Why You Should Consider a Forward Facing Infant Car Seat
Children under one year are not allowed to ride in a forward-facing. In the event of a crash, their neck muscles may weaken and stretch and cause serious injuries.
Switch to FF instead when your child reaches the weight limit of their current car seat or height (or the minimum for the new car seat). Please read best infant carrier car seat for the car seat.
Safety
In the event of a crash, infant car seats are designed to protect your child's head and neck. The forward facing position also stops your child from slamming their head against the back of the seat which could result in serious injuries.
All infant seats with a forward-facing feature five-point harnesses that ensure the child's safety by simply pulling the straps. The shell of the carrier is lined with energy-absorbing EPS for better impact protection. Some come with a canopy to provide shade from the sun.
The most suitable infant car seats come with an adjustable angle adjustment and an angle indicator. This lets you set the correct angle for your child's neck to stop it from slipping over during an accident. The car seat also comes with a top tether strap that is attached to the top of the car seat and hooks to the tether anchor within your vehicle. It is important to remember that you might not have to switch your child to a forward-facing car seat until he / attains the maximum weight and height listed in the manual for the seat.
It's the time to switch to a different model when your child is 20 pounds and one year. Infants and toddlers younger that one year have soft, loose muscles in their necks that can cause whiplash if they are involved in an accident. In frontal collisions (the most severe and frequent type) they are more likely to suffer serious neck injuries. Rear-facing car seats shield the necks of children less than one year old by cushioning their head.
When kids move to a forward-facing car seat, they should still use a convertible or an all-in-one car seat that has a high rear-facing weight and a height limit. The child shouldn't be placed in an adult booster until they meet the height and age requirements for a high-back or backless booster, which is typically between 4 and 5 years old. It is evident the difference in these seats when you watch these crash videos however, remember that the footage is slowed down. Children can be injured in the event that they move too fast.
Comfort
A forward facing infant car seat allows your baby to ride in comfort and remain safe during a crash. The seat features a soft headrest and body support cushion and an EPS energy-absorbing shell to ensure your child is safe from any collision. The seat has a five-point safety harness that can be adjusted with one pull and a front-center adjuster. This will ensure that your child is in the right position. A retractable sun canopy can protect your child from the sun. To ensure safety, the seat is designed to be locked with the vehicle's seat belt and has an adjustable clip that holds the latch buckle securely fastened when not in use.
If your baby complains about discomfort or seems to slump forward during sleep It could be due to the angle of the car seat is too low. This can be fixed by placing a tightly rolled towel under the front of your car seat. If this isn't working, bring your child to Rockridge Kids and we will test the angle of the car seat.
It is crucial to remember that children aren't yet ready to take on the world until they weigh at minimum 20 pounds and one year old (their necks aren't sturdy enough to withstand a force applied to them in a crash if they were to fall forward on their own). Some experts suggest staying a bit longer, as the bones and muscles of young children are more flexible.
Many parents choose to buy convertible car seats that allows their babies to be rear-facing until they reach their maximum weight or height limits. This allows parents to benefit from the advantages of a rear-facing seat for a longer amount of time. It also makes it easier for them because they can easily change their child's position from rear-facing to forward-facing when their child is out of it.
The 4Ever Convertible Car Seat from Graco is a four-in-one convertible car seat that allows your child to use the seat for 10 years. It can be converted from a rear-facing infant (up to 40 pounds) to a forward-facing harness as well as a high-back seats (30-100 lb), to a belt-positioning backless seat (40-120 lb). It's simple and easy to install with the Smart Fit system that allows you to move the headrest and harness together, with no re-threading.
Convenience
If you're traveling with a young infant, a forward-facing infant car seat can be a great choice. It allows you to see your child while driving and allows all of your family members to get into the vehicle without disturbing your baby or toddler. This type of car seat can also be used with strollers, making it easier to get your child in and out of the car to go to the store for groceries or other errands.
Even when your child is at the age at which they can switch to a car seat that is forward-facing it is best to keep them in a rear-facing seat for as long as you are able to. When you look at it from the perspective of crash tests, a child's head is more secure in a frontal crash when they are facing backwards. This is because the entire body -- head as well as neck and torso is held by the car seat's back when they face in this direction.
You should check the instructions of the manufacturer to determine how to change the car seat of your child around. You will find that they have an upper and lower limit, and also specific rules regarding things such as the crotch strap position. These restrictions are designed to ensure the safety of your child as they grow.
It is also important to consider whether your vehicle comes with Tether anchors. If yes, you must make sure that the strap is properly fitted and secured to the vehicle's anchor points as per the instructions in the manual for your seat. Also, you should make sure that the shoulder straps of your harness are placed at or just above the shoulders of your child and not too high or low in order to affect how well they are secured in an accident.
A good choice for parents who have multiple children or are planning to have more children is convertible car seats. 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 limit or height of the rear-facing position.
Style
You spent a lot time and effort in choosing the perfect baby car seat for your child. But as they get older and begin to outgrow their infant car seat, you may be wondering if it's time to change them.
While the idea of having your child face forward is thrilling, there are a few important safety factors to consider. Children should be rear-facing until they reach the maximum height and weight limit for their specific car seat.
Keep in mind that children vary in both size and age. You shouldn't base your decision solely on a particular date on the calendar or if you think they have reached their maximum amount of legroom. It might appear that a child is bigger in a rear facing car seat, but that doesn't mean it's safe to turn them around. Their spine and bones haven't yet fully developed.
Some infant car seats have a built-in alarm to remind you to keep your child rear-facing until they're at least one year old. This is because children under one year old don't have enough neck muscles to withstand the force of a frontal collision, which could cause serious spinal injuries.
In addition to being safe, many infant car seats come with convenient features that make them easy to use. Some of them have bases that snap into and out of the car and allow you to transport your child from the car to a stroller, and back. They are usually part of the travel system.
If you're about to transition your baby into a forward-facing convertible car seat, be sure to follow all the instructions of the manufacturer and checking the car seat for tightness. The car seat should not move more than an inch from side to side or front to rear, when installed correctly. The harness straps must also be at or above the shoulders of your child. If you have any questions or concerns about the installation of your car seat, contact an approved safety technician in your area or the manufacturer of the car seat.