Why You Should Consider a Forward Facing Infant Car Seat
Children younger than one year are NOT supposed to ride forward-facing. In a crash their neck muscles that are weak could stretch and cause serious injuries.
Switch to FF instead of FF once your child reaches the weight limit of their current car seat or height (or the minimum for a new car seat). Please review your instructions for your car seat.
Safety
Car seats for infants are designed to safeguard the head and neck of your child in the event of an accident. The forward facing position can assist in preventing your child from hitting their head on the back of the car seat which could result in serious injuries.
All infant car seats that face forward come with five-point harnesses that secure the child with one pull tightening, and the shell of the car is lined with EPS energy-absorbing foam that provides better impact protection. Some also have a canopy to provide shade from the sun.
The most effective infant car seats include an adjustable angle adjuster and an angle indicator. This allows you to choose the ideal angle for your child’s neck to avoid it falling over in an accident. The top tether strap is attached to the vehicle’s tether anchor and comes from the top. You should keep in mind that you might not have to switch your child to a forward-facing car seat until he / she reaches the maximum weight and height as stated in the manual for the seat.
When your child reaches 20 lbs and a year old, it’s time to make the switch. Infants and toddlers younger that one year old have loose, soft muscles in their necks that could cause whiplash if involved in an accident. In frontal collisions (the most severe and common type), they are more likely to suffer serious neck injuries. When children younger than 1 year are riding rear-facing their head is protected by the car seat and protected from sudden movements that could strain their necks.
If children are moving to a forward-facing car seat they should use a convertible seat or an all-in-one with a high rear-facing weight and height limit. The child should not be moved into the booster seat until they have reached the height and age requirements for a high-back booster, which is typically around age 4 or 5 years old. It is evident the difference in these carseats when you watch these crash videos but keep in mind that the footage is slow-motion. Children can be injured when they move too fast.
Comfort
A forward facing infant car seat allows your child to ride in comfort and remain safe during the event of a crash. The seat comes with a comfortable headrest, a body support cushion, and an EPS energy-absorbing foam shell to protect your child from a collision. The seat comes with a five-point safety harness which can be adjusted with only one pull, and a center front adjuster. This will ensure your child is properly positioned. A retractable canopy protects your child from sun. The seat can be locked to the seat belt of your vehicle to ensure security. It also includes an locking clip that keeps the buckle secure even when the seat isn’t in use.
If your infant complains of discomfort while traveling or seems to lean forward during sleep, the seat’s angle might be too low for the child. This can be fixed by placing a towel that is tightly folded on the front of your car seat. If this does not work, take your baby to Rockridge Kids and we will test the angle of the car seat.
It is important to remember that children aren’t ready to stand up and face forward until they weigh at minimum 20 pounds and one year old (their necks aren’t strong enough to withstand a force that would be applied to them in a crash in the event of falling forward on their own). Some experts suggest taking longer to wait since the muscles and bones of young children are more malleable.
Many parents opt to purchase convertible car seats that allows their children to move rearwards until they reach their maximum weight or height limits. This lets parents benefit from the advantages of a rear-facing seat for a longer period of time. It can also make it easier for them as they can easily change their child’s position from rear-facing to forward-facing as the child grows out of it.
The Graco 4Ever Convertible Car seat is a convertible 4-in-1 car seat that lets your child use the seat for 10 years. It can be converted from rear-facing infant (up to 40lbs) to forward-facing harness and high-back seat (30-100 lb) and then to a belt-positioning backless seat (40-120 lbs). It is simple and easy to install using the Smart Fit system that allows you to move the harness and headrest together, with no re-threading.
Convenience
When traveling with a young baby, a forward-facing car seat can be a great choice. It allows you to see your child’s face 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 making it easier for you to get your child into and out of the car while you are at the grocery store or running other errands.
Even if your child has reached the age where they can change their car seat to one that is facing forward, it is safer to keep them in a rear-facing seat for as long as you are able to. When you look at it from the standpoint of crash test results, a child’s head is more secure in a frontal collision when they are facing backwards. This is because the entire body — including the head as well as neck and torso is supported by the back of the car seat when they’re facing in this direction.
Read the instruction manual of the manufacturer to determine how you can rotate the seat of your child. They usually have the weight and height limit you should not go over and also specific rules for things like crotch buckle position. These rules are designed to protect your child as they develop.
You should also think about whether your vehicle is equipped with tether anchors. If yes, you must make sure the strap is properly fitted and secured to the vehicle’s anchor points as per the instructions in the seat’s manual. Also, ensure that the shoulder straps of your child’s harness are on or just below their shoulders, but not too high or low. This will affect how they are restrained during a crash.
A convertible car seat is a good option for parents who have multiple children or who plan to have more. It’s a convertible car seat that can be used as a rear-facing infant car seat, and then changed to a forward-facing seat once your child has reached the weight or height limits of the rear-facing position.
Style
You’ve put in a lot of time and effort deciding on the best car seat newborn baby car seat for your child. As your child grows and outgrows their infant car seat you might wonder if it’s time to turn the seat around.
While the idea of facing your child forward is exciting, there are several important safety considerations to keep in mind. Kids should remain rear facing until they reach the maximum height and weight limit for their specific car seat.
Be aware that children are different in size and age, therefore you shouldn’t base the decision to change to a forward-facing car seat on a specific date on the calendar or if they’ve reached their maximum legroom. A child might appear larger in a rear-facing car seat but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s safe to turn them around, as their bones and spine haven’t fully developed yet.
Some infant car seats come with an alarm built-in to remind you to keep your child rear-facing until they’re one year old. This is because children under one year old do not have the strength of their neck muscles to withstand the force of a frontal collision which can cause serious spinal injuries.
Many infant car seats are not only secure, but also simple to use. These include bases that stay connected to the car and snap out and in to let you carry your child from stroller to car or back and are often paired with a frame stroller as part of a travel system.
If you’re ready to move your baby into forward-facing convertible car seats, be sure to do so correctly by following the manufacturer’s guidelines and then examining the car seat inserts for newborns seat for tightness. If it’s installed correctly the car seat should not move more than 1 inch side to side or front to back and the harness straps should be at or above the shoulders of your child. If you have any questions or concerns about the installation of your Kinderkraft Car Seat Comfort UP: Booster with Adjustable Headrest (www.pushchairsandprams.Uk) seat, call a certified safety technician in your community or the manufacturer of the car seat.