Why You Should Consider a Forward Facing Infant Car Seat

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

Instead change to FF when your child is at the height or weight maximums of their current seat (or the minimums for a new seat). Make sure you read the instructions for your car seat.

Safety

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

All infant car seats with a forward-facing view have five-point harnesses to ensure the child's safety with just one pull, tightening the strap. the shell of the car is lined with EPS energy-absorbing foam to provide improved protection from impact. Some also have a canopy to provide shade from the sun.

The best infant seat infant car seats will have an angle indicator and an adjustable angle adjuster, which allows you to determine the ideal angle for your child's head to prevent the car seat from slipping over in the event of a collision. The seat also has an upper tether strap that is attached to the top of the car seat and hooks onto the tether anchor inside your vehicle. It's important to keep it in mind that your child may not require switching to a forward-facing car seat until they reach the top rated infant car seats weight and height limit that is stated in the instruction manual of the seat you are using.

When your child is 20 pounds and one year old is over, it's time to switch. Toddlers and babies under one year old have loose, soft neck muscles that can cause whiplash when they are in an accident. They are more likely to sustain serious neck injuries when they are in a frontal crash (the most frequent and serious type). Rear-facing car seats shield the necks of infants under one year old by cushioning their heads.

When kids move to a forward-facing car seat they should use a convertible or all-in-one seat that has a strong rear-facing weight and height limit. The child shouldn't be able to move into an adult booster until they meet the height and age requirements for a high-back booster, which is typically around the age of 4 or 5 years old. It is evident the difference in these carseats when you watch these crash videos, however, remember that the video is slowed down. If a kid moves too quickly, they can be injured.

Comfort

A forward facing infant car seat allows your infant to enjoy a comfortable ride and remain safe during the event of a crash. The seat features a soft headrest, a cushion for body support, and an EPS energy-absorbing foam to protect your child from impact. The seat also comes with a five-point harness with easy one-pull tightening and an adjustable center front adjuster to ensure your child is properly positioned. A retractable sun canopy helps protect your child from the sun. The seat can be secured to the seat belt of your vehicle to ensure security. It also includes a clip to lock the buckle in place when the seat is not in use.

If your child complains of discomfort while traveling or seems to slump forward when sleeping or sleeping, the angle of the seat may be too low for them. This can be fixed by placing a towel that is tightly folded underneath the front of your car seat. If this doesn't work, you can bring your child to Rockridge Kids to have us check the angle of their car seat.

Be aware that children should not face forward until they weigh at minimum 20 pounds and are a year old. Their necks are still not strong enough to take the force of a collision in the event that they fall to their front on their own. Some experts suggest staying a bit longer, because the muscles and bones of young children are more malleable.

Many parents decide to buy a convertible car seat, which allows their babies to travel backwards until they reach the maximum height or weight limit of the seat. This allows them to benefit from the advantages of a rear-facing car seat for much longer, and also makes it more convenient for parents since they can easily move their child from the rear-facing position to the forward-facing position once their child has outgrown it.

The Graco 4Ever 4-in-1 Convertible Car Seat offers your child 10 years of car seat newborn insert seat use in just one seat, from rear-facing infant (4-40 lbs) to forward-facing 5-point harness with high-back booster (30-100 lb) to backless belt-positioning booster (40-120 lb). The Smart Fit system makes it easy to put in. You can move the headrest and harness together without the need to re-thread.

Convenience

A forward-facing infant car seat is an excellent option for traveling with a child who is young. It lets you see your child while driving and allows all of your family members to get into the vehicle without disturbing your baby or toddler. This type of car seat can also be used with strollers making it much easier to get your toddler into and out of the car for trips to the grocery store or other errands.

However, even when your child is old enough to transition to an forward-facing car seat, it's safer to keep them rear-facing for as long as possible. From the perspective of crash tests, children's head is more secure in a crash when they face backwards. This is because when they are facing backwards, the entire body, including the neck, head and torso, is cradled in the car seat's rear.

You should check the instructions of the manufacturer to determine when you can change your child's car seat around. You'll find that they have an upper and lower limit, as well as specific rules regarding things such as the crotch strap position. These rules are designed to protect your child's health as they grow.

It is also important to consider whether your vehicle is equipped with Tether anchors. If you do, ensure that the strap is correctly installed and secured to the vehicle's anchor points as instructed in the manual for your seat. Lastly, you'll want to make sure that the shoulder straps of your harness are at or just above your child's shoulders and not too low or high because this can impact how well they're secured in the event of an accident.

A convertible car seat is a smart choice for parents with multiple children or who plan to have more children. It's a convertible car seat that can be used as an infant rear-facing car seat and then converted to a forward-facing car seat once your child reaches the height or weight limits of the rear-facing position.

Style

The baby car seat was a must-have item for your child and you've spent much time deciding the right one. As your child gets older and outgrows their car seat for infants, you might wonder if it's time to flip the seat around.

Although the idea of having your baby face forward may be exciting, there are some important safety considerations you should be aware of. Children should be rear-facing until they reach the maximum weight of their car seat and height limitations.

You should also be aware that children are different in size and age, therefore you shouldn't base when to switch to forward-facing on an exact date on the calendar or if they've reached their limit of legroom. It may seem that a child is bigger in a rear facing car seat, but this doesn't mean that it is safe to turn your child around. Their spine and bones haven't yet fully developed.

It is recommended that you keep your child facing rearwards until they are at least one year old, and certain infant car seats have an inbuilt reminder to keep them there. This is because children under one don't have strong enough neck muscles to withstand the force of a frontal collision which can cause serious spinal injuries.

In addition to being secure, many infant car seats come with practical features that make them easy to use. These include bases that remain connected to the car and snap out and in to allow you to carry your child from stroller to car and back to the car and often with a frame stroller as part of an overall travel system.

If you're ready to move your baby into forward-facing convertible car seats make sure you do it correctly by following all the instructions of the manufacturer and examining the car seat for tightness. When properly installed the car seat inserts for newborns seat should not move more than one inch side to side or from front to back and the harness straps must be at or above the shoulders of your child. If you have questions or concerns about the installation of your car seat, contact a certified safety technician in your community or the car seat manufacturer.