Why You Should Consider a Forward Facing Infant Car Seat

Children younger than one year should not ride forward-facing. In a crash their neck muscles that are weak could stretch and cause serious injuries.

Switch to FF instead when your child is at the maximum weight of their current seat or height (or the minimum for a new car seat). Read your car seat instructions carefully.

Safety

Infant car seats are designed to safeguard the head and neck of your child in the event of an accident. The forward-facing position also helps prevent your child from hitting their head against the back of the seat which could cause serious injuries.

All infant best car seat newborn seats that face forward come with five-point harnesses that ensure the child's safety with just one pull tightening, and the carrier shell is lined with EPS energy-absorbing foam to provide improved impact protection. Some also have an umbrella to protect from the sun.

The most suitable infant car seats come with an adjustable angle adjustment and an angle indicator. This allows you to set the correct angle for your child's neck in order to avoid it falling over in collisions. The seat also comes with the top tether strap, which is attached to the top of the car seat and hooks onto the tether anchor in your vehicle. It's important to keep in the mind that your child may not require a switch to a forward-facing newborn car seat seat until they reach the top weight and height allowed listed in the instruction manual for the seat you are using.

When your child is 20 pounds and one year old is the right time to switch. Children and toddlers younger than one year have soft, loose muscles in their necks that can cause whiplash when they are involved in an accident. In frontal collisions (the most serious and frequent type) they are more likely to sustain serious neck injuries. When kids under 1 year ride backwards their heads are protected by the car seat and shielded from sudden movements that can stress their necks.

If children are moving to a forward-facing car seat, they should use a convertible or an all-in-one car seat that has a high rear-facing weight and a height limit. The child shouldn't be able to move into an adult booster until they meet the height and age requirements for a high-back or backless booster, which is usually around the age of 4 or 5 years old. These crash videos will help you understand the differences between the two carseats. However, keep in mind that the video has been slowed down. If a child is moving too fast, they could be injured.

Comfort

A forward facing infant car seat allows your infant to ride in comfort and stay secure during a crash. The seat has a comfortable cushion for the headrest and body and an EPS energy-absorbing cover to ensure your child is safe from any impacts. The seat comes with five points of safety harness that can be adjusted with one pull and a center front adjuster. This will ensure that your child is in the right position. A retractable canopy helps protect your child from sun. To ensure safety, the seat is designed to be locked to the seat belt of your vehicle and has an locking clip that keeps the latch buckle secure when not in use.

If your child complains of discomfort or appears to be slouching forward when sleeping it could be because the angle of the car seat is too low. You can remedy this by putting tightly rolled towels on the front of the car seat to lift it higher. If this doesn't work, you can take your baby to Rockridge Kids and we will test the angle of the car seat.

Remember that children should not face forward until they weigh at minimum 20 pounds and are one year old. Their necks are still not strong enough to withstand the force of a collision in the event that they fall to their front on their own. Some experts suggest waiting longer as the muscles and bones of children are more malleable.

Many parents decide to purchase a convertible seat, which allows their babies to be rear-facing until they reach the maximum weight or height limit of the seat. This allows parents to enjoy the benefits a rear-facing seat for a longer amount of time. It also makes it easier for them because they can easily change their child's seat from rear-facing to forward-facing as the child grows out of it.

The Graco 4Ever 4-in-1 Convertible Car Seat offers your child 10 years of car seat usage with just one seat, from rear-facing infant (4-40 lb) to forward-facing 5-point harness and high-back booster (30-100 lb) to a belt-positioning booster that is backless (40-120 lb). It's simple and easy to set up using the Smart Fit system that allows you to move the headrest and harness together, without re-threading.

Convenience

A forward facing infant car seat is a great option when you're traveling with a child who is young. It allows you to watch your child as you drive and the other members of your family can get into the car without disrupting your baby or toddler. The car seat can be used with strollers which makes it easier to get your child in and out of the car when going to the store or doing other errands.

But, even when your child is old enough to switch to an forward-facing car seat, it's safer to keep them rear-facing for as long as is possible. When you look at it from the standpoint of crash tests, a child's head is more protected in a frontal crash if they are facing backwards. This is due to the fact that the entire body -- including the head as well as neck and torso is held by the back of the car seat when they're facing in this direction.

Check the instructions of the manufacturer to determine when you can rotate your child's seat. They will often have an upper weight and height limit that you shouldn't exceed and also specific rules regarding things like the crotch buckle's position. These restrictions are designed to ensure the safety of your child as they grow.

You should also think about whether your vehicle comes with anchors for tethers. If yes, you must make sure that the strap is correctly installed and connected to the anchor points of your vehicle as instructed in the manual of the seat. Lastly, you'll want to ensure that the harness shoulder straps are just above your child's shoulders and not too high or low in order to affect how well they are restrained in a crash.

A great option for parents who have several children or are planning to have more, is convertible car seats. It is a convertible car seat that can be used as a rear-facing infant car seat and then converted to a forward-facing car seat once your child reaches the weight or height limits of the rear-facing position.

Style

The infant car seat was a must-have item for your baby seat, and you spent much time deciding the right one. As your child grows older and outgrows their infant car seat, you might wonder if it's time to flip the seat around.

Although the idea of having your baby seat face forward may be exciting, there are important safety considerations that you must keep in mind. Kids should remain in the rear until they reach the maximum height and weight limits for their specific car seat.

It is important to remember that children are very different in size and age, so you should never base on when you should switch to forward-facing on some specific date on the calendar or when they've reached their maximum legroom. It may seem that a child is bigger in a rear facing car seat, but this doesn't mean that it's safe to turn the child around. Their spine and bones haven't yet fully developed.

Some infant car seats come with a built-in alarm to remind you to keep your child rear-facing until they're one year old. This is because children under one don't have enough neck muscles that can take a direct hit, which could result in serious spinal injuries.

Many infant car seats aren't just safe, but they are also simple to use. These include bases that remain attached to the car and snap in and out to allow you to carry your baby from stroller to car or back again and are often paired with a frame stroller as part of a travel infant car seat system.

If you're ready to move your child to a forward-facing convertible car seat, be sure to do it correctly by following all the instructions of the manufacturer and checking the car seat for tightness. The car seat should not move more than an inch from side to side, or from front to back, when installed correctly. The harness straps should be placed over the shoulders of your child. If you have any questions or concerns about the installation of your car seat, you can contact a certified safety technician in your community or the manufacturer of your car seat.