How Infant Car Seat Rear Facing Changed My Life For The Better

Keep Your Child in an Infant Car Seat Rear Facing Keeping your child in an infant car seat facing rearwards is the most secure option. Children should only be moved to the car seat facing forward when they reach the limit of their weight and height in their current seat. Remember that body paragraphs are arranged like the hamburger. The introduction and conclusion sentences are the top and bottom buns. The bulk of the essay are the body paragraphs that support it. Safety Benefits Rear-facing infant car seats are the most secure option for newborns and young babies. This is because they are able to support and cradle their neck and head. Purva Grover MD director of the Cleveland Clinic Children's Pediatric Emergency Departments, explains that as their spines aren't fully ossed, it is crucial to keep the force from a crash away from their necks and head. In a frontal crash a baby's head would strike the seat in front of them, causing whiplash effects that can be severe or fatal. In the rear-facing car seat the impact is absorbed by the seat and then dissipated by the back of the vehicle. Adele says, “It feels like a hug.” Additionally, the child's legs are tucked into their car seat, which prevents them from being thrown against the back of the front seat or other vehicle surfaces. “This helps to prevent collisions with the inside of their bodies, causing internal injuries,” she explains. Many parents are against ERF because they fear their child will be bored or uncomfortable. My son Lukas has never been bored or uncomfortable. In fact Lukas prefers riding rear-facing because the seat's recline feature lets him stretch his legs while reading an article or watch TV. If you do have a child that is resistant to being in a rear-facing car seat because of leg length or any other reason Try to convince them that it's the best method of travel for them. Explain that they can remain in their convertible or all-in one car seats as long as they don't exceed the height or weight limits set by the seat manufacturer. Be sure to secure your child in a rear-facing car seat by using the lower anchor system of the vehicle or a seat belt. Don't let them wear bulky clothing, such as winter coats, since they could be swollen in the event of a crash and cause the straps of the harness to become loose, putting your child at risk for injury. Make sure to use the Pinch Test when fitting your child's harness. Convenience Many parents prefer keeping their infant car seats rear-facing for as long as they can because they are simple to use and are more portable than convertible car seats. If you decide to keep your child rear-facing, they may have to be placed in a bassinet or crib for nap or bedtime. This could mean waking the child who is sleeping which isn't ideal. However, the safety advantages of rear facing far outweigh any inconvenience. Preemies and newborn babies are smaller than full-term infants which means that the headrest of their car seat is lower. This reduces the impact force and also ensures that the harness' chest clip is at or below their shoulders rather than at their necks. This is important for premature infants, whose bones are still weak and have not ossified after birth or pregnancy. Additionally the rear-facing position offers a much better view of your child than facing forward. This allows you to easily check their behavior and ensure they are content and happy. The majority of infant car seats come with built-in mirrors that can be adjusted to ensure that you can view your child from any angle. www.pushchairsandprams.uk can choose a convertible car seat or an all-in one seat to keep your child facing the rear until they reach the recommended weight or height limit. Some have rear-facing limits that are higher than rear-only seats that allow them to be used for longer. All-in-one or convertible car seats are well-known for their flexibility. They can be used forward-facing or rear-facing positions or as belt positioning boosters. They are also easier to install and remove due to their large base that is located at the rear of your vehicle. They're more expensive than single-use infant car seats, but they last much longer than an infant seat and will 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 set by the car seat manufacturer or at least 2 years old. old. It's common for children to outgrow their rear-facing infant car seat before they turn two years old. However, it's better to hold off until they reach the age of two. Weight Limits All baby car seats have weight and height limits that you have to keep in mind. Most have a maximum weight of 30 to 35 pounds and an upper height limit of about 30 inches or so, depending on the model. When your child has reached the limit, you can proceed to the next level of safety. You can either choose a convertible seat that allows your child to sit rear-facing or forward-facing or an all-in one car seat. There are other factors apart from the weight and height limits, which can help you determine if your child is ready to go up a level in a car seat. One of these is their level of comfort when riding in a rear-facing. You can check for these indicators by observing your kiddo's behavior and comparing them to other children their age in their carseats. You can also seek help from certified child passenger safety specialists at a car-seat inspection station, which is usually operated by local government or community organizations. It's best to keep your infant facing rear for as long as you can. This is the reason why many parents wait until their children are completely mature before allowing them to turn around. You can ward off this temptation if you make sure that your child's car seats is properly installed and don't switch to a front-facing seat before they are ready, even if their weight or height is within the limits of their current seat. Contact a certified child passenger technician if there are any concerns regarding your child's ability to be ready for the next phase of car seats or if you are concerned that you may not installing the car seat correctly. They are available through community groups, local government offices, and child safety programs. You can locate one near you by searching online or calling your local health department or public safety agency. Mobile car seat check events can be held at your home or office to make sure you have the correct equipment and are using it correctly. Installation A car seat has to be installed correctly in order to be efficient. The NHTSA reports, sadly, that more than half of car seats are set up incorrectly. This includes rear-facing seats. The best way to make sure that your child's car seat is properly installed is to read the manual and have it professionally verified by a certified vehicle safety technician. Verifying the angle is the first step to installing an infant car seat that faces rearwards. Make sure that the car seat base is at a safe angle to support the weight of your child that is visible on the the side of the base or in its user manual. You should also be sure that your baby's head is at the right angle when in the seat. Babies have large heads and soft necks and the forward-facing position could put pressure on their neck and spine in the event of a collision. In a rearward-facing collision, a car seat's back absorbs the majority of the collision force. This protects the baby’s neck and the spinal cord. When your baby is at the weight or height limit of their infant car seat, it is time to move to a convertible or all-in-1 car seat that can be used in a rear-facing position until your child has reached their front-facing limit. If you decide to change to a convertible or an all-in-one car seat, make 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 detached from the car, and then re-attached to the stroller, it is a great option for parents who want to transport their infants in and out of the car regularly. The only drawback is that it can be tricky and time consuming to maneuver the stroller and car seat into and out of your car every time, especially for a newborn. This can be a good option for a lot of families, when they are willing to invest the time to do it right every time. Make a plan and pick a day that you have plenty of time.