Rear Facing Infant Car Seat

A rear-facing infant seat suppresses the force of an impact during a crash, and protects your child’s head and neck. In the event of a crash, they also protect your child’s legs from hitting the front of the car seat. This can result in serious injuries, or even death.

All toddlers and infants should be rear-facing until they reach the maximum weight or height of the car seat manufacturer. This applies to infant car seats and convertible seats.

Rear-facing infant car seat in front seat car seat is specifically designed for newborns and smaller infants.

A rear-facing infant car seat is a kind of child seat that has only a rearward-facing position. These seats are designed to hold newborns and smaller infants with a maximum weight of 35 pounds. They also have a smaller base than other car seats. They are great for cars with small spaces and can make it easier to store them on the back of the seat. Most infant car seats can also be transformed into strollers, making traveling with a child more convenient.

Rear-facing infant car seats are also recommended for babies and preemies born before 37 weeks gestation. They offer more room and more comfort than standard car seats, which can be difficult for a small baby to get in and out of. The infant car seat offers more cervical and head support than a rear-facing car seat. This can to protect infants and small babies in the event of a collision.

The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests that children remain rear-facing until they reach their maximum weight and height for car seats or when they reach the age of two years old. This is because the spine of the child will be stronger in this position and prevent injuries to the spine. It is important to keep in mind that infants and children are more likely to sustain serious injuries when they are facing forward.

In the event of a crash, the rear-facing infant seat absorbs most of the force generated by the collision and protects the infant’s head, neck and spine. When a child is seated in a seat that faces towards the front, their heads could be placed in the dashboard or console of the vehicle, causing serious injuries.

Many parents believe that a child is ready to transition to a booster seat or forward-facing car seat at around two years old. However, this is a big mistake. Recent research published in BMJ injury prevention show that it is better for children to be rear-facing in their car seats until they reach the age of three or four. The longer a child is rear-facing in their car seat, the more likely that their cervical vertebrae will grow and become ossified.

They are easy to set up and remove.

Most rear facing infant car seats have a snap-on base which is fitted into your car and can be removed when no longer needed. This feature is practical and allows parents to ensure their child is in the seat without having to get out of the vehicle, especially during bad weather or at nights when it may be more difficult. It also makes it simple to change cars and give grandparents and other caregivers access to the child’s seat.

If your child has outgrown their car seat for infants, either in terms of height or weight it’s time to upgrade to a convertible or booster. However, it’s important to remember that children are safer when they remain in a rear-facing car seat for as long as they can. Many safety experts recommend that children remain rear-facing in their car seats until they reach their second birthday, or the maximum weight and height limits set by the car seat manufacturer.

In a frontal crash infants in a rear-facing car seat absorbs the majority of the impact force taking it in at the head, neck and spine. In contrast, when children ride forward-facing their head is moved forward by the force of the collision and could stretch their spinal cord and cause serious injury or even death.

If you’re concerned about your child’s safety rear-facing, try to keep them warm with blankets and avoid placing an untidy one behind or underneath them. Also, be cautious about dressing them in bulky clothes that could interfere with the tightness of the harness. Make sure that the chest clip sits flat against their shoulder and the harness straps are snug with no gaps.

Many child safety experts believe that rear-facing car seats safeguard children five times better in the event of a crash, in the event that they sit for a longer period of time. In an accident, the heads of children who are larger than their bodies – can be thrown with force that isn’t taken up by their necks or their torsos. With rear-facing seats, a child’s head is supported by the seat’s headrest and is held by their backs during an accident, shielding them from the most severe injuries.

They will protect your child’s head and neck.

In the case of an accident the neck and spinal cord of a child sitting in a rear-facing car seat is held by the back of the seat. In a frontal collision (the most frequent), infants in forward-facing car seats are thrown against the dashboard. This can cause neck injuries, or even death. Infants in rear-facing seats are cradled by the back of their car seats and their heads are cushioned and supported by the headrest.

Infants also breathe easier when they are in a rear facing car seat, since their chins are placed against their chest. In forward-facing car seats, the chin can be pushed down and it can be difficult for children to breathe. In fact, children who doze in a car seat that is forward-facing are 75% more likely suffer head injury than those who doze in a rear-facing car seat.

Another aspect to be considered is that a baby’s spine and brain are developing, making them more vulnerable in the case of a crash. If a collision occurs with an infant positioned forward and the head of the child could hit the dashboard buckle or the seat belt. This can cause the spinal cord to become stretched and could result in serious injury or even death. It’s important to ensure that your child is in a rear-facing car seat until they reach the weight and height limits of their car seat.

Some infant car seats come with a special insert that helps support the head of a baby. It can be removed when the child has outgrown it. A majority of car seats have anti-rebound bars or load leg features that absorb energy from a crash. This is crucial because it minimizes the impact to your child, and could stop them from being thrown from their seat.

NHTSA suggests that you keep your child in the rear-facing infant seat until they reach the weight and height limits of their car seat. Then, they can change to an all-in-one or convertible car seat. These seats can be used with rear-facing and then converted to forward-facing once they reach a certain age.

They are easy to clean.

No matter if you choose an infant car seat that is attached to a base in your vehicle or a convertible or an all-in-one car seat they’re all designed to allow for quick and easy removal. They can often be clicked directly into travel systems or strollers for errands on the go. These seats are simple to clean. Many have machine-washable covers and parts that are removable and can be washed in the washer and dryer. This is particularly important since children can be messy!

In the event of an accident, the position that is facing back will support a child’s neck and head. This is especially important for young children. Their spinal cords and heads are more flexible, and they possess lots of cartilage. When they collide their head can move backwards, stretching their spinal cords and leading to serious injuries. This is the reason why many car safety experts suggest keeping children rear-facing for as long as they can.

It’s tempting to move your child’s seat to a booster once they are ready, but each switch decreases their safety in a crash. In a front-facing crash, their heads could be thrown forward, and could be hit by the plastic shell of the car seat or the dashboard, thereby increasing the risk of injury. Ideally, kids should be rear-facing until they reach the maximum weight rear-facing or height limit for their seat, or until they’re 2 years old.

If you’re unsure whether your child is ready to transition out of their rear-facing seat, talk to an accredited CPST in your area who can assist. They can help you determine the appropriate age for your child to turn around, and also ensure that they’re properly and safely in their car seat.

Many parents mistakenly assume their child is outgrowing their car seat for infants once they grow out of the maximum rear-facing height or weight limit. However there are a variety of things to take into consideration in addition to the size of your car seats newborn and the unique body shape of your child. Many infant cars seats have built-in recline indicators that show you when your child’s head is no longer extending past the top of their seat. Check your car seat instructions and vehicle owner’s manual for more details on safe reclining.