Keep Your Child in an Infant Car Seat Rear Facing
Keep your child in a car seat for infants rear-facing is the best option. Children should only be switched to a forward-facing car seat once they reach the height and weight limits of their current seat.
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Safety Benefits
The use of a car seat for infants rear facing is the safest option for newborns and babies due to the way it supports and cradles their neck and head. "Since their spines aren't fully been ossified, it's crucial to keep the impact of a collision off their heads and necks," explains Purva Grover, MD, director of Cleveland Clinic Children's Pediatric Emergency Departments. In a frontal collision, the baby's head is likely to hit the seat in front of them. This can result in a whiplash that can be severe or even fatal. In a rear-facing car seat, the impact is absorbed by the seat and then dissipated in the back of the vehicle. Adele says, "It feels like a hug." The child's legs can also be secured in the car seat to keep them from being thrown into the back of front seat or any other vehicle surface. "This stops them from crashing into their own body, which can cause internal injuries," she explains.
Many parents are against ERF because they fear that their child will become bored or uncomfortable. My son Lukas has never been bored or uncomfortable. In fact Lukas prefers to ride rear-facing since the recline feature lets him sit on his legs and read an article or watch TV.
If you have a child who is reluctant to be rear-facing due to their length of legs or other reasons, convince them that this is the most secure option. Explain that they can stay in their convertible or all-in-one seats in the event that they do not exceed the height or weight limits set by the manufacturer of the seat.
Also, be certain to strap your child into the rear-facing car seat securely with the vehicle's lower anchor system or seat belt. Don't allow them to wear bulky clothes such as winter coats, as these could be swollen in the event of a crash and cause the harness straps to loosen and put your child at risk of injury. Always make use of the Pinch Test to ensure a tight fit.
infant car seats on sale prefer to keep infant car seats facing rear as long as they can, because they are more user-friendly and more mobile than convertible seats. If you decide to keep your child rear-facing, they may require being placed in a crib or bassinet during nap time or at bedtime. This may require waking up the baby who was sleeping which isn't ideal. However, the safety advantages of rear facing are greater than any inconvenience.
The headrest is lower for preemies and newborns than for full-term infants. This reduces the impact force and also ensures that the harness's chest clip is placed below their shoulders rather than at their necks. This is important for premature infants, with bones that aren't strong enough and are not fully ossedified following birth or pregnancy.
In addition the rear-facing position offers a much better view of your baby than the forward-facing position. This allows you to monitor their behavior and make sure they are happy and comfortable. The majority of infant car seats come with built-in baby mirrors that can be adjusted to view your child from nearly any angle.
You can utilize a convertible car seat or an all-in-one car seat to keep your child facing the rear until they reach the maximum weight or height limit. Some rear-facing car seats have limits that are higher than rear-only car seats that allow them to be used for a longer period of time.
Convertible car seats or all-in-one seats are known for being flexible. They can be used forward-facing, rear-facing or as a belt-positioning booster. They are also simpler to set up and take down due to their large base at the back of your vehicle. They're more expensive than single-use infant car seats, however they last longer than an infant seat and can save you money in the long run.
The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests that children remain rear-facing until they reach the maximum weight and height limits established by the manufacturer of their car seat or at least 2 years old. older. Many children are outgrowing their rear-facing infant seat before age two, but don't be tempted to change them earlier. It's better to wait.
Weight Limits
All infant car seats have weight and height limits that you have to be aware of. The majority have a maximum weight of 30 to 35 pounds, and an upper height limit of around 30 inches or so, depending on the model. Once your child reaches the limit, you can move to the next level of security. You can either choose a convertible seat that allows your child to sit either forward or rear-facing or an all-in one car seat.
There are other factors apart from the weight and height limit which can help you determine if your child is ready to make the next step in a car seat. One of these is their comfort level when riding backwards. You can observe these signs in your child's behavior and compare it to other children similar to yours in their car seats. You can also seek assistance from certified child passenger safety specialists at a car-seat inspection station, which is usually run by local government or community organizations.
Keep your infant rear-facing for as long as you can is the best option for them, and it's easy to see why so many parents are hesitant to move their children around until they're mature. However, you can avoid this temptation by ensuring your child's seat is properly installed and that you don't rush to switch them to a forward-facing seat too quickly, even if they're close to the weight or height limits of the car seat they're currently in.
If you have questions about whether your child is ready for the next stage of car seat or you're worried you might not have installed their current car seat in a correct manner Contact an accredited child safety technician. These experts are available through community organizations, hospitals and local government offices and child safety programs. You can find one near you by searching online or calling your local health department or public safety agency. There are also mobile car seat check-in events that will visit your workplace or home to make sure you have the right equipment and are making use of it properly.

Installation
Installing a car seat correctly is vital to ensure its safety. The NHTSA has found that more than half of car seats are installed incorrectly. This includes rear-facing seats. The best way to make sure that your child's car seat is installed correctly is to study the manual and have it professionally checked by a certified car safety technician.
The first step in installing a rear-facing infant car seat is to test the angle. You can verify the angle of the base on the side or in the user manual to ensure it is safe for your child's weight.
You should also be sure that your baby's head is at the right angle when in the seat. The forward-facing position could cause pressure on the spine and neck of infants with their large heads and soft necks. In a rear-facing crash the back of the car seat absorbs the majority of the collision force, which shields the baby's delicate neck and spinal cord.
When your child is at the limit of weight or height of the infant car seat, it's time to change to a convertible seat or all-in one car seat. These can be used in a rear-facing configuration until the front-facing limit. If you decide to change to a convertible or all-in-one car seat, be sure that the new model has a higher rearward facing limit. Older models have lower limits.
If you select an infant car seat that can be removed from the car, and then re-attached to strollers, this is a great option for parents who wish to transport their infants in and out of the car frequently. The only downside to this is that it can be time-consuming and difficult to maneuver the car seat and stroller in and out of your car every time, especially for infants. This is a great option for a lot of families who are willing to take the time to do it right every time. Make a plan and pick the day when you have plenty of spare time.