Why You Should Consider a Forward Facing Infant Car Seat
Children younger than one year shouldn't ride facing forward. In a crash their weak neck muscles could stretch and cause serious injuries.
Switch to FF instead of FF once your child is at their current seat's maximum weight or height (or the minimum required for the new car seat). Please read your instructions for your car seat.
Safety
Car seats for infants are designed to safeguard the neck and head of your child in the event of an accident. The forward facing position can assist in preventing your child from hitting their head on the hard back of the car seat which could cause serious injuries.
All forward-facing infant car seats come with five-point harnesses that hold the child in place with just one pull tightening. Additionally, the shell of the car is lined with EPS energy-absorbing foam that provides better impact protection. Some models also come with a canopy to provide shade from the sun.
The most effective infant car seats include an adjustable angle adjuster and an angle indicator. This lets you determine the right angle for your child's neck in order to stop it from slipping over in an accident. The seat also comes with the top tether strap, which comes from the top of the car seat and hooks onto the tether anchor in your vehicle. It's important to keep it in the mind that your child may not require a switch to a forward-facing car seat until they reach the top weight and height limit that is stated in the instruction manual of the seat you're using.
When your child reaches 20 pounds and one year old is the right time to switch. Infants and toddlers younger that one year old have loose, soft muscles in their necks that can cause whiplash if involved in an accident. They are more likely to suffer serious neck injuries when they travel in a frontal collision (the most frequent and severe type). Rear-facing car seats protect the neck of children under one year old by cushioning their heads.
If children are moving to a forward-facing car seat, they require a convertible or an all-in-one seat that has a heavy rearward weight and a height limit. They shouldn't be pushed to an adult car seat until they have met the high back or backless booster age and height requirements for the seat typically about age 4 or 5. These crash videos will demonstrate the differences between carseats. However, keep in mind that the footage has been slowed. A child can be injured in the event that they move too fast.
Comfort
A forward facing infant car seat allows your baby to ride comfortably and stay secure during a crash. The seat comes with a comfortable headrest, a cushion for body support and an EPS energy-absorbing foam shell that will protect your child from any impact. The seat is equipped with five points of safety harness that can be tightened by only one pull, and a center front adjuster. This will ensure that your child is properly positioned. A retractable sun canopy can shield your child from the sun. To ensure safety the seat is designed to be locked by the vehicle's seat belt and has an locking clip that keeps the buckle securely fastened when not in use.
If your baby complains of discomfort or appears to be slouching forward while sleeping it could be because the angle of the car seat is too low. You can fix this by placing tightly folded towels on the front of the car seat to lift it up more. If this doesn't work then you can bring your child to Rockridge Kids to have us assess the angle of their carseat.
It is crucial to remember that children aren't yet ready to face forward until they weigh at least 20 pounds AND one year old (their necks aren't strong enough to withstand a force applied to them by a collision if they were to fall forward on their own). Some experts recommend taking longer to wait because the bones and muscles of children are more malleable.
Many parents choose to purchase a convertible car seat that lets their infants travel rearward-facing until they reach maximum weight or height limits. This lets parents benefit from the advantages of a rear-facing seat for a longer period of time. It also makes it easier for them because they can easily switch their child's position from rear-facing to forward-facing when the child grows out of it.
The 4Ever Convertible Car Seat from Graco is a four-in-one convertible car seat that allows your child to use the seat for up to 10 years. It converts from rear-facing infant (up to 40 lbs) to a forward-facing harness and high-back seats (30-100 lb), to an unbelt-positioning seat that is backless (40-120 lbs). 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
When traveling with a young baby, a forward-facing infant car seat can be an excellent choice. infant car seat cheap pushchairsandprams.uk lets you see your child's view while driving, and allows everyone else in the family to ride in the car without disturbing your infant or toddler. This type of car seat can be used with strollers which makes it easier to take your child in and out of the car for trips to the store for groceries or other chores.
But remember, even the time your child is old enough to transition to an forward-facing car seat, it's safer to keep them rear-facing for as long as possible. From the perspective of crash tests, children's head is safer in a crash if they face backwards. This is because when facing backwards, the entire body, including the neck, head and torso is held in the rear of the car seat.
Check the instructions of the manufacturer to determine how you can rotate your child's seat. You will find that they have the maximum height and weight limit, and also specific guidelines regarding things like the crotch strap's position. These restrictions are designed to ensure the safety of your child as they grow.
You should also think about whether your vehicle has anchors for tethers. If yes, ensure that the tether is connected to your vehicle's anchor points according to the instructions in the manual. Also, ensure that the shoulder straps of your child's harness are on or just below their shoulders, and are not too low or high. This will affect how they are secured in the event of the event of a crash.
A great option for parents with more than one child or plan to have more is convertible car seats. This is a complete car seat that starts with an infant car seat facing rear, then move your child to a forward-facing seat when they are old enough and have reached the weight or height limit for the rear-facing car seat.
Style
The car seat for your baby was a must-have for your child and you've spent many hours deciding the best one. As your child gets older and outgrows their infant car seat you might be wondering if it's time to turn the seat around.
While the idea of facing your child forward is exciting, there are several important safety factors to consider. Children should be rear-facing until they reach the weight limit of their car seat and height limitations.
You should also be aware that children differ in terms of size and age, so you should never base when to switch to forward-facing on some specific date on the calendar, or if they've reached their maximum legroom. A child may appear bigger in a rear-facing car seat however, that doesn't mean it's safe to turn around, as their bones and spine haven't fully developed yet.
Some infant car seats come with an alarm built-in to remind you to keep your child rear-facing until they're one year old. This is because children younger than one do not have strong enough neck muscles that can take a direct hit, which could result in serious spinal injuries.
In addition to being safe, many infant car seats have useful features that make them easy to use. Some of these include bases that snap in and out of the car which allows you to take your baby from the car to a stroller and back. They are often part an overall travel system.
If you are ready to transition your baby from a rear-facing convertible seat to a forward-facing one, make sure you adhere to the guidelines provided by the manufacturer and verify the tightness of your car seat. When properly installed the car seat shouldn't move more than one inch side to side or from front to back, and the harness straps should be positioned at or over the shoulders of your child. If you have questions or concerns regarding the installation of your car seat, you can contact an approved safety technician in your locality or the manufacturer of the car seat.