5 Must-Know-How-To Infant Car Seat Rear Facing Methods To 2024
Keep Your Child in an Infant Car Seat Rear Facing
Keep your child in a car seat that is rear-facing is the best option. Children should only be transferred to the car seat facing forward when they reach the weight and height limits of their existing seat.
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Safety Benefits
Utilizing a car seat for infants rear facing is safest for infants and newborns due to the way it holds and supports their neck and head. "Since their spines haven't been ossified, it's crucial to keep the impact of a crash away from their necks and heads" says Purva Grover, MD, director of Cleveland Clinic Children's Pediatric Emergency Departments. In a frontal collision, the baby's head could strike the seat in front of them, causing whiplash effects that can be fatal or severe. However, in a rear-facing car seat the impact is absorbed by the seat and then dissipated by the back of the vehicle. Adele says, "It feels like a hug." In addition the child's legs are put into their car seat, preventing them from being thrown against the rear of the seat or any other surfaces in the vehicle. "This stops them from colliding with their own body, which can cause internal injuries," she explains.
Many parents are against ERF because they fear their child is bored or uncomfortable. Neither has been true for my son, Lukas. He prefers sitting rear-facing since the seat reclines, which allows him to read a book or watch TV while doing so.
If you have a child who is reluctant to face the rear due to their leg length or for other reasons convince them that this is the safest option. Explain that they can remain in their convertible or all-in one car seats in the event that they do not exceed the height or weight limits set by the manufacturer of the seat.
Be sure to buckle your child in the rear-facing car seat securely using the lower anchor system or seat belt. Don't let them wear bulky clothes such as winter coats. They can expand in the event of a crash, making the harness straps loosen. This puts your child at risk of injury. Always use the Pinch Test to ensure a secure fit.
Convenience
Many parents prefer to keep infant car seats facing rear as long as they can, because they are easier to use and more mobile than convertible seats. However, keeping your child in a rear-facing car seat could mean that they need to be moved into an infant crib or bassinet during time of nap or times of bedtime. This could result in waking the child who is sleeping, which is not ideal. The advantages of rear-facing far outweigh the inconvenience, however.
Preemies and newborn babies are smaller than full-term infants which means that the headrest of their car seat is lower. This helps reduce the force of an impact and also ensures that the harness' chest clip is at or below their shoulders instead of at their necks. This is important for premature infants, with bones that aren't strong enough and have not ossified after birth or pregnancy.
The position that faces the rear allows you to observe your baby more clearly than a forward-facing position. This allows you to observe their behavior and make sure they are happy and comfortable. The majority of infant car seats come with built-in baby mirrors that can be adjusted to view your child from almost every angle.
You can utilize convertible car seats or an all-in one seat to keep your child rear-facing until they reach the maximum weight or height limit. Some rear-facing car seats have limits that are higher than rear-only car seats which allows them to be used for longer.
Convertible car seats or all-in-one seats are renowned for being versatile. They can be used in rear-facing, forward-facing or as belt positioning boosters. They are also simpler to install and remove due to their large base at the back of your car. They are more expensive than single-use infant car seats, however, they last longer than a standard infant seat and will save you money in the long run.
The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests that children remain rear-facing until they reach the maximum weight and height limits established by their car seat manufacturer or at least 2 years old. older. It is common for children to outgrow their rear facing infant car seat before they reach the age of two. But, it's always better to wait.
Weight Limits
It is important to know that all car seats for infants have height and weight restrictions. The majority of infant car seats have a maximum weight limit of 30 to 35 pounds and a height limit of about 30 inches, depending on the model. If your child is reaching these limits, it's time to move to the next level of safety. This could be a convertible car seat that allows you to be switched between rear facing and forward facing, or an all-in-one seat that lets your kiddo ride backwards until they reach the maximum height and weight that is recommended by the manufacturer.
There are other factors, besides the weight and height limit that can tell you whether your child is ready to move up a stage in the car seat. One of them is their level of comfort when riding rear-facing. You can find these signs in your child's behavior and compare it to other children similar to yours in their car seats. You can also ask for assistance from certified child safety specialists at a car seat inspection station, which are often run by local government agencies or community-based organizations.
Keeping your infant rear facing for as long as is possible is safest for them, and it's easy to understand why parents are hesitant to move their children back until they're completely grown. However, you can avoid this temptation by making sure that your child's car seat is correctly installed and you don't rush to transition them to a forward-facing seat too quickly even if they're close to the limit of weight or height of the car seat they're currently in.
Contact a certified child passenger technician if you have any concerns about your child's readiness for the next phase of car seats or if you are worried that you might not installing the car seat correctly. These experts can be found through local community organizations, government offices, and child passenger safety programs. You can search online for one near you, or contact your local public safety agency or health department. There are also mobile car seat check events that will visit your home or workplace to make sure you have the proper equipment and are using it correctly.
Installation
A car seat has to be installed correctly to be effective. Unfortunately the NHTSA reports that almost half of all car seats are incorrectly installed (and this includes rear facing). The best way to ensure that your infant car seat is correctly installed is to read the instruction manual and have it professionally verified by a certified vehicle safety technician.
The first step when installing a rear facing infant car seat is to check the angle. You can examine the angle of the base on the side or in the user manual to ensure it is safe for your child's weight.
You should also make sure that your baby's head is properly positioned in the seat. Babies have big heads and soft necks, and a forward-facing posture could cause pressure on their neck and spine during a crash. If a rear-facing collision occurs the back of the car seat absorbs the majority of the crash force, which protects the baby's delicate neck as well as spinal cord.
When your baby is at the weight or height limit of the car seat they were in as infants, it is time to move to a convertible or all-in-one car seat, which can be used in the rear-facing position until your child has reached their front-facing limit. Make sure to purchase a new infant car seat with more rear-facing capacity if you decide to switch to this type of seat because older models have lower limits.
Parents who frequently transport their children by car will find it convenient to select an infant car seat that is able to be removed and connected to a stroller. The only downside to this is that it can be time-consuming and difficult to move the stroller and car seat into and out of your car every time, especially for a newborn. If you're willing to invest the extra time each time to get it done, this could be a viable alternative for many families. Plan ahead and choose the day when you have plenty of time.