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Why You Should Consider a Forward Facing Infant Car Seat Children younger than one year old are not allowed to ride forward-facing. In the event of a crash weak neck muscles can stretch and cause serious injuries. Instead change to FF when your child reaches the height or weight maximums of their current seat (or the minimums for a new seat). Please review your instructions for the car seat. Safety Car seats for infants are designed to protect the neck and head of your child in the event of an accident. The forward-facing position will also prevent your child from hitting their head against the hard back of the seat which can cause serious injuries. All infant car seats with a forward-facing view come with five-point harnesses that ensure the child's safety with just one pull, tightening the strap. the shell of the car is lined with EPS energy-absorbing foam to provide enhanced protection against impact. Some also have a canopy to provide shade from the sun. The best infant carseats will feature an angle indicator and an adjustable angle adjuster that allows you to choose the right angle for your child's head to prevent them from falling over in the event of a collision. The top tether strap is attached to the vehicle's tether anchor and extends from the top. You should keep in mind that you might not have to switch your child to a forward-facing car seat until he or she reaches the maximum weight and height specified in the manual of the seat. It's time to switch when your child weighs 20 pounds and a year. Infants and toddlers younger than one year have soft, loose muscles in their necks, which can cause whiplash if involved in an accident. In frontal collisions (the most severe and frequent type) they are more likely to sustain serious neck injuries. Rear-facing car seats protect the necks of infants under one year old by cushioning their heads. When children transition to a forward-facing car seat, they still require a convertible or an all in-one that has a heavy rearward weight limit and a high. top rated infant car seats shouldn't be moved to a booster seat until they have met the high back or backless booster seat age and height requirement which is usually at around the age of 4 or 5. These crash videos will help you understand the differences between carseats. But remember, the video is slowed down. If a child is moving too quickly, they can be injured. Comfort A forward facing infant car seat allows your infant to ride in comfort and be secure in a crash. The seat features a soft headrest and a body support cushion as well as an EPS energy-absorbing shell that helps protect your child from collision. The seat comes with a five-point safety harness that can be adjusted with one pull and a front-center adjuster. This will ensure that your child is properly positioned. A retractable canopy helps protect your child from direct sunlight. The seat can be secured to the belts of the vehicle to ensure security. It also includes a clip to lock the buckle in place when the seat is not in use. If your child complains of discomfort while traveling or seems to slump forward when they sleep, the angle of the seat could be too low for the child. This can be corrected by placing tightly rolled towel underneath the front of your car seat. If this isn't working, take your baby to Rockridge Kids and we will test the angle of the car seat. It is important to remember that children aren't yet ready to take on the world until they weigh at least 20 pounds AND one year old (their necks aren't sturdy enough yet to withstand a force applied to them by a collision in the event of falling forward on their own). Some experts suggest staying a bit longer, as the bones and muscles of young children are more flexible. Many parents opt to buy a convertible car seat which allows their infants to travel rear-facing until they reach the maximum height or weight limit of the seat. This allows them to benefit from the advantages of a rear-facing car seat longer, and also makes it easier for parents as they can simply shift their child from the rear-facing position to the forward-facing position once their child outgrows it. The 4Ever Convertible Car Seat from Graco is a 4-in-1 convertible car seat that lets your child use the seat for 10 years. It converts from rear-facing infant (up to 40lbs) to a forward-facing harness as well as a high-back seats (30-100 lb) as well as a belt-positioning backless seat (40-120 lbs). The Smart Fit system makes it easy to set up. You can move the headrest and harness together without re-threading. Convenience A forward facing infant car seat is a fantastic option for traveling with a child who is young. It allows you to see your child's face while driving and allows the rest of the family to enter the car without disturbing your baby or toddler. The type of car seat can be used with strollers which makes it easier to get your child in and out of the vehicle while you are at the grocery store or running other errands. Even even if your child is the age that they are able to change to a car seat that faces forward it is best to keep them in a rear-facing seat for as long as you can. From the point of view of crash tests, a child’s head is more secure in a crash if they face backwards. This is because the entire body — including the head as well as neck and torso is held by the seat's back when they're facing in this direction. Review the directions of the manufacturer to determine the time you can rotate your child's seat. They usually have a maximum weight and height limit that you shouldn't go over, as well as specific rules for things like crotch buckles. These guidelines are designed to safeguard your child as they develop. Another thing to take into consideration is if you have a vehicle with Tether anchors for your car seat. If you do, ensure that the tether strap is properly installed and connected to the anchor points of your vehicle as instructed in the manual for your seat. Also, ensure that the shoulder straps of your child's harness are on or below their shoulders, and not too high or low. This can affect how they're restrained during the event of a crash. A great option for parents who have several children or are planning to have more, is a convertible car seat. It is a convertible car seat that can be used as an infant rear-facing car seat and then converted to a forward-facing car seat once your child has reached the weight or height limits of the rear-facing position. Style You've spent a lot of time and effort deciding on the right car seat for your child. As your child grows older and outgrows their infant car seat you might wonder if it's time to turn the seat around. While the idea of facing your child forward is exciting, there are several important safety factors to consider. Kids should remain in the rear until they reach the maximum height and weight limits for their particular car seat. Be aware that children differ in terms of size and age. You shouldn't base your decision solely on a particular date on the calendar or if you believe they have reached their maximum length. A child might appear larger in a rear-facing car seat however, that doesn't mean that it's safe for turning them around, since their bones and spine haven't fully developed yet. It's recommended that you keep your child facing rearwards until they are at least one year old, and some infant car seats have an integrated reminder to keep them there. This is because children younger than one do not have strong enough neck muscles that can withstand a frontal impact that could cause serious spinal injuries. In addition to being safe, many infant car seats are equipped with useful features that make them simple to use. Some include bases that snap into and out of the car and allow you to transport your child from the car to a stroller and then back. They are typically part of a travel system. If you're about to transition your baby to forward-facing convertible car seats make sure you do it correctly by following all the instructions of the manufacturer and then examining the car seat for tightness. When installed properly the car seat shouldn't move more than 1 inch side to side or front to back and the harness straps should be placed at or above your child's shoulders. If you have any questions or concerns ask a certified car seat safety technician in your area or contact the manufacturer of your car seat.