Rear Facing Infant Car Seat

A rear-facing infant seat suppresses the force of an impact in a crash and protects your child's head and neck. They also protect your child's legs from striking the front of the car seat during a crash, which can cause serious injury or death.

All toddlers and infants should be rear-facing until they reach the weight or height limit of the car seat's manufacturer. This includes both infant car seats as well as convertible seats.

Rear-facing best infant car seat car seats are specifically designed for newborns and infants who are smaller.

A rear-facing infant car seat is one kind of child seat that has only a rearward-facing position. These seats are made to accommodate infants and small children usually up to 35 pounds. They also have a wider base than other types of car seats. They are ideal for cars with small trunks and help to save space on the back of the car. Additionally, the majority of baby car seats can be snapped into strollers to make traveling with a baby much easier.

Rear-facing infant car seats are recommended for babies and preemies born prior to 37 weeks gestation. They are more spacious and better fitted than standard car seats which are difficult to get in and out of for small infants. The infant car seat offers more cervical and head support than a car seat that is forward-facing. This can protect babies and preemies in a crash.

The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests that children remain in the rear until they reach their maximum weight and height for the car seat, or when they reach the age of two years old. This is due to the fact that there is more time for the spine of the child to strengthen in this position, which could help prevent injuries to the spine. It is also important to note that children and infants are more likely to suffer serious injuries when they are facing forward.

In the event of an accident, the rear-facing seat absorbs the bulk of the impact, shielding the baby's neck, head and spine. When the child is in a forward-facing seat their heads that are disproportionately large can be thrown against the console or dashboard of the vehicle which can cause serious injuries.

Many parents believe that their child is ready to get a booster seat or a seat facing forward at around the age of two. However, this is a major mistake. It is better for children to stay rear facing in their car seat until they are three or four years old, as per recent studies published in BMJ Injury Prevention. The longer a child stays rear-facing, the more their cervical vertebrae grow and ossify.

Installation and removal is easy.

Most rear-facing infant car seat come with a snap-on base that can be removed from your car when not in use. This is a convenient feature and allows parents to keep the child in their seat without leaving the vehicle, particularly in the event of bad weather or at night when it can be more difficult. It is also easy to change between vehicles and let grandparents or other caregivers access to the child's car seat.

Once your child has outgrown their infant car seat in terms of weight or height then it's time to upgrade to a convertible or booster. It's important to keep in mind that children are safer if they are rear-facing for as long as possible. Many safety experts suggest that children remain rear-facing in their car seats until their second birthday, or the maximum weight and height limits set by the manufacturer of the car seat newborn seat.

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

If you are concerned about your child’s comfort when facing backwards, keep them warm by wrapping them in blankets. Avoid placing a blanket on top of or under them. Be cautious not to dress them in bulky outerwear since this could compromise the snugness and fit of the harness. Also, ensure that the chest clip is flat against their shoulders and that the harness straps are secure with no slack.

Many child safety experts say that rear-facing car seats protect children five times more in the event of a crash in the event that they sit for a longer period of time. This is because in a crash, children head-on are large for their bodies - may be thrown forward using force that would otherwise be taken up by their torsos and necks. Seats that face the rear cushion the child's head and protect them from serious injuries.

They protect your child's neck and head.

In the event of an accident, the neck and spinal cord of a child who is in a rear facing car seat are cradled by the back of the seat. This is important because in a frontal collision (the most common kind of car accident) infants in forward-facing cars are thrown from the dashboard, which can result in neck injuries and possibly death. Infants in rear-facing seats are held by the back of their car seat, and their heads are supported and cushioned by the headrest.

Infants also have a much easier breathing experience when they are placed in a rear-facing seat since their chins are raised 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, kids who sleep in a car seat that is forward-facing are 75% more likely to suffer head injury than those who sleep in a rear-facing car seat.

The brain and spine of a baby are still developing. This makes them more vulnerable to crashes. In a forward-facing crash, an infant's head can hit the dashboard or buckle of the seat belt, and it could stretch their spinal cord and cause serious injury or even death. It's important to keep your infant in a rear-facing car seat until they reach the weight and height limits of their car seat.

Some infant car seats have an insert specifically designed to support a baby's head. When a child is no longer using it, the insert can be removed. In addition, a lot of car seats feature load leg or anti-rebound bar features that help absorb the force of an accident. This is important since it minimizes the impact to your child, and could keep them from being thrown from their seat.

The recommendation from NHTSA is to keep your child in the rear-facing infant car seat until they reach the height and weight limit for their specific car seat. Once they reach that point, they should transition to an convertible car seat or all-in-one car seats that can be used rear facing and converted to forward facing as they grow.

Rugs are easy to clean.

All car seats, no matter if they are convertibles or all-in one car seats can be removed quickly and easily. They're often clipped directly into travel systems or strollers to run errands while on the move. These seats are simple to clean. Many come with machine-washable covers as well as parts that are removable and can be cleaned in the washer and dried. This is important, especially when you have children who are messy.

The position that is rear facing can protect a child's head and neck in the event of a collision crucial for children who are just starting out. Their heads contain a lot of cartilage, and their spinal cords are more flexible than those of adults. During a crash, their head could be slammed backwards and stretch their spinal cords, resulting in severe injuries. Many experts in car safety recommend that children remain rear-facing for as long as they can.

While it's tempting to transition 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 the event of a crash. In a front-facing collision, their heads could be thrown forward, and could be struck by the plastic shell of the seat or the dashboard, thereby increasing the chance of injury. It is recommended that children ride rear-facing until they reach the maximum weight rear-facing or the maximum height for their seat, or until they turn 2 years old.

If you're not sure if your child is ready to move out of their rear-facing car seat, talk to an accredited CPST in your area that can assist. They can assist you in determining when your child is ready to turn around and ensure that they're safe in their car seat.

Many parents mistakenly believe that their child has outgrown their car seat for infants once they reach the maximum rear-facing height or weight limit. But there are a variety of things to take into consideration such as the size of your car and your child's unique body shape. A majority of infant car seats come with built-in recline indicators that tell you when your child's head is not extended beyond the top of their seat. Review the instructions for your car seat and the owner's manual for more information on safe recline.