Choosing Between an Infant and a Convertible Newborn Car Seat
A newborn car seat is also known as a baby car seat or infant safety seat. It helps protect babies from injury and death in vehicle accidents. The harness distributes the restraint force over the body and head of the child instead of the neck or spinal cord.
These seats are rear-facing or convertible and come in a range of heights and weight limits. They can also be part of a travel system that clicks into and out of the base of a stroller.
Rear-facing
Rear-facing newborn car seats offer the best protection for infants in crashes. They are designed to support and cradle children, protecting their neck, head and spine. They also help reduce injuries by keeping the force of an accident from hitting your child. This is because your child's body isn't colliding with the vehicle seat or the front passenger seat, but rather a soft, cushioned surface inside of their car seat.
Parents should ensure that their child is facing rear until they reach the maximum weight or height limit of the car seat, according to the AAP and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Around the age of one, most children will outgrow their infant car seat and move on to a convertible car seat that can be oriented forward. Many parents will put their child in the rear-facing seat until their child turns two.
There are two main types: infant-only car seats and convertible car seat. Both are equally secure and safe, but they each offer different features. For instance, infant-only seats are smaller, lighter and come with an easy release base that is able to be removed from the car, and then reattached to a stroller base. Convertible car seats are heavier and larger. They also do not include a base for a stroller.
Whatever seat you choose regardless of the type, you must adhere to the manufacturer's guidelines and always use the seat in the back seat of your vehicle. You can also place an enveloping blanket or washcloth between the crotch harness and your child to ensure that the harness is securely secured. In addition, make sure that the lower anchors are anchored to the lower attachment points of the lower anchor bars of your vehicle and that the car seat is properly fitted and secured.
Research has shown that babies who face the rear of the car are less likely to get injured in a car accident. Car seats that are rear-facing allow infants to feel less stress when they crash into the car's front, as opposed the the back, which can lead to serious injuries.
Forward-facing
The majority of parents have spent a lot of time into their newborn car seat. It was an important item on your baby registry and the method you took your child home from the hospital. You may think about changing the car seat to face forward when your child grows older. However, it's important to keep in mind that children aren't yet ready for this until they reach the weight and height limits set by the manufacturer of their car seat.
Rear-facing is recommended until your baby weighs at least 20 pounds and has reached the age of one year. Children younger than one year don't have the neck muscles necessary to withstand whiplash when involved in an accident. They also have a higher risk of spinal injuries in head-on collisions.
You can buy a convertible car seat or an all-in-one seat that lets you keep your child facing forward until the child reaches the weight and height limits of the seat. These are typically bucket-style infant seats that come with a base to install in your vehicle. They can also be separated from the base and reattached to strollers to create travel systems. They tend to have lower weight and height restrictions than a standard car seat.
If you prefer, you can purchase a booster seat. These seats are fitted with a harness, and can be converted into a booster seat that allows your child to wear a seat belt when they are ready. The main advantage of this type of car seat is that it will remain in your vehicle all through the child's life making it easy to transport your child from one place to another.
No matter which car seat you pick be sure to read the instructions and adhere to them. It is also a good idea to consult a certified car safety technician for your seat to make sure that the child's car seat is properly installed and used properly. Incorrect use of a car seat is common, and even well-meaning parents could injure their children if they don't understand what they're doing. It is best to study the instructions on the car seat and follow the advice of a CPST.
Convertible
Many parents choose a convertible newborn car seat because they can develop with your child and allow them to travel in a safe manner from the time of infancy until toddlerhood. These seats are less expensive than infant ones and have a an extended life. It is important to choose a model that fits your vehicle and is simple to install. Additionally, be sure to keep your baby safe by buckling them up in a proper manner each time.
Snug straps stop the head from slipping into a dangerous chin-to-chest position that could result in strangulation or asphyxiation. Many infant car seats have unbuckled or loose straps. This is a major security issue. Straps that aren't buckled can cause a dangling neck, which has been the source of numerous accidents. The crotch buckle can also pose a risk when it isn't tight enough to pass the pinch test. This test determines whether the crotch buckle is tight enough to prevent the legs of a newborn baby from slouching in the seat which could cause them to be trapped or cut.
Some convertible newborn car seats have adjustable torso height, which lets you adjust the height limit to suit your child's growth. The minimum torso height must be equal to the height of your infant's shoulders or one inch lower. Some models come with an infant insert that will aid in raising your child up to the correct height.
The best convertible newborn car seat should have a snug fit, comfortable padding, and a narrow base to allow you to put it in your car. It should also have an incredibly snug, secure harness that passes the pinch test, and a short, tightly rolled towel or blanket in case in the event of an accident. It should also come with an tether strap that is attached to your vehicle's anchor points that can help reduce the risk of collision injuries by reducing the force of impact on your baby. In addition it should be equipped with the travel system, which consists of a car seat that is paired with a stroller, and comes with an attachment that allows you to carry the infant from the car to the stroller.
Safety features
When choosing the right car seats for their babies parents must consider a myriad of aspects to consider. Car seats are an important purchase for families who are starting a new life, as their correct use can reduce the chance that your child will suffer an fatal motor vehicle crash injury by 71 per cent. The decision between a baby car seat and a convertible car seat is based on a few key factors, including safety features and compatibility with your vehicle and the ease of use.
Infant car seats are made with the fragile body of a newborn in mind. They typically come with an attached base that remains in the vehicle and a carrier that snaps into place, making it easy to move your baby from the car to stroller and back again without disturbing them. They also have built-in harnesses and a crotch strap to keep your baby secure.
best car seat infant have side-impact protection that disperses the crash force away from a newborn's head and neck. They are made of metal, plastic, and foam that absorbs energy and protects the baby's head from direct contact with the frame or other objects in a collision. Some include a special pod that extends from the door to shield the child's head.
Another security feature that's becoming more common in newborn car seats is a chest clip that keeps the harness straps straight across the chest of your baby. This stops the straps from pinching or bending at the shoulders, which can put your baby at higher risk of injury. If you decide to purchase a car seat that has this feature, ensure that the chest clip is set at armpit level. Also, you should not dress your baby in bulky clothes which could hinder the fit of the harness.
Regardless of which type of car seat you select ensure that it's mounted in your vehicle as per the manufacturer's instructions. Check for the lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) system comprising a connector that clips into a car's lower anchor points and a tether strap that attaches to the top of the seat. It then connects to an anchor inside your vehicle. If your vehicle doesn't have LATCH, you can still use the seat belt to secure the car seat.