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Choosing Between an Infant and a Convertible Newborn Car Seat A newborn car seat is also referred to as a baby car seat or infant safety seat. It is designed to protect infants from injury and death in vehicle accidents. They have a harness that distributes restraint forces across the head and body of the child rather than the neck and spinal cord. These seats are available in rear-facing and convertible versions, and come with an array of weight and height limits. They may also be part of an entire travel system that snaps into and out of a stroller base. pushchairsandprams.uk -facing Rear-facing car seats for newborns provide unbeatable protection in accidents for infants. They are designed to support and cradle children, securing their head, neck, and spine. They also help to disperse the impact of a crash to prevent your child's body from being hit which reduces the risk of injuries. This is because the child's body does not collide with the car seat or the front passenger seat. Instead, it's an upholstered, soft surface inside their car seat. According to the AAP, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Parents should keep their child facing rearwards until they reach their car seat's maximum weight or height limit. The majority of children will outgrow their infant car seats around the age of 1 at which point they are able to transition to a convertible car seat that can face forward. Many parents will put their child in the rear-facing seat until they turn two. There are two main kinds: infant-only car seats and convertible car seat. Both are equally secure, however they offer distinct advantages. For instance, infant-only seats are lighter and smaller. They also come with an easy-release base that can easily be detached from the vehicle and then attached to the stroller. Convertible car seats are larger and heavier, and do not come with a built-in base for strollers. It is important that you always use the back seat, regardless of the type of seat. You can also place a tightly rolled blanket or washcloth between the crotch harness and your child to ensure the harness is securely secured. Make sure 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. While there is much debate over how long a child should ride rear-facing, research shows that infants up to 12 months old are less likely to sustain injuries in car accidents if they are facing the rear of the car. Babies in rear-facing car seats also experience less impact when they strike the front of the car, as opposed to the back of the car seat, which can result in serious injuries. Forward-facing The majority of parents have put a lot of thought into their infant car seat. It was a key item on your baby registry and the way you brought your child home from the hospital. You might consider changing the car seat to face forward when your child grows older. However, it's important remember that children aren't ready for this until they reach the height and weight limits set by the manufacturer of their car seat. Until your baby is at least 20 lbs and one year old, they should remain rear-facing. Children younger than one year don't have the neck muscles required to resist whiplash resulting from being thrown in an accident. Moreover they are at a higher risk of suffering spinal injuries in head-on accidents. You can purchase a convertible or an all-in-one car seat, which allows your child to remain rear-facing until they reach the weight and height limit for the seat. These are usually bucket-style infant car seats that attach to a base for installation in your vehicle. The base can be removed and attached to strollers to form a travel system. They are typically lighter in weight and height restrictions than standard car seats. You can also buy a booster. These seats are fitted with a harness and can be transformed into a booster seat that allows your child to wear a seat belt once they are ready. This type of car seat has the principal advantage that it can be used in your car for the duration of your child's life which makes it much easier to transport the child from one vehicle to another. It doesn't matter which car seat you pick follow the directions and follow the guidelines. Contact a certified car safety technician to ensure your child's car seat is installed and used correctly. The misuse of car seats is frequent, and even the most well-meaning parents could cause harm to their children if they don't know what they're doing. The best way to avoid this is to follow the instructions for car seats and following the advice of a CPST. Convertible Many parents choose to purchase a convertible newborn car seat because they expand with your child and allow them to travel safely from infancy to toddlerhood. They are less expensive than infant seats and offer an extended life. However, it's important to choose a model that is easy to install and will fit in your vehicle. Also, make sure to ensure your child's safety by securing them correctly each time. Snug straps stop the head from moving into a dangerous chin-to-chest position that could result in asphyxiation or strangulation. A lot of infant carseats have loose or unbuckled straps which pose an extremely risky safety issue. Unbuckled straps can lead to a neck that hangs loose, which is the cause of numerous accidents. If the crotch strap is not enough tight to pass a pinch test, it could be a risk. This test determines if the crotch buckle is close enough to prevent a newborn's legs from sliding around in the seat and result in them being injured or trapped. Some convertible newborn car seat have adjustable torso-height, which allows you to adjust the height limit to suit your child's growth. The minimum torso height should be the same as the height of the shoulders of your infant or an inch lower. Some models include an infant insert to raise your child to the proper height for the seat. The ideal convertible infant car seat should have a comfortable fit, comfortable padding and a narrow base that lets you install it in your car. It should also include a snug, tight harness that is able to pass the pinch test and an incredibly small, tightly-rolled towel or blanket in case in the event of an accident. It should also include an anchor tether that connects to the anchor points of your vehicle, which can minimize injuries from a crash by reducing force of impact. In addition it should include the travel system, which consists of a car seat that pairs with a stroller and a handle you use to move the infant from the car to the stroller. Safety features Parents have a lot to think about when choosing the right car seat for their babies. Car seats are an essential purchase for families who are starting a new life and their use can reduce the chance that your child will suffer a fatal motor vehicle injury by 71. The choice between an infant car seat and a convertible car seat comes down to a few key factors, including safety features, compatibility with your vehicle, and ease of use. Car seats for infants are designed with the fragile physiology of a newborn in mind. The seat's base is usually in the car, and the seat snaps into place. This makes it easy to transfer your baby from stroller to car, and back without disturbing them. They also have built-in harnesses and a crotch belt to keep your baby secure. Some infant cars also come with side impact protection, which distributes crash force away from the baby's head and neck. Plastic, metal and foam absorb energy and shield the baby's face from direct contact with a vehicle frame or any other object involved in an accident. Some include a specially designed pod on the door side that extends to shield the baby's head. Another security feature that's becoming more common in car seats for newborns is a chest clip that keeps the harness straps straight across your newborn's chest. This prevents the straps from getting caught or bending at the shoulders, which can place your baby at a higher risk of injuries. If you opt for a car seat that has this feature, make sure the chest clip is positioned at armpit height. Avoid dressing your baby with bulky outerwear as this could hinder the harness. Make sure that the car seat is fitted according to the instructions of the manufacturer regardless of the model you choose. Look for the Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children system. This system consists of connectors that clip into the lower anchor points of your car, and a tether that hooks onto an anchor inside the vehicle. If your vehicle does not have LATCH, a seatbelt may be used to secure the car seats.