A Brief History Of Newborn Car Seat History Of Newborn Car Seat

Choosing Between an Infant and a Convertible Newborn Car Seat A newborn car seat, also known as an infant safety seat or a baby car seat, is a way to protect babies from injury and death in vehicle accidents. The harness distributes the restraining force to the child's body and head, rather than the neck or spinal cord. They are available in rear-facing and convertible versions, and with an array of weight and height limits. These seats are also a part of a set for travel that snaps into the base of a stroller. Rear-facing Rear-facing infant car seats provide unmatched protection in crashes for infants. They are designed to support and cradle children, protecting their head, neck, and spine. They also help to disperse the impact of a collision to prevent your child's body from being hit which reduces the risk of injuries. This is because your child's body isn't hitting the car seat or the front passenger seat, but instead a soft, padded surface inside their car seat. Parents should make sure that their child remains facing rear until they reach the maximum height or weight limit of the car seat, as per the AAP and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). At around the age of 1, children will outgrow their infant car seat and be moved to a convertible seat that can face forward. However, many parents will want to keep their child in a rear-facing car seat until they turn 2. There are two kinds of rear-facing car seats: infant-only seats and convertible car seats. best car seat for newborn are equally safe but offer different conveniences. Infant-only seats, for instance are smaller and lighter. They also come with the quick-release base which can be easily removed from the vehicle and attached to the stroller. Convertible car seat are larger and heavier. They also do not include a base for a stroller. Regardless of which type of seat you select it is essential to adhere to the instructions of the manufacturer and always use the seat in the back of your vehicle. It is also recommended that you place tightly rolled washcloths or blankets between the crotch strap and your baby to ensure that there is no slack in the harness. Check that the lower anchors of your car seat are properly installed, and that they are connected to the lower attachment points on the lower anchor bars. Research has shown that babies who face the rear of the car are less likely to be injured in an accident. Babies in rear-facing car seats also experience less impact when they crash into the front of the car, in contrast to the rear of the car seat, which could result in serious injuries. Forward-facing Most parents have given plenty of consideration to their newborn car seat. It was a key item on your baby registry and the method you took your baby home from the hospital. Now as your child gets older though, you might be thinking about changing the car seat around to forward-facing. However, it's important be aware that children aren't quite ready for this until they reach the height and weight limits set by the manufacturer of their car seat. Rear-facing is recommended until your baby weighs at minimum 20 pounds and has reached the age of one year. Children under one year old do not have the neck muscles required to withstand whiplash from being hit in a crash. Additionally they are at a higher chance of suffering spinal injuries from head-on collisions. You can purchase a convertible car seat or an all-in-one seat that allows you to keep the child rear-facing until the child reaches the weight and height limit of the seat. These seats are typically bucket-style infant car seats that are attached to a base for placement in your vehicle. The base can be removed and connected to strollers to form a travel system. However, they tend to have lower maximum weight and height limits than the standard convertible car seats. You can also purchase a booster. These seats are fitted with a harness, and can be transformed into a booster seat that lets your child wear a seat belt once they are ready. This kind of car seat has the main benefit of being used in your car for the duration of your child's childhood making it simpler to move the child from one vehicle to another. No matter which car seat you choose, read the instructions and adhere to the guidelines. It is also a good idea to consult a certified safety technician for your seat to ensure that the child's car seat is set up and used properly. Car seat misuse is very common, and even well-meaning parents could cause harm to their children if they don't know what they're doing. The best way to prevent this is by reading the instructions for your car seat and following the advice of a CPST. Convertible Many parents choose a convertible newborn child car seat because they can expand with their baby and allow them to safely travel through toddlerhood and into infancy. These seats are less expensive than infant seats and offer an extended life. It's important to select the right model that is compatible with your vehicle and is easy to install. Also, make sure to protect your baby by securing them properly every time. Snug straps stop the head from shifting into a dangerous chin-to-chest position which could lead to strangulation or asphyxiation. Many infant car seats have straps that are loose or not buckled. This is a serious safety issue. Unbuckled straps may cause necks to hang and cause of a lot of accidents. If the crotch strap has not been sufficiently tight enough to pass a pinch test, it could cause danger. This test determines if the crotch strap is secure enough to stop the legs of a newborn baby from slouching in the seat and causing them to be cut or trapped. Some convertible infant car seats include torso heights that are adjustable, which allows you to alter the height limit to suit your child's growth. The minimum torso height must be the same as the height of your infant's shoulders, or one inch lower. Some models come with an infant insert to assist you in raising your child up to the proper height. The best convertible car seat for infants should be snug, have comfortable padding and a narrow base to allow you to install it easily into your vehicle. It should also feature a secure, tight harness that passes the pinch test, and a short tight-rolled blanket or towel to use in an emergency. It should also come with a tether strap that attaches to the anchor points on your vehicle and can reduce crash injuries by reducing the force of impact on your infant. In addition, it should come with a travel system, which includes an infant car seat that can be paired with a stroller and has an attachment that allows you to carry the infant from the car to the stroller. Safety features When selecting the right car seats for their babies parents face a variety of things to take into consideration. Car seats are a crucial purchase for new families, as their correct use reduces the risk that children will be the victim of an fatal motor vehicle crash injury by 71 per cent. The choice between an infant car seat and a convertible car seat comes down to several key elements that include safety features, compatibility with your vehicle and the ease of use. Infant car seats are made with the delicate physiology and physiology of a newborn in mind. The base of the seat is typically in the car and the infant carrier snaps into place. This makes it simple to move your baby from stroller to car, and back without causing any disturbance. They also have built-in harnesses and a crotch strap that ensure your baby's safety. Some infant cars come with side-impact protection that disperses the crash force away from the baby's head and neck. Foam, metal, and plastic absorb energy and protect the baby's face from direct contact with the frame of a vehicle or any other object involved in the event of a collision. Some have a special sock that extends from the door to shield the child's head. Another security feature that's becoming more common in car seats for newborns is a chest clip that keeps the harness straps straight across the chest of your baby. This stops the straps from getting caught or twisting around the shoulders, which can put your baby at greater risk of injuries. If you select a seat with this feature, make sure that the chest clip is set at the armpit height. Avoid dressing your baby in bulky outerwear as this could cause interference with the harness. Regardless of which type of car seat you pick, check that it's installed in your vehicle as per the instructions of the manufacturer. Check for the lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) system that consists of connectors that clip into the lower anchor points on a car and the tether strap, which is attached to the top of the seat and hooks to an anchor inside your vehicle. If your car does not have LATCH, a seatbelt may be used to secure the car seats.