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Choosing Between an Infant and a Convertible Newborn Car Seat A car seat for newborns is also referred to as an infant safety seat, or a baby car seat, protects babies from injury and death in car accidents. The harness distributes the restraining force over the body and head of the child instead of the neck or spinal cord. good infant car seats are available in rear-facing and convertible versions, and with a range of weight and height limits. They can also be part of a travel system that can click into and out of the base of a stroller. Rear-facing Rear-facing car seats for newborns provide unmatched protection in crashes for infants. They are designed to support and cradle children, while protecting their neck, head and spine. They also help to disperse the impact of a crash to prevent your child's body from being hit and minimizing injuries. This is because your child's body is not colliding with the vehicle seat or front passenger seat, but instead the soft, cushioned surface inside of their car seat. Parents should ensure that their child is rear-facing until they reach maximum height or weight limit of the car seat, as per the AAP and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Around the age of one, most children will outgrow the infant car seat and be moved to a convertible car seat that can face forward. However, many parents will want to keep their child in a rear-facing seat until their 2nd birthday. There are two main types of rear-facing car seats that are convertible and infant-only car seats. Both are safe, but offer different conveniences. For example, infant-only seats are smaller, lighter, and have a quick release base that can be easily detached from the car and reattached to the base of a stroller. Convertible car seats are bigger, heavier, and do not have an integrated stroller base. It is crucial to use the back seat regardless of the type of seat. You can also put a blanket that is tightly rolled or washcloth between the crotch harness and your child to ensure the harness is tight. In addition, make sure that the lower anchors are connected to the lower attachment points of your vehicle's lower anchor bars and that the car seat is correctly fitted and secured. Research has shown that babies who are facing the rear of the car are less likely to get injured in a car crash. Car seats with rear-facing infants also have less impact when they crash into the front of the car, as opposed to the back of the car seat, which could result in serious injuries. Forward-facing Many parents have spent a lot of time into their baby car seat. It was an important item on your baby registry and the way you brought your child home from the hospital. Now as your child gets older though, you might be considering turning the car seat around to facing forward. However, it's important keep in mind that children aren't yet ready until they reach the weight and height limits set by the manufacturer of their car seat. As long as your baby weighs at least 20 pounds and a year old, they should be rear-facing. Children younger than one year do not have the neck muscles required to withstand whiplash from being hit in a crash. They also have a higher risk of spinal injuries in head-on collisions. You can buy a convertible car seat or an all-in one seat that allows you to keep the child rear-facing up until the child reaches the weight and height limit of the seat. These are typically bucket-style infant seats that come with an installation base that can be inserted into your car and can be detached from the base and attached to strollers to create travel systems. They are typically lighter in weight and height restrictions than standard car seats. You can also purchase an extra booster. These seats are equipped with a harness and can be converted into a booster seat which allows your child to wear a seat belt when they are ready. The main advantage of this kind of car seat is that it will remain in your vehicle throughout the early years of life which makes it simple to move your child from one vehicle to another. No matter which car seat you choose, read the instructions and adhere to the guidelines. Get a certified safety technician to make sure that your child's car seat is installed and used properly. The misuse of car seats is common, and even well-meaning parents could injure their children if they don't understand what they're doing. The best way to prevent this is to follow the instructions for your car seat and following the advice of a CPST. Convertible Many parents opt for a convertible newborn child car seat since they can expand with their baby and allow them to travel safely through infancy and toddlerhood. They are also less expensive than car seats for infants and have longevity for a long time. It's important to select one that fits your vehicle and is simple to install. Also, make sure to protect your baby by securing them correctly each time. Snug straps keep the head from moving into a potentially dangerous chin-to-chest posture, which can cause asphyxiation or strangulation. A lot of infant carseats have loose or unbuckled straps which pose an extremely risky safety issue. Unbuckled straps can lead to an unbalanced neck that has been the source of numerous accidents. The crotch buckle may cause danger when it isn't tight enough to pass the pinch test. This test will determine if the crotch buckle is tight enough to prevent a newborn's legs from sliding around in the seat, result in them being cut or trapped. Some convertible infant car seats have adjustable torso-height, which allows you to adjust the height limit according your child's growth. The minimum torso height should be equal to the height of your infant's shoulders, or one inch lower. Some models come with an infant insert to assist you in raising your child up to the right height. The ideal convertible car seat for infants should be snug, have comfortable padding and a narrow base that allows you to fit it into your vehicle. It should also have an incredibly snug, secure harness that passes the pinch test and an incredibly small, tightly-rolled towel or blanket in case in the event of an accident. It should also come with a tether strap that attaches to the anchor points of your vehicle that can help reduce the risk of collision injuries by reducing the force of impact on your infant. It should also include a travel set that includes a stroller and car seat that can be used to transfer your infant from the vehicle to the stroller. Safety features When it comes to choosing the best car seats for their babies, parents have many things to take into consideration. Car seats are a crucial purchase for families who are just starting out because using them reduces the risk of fatal collisions with motor vehicles by 70 percent. The choice between an infant car seat and a convertible car seat is based on some key factors, including safety features, compatibility with your vehicle and user-friendliness. Car seats for infants are made with the fragile physiology of a newborn in mind. The seat's base is usually in the car and the carrier snaps into place. This makes it simple to move your baby from stroller to car, and back without disturbing them. They also come with built-in harnesses and a crotch belt to ensure your baby's safety. Some infant cars have side-impact protection, which distributes the crash force away from the baby's neck and head. They have plastic, metal and foam that absorbs energy and shields the baby's head from direct contact with the vehicle frame or other objects involved in a collision. Some even include a special pod on the door's side that extends to shield the baby's head. Another safety feature that is becoming more common in newborn car seats is a chest clip that holds the harness straps flat across your newborn's chest. This stops the straps from pinching or twisting around the shoulders which can put your child at risk of injury. If you opt for a car seat with this feature, ensure that the chest clip is placed at armpit level. Avoid dressing your baby in bulky outerwear as this could cause interference with the harness. No matter what kind of car seat you choose make sure it's installed in your vehicle as per the manufacturer's instructions. Look for the Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children system. This system consists of a connector which clips into the lower anchor points of your car and an tether that is attached to an anchor inside the vehicle. If your car doesn't have LATCH, you may use the seat belt to secure the car seat.