Why You Should Consider a Forward Facing Infant Car Seat

Children younger than one year shouldn't ride facing in the direction of forward. In the event of a crash, their neck muscles may weaken and stretch and cause serious injuries.

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

Safety

In the event of a crash infant car seats are designed to protect the neck and head of your child. The forward-facing position also helps prevent your child from hitting their head against the back of the seat, which can cause serious injuries.

All infant car seats that face forward have five-point harnesses to ensure the child's safety with just one pull, tightening the strap. the shell of the car seat is lined with EPS energy-absorbing foam for improved impact protection. Some models have a canopy that provides shade from the sun.

The best infant carseats will have 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 flopping over in the event of a collision. The car seat also comes with a top tether strap that comes from the top of the car seat and hooks onto the tether anchor inside your vehicle. It's important to keep in the mind that your child may not need to switch to a forward-facing car seat until they reach the maximum weight and height allowed listed in the instruction manual of the seat you're using.

It's the time to switch to a different model when your child is 20 pounds and one year old. Infants and toddlers younger that one year old have loose, soft muscles in their necks that can cause whiplash if they are involved in an accident. They are more likely to sustain serious neck injuries if they travel in a frontal crash (the most common and severe type). Rear-facing car seats shield the necks of infants under one year old by cushioning their head.

If children are moving to a forward facing car seat, they still need a convertible or an all in-one that has a heavy rearward weight and a height limit. The child shouldn't be able to move into a booster until they reach the height and age requirements for a high-back or a backless booster, which is usually around age 4 or 5 years old. You can see the difference in these seats when you watch these crash videos, however, remember that the footage is slowed down. A child could be injured when they move too fast.

Comfort

A forward-facing infant car seat allows your baby seat to ride in comfort and remain safe during the event of a crash. The seat features a soft cushion for the headrest and body as well as an EPS energy-absorbing cover to protect your child from impacts. The seat also features five-point harnesses with simple one-pull tightening, and an adjustable center front adjuster to ensure your child is properly positioned. A retractable canopy protects your child from sun. For your safety the seat is designed to be secured with the vehicle's seat belt and includes an adjustable clip that holds the buckle securely fastened when not in use.

If your child complains of discomfort while traveling or seems to lean forward during sleep the angle of the seat could be too low for your child. This can be fixed by placing a tightly rolled towel underneath the front of your car seat. If this doesn't work, you can bring your child to Rockridge Kids and we will examine the angle of the car seat.

Be aware that children should not face forward until they weigh at minimum 20 pounds and are one year old. Their necks are not strong enough to take the force of a crash should they fall to their front on their own. Some experts suggest waiting longer, because the bones and muscles of young children are more flexible than those of adults.

Many parents decide to buy a convertible car seat which allows their infants to travel in a rear facing infant car seat-facing position until they reach the maximum height or weight limit of the seat. This allows them to enjoy the benefits of a rear-facing car seat longer, and makes it more convenient for parents since they can simply shift their child from the rear-facing position to the forward-facing one when their child is no longer in the position.

The 4Ever Convertible Car Seat from Graco is a four-in-one convertible car seat that lets your child use the seat for 10 years. It can be converted from rear-facing infant (up to 40lbs) to forward-facing harness and high-back seat (30-100 lb), to an unbelt-positioning seat that is backless (40-120 lb). It's easy and simple to set up using the Smart Fit system that allows you to move the headrest and harness together, with no re-threading.

Convenience

If you are traveling with a small infant, a forward-facing infant car seat can be the best option. It lets you see your child's view while driving, and allows the rest of the family to ride in the car without disturbing your infant or toddler. This type of car seat can also be used with strollers, making it easier to carry your toddler into and out of the car for trips to the supermarket or other errands.

But remember, even if your child is old enough to transition to a forward-facing car seat, it's better to keep them rear-facing the longest time possible. If you view it from the perspective of crash tests, children's head is more secure in a frontal collision when 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 car seat's back when they face in this direction.

Read the instruction manual of the manufacturer to determine the time you can rotate your child's seat. You'll see that they have a maximum height and weight limit, and also specific rules about things like the crotch strap's location. These rules are designed to protect your child as they develop.

You should also consider whether your vehicle has tether anchors. If so, make sure that the tether is correctly fitted and connected to the anchor points of your vehicle according to the directions in the manual. Lastly, you'll want to make sure that the harness shoulder straps are just above the shoulders of your child and not too high or low in order to impact how well they're restrained in the event of a crash.

A great option for parents with multiple children or are planning to have more is convertible car seats. This is an all-in-one car seat that starts by being an infant car seat that faces rearwards before moving your child to a forward-facing seat when they're old enough and have reached the weight or height limit of the rear-facing position in the car seat.

Style

You spent a lot time and effort choosing the perfect baby car seat for your child. As they grow older and begin to outgrow their car seat for infants you may be wondering when it's time to flip them around.

While the idea of having your child face forward is thrilling, there are a few important safety considerations to keep in mind. Children should be rear-facing until they reach the weight limit of their car seat and height limits.

Be aware that children differ in size and age, therefore, you shouldn't decide the decision to change to a forward-facing car seat on an exact 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 that doesn't mean it's safe to turn your child around. Their bones and spine aren't fully developed.

It is recommended to keep your child rear facing until they are at least one year old. some infant car seats have a built-in reminder to ensure they remain there. This is because children younger than one do not have strong enough neck muscles that can withstand a frontal impact which could result in serious spinal injuries.

In addition to being safe, many infant car seats have useful features that make them simple to use. Some of these include bases that snap in 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 an overall travel system.

If you're ready to move your child to forward-facing convertible car seats, be sure to do it correctly by following the manufacturer's guidelines and examining the car seat inserts for newborns seat for tightness. The car seat should not move more than one inch from side to side, or from front to back, when installed correctly. The harness straps must be placed at or above the shoulders of your child. If you have questions or concerns about the fitting of your car seat, call an accredited safety technician in your locality or the manufacturer of the car seat.