9 Lessons Your Parents Teach You About Forward Facing Infant Car Seat

Why You Should Consider a Forward Facing Infant Car Seat

Children under one year are NOT supposed to ride in a forward-facing. In the event of a crash, their weak neck muscles could be stretched and cause serious injuries.

Switch to FF instead when your child is at the weight limit of their current car seat or height (or the minimum requirement for the new car seat). Check the instructions for your car seat carefully.

Safety

In the event of a crash infant car seats are designed to protect your child's head and neck. The forward facing position also helps prevent your child from hitting their head against the hard back of the seat, which could result in serious injuries.

All infant seats that face forward have five-point harnesses that ensure the child's safety by simply pulling the straps. The shell of the carrier is lined in energy-absorbing foam EPS for better impact protection. Some models have a canopy to provide shade from the sun.

The best infant carseats will feature an angle indicator and an adjustable angle adjuster, which allows you to determine the ideal angle for your child's head in order to prevent them from falling over in a crash. The seat also has an upper tether strap that connects to the top of the car seat and connects onto the tether anchor in your vehicle. You should keep in mind that you may not need to change your child's seat to an forward-facing car seat until he / she reaches the maximum weight and height as stated in the manual for the seat.

It's time to change when your child weighs 20 pounds and one year old. Babies and toddlers under one year old have soft, loose neck muscles that can cause whiplash when they are in the event of a crash. In frontal collisions (the most severe and common kind) they are more likely to sustain serious neck injuries. Rear-facing car seats shield the necks of infants under one year old by cushioning their head.

If children are moving to an forward-facing car seat they should still use a convertible seat or an all-in-one that has a high rear-facing weight and height limit. The child should not be able to move into a booster until they reach the height and age requirements for a high-back or a backless booster, which is typically around age 4 or 5 years old. These crash videos will demonstrate the differences between carseats. However, keep in mind that the video has been slowed. If a child moves too fast, they may be injured.

Comfort

A forward-facing infant car seat will keep your child safe and secure in the event of an accident. The seat comes with a soft headrest and a body support cushion as well as an EPS energy-absorbing shell that helps ensure your child is safe from any collision. The seat has a five-point safety harness that can be tightened by one pull and a center-front adjuster. This will ensure your child is in the right position. A retractable sun canopy helps shield your baby from the sun. The seat can be locked to the belts of the vehicle to ensure safety. It also comes with an locking clip that keeps the buckle secure when the seat isn't in use.

If your baby complains of discomfort or seems to slump forward while sleeping It could be due to 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 test the angle of the car seat.

It is important to remember that children aren't ready to face forward until they weigh at least 20 pounds AND one year old (their necks aren't sturdy enough to withstand the force that would be applied to them by a collision should they fall forward on their own). Some experts recommend waiting even longer, since the muscles and bones of children are more flexible than those of adults.

Many parents opt to purchase convertible car seats that allows their children to 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 amount of time. It can also make it easier for them because they can easily switch their child's seat from rear-facing to forward-facing as the child grows out of it.

The Graco 4Ever Convertible Car Seat offers your child 10 years of car seat use with just one seat, from rear-facing infant (4-40 lbs) to forward-facing 5-point harness with high-back booster (30-100 lb) to a backless belt-positioning booster (40-120 lb). It is simple and easy to set up using the Smart Fit system that allows you to move the harness and headrest together, with no re-threading.

Convenience

If you are traveling with a small infant, a forward-facing infant car seat is a great choice. It lets you view your child's face while driving and allows all of your family members to get into the vehicle without disturbing your infant or toddler. This type of car seats can be used with strollers, making it easier for you to get your child in and out of the car while you are at the grocery store or doing other tasks.

Even even if your child is the age that they are able to change to a car seat that faces forward it is better to keep them in a rear-facing position as long as you can. From the point of view of crash tests, a child’s head is safer in a crash if they face backwards. This is due to the fact that when facing backwards, the entire body, including the head, neck and torso, is cradled in the car seat's rear.

You should check the instructions provided by the manufacturer on the best time to change the car seat of your child around. They will often have the weight and height limit you should not go over as well as specific rules regarding things like the crotch buckle's position. These guidelines are designed to protect your child's health as they develop.

Another thing to take into consideration is whether you have a vehicle that has tether anchors for your car seat. If so, ensure that the tether is fitted and connected to the anchor points of your vehicle according to the directions in the manual. Last but not least, ensure that the shoulder straps of your child's harness are at or just below their shoulders, but not too low or high. This will affect how they are secured during a crash.

A convertible car seat is a good choice for parents with multiple children or who plan to have more children. It is a one-stop car seat that starts by being a rear-facing infant car seat, then move your child to a forward-facing position when they are old enough and have reached the weight or height limit for the rear-facing car seat.

Style

The baby car seat was a must-have for your child and you've spent many hours deciding the best one. But as they get older and begin to outgrow their infant car seat, you may be wondering if it's time to flip them around.

While the idea of having your baby face forward may be thrilling, there are important safety considerations you should keep in mind. Children should be rear-facing until they reach the maximum height and weight limit for their particular car seat.

Be aware that children are very different in terms of size and age, therefore, you shouldn't decide on when you should switch to forward-facing on some specific date on the calendar or if they've reached their legroom limit. It might appear that a child is bigger in a rear facing newborn car seat insert seat, but this does not mean that it is safe to turn them around. Their spine and bones haven't yet fully developed.

Some infant car seat newborn car seats have an alarm that reminds you to keep your child facing rear until they're at least one year old. This is because children under one do not have strong enough neck muscles to withstand a frontal impact that could cause serious spinal injuries.

Many infant car seats aren't just secure, but also simple to use. Some of them have bases that snap into and out of the car and allow you to transport your baby from the car to a stroller, and back. They are typically part of an overall travel system.

If you are ready to switch your baby from a rear-facing convertible seat to a forward-facing one, be sure to adhere to the guidelines provided by the manufacturer and check 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 it is installed correctly. The harness straps should be placed over the shoulders of your child. If you have any questions or concerns about the fitting of your car seat inserts for newborns seat, contact a certified safety technician in your community or the car seat manufacturer.