The 10 Most Infuriating Newborn Car Seat FAILS Of All Time Could Have Been Prevented
Choosing Between an Infant and a Convertible Newborn Car Seat
A newborn car seat is also referred to a baby car seat or infant safety seat. It helps protect babies from injury and death in car accidents. The harness distributes the restraining force to the body and head of the child, rather than the spinal cord or neck.
They can be rear-facing or convertible and come in a variety of height and weight limits. They are also a part of a set for travel that snaps into the base of a stroller.
Rear-facing
Rear-facing newborn child car seats provide unmatched protection in crashes for infants. They are designed to hold and support children, while protecting their spine, neck and head. In addition, they help to reduce the impact of a crash from hitting your child's body and minimizing injuries. This is because your child's body is not hitting the car seat or the front seat, but instead the soft, cushioned surface inside their car seat.
According to the AAP, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, parents should keep their child rear facing until they reach the weight limit of their car seat or height limit. Around the age of one, most children will outgrow their infant car seat and move on to a convertible seat that can be oriented forward. Many parents will put their child in the rear seat until they turn two.
There are two primary types: infant-only car seats and convertible car seats. Both are equally secure, but offer different conveniences. For example, infant-only seats are smaller, lighter and have an easy release base that is able to be removed from the car, and then reattached to the base of a stroller. Convertible car seats are bigger and heavier, but they do not come with a built-in stroller base.
It is crucial that you always use the back seat regardless of the type of seat. car seat for newborn is also recommended to put tightly rolled washcloths or blankets between the crotch straps and your child to ensure that there is no gap in the harness. Also, ensure that the lower anchors are connected to the lower attachment points of your vehicle's lower anchor bars and that the car seat is correctly fitted and buckled.
Research suggests that babies who are facing the rear of the car are less likely to get injured in a car accident. Rear-facing car seats allow babies to experience less impact when they strike the front of the car, instead of the rear, which can lead to serious injuries.
Forward-facing
Most parents have given plenty of consideration to their newborn car seat. It was a key item on your baby's registry and the way you brought your baby home from the hospital. Now as your child gets older, you may be considering turning the car seat forward-facing. It's important to keep in mind that your child isn't ready until they reach the weight and height limits established by their car seat manufacturer.
Rear-facing is recommended until your baby weighs at least 20 pounds and has reached the age of one year. This is because kids under one year old don't have neck muscles that can withstand the whiplash caused by being forced forward in an accident. They also face a higher risk of injury to the spine when involved in head-on collisions.
You can purchase a convertible car seat or an all-in-one seat that will allow you to keep the child rear-facing up until the child is at the weight and height limit of the seat. These are usually bucket-style infant car seats that connect to a base for placement in your vehicle. The base can be removed and attached to strollers as a system for travel. They typically have lower weight and height restrictions than standard car seats.
You can also purchase a booster seat. These seats are fitted with a harness and can be transformed into a booster which allows your child to wear a seat belt when they are ready. The primary benefit of this type of car seat is that it can remain in your vehicle throughout the child's life which makes it simple to move your child from one place to another.
It doesn't matter which car seat you select, read the instructions and adhere to them. Consult a certified car safety technician to ensure that your child's car seat is properly installed and used correctly. It is typical for parents to make mistakes with car seats, and even the most well-intentioned parents could cause harm to their children. It is best to study the instructions on the car seat and follow the guidelines of a CPST.
Convertible
Many parents choose convertible infant car seat because they can grow with their child and allow them to safely travel through infancy and toddlerhood. They are also less expensive than car seats for infants and have longevity for a long time. It is important to choose a model that fits your car and is easy to install. Also, make sure you secure your baby in the correct way each time.
Snug straps keep the head from slipping into a dangerous chin-to-chest position which could lead to asphyxiation or strangulation. Many infant car seats have unbuckled or loose straps. This is a serious safety issue. Straps that are not buckled can cause a neck to hang and cause of many accidents. If the crotch strap is not enough tight to pass a pinch test, it can pose a danger. This test determines whether the crotch buckle is close enough to prevent a baby's legs from sliding around in the seat and result in them being injured or trapped.
Some convertible newborn car seats come with an adjustable torso height that lets you alter the height limit to suit your child's growth. The minimum torso must be equal to the height of the shoulders of your infant or one inch lower. Some models come with an infant insert to raise your child to the proper height for the seat.
The best convertible newborn car seat should have a snug fit, comfortable padding and a small base that lets you put it in your car. It should also have a snug, tight harness that passes the pinch test and a small tight-rolled blanket or towel for an emergency. It should also include an attachment tether to the anchor points of your vehicle, which will minimize injuries from a crash by reducing impact force. It should also come with an infant travel set, which is a stroller and car seat that can be used to transfer your child from the car to the stroller.
Safety features
When choosing the right car seats for their babies parents face a variety of things to take into consideration. Car seats are an essential purchase for new families because correctly using them can reduce the risk of fatal child collisions with motor vehicles by 70 percent. The decision between an infant car seat and a convertible car seat is based on a few key factors such as safety features, compatibility with your vehicle and user-friendliness.
Car seats for infants are designed with the fragile physiology of a newborn in mind. The seat's base is typically in the car and the infant carrier snaps into place. This makes it easy to move your baby from stroller to car, and back without causing any disturbance. They come with a crotch as well as a harness built in to keep your child secure.
Some infant cars are also equipped with side impact protection, which distributes crash force away from the baby's head and neck. They are made of metal, plastic, and foam that absorbs energy and protects the head of the infant from direct contact with the frame of the vehicle or other objects involved in a collision. Some come with a special pod that extends beyond the door to protect the head of the child.
A chest clip is a different safety feature that is becoming more popular in car seats for newborns. It keeps the straps of the harness flat against the chest of your baby. This prevents the straps from slipping or twisting around the shoulders, which could put your baby at greater risk of injury. If you decide to purchase a car seat that has this feature, ensure that the chest clip is set at armpit height. Do not dress your baby in bulky clothing as it can hinder the harness.
Check that the car seat is installed according to the instructions of the manufacturer regardless of the model you select. Look for the Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children system. This system consists of a connector which clips into the lower anchor points of your car and a tether that hooks onto an anchor in the vehicle. If your vehicle isn't equipped with LATCH, you can use a seat belt to secure the car seat.