Why You Should Consider a Forward Facing Infant Car Seat

Children under one year should NOT ride facing in the direction of forward. In a crash, their neck muscles may be stretched and cause serious injury.

Instead switch to FF when your child is at the maximum height or weight limit of their current seat (or the minimums required for a new seat). Follow the directions for your car seat carefully.

Safety

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

All forward-facing infant seats feature five-point harnesses that can secure the child by pulling the straps. The shell of the carrier is lined with energy-absorbing foam EPS for better impact protection. Some also have an umbrella to protect from the sun.

The most effective infant car seats come with an adjustable angle adjustment and an angle indicator. This lets you determine the right angle for your child's neck in order to prevent it from flopping over in the event of a collision. The car seat also comes with an upper tether strap that comes from the top of the car seat. It then hooks onto the tether anchor inside your vehicle. Be aware that you may not need to move your child from a forward-facing car seat until he or attains the maximum weight and height as stated in the manual for the seat.

When your child is 20 pounds and one year old, it's time to make the switch. Infants and toddlers younger than one year old have loose, soft muscles in their necks that could cause whiplash when they are involved in an accident. They are more prone to suffer serious neck injuries when they travel in a frontal collision (the most common and severe type). When kids under 1 year are backwards, their head is cushioned by the car seat, and protected from sudden movements that could stress their necks.

When kids move to an 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 height limit. The child shouldn't be able to move into a booster until they reach the height and age requirements for a high-back or backless booster, which is usually around age 4 or 5 years old. It is evident the difference in these newborn car seat seats when you watch these crash videos but keep in mind that the footage is slow-motion. If a child is moving too quickly, they can be injured.

Comfort

A forward-facing infant car seats keeps your child safe and secure during an accident. The seat comes with a comfortable headrest, a body support cushion, and an EPS energy-absorbing foam to protect your child from a collision. The seat also features five-point harnesses that are easy to use with one-pull tightening, and an adjustable center front adjuster to ensure your child is in the right position. A retractable sun canopy will shield your child from the sun. The seat can be secured to the vehicle seat belt to ensure safety. It also comes with an locking clip that keeps the buckle in place when the seat is not in use.

If your child complains of discomfort during a trip or seems to slump forward when sleeping the seat's angle might be too low for the child. You can fix this by putting tightly rolled towels on the front of the car seat to lift it higher. If this doesn't work you can take your child to Rockridge Kids to have us assess the angle of their car seat.

Keep in mind that children shouldn't face forward until they weigh at least 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 recommend waiting longer, as the muscles and bones of children are more flexible than those of adults.

Many parents choose to purchase a convertible car seat that lets their infants move rearwards until they reach their maximum weight or height limits. This allows them to benefit from the advantages of a rear-facing car seat longer and is 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 4-in-1 Convertible Car Seat offers your child 10 years of car seat use in just one seat, ranging from rear-facing infant (4-40 lb) to forward-facing 5-point harness with high-back booster (30-100 lb) to backless belt-positioning booster (40-120 lbs). It's simple and easy to install with the Smart Fit system that allows you to move the harness and headrest together, without re-threading.

Convenience

A forward-facing infant car seat inserts for newborns seat is a great option for traveling with a toddler. 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. The car seat can be used in conjunction with strollers which makes it easier for you to get your child in and out of the vehicle when going to the shop or running tasks.

However that even when your child is old enough to switch to an forward-facing car seat, it's best car seat for newborn to keep them rear-facing as long as possible. From the perspective of crash tests, a child's head is safer in the event of a crash if they are facing backwards. This is because the entire body -- head as well as neck and torso is supported by the back of the car seat when they face in this direction.

Read the instruction manual of the manufacturer to determine when you can rotate your child's seat. You'll see that they have a maximum height and weight limit, as well as specific rules about things like the crotch strap's location. These limits are designed to protect your child as they grow.

Another thing to take into consideration is if you have an automobile with Tether anchors for your car seat. If so, ensure that the strap is properly fitted and connected to the vehicle's anchor points as per the instructions in the manual of the seat. Additionally, you'll need to make sure that the harness shoulder straps are placed at or just above the shoulders of your child and not too low or high because this can affect the way they are restrained in the event of a crash.

An excellent option for parents who have more than one child or plan to have more children is convertible car seats. It is a one-stop car seat that starts off being used as an infant car seat for travel car seat facing rear and then transition your child to a forward-facing seat when they're old enough and have reached the weight or height limit of the rear-facing car seat.

Style

You spent a lot time and effort deciding on the right car seat for your child. But as they get older and start outgrowing their infant car seat, you might be wondering if it's the right time to switch them around.

While the idea of facing your child forward is exciting, there are some important safety factors to consider. Kids should remain rear facing until they reach the maximum height and weight limits for their particular car seat.

It is important to remember that children are different in terms of size and age therefore you shouldn't 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 however, that doesn't mean that it's safe to turn them around, as their spine and bones aren't fully developed yet.

It is recommended that you keep your child facing rearwards until they reach one year old. certain infant car seats come with an inbuilt reminder to ensure they remain there. This is due to the fact that children younger than one year old do not have the strength of their neck muscles to withstand the force of a frontal collision which can cause serious spinal injuries.

Many infant car seats aren't just secure, but also simple to use. Some of these include bases that snap in and out of the car and allow you to transport your child from the car to a stroller and back. They are typically part of an overall travel system.

If you're ready to move your child to forward-facing convertible car seats make sure you follow all the instructions of the manufacturer and examining the car seat for tightness. The car seat shouldn't move more than an inch from side to side, or from front to back, when properly installed. The harness straps should be placed over the shoulders of your child. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the installation of your car seat, contact an approved safety technician in your locality or the car seat manufacturer.