Choosing Between an Infant and a Convertible Newborn Car Seat
A car seat for newborns is also referred to a baby car seat or infant safety seat. It helps protect babies from injury and death in car accidents. They have a harness that distributes restraining forces over the child's body and head rather than the neck and spinal cord.
They are available in rear-facing and convertible versions, and come with a range of weight and height limits. They can also be part of a set for travel that can be converted into the base of a stroller.
Rear-facing
Rear-facing car seats for newborns offer unmatched protection for infants in crashes. They are designed to hold and support children, ensuring their neck, spine, and head. They also aid in reducing injuries by stopping the impact of an accident from striking your child. This is because the body of your child is not collision-prone with the car seat or front passenger seat, but instead the soft, cushioned surface inside of their car seat.
Parents should ensure that their child is facing rear until they reach the maximum height or weight limit of their car seat, according to the AAP and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Most kids will outgrow their infant car seats around age 1, at which point they are able to transition to a convertible car seat that can face forward. However, many parents want to keep their child in a rear-facing car seat until they turn 2.
There are two primary types of rear-facing car seats that are convertible and infant-only car seats. Both are equally secure, but each offers different conveniences. For instance, infant-only seats are lighter, smaller, and come with a quick release base that is able to be removed from the car and then reattached to the base of a stroller. Convertible car seats are larger and heavier, and do not come with an integrated base for strollers.
It is crucial to always use the back seat regardless of the seat type. You can also put an enveloping blanket or washcloth between the crotch harness and your child to ensure the harness is securely secured. Also, ensure that infant car seats on sale are anchored to the lower attachment points of your vehicle's lower anchor bars and that the car seat is correctly installed and buckled.
Research shows that babies who are facing the rear of the car are less likely to be injured in a car accident. Baby car seats that face rear also have less impact when they strike the front of the car, as opposed to the back of the car seat which can result in serious injuries.
Forward-facing
Most parents have spent a lot of time into their newborn car seat. It was a major item on the baby registry, and was the method you used to get your baby home from the hospital. You might think about changing the car seat to face forward when your child grows older. However, it's important be aware that children aren't quite ready for this until they reach the weight and height limits set by the manufacturer of their car seat.
Rear-facing is recommended until your baby weighs at least 20 pounds and has reached the age of one year. Children under one year old don't have the neck muscles needed to withstand whiplash from being hit in a crash. They also have an increased risk of suffering injury to the spine when involved in head-on collisions.
You can buy a convertible or an all-in-one car seat, which will allow your child to remain facing the rear until they reach the weight and height limit for the seat. These seats are usually bucket-style infant seats that have an installation base that can be inserted into your vehicle. They are also separated from the base and connected to strollers to create travel systems. They tend to have lower weight and height restrictions than a standard car seat.
You can also purchase a booster seat. These seats come with a harness and can be transformed into a booster seat that allows your child to wear a seat belt once they are ready. The main advantage of this type of car seat is that it will remain in your vehicle through the early years of life, making it easy to move your child from one place to another.
It doesn't matter which car seat you select follow the directions and adhere to them. It's also a good idea to consult a certified car safety technician to make sure that your child's seat is installed and used in a safe manner. Car seat misuse is very frequent, and even the most well-meaning parents can injure their children if they don't understand what they're doing. It is recommended to read the instructions on the car seat and follow the guidelines of a CPST.
Convertible
Many parents opt for a convertible infant car seat, as they grow with their child and allow them to safely travel through toddlerhood and into infancy. These seats are cheaper than car seats for infants and have longevity for a long time. It is essential to select one that fits your vehicle and is easy to install. Also, make sure to ensure your child's safety by securing them correctly each time.
Snug straps stop the head from shifting to the dangerous chest-to-chin position that can cause strangulation or even asphyxiation. Many infant car seats come with unbuckled or loose straps. This is a serious security issue. Unbuckled straps can lead to a neck that hangs loose, which has been the cause of many accidents. If the crotch strap has not been sufficiently tight enough to pass the pinch test, it may cause danger. This test determines whether the crotch buckle is tight enough to prevent a newborn's legs from sliding down the seat and result in them being injured or trapped.
Some convertible car seats for newborns include an adjustable torso that lets you alter the height limit according to your child's development. The minimum torso must be the same as the height of the shoulders of your infant or one inch lower. Some models come with an infant insert that will assist you in raising your child to the right height.
The most suitable convertible infant car seat should be a snug fit, comfortable padding, and a small base that lets you install it easily in your vehicle. It should also have a secure, tight harness that passes the pinch-test as well as a small and tightly-rolled blanket or towel for an emergency. It should also have an anchor tether that connects to the anchor points of your vehicle, which can reduce injuries in an accident by reducing the impact force. In addition it should include an infant travel system that includes an infant car seat that can be paired with a stroller and an attachment that allows you to carry the infant from the car to the stroller.
Safety features
Parents must consider when they're choosing the appropriate car seat for their infants. Car seats are a must-have for new families because correctly using them can reduce the risk of fatal child collisions in motor vehicles by 71 . The decision between a child's car seat and a convertible model is dependent on several factors, including safety features, compatibility of your vehicle, and ease-of-use.
Infant car seats are designed with a newborn's fragile physiology in mind. The base of the seat is usually located in the car, and the seat snaps into the position. This makes it simple to move your baby from stroller to car and back without causing any disturbance. They come with a crotch and harness built in to keep your child safe.
Some infant cars come with side-impact protection that disperses the crash force away from the infant's head and neck. They are made of metal, plastic, and foam that absorbs energy and shields the head of the infant from direct contact with the frame or other objects involved in a collision. Some include a specially designed pod on the side of the door that extends to shield the baby's head.
A chest clip is another safety feature that is becoming more prevalent in car seats for newborns. It keeps the straps of the harness flat against your baby's chest. The straps aren't strained or twisting around shoulders which can expose your child to the risk of injury. If you opt for a car seat with this feature, ensure that the chest clip is placed at the armpit level. Avoid dressing your baby in bulky clothing as it can hinder the harness.
Check that the car seat is fitted in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions regardless of the model you choose. Look for the Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children system. This system comprises connectors that clip into the lower anchor points of your car, and an tether that is attached to an anchor in the vehicle. If your car doesn't have LATCH, you can use the seat belt to secure your car seat.