Rear Facing Infant Car Seat

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

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

Rear-facing infant car seats are specifically designed for babies and smaller infants.

A rear-facing infant car seat is a kind of child seat that has only a rearward-facing position. These seats are designed to hold infants and smaller infants, typically up to 35 pounds. The base of these seats is narrower than that of other car seats. This makes them ideal for small cars and helps to reduce the space needed in the back of the car. The majority of car seats for infants can be converted into strollers, which makes the journey of a child easier.

Rear-facing infant car seats are also recommended for preemies and babies born prior to 37 weeks gestation. They provide more space and more comfort than standard car seats, which can be difficult for a very small baby to get in and out of. The infant car seat that swivels car seat also offers more head and neck support than a front-facing car seat, which can aid in protecting preemies and small babies from injury in the event of a crash.

The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests that children remain rear-facing until they attain their maximum weight and height for car seats or at around two years old. This is because the spine of the child is more able to strengthen in this position, and help prevent spinal injuries. Additionally, it's important to note that children who are infants or younger are more prone to suffering serious injuries in front-facing collisions.

In the event of a crash the rear-facing infant seat absorbs most of the impact's force and protects the infant's head, neck and spine. When a child is seated in a chair that faces forward, their heads can be thrown into the dashboard or console of the vehicle, causing serious injuries.

Many parents believe that their child is ready to move to a booster seat or forward-facing car seat at around two years old. But this is a big mistake. It is safer for children to be 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 is rear-facing, the more cervical vertebrae grow and develop ossification.

Installing and removing them is simple.

Most rear facing infant car seats have an easy-to-install base that can be installed in your vehicle and can be removed when no longer needed. This is a great feature that allows parents to keep the child in their car seat without having to get out of the car, particularly in bad weather or at the night when it's more difficult. It also makes it easy to switch between vehicles and allows grandparents and other caregivers access to the child's seat.

When your child is outgrowing their infant car seat in height and weight and height, it's time to move on to a booster or convertible. But, it's important to remember that children are more secure when they are in the rear-facing car seat as long as possible. In fact, it's highly recommended by safety experts to have children ride rear-facing until their second birthday or when they reach the height and weight limit of the car seat manufacturer.

In a frontal collision, a baby riding rear-facing in a car seat absorbs the majority of the impact forces in a crash by absorbing them at their head, neck, and spine. If a child is rear-facing in a car seat the force of crashing may cause their head to be thrown forward which can cause serious injury or death.

If you are concerned about your child's comfort facing backwards, keep them warm with blankets. Avoid placing a blanket that is loose behind or beneath them. Be careful not to dress them in bulky clothing since this could compromise the tightness and fit of the harness. Also, make sure that the chest clip is flat against the shoulder and that the harness straps do not have gaps.

Many experts in child safety believe that if children sit in rear-facing car seats for a longer period of time they'll be five times more secure in a crash. In an accident head injuries to children's heads who are larger than their bodies are able to be thrown off with force that is not taken up by their necks or the torsos. With rear-facing seats the head of a child is protected by the headrest of the seat and is held by their backs in an accident, shielding them from the most serious injuries.

They protect the head and neck of your child.

In the event of an accident the neck and spinal cord of a child sitting in a rear-facing car seat will be cradled by the back of the seat. In a frontal collision (the most frequent), infants in car seats that face forward are thrown against the dashboard. This can result in neck injuries, or even death. Infants in rear-facing seats are held and padded by the back of their car seat and their heads are supported by the headrest.

Infants also have a much easier breathing process when positioned in a rear-facing car seat because their chin is placed against their chest. When children are sitting in forward-facing car seats, their chins are frequently downwards, which could block their airways and make it difficult to breathe. In fact, children who lie down in a forward-facing car seat are 75% more likely suffer head injuries than those who sleep in a rear-facing car seat.

The brain and spine of a baby are still developing. This makes them more prone to crashes. In a crash with an infant car seat that swivels facing forward and the head of the child may hit the buckle on the dashboard or seat belt. This can cause the spinal cord to become stretched and can lead to serious injury or even death. This is why it's so important to ensure your child is in the rear-facing car seat for as long as possible, until they reach the weight and height limits of the car seat they're in.

Some infant car seats have an insert specifically designed to support the head of the lightweight baby car seat. When a child is no longer using it, the insert can be removed. In addition, a lot of car seats have load leg or anti-rebound bar features that can help absorb the force of an accident. This is crucial since it reduces impact on your child and may even prevent him from being ejected.

The recommendation of NHTSA is to keep your child in an infant car seat that faces rearwards until they reach the height and weight limit of their car seat. Once they reach that point then, they should move to an convertible car seat or all-in-one car seats that can be used rear-facing and later converted to forward-facing as they increase in height.

They are easy to clean.

All car seats, regardless of whether they are convertibles or all-in one car seats are able to be removed quickly and easily. They often click directly into frame strollers and travel systems to run errands while on the move and make life much easier! They are also easy to clean. Many come with machine-washable covers as well as parts that are removable and can be washed in a washer and dryer. This is essential, particularly when you have children who can be messy.

In the event of an accident the position that is facing back will support the head and neck of a child. This is particularly important for young children. Their heads and spinal cords are more flexible, and they also have lots of cartilage. If they collision, their head may move backwards and stretch their spinal cords, possibly result in serious injuries. This is one reason why many auto safety experts suggest keeping children rear-facing for as long as they can.

While it's tempting to transition your child into booster seats when they're ready however, each front-facing car seat switch reduces the amount of protection they have in the event of a collision. In a frontal collision, the child's head could be turned to the side and could possibly hit the dashboard or plastic shell. This increases the chance of injuries. Ideally, children should ride rearwards until they reach their rear-facing seat's maximum weight or height limit or up to two years old.

If you are unsure whether your child is transitioning out of a rear-facing seat, ask a CPST certified person in your area for help. They can assist you in determining the time when your child is ready to turn around and make sure they are safe in their car seat.

Many parents believe that their child is no longer a baby car seat when they reach the maximum rear-facing weight or height limit. There are a myriad of aspects to take into consideration, including the size of your car as well as the unique shape of your child. A majority of infant car seats come with built-in recline indicators that show you when your child's head is not extending past the top of their seat. Review the instructions for your car seat and the owner's manual for more information about safe recline.