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Choosing Between an Infant and a Convertible Newborn Car Seat A car seat for newborns is also referred to as a baby car seat or infant safety seat. It helps protect babies against injury and death during vehicle accidents. The harness distributes the restraining force over the body and head of the child instead of the spinal cord or neck. These seats are rear-facing or convertible and are available in a variety of sizes and weight limits. These seats can also be part of a set for travel that snaps into the base of a stroller. Rear-facing Rear-facing car seats for newborns provide unmatched protection in crashes for infants. They are designed to hold and support children, securing their head, neck, and spine. They also help to reduce injuries by stopping the force of an accident from striking your child. This is because your child's body is not colliding with the vehicle seat or the front seat, but rather the soft, cushioned surface inside their car seat. Parents should make sure that their child remains facing rear until they reach the maximum weight or height 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 their infant car seat and be moved to a convertible seat that can be oriented forward. Many parents will leave their child in the rear seat until they turn two. There are two primary types of rear-facing car seats: infant-only seats and convertible car seats. Both are safe however, each has its own conveniences. For instance, infant-only seats, are smaller and lighter. They also come with an easy-release base that can be easily removed from the vehicle and reattached to the stroller. Convertible car seats are larger, heavier, and do not have an integrated base for strollers. It is crucial to always use the back seat regardless of the seat type. It is also recommended to place washcloths that are tightly rolled or blankets between the crotch straps and your child to ensure there is no gap in the harness. In addition, make sure that the lower anchors are connected to the lower attachment points of the lower anchor bars of your vehicle and that the car seat is properly installed and secured. Research shows that babies who face the rear of the car are less likely to get injured in a car crash. Rear-facing car seats allow babies to feel less stress when they hit the car's front, instead of the rear, which can lead to serious injuries. Forward-facing Most parents have invested a lot of thought into their baby car seat. It was a major item on the baby registry, and was the method you used to get your baby home from the hospital. Now that your child is older though, you might be thinking about turning the car seat around to facing forward. It's important to keep it in mind that your child isn't ready until they reach the weight and height limits set by the car seat manufacturer. Rear-facing is recommended until your baby weighs at least 20 pounds and is at the age of one year. Children younger than one year don't have the neck muscles required to resist whiplash resulting from being hit in a crash. They are also at an increased risk of suffering spinal injuries when involved in head-on collisions. You can buy a convertible car seat or an all-in-one one that allows you to keep your child facing forward until the child is at the weight and height limit of the seat. These seats are usually bucket-style infant car seats that attach to a base for installation in your vehicle. The base can be removed and attached to strollers as a travel system. However, they usually have lower maximum weight and height limits than the standard convertible car seat. You can also purchase a booster seat. These seats come with a harness and can be transformed into a booster which allows your child to wear a seat belt once they are ready. The major benefit of this kind of car seat is that it can remain in your vehicle throughout the childhood years, making it easy to move your child from one place to another. No matter what car seat you pick be sure to read the instruction manual and follow the installation instructions. It's also a good idea to speak with a certified car safety technician to ensure that your child's seat is set up and used properly. Car seat misuse is very common, and well-meaning parents could injure their children if they aren't aware of what they're doing. It is best to read the instructions on the car seat and follow the guidelines of a CPST. Convertible Many parents choose a convertible infant car seat since they grow with their child and allow them to safely travel through toddlerhood and into infancy. They are also less expensive than infant car seats and offer longevity for a long time. But, it's crucial to choose a model that is simple to install and will fit in your vehicle. Also, make sure that you buckle up your baby correctly every time. Snug straps prevent the head from slipping into the dangerous chest-to-chin position that could lead to strangulation or even asphyxiation. Many infant car seats have straps that are unbuckled or loose which pose a major safety risk. Unbuckled straps can lead to a neck that hangs loose that is the cause of numerous accidents. If the crotch strap isn't tightened enough to pass the pinch test, it may pose a danger. This test will determine if the crotch strap is sufficiently tight to stop the legs of a newborn from slouching in the seat which could cause them to be trapped or cut. Some convertible infant car seats have adjustable torso height that lets you alter the height limit according to your child's growth. The minimum torso should be equal to the height of the shoulders of your infant, or one inch lower. Some models come with an infant insert to bring your child up to the correct height for the seat. The best convertible car seat for babies must be padded and comfortable, with comfortable padding and a narrow base so that you can put it in your vehicle. It should also have a snug, tight harness that passes the pinch test, and a short, tightly-rolled towel or blanket for emergencies. It should also come with a tether that attaches to the anchor points of your vehicle, which could help reduce injuries during an accident by reducing the force of impact. In addition it should be equipped with a travel system, which consists of a car seat that is paired with a stroller and an attachment that allows you to transport your baby from the car to the stroller. Safety features Parents have a lot to think about when choosing the best car seat for their infants. Car seats are an essential purchase for families with young children because using them reduces the risk of fatal child collisions in motor vehicles 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 ease-of-use. Car seats for infants are designed with a newborn's fragile physiology in mind. best car seats newborn pushchairsandprams of the seat is usually in the car and the infant carrier snaps into place. This makes it simple to transfer your baby from stroller to car and back without disturbing them. They also have built-in harnesses and a crotch belt to keep your baby secure. Some infant cars have side-impact protection, which distributes the crash force away from the infant's head and neck. Foam, metal, and plastic absorb energy and shield the baby's face from direct contact with a vehicle frame or any other object involved in a collision. Some even have a special pod on the door's side that extends to protect the head of the infant. Another safety feature that is becoming more common in infant car seats is a chest clip that keeps the harness straps flat across your newborn's chest. This stops the straps from getting caught or twisting around the shoulders, which can expose your baby to greater risk of injury. If you choose a car seat that has this feature, ensure the chest clip is placed at armpit level. Also, you should avoid dressing your baby in bulky clothes that might interfere with the harness's fit. No matter what kind of car seat you pick ensure that it's mounted in your vehicle as per the instructions provided by the manufacturer. Look for the Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children system. The system is comprised of a connector which clips into the lower anchor points of your car, and a tether that hooks onto an anchor on the vehicle. If your vehicle doesn't have LATCH, a belt can be used to secure car seats.