Rear Facing Infant Car Seat
A rear-facing infant seat suppresses the force of impact in a crash and shields your child's neck and head. They also protect your child's legs away from hitting the front of the car seat in a crash, which could result in serious injury or death.
All toddlers and infants must be rear-facing when they reach the maximum weight or height of the car seat manufacturer. This applies to infant car seats as well as convertible seats.
Rear-facing infant car seats are designed for newborns and smaller infants.
A rear-facing infant car seat is a kind of child car seat that is only rearward-facing position. These seats are made to accommodate infants and small children usually up to 35 pounds. The base of these seats is narrower than that of other car seats. This makes them suitable for small vehicles and helps to make space in the back of the vehicle. The majority of car seats for infants can be converted into strollers, which makes the journey of a child simpler.
Preemies and newborns born prior to 37 weeks of gestation are also recommended to use rear-facing infant car seats. They offer more room and a better fit than standard car seats, which can be difficult for a small baby to get into and out of. The infant car seat provides more cervical and head support than a forward-facing car seat. This can to protect infants and small babies in a crash.
The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests that children should remain rear-facing until they reach their maximum weight and height for car seats or when they are around two years old. This is due to the fact that the spine of the child is more able to strengthen in this position, and help prevent spinal injuries. It is important to keep in mind that infants and children are more prone to suffer severe injuries when they are facing forward.
In travel infant car seat of a crash, the rear-facing infant seat absorbs the majority of the impact's force, protecting the baby's head, neck and spine. When a child rides in a seat that is forward-facing, their disproportionately large heads can be thrown at the vehicle's dashboard or console which can cause serious injuries.
Many parents believe that their child is ready for a booster or forward-facing seat at around the age of two. This is a huge error. It is better for children to be rear-facing in their car seats until they are three or four years old, according to recent studies published in BMJ Injury Prevention. The longer a child stays rear-facing, the more their cervical vertebrae grow and become ossified.
Installing and removing them is easy.
The majority of rear-facing infant car seats include a snap-on base that can be removed from your vehicle when not in use. This is a great feature and allows parents to keep the child in their seat without having to get out of the car, particularly in the event of bad weather or at the night when it's more difficult. It is also simple to change between vehicles and allow grandparents or other caregivers access the child's car seat.
Once your child has outgrown their car seat for infants, in terms of height or weight then it's time to upgrade to a booster or convertible. It's important to keep it in mind that children are safer if they ride rear-facing as long as possible. Many safety experts recommend that children remain rear-facing in their car seats until their second birthday, or the weight and height limits set by the car seat manufacturer.
In a frontal crash, the child who is rear-facing in a car seat absorbs majority of the force in an accident by absorbing them on their neck, head, and the spine. When a child rides forward-facing their head is being pushed forward due to the force of the crash. This can stretch their spinal cord and cause serious injury or even death.
If you're concerned about your child's comfort while rear-facing, try to keep them warm with blankets and avoid placing loose ones under or behind them. Be sure to not dress them in bulky clothing as this could interfere with the tightness and fit of the harness. Also, ensure that the chest clip is level against the shoulder and that the harness straps do not have slack.
Many child safety experts say that rear-facing car seats will protect children five times more in the event of a crash, if they ride for longer. This is because during a crash, children' heads are large for their bodies - can be thrown forward by force that could otherwise be absorbent by their torsos as well as necks. Seats that face the rear protect the child's head and shield them from serious injuries.
They guard the neck and head of your child.
If a child is in a rear-facing car seat, their neck and spinal cord are cradled against the back of the safety seat in the event of a crash. This is important since in a frontal crash (the most common type of car crash) infants who are facing forward in cars are thrown from the dashboard, which could result in neck injuries and possibly death. Infants in rear-facing seats are cradled by the rear of their car seat, and their heads are padded and supported by the headrest.
Infants also have a significantly easier breathing process when placed in a rear-facing seat as their chins are pushed up against their chest. In forward-facing car seats the chin may be pulled down and this can make it difficult for children to breathe. In fact, children who lie down in a forward-facing car seat are 75% more likely to be injured in the head than those who lie down in a rear-facing car seat.
The brain and spine of a baby are still developing. This makes them more prone to crashes. In a forward-facing crash the head of an infant could strike the dashboard or buckle of the seat belt, and this could cause a stretch in their spinal cord and cause serious injury or death. This is why it's so important to keep your child in a rear-facing car seat as long as you can, up to the point that they outgrow the weight and height limits of the car seat they're in.
Some infant car seats come with an insert specifically designed to support the head of the baby. This can be removed after the child is no longer using it. In addition, many car seats feature load leg or anti-rebound bar features that can help absorb the impact of a crash. This is crucial as it minimizes the impact on your child and could even keep the child from being ejected.
NHTSA recommends keeping your child in the rear-facing infant car seat until he or she is at the weight and height limit of their car seat. When they do then, they should move to an convertible car seat or all-in-one car seat that can be used rear facing and converted to forward facing as they grow.
They are easy to clean.
No matter if you choose an infant car seat that is attached to a base within your vehicle, or a convertible or all-in-one car seat, they're all designed to be quick and easy to remove. They can often be clicked directly into travel systems or strollers to run errands while on the move. They are also easy to clean. Many of them have covers that are removable and parts that are removable, which can be washed and dried in the washing machine. This is especially important as children can be messy!
In the event of an accident, the position of the rear will protect the head and neck of a child. This is especially important for infants and young children. Their heads contain a lot of cartilage and their spinal cords are more flexible than adults. When they collide their head can snap backward and stretch their spinal cords and result in serious injuries. Many car safety experts suggest that children remain in the rear for as long as is possible.
Although it's tempting to put your child to booster seats when they appear ready however, each front-facing car seat switch reduces the amount of protection they'll have in a crash. In a frontal collision, the child's head would be dropped towards the side and possibly strike the dashboard or plastic shell. This increases the risk of injury. The ideal is for children to ride rear-facing until they reach the maximum weight for rear-facing or the maximum height for their seat or until they reach the age of 2.
If you're not sure if your child is able to transition out of their rear-facing seat, talk to an accredited CPST in your area who can help. They can assist you in determining the appropriate age at which your child can turn around, and also ensure they're riding correctly and safely in their seat.
Many parents mistakenly believe that their child has outgrown their car seat when they grow out of the maximum rear-facing height or weight limit. There are many factors to consider including the size of your car as well as your child's unique shape. Many infant car seats have built-in indicators that let you know when your child's neck is no more over the top of the seat. Review the instructions for your car seat and vehicle owner's manual for more details on safe recline.