Choosing Between an Infant and a Convertible Newborn Car Seat
A car seat for newborns, also known as an infant safety seat or baby car seat, is a way to protect infants from injury and even death in car accidents. The harness distributes the restraining force over the child's body and head, rather than the spinal cord or neck.
These seats are rear-facing or convertible and are available in a variety of sizes and weight limits. They can also be a part of a set for travel that snaps into a stroller base.
Rear-facing
Rear-facing newborn car seats offer the best protection for infants in crashes. They are designed to support and cradle children, while protecting their neck, head and spine. They also aid in reducing injuries by preventing the impact of an accident from hitting your child. This is because your child's body isn't collision-prone with the car seat or the front passenger seat, but instead the soft, cushioned surface inside their car seat.
Parents should keep their child rear-facing until they reach the maximum height or weight limit of the car seat, according to the AAP and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Around age 1, most children will outgrow the infant car seat and transition to a convertible seat that can face forward. But, many parents prefer to keep their child in a rear-facing seat until the 2nd birthday of their child.
There are two primary types of rear-facing car seat that are convertible and infant-only car seats. Both are equally secure and safe, but they each offer different conveniences. For example, infant-only seats are lighter, smaller, and have an easy release base that is able to be removed from the car and then reattached to a stroller base. Convertible car seat are larger and heavier. They also don't come with a stroller base.
Whatever seat you choose, it is important to adhere to the instructions of the manufacturer and ensure that you use the seat in the back seat of your vehicle. You can also place a blanket that is tightly rolled or washcloth between the crotch straps and your child to ensure the harness is tight. Check that the lower anchors of your car seat are correctly installed and are connected to the lower anchor points on the lower anchor bars.
Research shows that babies who sit in the rear of the car are less likely to be injured in a car accident. Car seats with rear-facing seats allow babies to experience less impact when they hit the car's front as opposed the the back, which can lead to serious injuries.
Forward-facing
Most parents have spent a lot of time into their baby car seat. It was a major item on the baby registry, and the way you brought your little one home from the hospital. You may think about changing the car seat to face forward as your child gets older. It's important to keep it in mind that your child's not ready until they reach the weight and height limits established by the manufacturer of their car seat.
Rear-facing is recommended until your baby weighs at minimum 20 pounds and reaches the age of one year. Children under one year old don't have the neck muscles required to withstand whiplash when hit in a crash. They also face greater risk of suffering from injury to the spine when involved in head-on collisions.
You can purchase convertible or all-in-one seat that allows you to keep your child rear-facing until they reach the height and weight limit for the seat. They are usually bucket-style infant seats that have an installation base that can be inserted into your vehicle. They can also be separated from the base and attached to strollers in order to form travel systems. They tend to have lower weight and height restrictions than standard car seats.
If you prefer, you can purchase a booster seat. They are typically equipped with a harness designed for smaller children and can be converted to a belt-positioning seat when your child is ready. This kind of car seat has the primary advantage that it can be used in your vehicle for all of your child's growing years, making it easier to move them from one vehicle into another.
Whatever car seat you choose make sure you read the instructions and follow the installation instructions. Consult a certified car safety technician to ensure that your child's car seat is properly installed and is used in a safe manner. It is typical for parents to make mistakes with car seats, and even the most well-intentioned parents could cause harm to their children. The best way to avoid this is to follow the car seat instructions and following the advice of a CPST.
Convertible
Many parents choose to purchase convertible infant car seats because they can grow with your baby which allows them to travel in a safe manner from infancy to toddlerhood. They are also less expensive than car seats for infants and have a long lifespan. It is important to choose a model that fits your car and is easy to install. Also, make sure to keep your baby safe by buckling them up correctly each time.
Snug straps stop the head from shifting into a dangerous chin-to-chest position which could lead to asphyxiation or strangulation. Many infant car seats come with straps that are not buckled or loose. This is a major safety concern. Unbuckled straps may cause necks to hang, which is the cause of many accidents. The crotch buckle could be a danger in the event that it is not secure enough to pass the pinch test. This test will determine whether the crotch buckle is sufficiently tight to stop the legs of a newborn from slouching in the seat, causing them to get cut or trapped.
Some convertible newborn car seat come with an adjustable torso-height that allows you to adjust the height limit based on your child's development. The minimum torso height should be the same as the height of your infant's shoulders or one inch lower. Some models include an infant insert to bring your child up to the correct height for the seat.
The ideal convertible car seat for infants should be comfortable, with soft padding and a slim base to allow you to put it in your vehicle. It should also include a snug, tight harness that can pass the pinch test as well as a short, tightly rolled blanket or towel in the event of an accident. It should also include a tether that attaches to the anchor points of your vehicle, which will reduce injuries in a crash by reducing impact force. It should also include the travel set that is a stroller and car seat that can be used to move your baby from the car to the stroller.
Safety features
When choosing the right car seats for their babies parents must consider a myriad of factors to consider. However, car seats are a must-have for new families because correctly using them reduces the risk of fatal collisions with motor vehicles by 70 percent. The choice between an infant car seat and a convertible seat is based on a few key factors such as safety features and compatibility with your vehicle, and ease of use.
Car seats for infants are created with the fragile baby's physiology in mind. The base of the seat is usually located in the car, and the seat snaps into place. This makes it simple to transfer your baby from stroller to car, and back without disturbing them. They also come with built-in harnesses and a crotch belt to keep your baby secure.
Some infant cars also come with side impact protection that is designed to disperse the force of collision away from the newborn's head and neck. Foam, metal, and plastic absorb energy and protect the baby's face from direct contact with the frame of a vehicle or any other object in an accident. Some have a special sock that extends from the door to protect the child's head.
Another safety feature that is becoming more common in infant car seats is a chest clip that keeps the harness straps straight across the chest of your baby. This stops the straps from pinching or twisting around the shoulders which can put your child at risk of injury. If you opt for a seat that has this feature, make sure the chest clip is at armpit height. best car seats for newborns should also be sure to avoid dressing your child in bulky clothing which could hinder the fit of the harness.
No matter what kind of car seat you choose ensure that it's mounted in your vehicle according to the instructions provided by the manufacturer. Look for the lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) system that consists of an attachment that clips onto the lower anchor points on a car and the tether strap, which is attached to the top of the seat and connects to an anchor on your vehicle. If your vehicle doesn't have LATCH, you can still use the seat belt to secure your car seat.