Why You Should Consider a Forward Facing Infant Car Seat

Children younger than one year should not ride forward-facing. In the event of a crash weak neck muscles can stretch and cause serious injuries.

Switch to FF instead of FF once your child reaches the maximum weight of their current seat or height (or the minimum required for a new car seat). Please read your instructions for your car seat.

Safety

Infant car seats are made to safeguard the neck and head of your child in the event of an accident. The forward facing position can also help prevent your baby from crashing their head against the hard back of the car seat, which could cause serious injuries.

All infant seats that face forward have five-point harnesses. They can secure the child by pulling the straps. The shell of the carrier is lined with energy-absorbing EPS to offer better protection from impact. Some models have an umbrella that protects from the sun.

The most effective infant car seats cheap car seats have an adjustable angle adjuster and an angle indicator. This allows you to choose the ideal angle for your child's neck in order to prevent it from flopping over in the event of an accident. The top tether strap connects to the vehicle's tether anchor and is positioned from the top. It is important to keep in mind that your child might not require a switch to a forward-facing car seat until they reach the top weight and height allowed listed in the instruction manual of the seat you're using.

When your child reaches 20 pounds and one year old, it's time to switch. Infants and toddlers younger than one year old have soft, loose neck muscles which can result in whiplash during a crash. They are more likely to sustain serious neck injuries when they are in a frontal crash (the most frequent and severe type). When children younger than 1 year are backwards their head is protected by the car seat and protected from sudden movements that can strain their necks.

If children are moving to a forward-facing car seat they should still use a convertible or an all-in-one car seat with a high rear-facing weight and height limit. The child should not be able to move into an adult booster until they meet the height and age requirements for a high-back booster, which is typically between 4 and 5 years old. These crash videos will help you understand the differences between carseats. But keep in mind that the video has been slowed. A child could be injured when they move too fast.

Comfort

A forward facing infant car seat allows your infant to enjoy a comfortable ride and be secure in the event of a crash. The seat has a comfortable headrest and a body support cushion and an EPS energy-absorbing cover to shield your child from the collision. The seat is equipped with five points of safety harness that can be tightened with only one pull, and a center-front adjuster. This will ensure that your child is positioned correctly. A retractable canopy helps protect your child from direct sunlight. For safety, the seat is designed to be locked with the vehicle's seat belt and comes with an locking clip that keeps the buckle securely fastened when not in use.

If your infant complains of discomfort during a trip or seems to lean forward when they sleep or sleeping, the seat's angle could be too low for the child. This can be fixed by placing a tightly rolled towel on the front of your car seat. If this isn't working, bring your child to Rockridge Kids and we will check the angle of the car seat.

It is important to remember that children aren't ready to take on the world until they are at least 20 pounds AND one year old (their necks are not strong enough to withstand a force that would be applied to them by a collision if they were to fall forward on their own). Some experts recommend waiting longer as the muscles and bones of children are more malleable.

Many parents opt to purchase a convertible car seat that lets their infants travel rearward-facing until they reach their maximum weight or height limits. This allows parents to benefit from the advantages of a rear-facing seat for a longer period of time. It is also easier for them because they can easily switch their child's position from forward-facing to rear-facing when their child is out of it.

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

Convenience

When traveling with a young infant, a forward-facing infant car seat can be the best car seats newborn option. It lets you see your child's view while driving, and allows everyone else in the family to get into the vehicle without disturbing your baby or toddler. This type of car seats can be used in conjunction with strollers making it much easier to get your child in and out of the car while you are at the grocery shop or running errands.

Even even if your child is the age where they can change to a car seat that is forward-facing it is best to keep them in a rear-facing position for as long as you can. If you view it from the standpoint of crash tests, children's head is safer in a frontal crash if they are facing backwards. This is because when they are facing backwards the entire body including the neck, head and torso, are cradled in the car seat's rear.

Review the directions of the manufacturer to determine how you can rotate the seat of your child. You will find that they have a maximum height and weight limit, and also specific rules regarding things such as 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 the tether strap is properly installed and connected to the anchor points of your vehicle as instructed in the manual for your seat. The last thing to do is make sure that the shoulder straps of your child's harness are on or just below their shoulders, and are not too low or high. This can affect how they're restrained during the event of a crash.

A good infant car seats choice for parents who have more than one child or plan to have more, is a convertible car seat. It's a convertible car seat that can be used as a rear-facing infant car seat and then moved to a forward-facing seat once your child has reached the weight limit or height of the rear-facing position.

Style

You spent a lot time and effort choosing the best baby car seat for your child. However, as they age and start outgrowing their car seat for infants, you may be wondering if it's the right time to change them.

While the idea of having your child face forward is exciting, there are some important safety factors to consider. Children should be rear-facing until they reach the maximum height and weight limit for their specific car seat.

Remember that children vary in both size and age. Don't base your decision solely on a particular date on the calendar or if you believe they have reached their maximum amount of legroom. It may seem that a child is taller in a rear facing car seat, but that does not mean that it's safe to turn your child around. Their spine and bones haven't yet fully developed.

Some infant car seats have an alarm built-in to remind you to keep your child facing rear until they're at least one year old. This is because children under one don't have strong enough neck muscles to withstand the force of a frontal collision which can result in serious spinal injuries.

In addition to being secure, many infant car seats come with convenient features that make them simple to use. These include bases that remain in the car and snap out and in to let you carry your baby from stroller to car and back to the car and are often paired with a frame stroller to form part of an overall travel system.

If you're about to transition your child to forward-facing convertible car seats ensure that you follow the manufacturer's guidelines and checking the car seat for tightness. When installed properly, the car seat shouldn't move more than one inch from side to side or from front to back and the harness straps should be placed at or above your child's shoulders. If you have any questions or concerns you should talk to an accredited car seat safety technician in your region or contact the manufacturer of the car seat.