the car seat which could cause serious injuries.
All infant car seats that face forward have five point harnesses that ensure the child's safety with just one pull tightening. Additionally, best car seats for infants of the car seat is lined with EPS energy-absorbing foam to provide enhanced impact protection. Some come with a canopy that provides shade from the sun.
The best infant car seats will include an angle indicator as well as an adjustable angle adjuster, which allows you to choose the right angle for your child's head to prevent the car seat from slipping over in a collision. The seat also has an upper tether strap that connects to the top of the car seat and hooks onto the tether anchor in your vehicle. It's important to keep in the mind that your child may not require switching to a forward-facing car seat until they reach the top weight and height allowed listed in the instruction manual for the seat you are using.
It's time to change when your child is 20 pounds and one year. Infants and toddlers younger that one year old have loose, soft muscles in their necks that could cause whiplash if they are involved in an accident. They are more likely to sustain serious neck injuries when they travel in a frontal crash (the most common and severe type). Rear-facing car seats safeguard the necks of infants under one year old by cushioning their heads.
When children transition to a forward-facing car seat, they still require a convertible or an all-in-one seat that has a high rearward weight limit and a high. They shouldn't be moved to an adult car seat until they have met the high back or backless booster seat age and height requirement typically around age 4 or 5. These crash videos will help you understand the differences between the carseats. However, keep in mind that the footage has been slowed down. Children can be injured if they move too quickly.
Comfort
A forward-facing infant car seat will keep your child safe and comfortable in the event of an accident. The seat comes with a comfortable headrest, a body support cushion, and an EPS energy-absorbing foam to ensure your child's safety from impact. The seat is equipped with a five-point safety harness which can be adjusted with a single pull and a front-center adjuster. This will ensure that your child is properly positioned. A retractable sun canopy will shield your baby from the sun. For safety the seat is designed to be secured to the seat belt of your vehicle and has an locking clip that keeps the latch buckle securely fastened when not in use.
If your baby complains of discomfort or appears to slump forward during sleep, it may be because the angle of the car seat is too low. This can be fixed by placing a tightly rolled towel on the front of your car seat. If this isn't working, take your baby to Rockridge Kids and we will examine the angle of the car seat.
Be aware that children should not face forward until they weigh at 20 pounds and are a year old. Their necks are not strong enough to take the force of a collision in the event that they fall to their front on their own. Some experts recommend staying a bit longer, as the bones and muscles of young children are more malleable.
Many parents choose to buy a convertible car seat that lets their infants be rear-facing until they reach their maximum weight or height limits. This allows parents to benefit from the advantages of a rear-facing seat for a longer period of time. It is also easier for parents as they can easily switch their child's position from rear-facing to forward-facing as the child grows out of it.
The Graco 4Ever Convertible Car Seat gives your child 10 years of car seat use with just one seat, ranging from rear-facing infant (4-40 lbs) to forward-facing 5-point harness and high back booster (30-100 lb) to backless belt-positioning booster (40-120 lb). The Smart Fit system makes it easy to put in. You can move the headrest and harness together without the need to re-thread.
Convenience
If you are traveling with a small baby, a forward-facing infant car seat is the best option. It allows you to watch your child as you drive and the rest of your family can get into the car without disturbing your baby or toddler. This type of car seat can also be used with a stroller, making it easier to take your child in and out of your car for trips to the grocery store or other errands.
Even even if your child is the age where they can change their car seat to one that is forward-facing it is best to keep them in a rear-facing position for as long as you are able to. From the standpoint of crash tests, a child’s head is safer in a crash when they face backwards. This is because the entire body -- head as well as neck and torso is supported by the car seat's back when they are facing in this direction.
Check the instructions of the manufacturer to determine the time you can rotate your child's seat. You'll find that they have an upper and lower limit, and also specific guidelines regarding things like the crotch strap's position. These rules are designed to safeguard your child as they develop.
You should also consider whether your vehicle is equipped with tether anchors. If so, make sure that the tether is connected to the anchor points on your vehicle according to the instructions in the manual. Additionally, you'll need to ensure that the harness shoulder straps are just above the shoulders of your child and not too low or high because this can impact how well they're secured in the event of an accident.
A great option for parents with several children or are planning to have more children is a convertible car seat. This is an all-in-one car seat that can start off being used as a rear-facing infant car seat before moving your child to a forward-facing position once they are old enough and have reached the height or weight limit for the rear-facing position in the car seat.
Style
The baby car seat was a must for your baby, and you spent a lot of time choosing the right one. But as they get older and start outgrowing their infant car seat, you may be wondering when it's time to switch them around.
While the idea of letting your baby face forward may be exciting, there are some important safety considerations you should keep in mind. Kids should remain in the rear until they reach the maximum height and weight limits for their particular car seat.
You should also be aware that children are very different in size and age, therefore you shouldn't base when to switch to forward-facing on some specific date on the calendar or when they've reached their maximum legroom. Children may appear larger in a rear-facing car seat but that doesn't mean that it's safe to turn them around, as their bones and spine haven't fully developed yet.
It's recommended that you keep your child facing rearwards until they are at least one year old, and some infant car seats come with an inbuilt reminder to keep them there. This is because kids under one year old do not have the strength of their neck muscles to withstand the force of a frontal collision which can result in serious spinal injuries.
In addition to being secure and secure, many infant car seats have practical features that make them simple to use. These include bases that remain connected to the car and snap in and out to allow you to carry your child from car to stroller or back again and are often paired with a frame stroller to form part of the travel system.
If you're ready to transition your child from a rear-facing convertible seat to a forward-facing one, make sure you follow all the instructions provided by the manufacturer and verify the tightness of the car seat. The car seat shouldn't move more than an inch from side to side or front to rear when installed correctly. The harness straps should also be at or above the shoulders of your child. If you have any questions or concerns about the fitting of your car seat, contact an approved safety technician in your area or the car seat manufacturer.