Why You Should Consider a Forward Facing Infant Car Seat
Children younger than one year old are NOT supposed to ride in a forward-facing. In the event of a crash, their neck muscles may weaken and stretch and cause serious injuries.
Instead, switch to FF when your child is at the height or weight maximums of their current seat (or the minimums for a new seat). Please read your car seat instructions.
Safety
In the case of a collision, infant car seats are designed to protect your child's neck and head. The forward-facing position can also prevent your child from hitting their head on the hard back of the car seat, which could cause serious injuries.
All infant car seats with a forward-facing view come with five-point harnesses that ensure the child's safety with just one pull, tightening the strap. the shell of the car is lined with EPS energy-absorbing foam to provide improved protection against impact. Some models also come with a canopy to provide shade from the sun.
The most effective infant car seats include an adjustable angle adjuster and an angle indicator. This lets you choose the ideal angle for your child's neck in order to prevent it from flopping over in collisions. The car seat also comes with an upper tether strap that comes from the top of the car seat and connects to the tether anchor within your vehicle. You should keep in mind that you may not need to change your child's seat to a forward facing car seat until he or she reaches the maximum weight and height specified in the instruction manual for the seat.
When your child is 20 lbs and one year, it's time to switch. Infants and toddlers younger that one year old have loose, soft muscles in their necks that could cause whiplash when they are involved in an accident. In frontal collisions (the most severe and frequent kind), they are more likely to suffer serious neck injuries. When children younger than 1 year are rear-facing their heads are cushioned by the car seat, and protected from sudden movements that can cause neck strain.
When children transition to a forward-facing car seat, they should still use a convertible or all-in-one seat that has a strong rear-facing weight and height limit. They shouldn't be moved to a booster seat until they reach the high back or backless booster seat age and height requirements which is usually at around the age of 4 or 5. You can notice the differences in these car seats when you look at these crash videos, but remember that the footage is slow-motion. A child could be injured when they move too fast.
Comfort
A forward-facing infant car seat will keep your child safe and secure in the event of an accident. The seat comes with a soft headrest and a body support cushion as well as an EPS energy-absorbing shell that helps shield your child from the collision. www.pushchairsandprams.uk comes with a five-point harness with easy one-pull tightening and a movable front center adjuster to ensure your child is properly positioned. A retractable sun canopy helps shield your baby from the sun. To ensure safety the seat is designed to be locked with the vehicle's seat belt and includes an locking clip that keeps the buckle securely fastened when not in use.
If your child complains of discomfort during a journey or appears to slouch forward when they sleep, the seat's angle could be too low for them. You can remedy this by placing tightly rolled towels under the front of the car seat to lift it higher. If this still doesn't help you can take your child to Rockridge Kids to have us assess the angle of their carseat.
Remember that children should not face forward until they weigh at least 20 pounds and are one year old. Their necks are still not strong enough to stand up to the force of a crash in the event that they fall to their front on their own. Some experts suggest taking longer to wait since the bones and muscles of young children are more malleable.
Many parents opt to purchase convertible car seats that lets their infants move rearwards until they reach maximum weight or height limits. This lets parents benefit from the advantages of a rear-facing seat for a longer period of time. It is also easier for them as they can easily switch their child's position from forward-facing to rear-facing as the child grows out of it.
The Graco 4Ever 4-in-1 Convertible Car Seat provides your child 10 years of car seat usage with only one seat, from rear-facing infant (4-40 lbs) to forward-facing 5-point harness and high-back booster (30-100 lb) to backless belt-positioning booster (40-120 lb). The Smart Fit system makes it easy to set up. You can move the headrest and harness together without re-threading.
Convenience
A forward-facing infant car seat is an excellent option for traveling with a child who is young. It allows you to see your child while driving and allows everyone else in the family to ride in the car without disturbing your infant or toddler. The car seat can be used with strollers which makes it easier for you to get your child into and out of the car while you are at the grocery shop or running chores.
But, even the time your child is old enough to move to a forward-facing car seat it's better to keep them rear-facing for as long as is possible. From the point of view of crash tests, a child's head is more secure in a crash when they face backwards. This is due to the fact that the entire body -- including the head, neck, and torso is supported by the back of the car seat when they're facing in this direction.
You'll want to check the manufacturer's instructions for the best time to change your child's car seat around. There will be a maximum weight and height limit you shouldn't exceed as well as specific rules for things like crotch buckle position. These limits are intended to ensure the safety of your child as they grow.
It is also important to consider whether your vehicle has anchors for tethers. If yes, ensure that the tether is correctly installed and tied to your vehicle's anchor points according to the directions in the manual. Also, make sure that the shoulder straps of your child's harness are on or just below their shoulders, and are not too high or low. This can affect how they're secured in the event of a crash.
A convertible car seat is a smart option for parents with multiple children or who plan to have more children. It is a one-stop car seat that can start by being a rear-facing infant car seat and then transition your child to a forward-facing seat once they are old enough and have reached the height or weight limit for the rear-facing position in the car seat.
Style
The baby car seat was a must for your little one and you've spent a lot of time choosing the right one. As your child gets older and outgrows their infant car seat, you might wonder if it's time to turn the seat around.
While the idea of having your child face forward is thrilling, there are a few important safety considerations to keep in mind. Children should remain rear-facing until they reach the weight limit of their car seat and height limits.
Keep in mind that children vary in terms of size and age. It isn't a good idea to base your decision solely on a particular date on the calendar or if you think that they have reached their maximum legroom. A child might appear larger in a rear-facing car seat, but that doesn't mean that it's safe for turning them around, since their bones and spine haven't fully developed.
Some infant car seats have an alarm that reminds that your child to remain rear-facing until they're at least one year old. This is due to the fact that children under one don't have enough neck muscles to withstand a frontal impact which could result in serious spinal injuries.
In addition to being safe, many infant car seats are equipped with convenient features that make them simple to use. Some of these include bases that snap into and out of the car and allow you to transport your baby from the car to a stroller, and back. They are typically part of a travel system.
If you're about to transition your child to forward-facing convertible car seats make sure you do so correctly by following all the instructions of the manufacturer and then examining the car seat for tightness. The car seat shouldn't move more than one inch from side to side, or from front to back, when installed correctly. The harness straps must also be at or above the shoulders of your child. If you have any questions or concerns ask a certified car seat safety technician in your region or contact the car seat manufacturer.