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Choosing Between an Infant and a Convertible Newborn Car Seat A car seat for newborns is also referred to as an infant safety seat or baby car seat, protects infants from injury and even death from car accidents. They are fitted with a harness that distributes the restraining forces over the child's body and head instead of the spinal cord and neck. They are available in rear-facing as well as convertible versions, as well as with the option of varying weights and height limits. They may also be part of a travel system that can click into and out of a stroller base. Rear-facing Rear-facing newborn child car seats offer unbeatable protection in crashes for infants. They are designed to cradle and support children, protecting their head, neck, and spine. They also help to reduce injuries by stopping the impact of an accident from hitting your child. best car seat is because the child's body does not hit the seat of the vehicle or the front seat. Instead, it's an upholstered, soft surface inside their car seat. According to the AAP as well as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, parents should keep their child rear-facing until they reach the weight limit of their car seat or height limit. Around age 1, most children will outgrow their infant car seat and move on to a convertible seat that can face forward. However, many parents want to keep their child in a rear-facing car seat until the 2nd birthday of their child. There are two primary kinds: infant-only car seats and convertible car seats. Both are safe, but have different features. For instance, infant-only seats are smaller, lighter, and come with an easy release base which can be easily removed from the car and reattached to a stroller base. Convertible car seats are heavier and larger. They also do not include a stroller base. It is crucial to use the back seat, regardless of the type of seat. You can also place a blanket that is tightly rolled or washcloth between the crotch straps and your child to ensure that the harness is secure. Check that the lower anchors of your car seat are correctly installed, and that they are connected to the lower anchor points on the lower anchor bars. There is a lot of debate over how long a baby should be rear-facing, research has shown that infants up to 12 months old are less likely to suffer injuries in car accidents when they're facing the back of the car. Car seats that are rear-facing allow infants to feel less stress when they strike the car's front instead of the rear which could result in serious injuries. Forward-facing The majority of parents have given a lot of thought to their infant's car seat. It was a key item on your baby registry as well as the method you took your baby home from the hospital. You might consider changing the car seat to face forward as your child grows older. However, it's important to keep in mind that children aren't yet ready until they reach the height and weight limits set by the manufacturer of their car seat. Rear-facing is recommended until your baby weighs at least 20 pounds and reaches the age of one year. Children under one year old do not have the neck muscles required to withstand whiplash when thrown in an accident. They also face greater risk of suffering from spinal injuries in head-on collisions. You can purchase a convertible car seat or an all-in one seat that will allow you to keep the child rear-facing up until the child is at the weight and height limits of the seat. These are typically bucket-style infant seats that have an installation base that can be inserted into your vehicle. They can also be separated from the base and attached to strollers to create travel systems. However, they usually have lower maximum weight and height limits than the standard convertible car seats. Alternatively, you can get a booster seat. They are typically equipped with a harness designed for smaller children, and then convert into a belt-positioning booster seat once your child is ready. This type of car seat has the primary benefit of being used in your car for the duration of your child's growing years which makes it much easier to transport the car seat from one location to another. No matter what car seat you pick make sure you read the instructions and follow the installation instructions. It's also a good idea to consult a certified car safety technician to make sure that the child's car seat is installed and used properly. The misuse of car seats is common, and even well-meaning parents can injure their children if they don't understand what they're doing. It is best to read the instructions on the car seat and follow the advice of a CPST. Convertible Many parents choose a convertible newborn car seat because they can expand with your child and allow them to safely travel from the time of infancy until toddlerhood. These seats are also less expensive than infant car seats and have an extended lifespan. However, it's important to choose a model that is easy to install and fits your vehicle. Be sure to ensure your child's safety by buckling them up in a proper manner each time. Snug straps keep the head from shifting to the risky chin-to-chest position that can cause strangulation or even asphyxiation. A majority of infant car seats have straps that are loose or not buckled. This is a major safety issue. Straps that aren't buckled can cause a neck that hangs loose that is the cause of numerous accidents. If the crotch strap has not been enough tight to pass the pinch test, it can cause danger. This test will determine if the crotch strap is tight enough to prevent the legs of a newborn baby from slouching in the seat and causing them to be trapped or cut. Some convertible newborn car seat include torso heights that are adjustable, which allows you to adjust the height limit based on the development of your child. The minimum torso must be equal to the height of the shoulders of your infant or an inch lower. Some models come with an infant insert that can help raise your child to the proper height for the seat. The best convertible newborn car seat should be a snug fit, comfortable padding and a narrow base to allow you to install it easily in your car. It should also include a tight, snug harness that passes the pinch test, and an incredibly small, tightly-rolled blanket or towel in case in the event of an accident. It should also come with a tether strap that attaches to the anchor points on your vehicle and can reduce crash injuries by reducing the impact force on your baby. In addition, it should come with an infant travel system that consists of a car seat that pairs with a stroller and has an handle that you can use to move the infant from the car to the stroller. Safety features Parents have a lot to take into consideration when selecting the appropriate car seat for their babies. Car seats are an essential purchase for families with new children because their proper use can reduce the likelihood that children will be the victim of an fatal motor vehicle crash injury by 71 per cent. The decision between an infant car seat and a convertible seat comes down to several key elements such as safety features and compatibility with your vehicle and the ease of use. Infant car seats are designed with the fragile physiology of a newborn in mind. They usually come with the base that is able to stay in the car and a carrier that snaps into place, making it easy to transfer your baby from car to stroller and back again without disturbing them. They also come with harnesses built-in and a crotch belt to keep your baby secure. Some infant cars are equipped with side-impact protection, which distributes the force of the collision away from a newborn's neck and head. Foam, metal, and plastic absorb energy and protect the baby's face from direct contact with a vehicle frame or any other object involved in the event of a collision. Some include a special pod that extends from the door to protect the head of the child. Another safety feature that's becoming more common in car seats for newborns is a chest clip that holds the harness straps straight across the chest of your baby. This prevents the straps pinching or twisting around shoulders, which could put your child at risk of injury. If you select a seat with this feature, ensure that the chest clip is placed at armpit height. Also, you should not dress your child in bulky clothing that might interfere with the harness's fit. Make sure that the car seat is installed according to the instructions of the manufacturer regardless of the type you choose. Look for the Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) system comprising an attachment that clips onto a car's lower anchor points and an tether strap that is attached to the top of the seat. It then connects to an anchor in your vehicle. If your car doesn't have LATCH, you can use the seat belt to secure your car seat.