Rear Facing Infant Car Seat
In the event of a crash rear-facing infant car seat absorbs the force of the collision and protects your baby's neck and head. In 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 their car seat manufacturer. This includes both infant car seats as well as convertible seats.
Rear-facing infant car seats are specifically made for babies and smaller infants.
A rear-facing infant car seat is one kind of child seat that only has a rearward-facing position. These seats are made for newborns and smaller babies, usually up to 35 pounds. They also have a wider base than other types of car seats. This makes them suitable for cars with small spaces and also helps save space in the back of the vehicle. Additionally, the majority of infant car seats can be snapped into strollers to make traveling with a baby a lot easier.
Rear facing infant car seats are recommended for preemies and babies born prior to 37 weeks gestation. They are more spacious and better fitted than standard car seats which are difficult to get in and out of for tiny babies. The infant car seat gives more head and cervical support than a car seat that is forward-facing. This can protect preemies or smaller babies in a crash.
The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests that children remain in the rear until they attain their maximum weight and height for the car seat, or at around two years old. This is due to the fact that there is more time for the spine of the child to strengthen in this position, which could prevent spinal injuries. In addition, it is important to note that infants and younger children are more likely to sustain severe injuries in front-facing crashes.
In the event of an accident, the rear-facing seat absorbs most of the force of the impact, shielding the baby’s head, neck and spine. If a child is sitting in a seat that is facing forward, their heads may be thrown into the console or dashboard of the vehicle, causing serious injury.
Many parents think that their child is ready to get an adult booster seat or a forward-facing one at the age of two. But this is a major mistake. It is safer for children to remain rear-facing in their car seats until they are three or four years old, according to recent studies published in BMJ Injury Prevention. The longer a child is rear-facing, the more their cervical vertebrae can mature and ossify.
They are simple to put in and take down.
The majority of rear-facing infant car seats have a snap-on base which can be removed from your car when not in use. This is a convenient feature and allows parents to keep the child in their seat without leaving the car, particularly during bad weather or the night when it's more difficult. It is also easy to switch between vehicles and let parents or other caregivers access the child's car seat.
When your child is outgrowing their infant car seat in weight and height and height, it's time to transition to a convertible or booster. But, it's important to keep in mind that children are much safer when they remain in the rear-facing car seat as long as is possible. In fact, it's highly recommended by safety experts that children ride rear-facing until their two years old or until they reach the maximum height and weight limit set by the manufacturer of the car seat.
In a frontal collision, the child who is rear-facing in a car seat absorbs the majority of the impact forces in an accident by absorbing them around their head, neck, and spine. If a child is rear-facing in a car seat the force of crashing may cause their head to be thrown forward, leading to serious injuries or death.
If you're worried about your child's safety rear-facing, try to keep them warm in blankets and avoid putting an untidy one behind or underneath them. Be cautious not to dress them in bulky outerwear as this could interfere with the tightness and fitting of the harness. Also, ensure that the chest clip sits flat against their shoulders and that the harness straps are tight with no gaps.
Many child safety experts claim that rear-facing car seats protect children five times better in the event of a crash if they ride for longer. In a crash, the heads of children who are larger than their bodies – can be thrown with force that isn't absorbed by their necks and torsos. Seats that face the rear provide cushioning for the head of the child and shield them from serious injuries.
They guard the neck and head of your child.
In the case of an accident the neck and spinal cord of a child sitting in a rear facing car seat is cradled by the back of the seat. This is vital since in a frontal crash (the most common kind of car accident), babies in forward-facing cars are thrown from the dashboard, which can cause neck injuries and even death. Infants in rear-facing seats are held by the back of their car seat and their heads are cushioned and supported by the headrest.
Infants are also able to breathe easier when they are in a rear facing car seat, as their chins are placed against their chest. When children are in forward-facing car seats their chins are often downwards, which can block their airway and make it difficult for them to breathe. Kids who doze off in a car seat that faces the front are 75% more likely than those who doze off in a rear facing car seat to suffer injuries to their heads.
The brain and spine of a baby are still developing. This makes them more susceptible to a crash. In the event of a crash that involves an infant facing forward the head of the child could hit the dashboard buckle or the seat belt. This could cause the spinal cord to be stretched and could result in serious injuries or even death. This is why it's important to keep your child in a rear-facing car seat as long as is possible, until they've reached the weight and height limits of the car seat they're in.
Some infant car seats have a special insert that helps in supporting the head of a child. When a child is no longer using the insert, it can be removed. In addition, a lot of car seats come with load bar or anti-rebound features that help absorb the energy of a crash. This is important because it reduces the impact on your child, and could stop them from being thrown from their seat.
NHTSA recommends keeping your child in the rear-facing infant car seat until he or she is at the weight and height limits of their car seat. Then, they can change to a convertible or all-in one car seat. These seats can be used rear-facing and then changed to forward-facing when they grow.
Rugs are easy to clean.
If infant car seat newborn purchase an infant car seat that attaches to a base inside your vehicle, or a convertible or an all-in-one car seat they're all designed to allow to be quick and easy to remove. They can often be clicked directly into travel systems and strollers to run errands while on the move. These seats are also easy to clean. A lot of seats have covers that can be removed and parts that can be washed and dried in the washing machine. This is especially important as children are messy!
In the event of an accident, the position that is facing back will support a child's neck and head. This is especially crucial for children who are just starting out. Their heads and spinal cords are more flexible, and they have a lot of cartilage. In the event of a collision the head could be able to snap backwards and stretch their spinal cords, result in serious injuries. Many experts in car safety recommend that children remain rear-facing for as long as is possible.
It may be tempting to switch your child from a front-facing seat into a booster when they are ready, but every switch lowers their protection in the event of a crash. In a front-facing crash their heads could be thrown forward and struck by the plastic shell of the seat or the dashboard, increasing the chance of injury. The ideal is for children to ride rear-facing until they have reached the maximum rear-facing weight or height limit of their seat or until they're 2 years old.
If you're not sure if your child is able to transition out of their rear-facing car seat, check with an accredited CPST in your area that can assist. They can assist you in determining the ideal age for your child to turn around, and also ensure that they're properly and safely in their seat.
Many parents believe that their child is no longer a baby car seat when they reach their maximum rear-facing weight limit or height. There are a myriad of things to consider, including the size of your car and your child's unique form. A lot of infant car seats have built-in recline indicators that tell you when your child's head is no longer extending past the top of their seat. For more information on safe recline, consult the manual for your car seat and the owner's manual for your vehicle.