Why You Should Consider a Forward Facing Infant Car Seat

Children under the age of one year shouldn't ride facing in the direction of forward. In the event of a crash, their neck muscles may weaken and stretch and cause serious injuries.

Instead change to FF at the time your child reaches the weight or height limits of the seat they are currently in (or the minimums required for a new seat). Follow the directions for your car seat carefully.

Safety

In the event of a crash infant car seats are designed to protect your child's neck and head. The forward-facing position also helps prevent your child from slamming their head against the back of the seat which can cause serious injuries.

All good infant car seats seats that face forward have five-point harnesses, which secure the child by simply pulling the straps. The shell of the carrier is lined in energy-absorbing foam EPS for better impact protection. Some models have an umbrella that protects from the sun.

The best car seats newborn infant carseats will feature an angle indicator and an adjustable angle adjuster which lets you determine the ideal angle for your child's head to prevent them from falling over in the event of a collision. 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. Be aware that you may not need to change your child's seat to an forward-facing car seat until she reaches the maximum weight and height listed in the manual of the seat.

It's time to switch when your child is 20 pounds and one year old. Infants and toddlers younger than one year old have loose, soft neck muscles that can cause whiplash in an accident. In frontal collisions (the most serious and frequent kind) they are more likely to suffer serious neck injuries. When kids under 1 year ride backwards their heads are protected by the car seat and protected from sudden movements that can cause neck strain.

When children transition to an forward-facing car seat they should still use a convertible or all-in-one seat with a high rear-facing weight and a height limit. They shouldn't be pushed to a booster seat until they reach the high back or backless booster seat age and height requirement typically around age 4 or 5. These crash videos will show you the differences between the carseats. But keep in mind that the video is slowed down. Children can be injured when they move too fast.

Comfort

A forward-facing infant car seat keeps your baby safe and comfortable in the event of an accident. The seat comes with a soft headrest and a body support cushion and an EPS energy-absorbing cover to protect your child from impacts. The seat also comes with a five-point harness with easy one-pull tightening and a movable front center adjuster to ensure your child is properly positioned. A retractable canopy helps protect your baby from the sunlight. To ensure safety, the seat is designed to be secured by the vehicle's seat belt and includes an locking clip that keeps the latch buckle securely fastened when not in use.

If your child complains of discomfort or seems to slump forward when sleeping, it may be because the angle of the car seat is too low. You can remedy this by placing tightly rolled towels on the front of the car seats by age seat to lift it higher. If this doesn't help, you can bring your child to Rockridge Kids to have us examine the angle of their car seat.

Keep in mind that children shouldn't face forward until they weigh at 20 pounds and are a year old. Their necks are not strong enough to withstand the force of a crash in the event that they be thrown to the side on their own. Some experts suggest waiting longer, because the muscles and bones of children are more malleable than those of adults.

Many parents opt to buy a convertible car seat that allows their children to travel in a rear-facing position until they reach the maximum weight or height limit of the seat. This lets them benefit from the advantages of a rear-facing car seat for much longer, and makes it more convenient for parents since they can easily move their child from the rear-facing position to the forward-facing position when their child has outgrown it.

The Graco 4Ever Convertible Car seat is a 4-in-1 convertible car seat that allows your child to use the seat for up to 10 years. It converts from rear-facing infant (up to 40 lbs) to a forward-facing harness as well as a high-back seat (30-100 lbs), to a backless belt-positioning seat (40-120 lbs). It's easy and simple to install using the Smart Fit system that allows you to move the harness and headrest together, without re-threading.

Convenience

A forward-facing infant car seat is an excellent option for traveling with a toddler. It allows you to see your child's view while driving, and allows all of your family members to enter the car without disturbing your infant or toddler. This type of car seat can be used with strollers, making it easier to carry your little one in and out of your car for trips to the grocery store or other chores.

Even even if your child is the age at which they can change to a car seat that is facing forward it is best to keep them in a rear-facing position for the duration you can. When you consider it from the perspective of crash tests, a child's head is more protected in a frontal collision when they are facing backwards. This is because when facing backwards, the entire body, including the head, neck and torso is held in the car seat's rear.

It is important to read the instructions provided by the manufacturer on how to change the car seat of your child around. You'll find that they have a maximum height and weight limit, as well specific rules about things like the crotch strap position. These restrictions are designed to protect your child's safety 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 correctly installed and connected to the vehicle's anchor points as per the instructions in the manual of the seat. The last thing to do is ensure that the shoulder straps of your child's harness are on or below their shoulders, and not too low or high. This will affect how they are restrained during a crash.

A convertible car seat is a great choice for parents with more than one child or who intend to have more. This is a convertible car seat that can be used as an infant rear-facing car seat and then moved to a forward facing seat once your child has reached the height or weight limits of the rear-facing position.

Style

You've put in a lot of time and effort choosing the right car seat for your child. As they grow older and begin to outgrow their car seat for infants, you may be wondering if it's the right time to flip them around.

Although the idea of having your child face forward can be exciting, there are important safety considerations that you should keep in mind. Children should be rear-facing until they reach their car seat's maximum weight and height limits.

It is important to remember that children are very different in terms of size and age so you should never base the decision to change to a forward-facing car seat on an exact date on the calendar, or if they've reached their maximum legroom. A child might appear larger in a rear-facing car seat, but that doesn't necessarily mean that it's safe to turn them around, as their bones and spine haven't fully developed.

It is recommended to keep your child rear-facing until they reach one year old, and certain infant car seats have a built-in reminder to ensure they remain there. This is because kids under one don't have strong enough neck muscles to withstand the whiplash of a frontal collision, which can result in serious spinal injuries.

In addition to being secure in addition to being safe, many infant car seats come with convenient features that make them easy to use. Some of these include bases that snap in and out of the car, allowing you to carry your baby from the car to a stroller, and back. They are usually part of the travel system.

If you're about to transition your child's rear-facing convertible seat to a forward-facing one, make sure you adhere to all the instructions given by the manufacturer and check the tightness of your car seat. The car seat shouldn't move more than one inch from side to side, or from front to back, when it is installed correctly. The harness straps should be placed over the shoulders of your child. If you have questions or concerns regarding the installation of your car seat, contact a certified safety technician in your community or the manufacturer of your car seat.