10 Infant Car Seat Rear Facing Techniques All Experts Recommend

Keep Your Child in an Infant Car Seat Rear Facing The most secure method to ensure your child remains in an infant car seat that faces rearwards is to keep them there. Children should only be able to switch to a forward-facing car seat once they outgrow the weight and height limitations of their current car seat. Remember that the body paragraph is organized like a hamburger; the introduction and concluding sentences are similar to the top and bottom buns. The body paragraphs that follow are the main part of your essay. Safety Benefits Utilizing a car seat for infants rear facing is the most secure option for infants and newborns because of the way it supports and cradles their head and neck. Purva Grover MD director of Cleveland Clinic Children's Pediatric Emergency Departments, explains that since their spines aren't yet ossified, it's crucial to keep the force from an accident away from their heads and necks. In a frontal crash, the baby's head will strike the seat in front of them. This can cause a whiplash that is extremely painful or even fatal. However, with the rear-facing car seat the impact is taken up by the seat and then dissipated through the rear of the vehicle. Adele says, “It feels like a hug.” In addition, the child's legs are secured into their car seat, which prevents them from being thrown against the rear of the seat or any other surface of the vehicle. “This prevents a collision with the inside of their own bodies, which can cause internal injuries,” she explains. Many parents are against ERF because they fear their child is bored or uncomfortable. My son Lukas has never been bored or uncomfortable. In lightweight baby car seat prefers riding rear-facing since the recline feature allows him to sit on his legs and read a book or watch TV. If you do have a child that is hesitant to sit in a rear-facing seat because of leg length or other factors Try to convince them that it's the best option for them to travel. Explain that your child can remain in the convertible or all-in-one car seat as long as the weight or height limit is not exceeded. Be sure to secure your child in a rear-facing car seat with the lower anchor system of the vehicle or a seat belt. Don't let them wear bulky clothing, such as winter coats, as these can compress in the event of a crash and cause the harness straps to loosen and put your child at risk of injury. Always perform the Pinch Test to ensure a secure fit. Convenience Many parents prefer to keep infant car seats rear-facing as long as possible because they are less cumbersome and more mobile than convertible car seats. If you choose to keep your child rear-facing, they might need to be put in a crib or bassinet for nap or bedtime. This may require waking up the sleeping baby, which is never optimal. However, the advantages of rear facing are greater than any discomfort. The headrest is lower for preemies and newborns than for full-term babies. This helps to reduce the force of an accident and ensures that the chest clip on the harness is at the shoulders, and not at the neck. This is crucial for premature infants with bones that aren't strong enough and have not been ossified since birth or pregnancy. The rear-facing position allows you to see your baby much better than when they are facing forward. This lets you easily monitor their behavior and ensure they are comfortable and happy. Most infant car seats have built-in mirrors that can be adjusted to ensure that you can see your child at any angle. You can choose a convertible car seat or an all-in one seat to keep your child rear-facing until they reach the recommended weight or height limit. Some rear-facing car seats have limits that are higher than rear-only car seats that allow them to be used for a longer period of time. All-in-one or convertible car seats are renowned for their versatility. They can be used rear facing or forward facing, as well as a belt-positioning booster. They usually also have a large base in the back of your vehicle, making them easier to install and remove. They're more expensive than single-use infant car seats but they last much longer than a standard infant seat and can save you money in the long run. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children ride rear-facing until the maximum height and weight limits that are set by the manufacturer of their car seat and up to at minimum two years old. Many children are outgrowing their rear-facing infant seat before the age of two However, don't be enticed to turn them around earlier. It's better to keep it in the rear for a while. Weight Limits It is important to know that all infant car seats come with height and weight restrictions. The majority of infant car seats have a maximum weight limit of 30 to 35 lbs and a height limit of around 30 inches, based on the model. When your child is at the limits, you can proceed to the next level of safety. You can opt for a convertible seat that permits your child to be rear-facing or forward-facing or an all-in one car seat. There are other aspects, besides the weight and height limit, that can indicate whether your child is able to go up a level in a car seat. One of these is their level of comfort when riding rear-facing. You can look for these indicators in your child's behavior, and compare it to other children similar to yours in their car seats. You can also seek advice from certified child passenger safety specialists at a car-seat inspection station, which is typically run by local government or community organizations. It is recommended to keep your child rear-facing for as long as you can. This is the reason why many parents wait until their children are completely mature before they switch them over. But you can ward off this temptation by ensuring your child's car seat is correctly installed and that you do not rush to change to a forward-facing seat too quickly even if they're close to the limits on weight or height of their current car seat. You can contact a certified child passenger technician if there are any questions about your child's readiness for the next phase of car seats or if you're concerned that you may not installing the car seat correctly. These specialists can be found through local community organizations, government offices and child passenger safety programs. You can locate one close to you by looking online or by contacting your local health department or public safety agency. There are also car seat check events that are mobile that will visit your workplace or home to make sure you have the right equipment and are using it correctly. Installation A car seat has to be properly installed to be effective. The NHTSA has found that more than half of car seats are set up incorrectly. This includes rear-facing seats. The best way to make sure that your infant car seat is correctly installed is to read the manual and have it professionally examined by a certified car safety technician. The first step to install an infant rear facing car seat is to check the angle. You can examine the angle of the base on the side or in the manual to make sure it is safe for your child's weight. It is also important to ensure that your baby's head is placed at the correct angle in the seat. Forward-facing positions can create pressure on the neck and spine of babies with their heavy heads and soft necks. In a rear-facing collision, a car seat's back absorbs most of the crash force. This protects the baby's neck and the spinal cord. Once your child has reached the limit of weight or height of the infant car seat it is time to switch to a convertible seat or all-in one car seat. These seats can be used in a rear-facing configuration until the front-facing limit. If you decide to switch to a convertible or all-in-1 car seat, ensure that the new model has a higher rearward-facing limit. Older models have lower limits. Parents who often transport their infants by car will appreciate the ability to choose an infant car-seat that is removable and connected to the stroller. The only drawback is that it can be tricky and time consuming to move the car seat and stroller in and out of your vehicle every time, especially for a newborn. However, if you are willing to invest the extra time each time to do it done, this could be a great alternative for many families. Make sure to think ahead and pick the day that you have plenty of time to spare.