Rear Facing Infant Car Seat
In the event of a crash, a rear-facing infant car seat absorbs the forces of the collision and protects your baby's head and neck. In the event of a crash, they also prevent your child's legs from hitting the front of the car seat. This can result in serious injuries or even death.
All infants and toddlers must ride rear-facing, until they reach the maximum weight or height of the car seat manufacturer. This includes convertible seats and special infant car seats.
Rear-facing infant car seats are specifically designed for babies, smaller infants.
A rear-facing infant car seat is a kind of child car seat that is only rearward-facing position. These seats are designed specifically for infants and small babies, usually up to 35 pounds. They also have a narrower base than other car seats. They are great for cars with small trunks and make it easier to store them on the back seat. Most infant car seats can be converted into strollers, making traveling with a child easier.
Infants born before 37 weeks of gestation are advised to use rear-facing infant car seats. They are more spacious and offer more comfort than standard car seats, which can be difficult for a very small baby to get into and out of. The infant car seat offers more head and cervical support than a rear-facing car seat. This can help protect babies and preemies in the event of a collision.
The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests that children remain in the rear until they reach their maximum weight and height for car seats or when they are around two years old. This is due to the fact that the spine of children can strengthen more in this position and can prevent injuries to the spine. It is also important to remember that children and infants are more likely to sustain severe injuries when facing forward.
In the case of a crash the rear-facing infant seat absorbs the majority of the impact's force, protecting the baby's neck, head and spine. When the child is in a forward-facing seat their heads, which are large, can be thrown against the console or dashboard of the vehicle and cause serious injuries.
Many parents believe that their child is ready to transition to a booster seat or forward-facing car seat by the age of two. This is a huge error. It is safer for kids to stay rear facing in their car seats until they reach three or four years old, according to recent studies published in BMJ Injury Prevention. The longer a child remains rear-facing, the more cervical vertebrae will grow and become ossified.
Installation and removal is easy.
The majority of rear facing infant car seats have a snap-on base which is installed in your vehicle and is easily removed when no longer needed. This is a useful feature and lets parents secure the child in their car seat without leaving the car, especially during bad weather or the night when it's more difficult. It also makes it simple to switch between cars and give grandparents and other caregivers access to the child's seat.
If your child has outgrown their infant car seat, in terms of height or weight it's time to upgrade to a booster or convertible. But, it's important to keep in mind that children are safer when they're in a rear-facing car seat for as long as possible. best infant car seat suggest that children remain rear-facing in their car seats until their second birthday, or the maximum weight and height limit that is set by the manufacturer of the car seat.
In a frontal collision, a child riding rear-facing in a car seat absorbs majority of the forces in a crash by absorbing them around their head, neck, and the spine. When a child rides forward-facing, their head is moved forward by the force of the crash. This could stretch their spinal cord and cause serious injury or even death.
If you're concerned about your child's comfort while rear-facing, try to keep them warm with blankets and avoid placing a loose one behind or underneath them. Be sure to not dress them in bulky clothing because this can compromise the tightness and fit of the harness. Lastly, make sure that the chest clip is flat against their shoulder and the harness straps are snug with no slack.
Many child safety experts claim that rear-facing car seats safeguard children five times better in the event of a crash when they are riding for longer. In a crash head-on, children's heads that are significantly larger than their bodies – are able to be thrown off with force that is not absorption by their necks and their torsos. Rear-facing seats provide cushioning for the head of the child and shield them from serious injuries.
They protect your child's neck and head.
In the event of an accident, the neck and spinal cord of a child sitting in a rear-facing car seat are secured by the back of the seat. In a frontal accident (the most frequent) infants in forward-facing car seats are thrown against the dashboard. This can cause neck injuries, or even death. Infants in rear-facing seats are cradled by the back of their car seats and their heads are cushioned and supported by the headrest.
Infants also have an easier breathing process when placed in a rear-facing seat since their chins are raised against their chest. When kids are in forward-facing car seats their chins are often downwards, which can block their airways and make it difficult for them to breathe. In fact, kids who sleep in a car seat that is forward-facing are 75% more likely be injured in the head than those who doze in a rear-facing car seat.
The brain and spine of a newborn are still developing. This makes them more vulnerable to accidents. In a forward-facing crash the head of a child could hit the dashboard or buckle of the seat belt. this could cause a stretch in their spinal cord and cause serious injury or death. This is why it's important to ensure your child is in the rear-facing car seat for as long as possible, until they reach the height and weight limit of the car seat they're in.
Some infant car seats have an insert designed to support a baby's head. It can be removed when the child is no longer using it. Additionally, many car seats come with load leg or anti-rebound bar features that can help absorb the impact of the crash. This is important because it minimizes the impact to your child, and could stop them from being thrown from their seat.
NHTSA recommends that you keep your child in the rear-facing infant seat until he or she reaches the weight and height limit of their car seat. After that, they can move to an all-in-one or convertible car seat. These seats can be used with rear-facing and then changed to forward-facing when they grow.
They are easy to clean.
All car seats, whether they are convertibles or all-in one car seats, can be removed easily and quickly. They are often able to be plugged directly into travel systems and strollers for errands on the go. They are also easy to clean. Many come with machine-washable covers as well as parts that are removable and can be cleaned in the washer and dried. This is particularly important since children can be messy!
The rear facing position cradles a child's head and neck in the event of a collision crucial for infants and toddlers. Their heads contain a lot of cartilage and their spinal cords are more flexible than those of adults. In the event of a collision their head can be able to snap backwards and stretch their spinal cords, result in severe injuries. This is one reason why many auto safety experts recommend keeping kids rear-facing for as long as they can.
It may be tempting to switch your child's front-facing seat into a booster when they are ready, but every switch lowers their protection in the event of a crash. In a frontal collision, the child's head could be turned to the side and could possibly impact the dashboard or plastic shell. This increases the risk of injuries. Idealy, children should ride backwards until they reach the weight limit of their rear-facing seat or height limit, or until two years old.
If you're unsure whether your child is transitioning from an rear-facing seat, consult a CPST certified local to your area for assistance. They can assist you in determining the best age at which your child can turn around, and also ensure they're riding correctly and safely in their car seat.
Many parents believe that they have outgrown their car seat for infants once they have reached the maximum rear-facing height or weight limit. But there are a variety of things to take into consideration in addition to the size of your car and your child's unique body shape. A lot of infant car seats have built-in recline indicators that show you when your child's head is not reaching beyond the top of their seat. Make sure to check the instructions on your car seat and vehicle owner's manual for more information on safe recline.