Why You Should Consider a Forward Facing Infant Car Seat

Children younger than one year old are NOT supposed to ride forward-facing. In a crash their neck muscles that are weak could be stretched and cause serious injuries.

Instead, switch to FF when your child is at the maximum height or weight limit of the seat they are currently in (or the minimums for the new seat). Please read your car seat instructions.

Safety

In the case of a collision, infant car seats are designed to protect the neck and head of your child. The forward facing position also stops your child from slamming their head against the back of the seat, which can cause serious injuries.

All infant seats with a forward-facing feature five-point harnesses that can secure the child by pulling the straps. The shell of the carrier is lined with energy-absorbing EPS to provide better protection against impact. Some also have a canopy to provide shade from the sun.

The most suitable infant car seats have an adjustable angle adjuster and an angle indicator. This lets you determine the right angle for your child's neck to stop it from slipping over in an accident. The top tether strap connects to the tether anchor of the vehicle and extends from the top. Be aware that you might not have to change your child's seat to an forward-facing car seat until is at the maximum weight and height listed in the instruction manual for the seat.

When your child reaches 20 lbs and one year, it's time to change. Infants and toddlers younger that one year old have loose, soft muscles in their necks that can cause whiplash if they are involved in an accident. In frontal collisions (the most serious and frequent kind), they are more likely to sustain serious neck injuries. When children younger than 1 year are rear-facing their head is protected by the newborn car seat seat and protected from sudden movements that could stress their necks.

If children are moving to a forward-facing car seat they should remain in a convertible or an all-in-one car seat that has a strong rear-facing weight and a height limit. They shouldn't be pushed to an adult car seat until they reach the high back or backless booster seat age and height requirement, which usually means at around the age of 4 or 5. These crash videos will help you understand the differences between the carseats. But keep in mind that the footage is slowed down. A child can be injured when they move too fast.

Comfort

A forward-facing infant car seat will keep your child safe and comfortable during an accident. The seat has a comfortable headrest and body support cushion and an EPS energy-absorbing cover to protect your child from impact. The seat also has five-point harnesses with simple one-pull tightening and an adjustable front center adjuster to ensure your child is in the right position. A retractable canopy helps protect your baby from the sunlight. The seat can be locked to the belts of the vehicle for safety. It also includes a locking clip which keeps the buckle secure when the seat is not being used.

If your child complains of discomfort or appears to slump forward during sleep it could be because the angle of the car seat is too low. You can remedy this by placing tightly folded towels under the front of the car seat to raise it up more. If this still doesn't help then you can bring your child to Rockridge Kids to have us assess the angle of their car seat.

Be aware that children should not face forward until they weigh at least 20 pounds and are one year old. Their necks are not strong enough to stand up to the force of a crash in the event that they be thrown to the side on their own. Some experts recommend waiting even longer, because the bones and muscles of young children are more malleable than those of adults.

Many parents opt to purchase convertible car seats by age seats that allows their babies to move rearwards until they reach maximum weight or height limits. This allows parents to enjoy the benefits of a rear-facing seat for a longer amount of time. It can also make it easier for them as they can easily change their child's seat from rear-facing to forward-facing when the child grows out of it.

The Graco 4Ever 4-in-1 Convertible Car Seat provides your child 10 years of car seat use in just one seat, ranging from rear-facing infant (4-40 lbs) to forward-facing 5-point harness with high-back booster (30-100 lb) to a backless belt-positioning booster (40-120 lb). It is simple and easy to install using the Smart Fit system that allows you to move the harness and headrest together, without re-threading.

Convenience

If you are traveling with a small baby, a forward-facing infant car seat is the best infant car seat option. It allows you to watch your child's face while driving and the rest of your family can get into the car without disturbing your toddler or baby. This type of car seat can be used with strollers making it much easier to take your little one in and out of the car to go to the grocery store or other chores.

Even even if your child is the age where they can change their car seat to one that is facing forward, it is safer to keep them in a rear-facing position as long as you can. When you look at it from the standpoint of crash test results, a child's head is safer in a frontal collision when they are facing backwards. This is due to the fact that when facing backwards the entire body, including the head, neck and torso, are cradled in the car seat's rear.

You'll want to check the manufacturer's instructions for the best time to change the car seat of your child around. You'll find that they have the maximum height and weight limit, and also specific rules about things like the crotch strap's location. These rules are designed to protect your child's health as they develop.

Another thing to consider is if you have an automobile with Tether anchors for your car seat. If yes, you must ensure that the tether strap is properly installed and secured to the anchor points of your vehicle as instructed in the manual for your seat. Additionally, you'll need to ensure that the shoulder straps of your harness are at or just above your child's shoulders and not too high or low in order to affect how well they are secured in the event of a crash.

A convertible car seat is a great option for parents with several children or who are planning to have more children. This is a complete car seat that can start with an infant car seat facing rear, then move your child to a forward-facing seat when they are old enough and have reached the height or weight limit of the rear-facing position in the car seat.

Style

The car seat for your baby was a must for your little one, and you spent many hours deciding the best one. As your child gets older and outgrows their infant car seat you might wonder if it's time to turn the seat around.

While the idea of having your baby face forward could be thrilling, there are important safety considerations you should be aware of. Kids should remain rear facing until they reach the maximum height and weight limit for their specific car seat.

It is important to remember that children differ in size and age, therefore you shouldn't base when to switch to forward-facing on some specific date on the calendar or when they've reached their legroom limit. A child might appear larger in a rear-facing car seat however, that doesn't mean that it's safe for turning around, as their spine and bones aren't fully developed yet.

It's recommended that you keep your child facing rearwards until they reach one year old. some infant car seats have a built-in reminder to ensure they remain there. 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.

Many infant car seats are not only safe, but also easy to use. They include bases that are attached to the car and snap in and out to let you carry your baby from stroller to car or back, and they often pair with a frame stroller to form part of a travel system.

If you're about to transition your baby to forward-facing convertible car seats ensure that you follow the manufacturer's guidelines and then examining the car seat for tightness. The car seat should not move more than an inch from side to side or from front to back, when installed correctly. The harness straps should also be at or above the shoulders of your child. If you have any questions or concerns ask a certified car seat safety technician in your area or contact the manufacturer of the car seat.