10 Apps To Help You Manage Your Newborn Car Seat

Choosing Between an Infant and a Convertible Newborn Car Seat A newborn car seat is also known as a baby car seat or infant safety seat. It helps protect babies from injury and death in car accidents. They are fitted with harnesses that distribute the force of restraining over the child's body and head rather than the spinal cord or neck. These seats are available in rear-facing as well as convertible versions, as well as with a range of weight and height limits. They could 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 offer unmatched protection for infants in crashes. They are designed to cradle and support children, while protecting their neck, head and spine. They also aid in reducing injuries by stopping the force of an accident from hitting your child. This is because your child's body isn't colliding with the vehicle seat or front passenger seat, but rather the soft, cushioned surface inside their car seat. According to the AAP and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Parents should keep their child rear facing until they reach their car seat's maximum weight or height limit. The majority of children will outgrow their infant car seats around age 1 and can transition to convertible car seats that is able to face forward. Many parents will keep their child in the rear seat until they turn two. There are two primary types: infant-only car seats and convertible car seats. Both are equally secure, but have different features. Infant-only seats, for example, are smaller and lighter. They also have an easy-release base that can be easily removed from the vehicle and reattached to the stroller. Convertible car seats are larger and heavier, and do not come with an integrated base for strollers. Regardless of which type of seat you select, it is important to adhere to the instructions of the manufacturer and always use the seat in the back of your vehicle. You can also place a tightly rolled blanket or washcloth between the crotch straps and your child to ensure that the harness is tight. Also, ensure that the lower anchors are connected to the lower attachment points of your vehicle's lower anchor bars and that the car seat is properly fitted and secured. Research shows 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 strike the front of the car, as opposed to the back of the car seat which can cause serious injuries. Forward-facing Most parents have given plenty of attention to their baby's car seat. It was a key item on the baby registry, and how you got your child home from the hospital. You might consider changing the car seat to face forward when your child gets older. It is important to keep in mind that your child isn't yet ready until they've reached the weight and height limits set by their car seat manufacturer. Rear-facing is recommended until your baby weighs at least 20 pounds and reaches the age of one year. Children younger than one year do not have the neck muscles needed to withstand whiplash from being hit in a crash. They also face greater risk of suffering from injury to the spine when involved in head-on collisions. You can buy a convertible car seat or an all-in one seat that lets you keep the child rear-facing until the child is at the weight and height limit of the seat. They are usually bucket-style infant seats that have a base to install in your car and can be removed from the base and attached to strollers in order to form travel systems. However, they tend to have smaller maximum weight and height limits than a standard convertible car seat. Alternatively, you can get a booster seat. These are typically fitted with a harness for younger children and can be converted to a belt-positioning booster seat when your child is ready for it. This type of car seat has the main benefit of being used in your vehicle throughout the duration of your child's growing years, making it easier to move them from one vehicle into another. It doesn't matter what car seat you select, read the instructions and adhere to the guidelines. It is also a good idea to consult a certified car safety technician for your seat to make sure that your child's seat is set up and is used correctly. Incorrect use of a car seat is common, and well-meaning parents can injure their children if they aren't aware of what they're doing. The best way to prevent this is to read the car seat instructions and following the guidelines of a CPST. Convertible Many parents choose convertible infant car seats because they can expand with your child, allowing them to travel in a safe manner from the time of infancy until toddlerhood. They are also less expensive than infant car seats and have longevity for a long time. But, top rated baby car seats Pushchairs And Prams to choose a model that is simple to install and fits your vehicle. Also, make sure to protect your baby by buckling them in a proper manner each time. Snug straps prevent the head from slipping into a dangerous chin-to chest position that could lead to strangulation or even asphyxiation. A majority of infant car seats have straps that are loose or not buckled. This is a serious safety issue. Straps that aren't buckled can cause an unbalanced neck that is the cause of many accidents. The crotch buckle may be a danger in the event that it is not secure enough to pass the pinch test. This test will determine if the crotch strap is sufficiently tight to stop the legs of a newborn from slouching in the seat, causing them to get injured or trapped. Some convertible newborn car seat come with an adjustable torso-height that allows you to adjust the height limit according your child's development. The minimum torso height should be the same as the height of your infant's shoulders or one inch lower. Some models come with an infant insert to help bring your child up to the correct height for the seat. The ideal convertible car seat for babies should be comfortable, with comfortable padding and a narrow base to allow you to fit it into your vehicle. It should also come with a snug, tight harness that can pass the pinch test, and an incredibly small, tightly-rolled blanket or towel in the event in the event of an accident. It should also come with an tether strap that is attached to your vehicle's anchor points, which can reduce crash injuries by reducing the force of impact on your baby. It should also come with an infant travel set, which is a car seat and stroller that can be used to move your infant from the vehicle to the stroller. Safety features Parents must consider when they're choosing the best car seat for their infants. Car seats are an essential purchase for new families because their proper use can reduce the chance that your child will suffer a fatal motor vehicle injury by 71. The decision between a baby car seat and a convertible one is based on a variety of factors, such as safety features, compatibility with your vehicle, and convenience. Car seats for infants are designed with the fragile physiology of a newborn in mind. They typically come with a base that stays in the vehicle, and an infant carrier that snaps into place, making it easy to transfer your baby from the car to stroller and back without causing any disturbance to them. They come with a crotch as well as a harness built in to keep your child secure. Some infant cars also come with side impact protection that disperses the force of a crash away from the infant's neck and head. Metal, plastic and foam absorb energy and shield the baby's face from direct contact with a vehicle's frame or any other object in a collision. Some even have a special pod on the door side that extends out to protect the head of the infant. Another security feature that's becoming more common in newborn car seats is a chest clip that holds the harness straps straight across your newborn's chest. This prevents the straps from slipping or twisting at the shoulders, which could put your baby at greater risk of injuries. If you opt for a seat with this feature, make sure the chest clip is placed at armpit height. It is also important to not dress your baby in bulky clothes that might interfere with the fit of the harness. Check that the car seat is installed according to the instructions of the manufacturer, regardless of what type you select. Look for the lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) system comprising a connector that clips into the lower anchor points on a car and the tether strap, which is attached to the top of the seat. It then connects to an anchor on your vehicle. If your vehicle doesn't have LATCH, a seatbelt may be used to secure car seats.