Rear Facing Infant Car Seat
In the event of a crash rear-facing infant car seat absorbs the force of the impact and protects your child's head and neck. They also protect your child's legs from striking the front of the car seat in a crash, which could result in serious injury or death.
All toddlers and infants must be rear-facing until they reach the weight or height limit of the car seat's manufacturer. This includes both convertible seats and dedicated infant car seats.
Rear-facing infant car seats are specially made for babies and smaller infants.
A rear facing infant car seat is a specific type of child car seat that only has the rear facing position. These seats are specifically designed for babies and infants typically up to 35 pounds. The base of these seats is narrower than that of other car seats. They are great for cars with small trunks and allow for more space on the back of the seat. The majority of infant car seats can also be transformed into strollers, making traveling with a child more convenient.
Preemies and newborns born prior to 37 weeks of gestation are advised to use rear-facing infant car seats. pushchairsandprams.uk provide more space and more comfort than standard car seats, which can be difficult for a very small baby to get into and out of. The infant car seat offers more head and neck support than a front-facing car seat, which can assist in protecting preemies as well as small babies from injuries in the event of a crash.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children sit in a rear-facing position until they reach the maximum weight and height for their car seat, which is about two years old. This is due to the fact that the spine of a child will be stronger in this position, and help prevent injuries to the spine. In addition, it is important to note that children and infants are more likely to sustain severe injuries in front-facing crashes.
In the event of a crash the rear-facing infant car seat absorbs the bulk of the force of impact, protecting the baby's neck, head and spine. When a child sits in a seat that is facing forward, their heads may be thrown into the console or dashboard of the vehicle, which can cause serious injury.
Many parents think that their child is ready to get a booster seat or a seat facing forward at around the age of two. This is a huge error. Recent research published in BMJ injury prevention show that it is more secure for children to remain rear-facing in their car seats until they reach the age of three or four. The longer a child remains rear-facing in their car seat the more likely it is that their cervical vertebrae will grow and become ossified.
They are easy to install and take down.
Most rear-facing infant car seats have a snap-on base which can be removed from your vehicle when not in use. This feature is convenient and allows parents to secure their child in the seat without having to get out of the vehicle, particularly during bad weather or at nights when it is more difficult. It also makes it easier to switch between cars and give grandparents and other caregivers access to the child's seat.
Once your child outgrows their car seat for infants in terms of weight and height, it's time to move to a booster or convertible. It's important to keep in mind that children are safer if they ride rear-facing as long as possible. In fact, it is recommended by many safety experts to have children ride rear-facing until their second birthday or at the weight and height limit of the manufacturer of the car seat.
In a frontal crash a child riding rear-facing in a car seat absorbs the majority of the force in an accident by absorbing them at their neck, head, and spine. If a child is rear-facing in a car seat the force of crashing could cause their head to be thrown forward which can cause serious injury or death.
If you are concerned about your child’s comfort when facing backwards, keep them warm by wrapping them in blankets. Avoid placing a blanket on top of or underneath them. Be cautious when dressing them in bulky outerwear which could hinder the tightness of the harness. Also, ensure that the chest clip sits flat against their shoulder and the harness straps are snug with no looseness.
Many child safety experts claim that rear-facing car seats protect children five times more in the event of a crash, in the event that they sit for a longer period of time. In an accident head-on, children's heads that are significantly larger than their bodies – are able to be thrown off with force that is not absorbed by their necks and torsos. Seats that face the rear protect the child's head and shield them from serious injuries.
They guard the head and neck of your child.
In the event of an accident, the neck and spinal cord of a child sitting in a rear facing car seat are cradled by the back of the seat. This is vital because in a frontal crash (the most common type of car accident), babies in forward-facing cars are thrown from the dashboard, which can result in neck injuries and possibly death. Infants in rear facing seats are cradled and cushioned by the back of their car seat and their heads are supported by the headrest.
Infants also have a much easier time breathing when they are sitting in a rear-facing car seat since their chins are raised against their chest. In forward-facing car seats, the chin may be pulled down and this can make it difficult for children to breathe. Children who fall asleep in a car seat that faces the front are seven times more likely than those who sleep in a rear-facing car seat to suffer a head injury.

Another aspect to be considered is that a baby's spine and brain are still developing, which makes them more prone to injury in the event of an accident. In a forward-facing crash an infant's head can hit the dashboard or buckle of the seat belt. this could cause a stretch in their spinal cord and cause serious injury or death. It is crucial to ensure that your child is in a rearward-facing car seat until they reach the weight and height limit of their car seat.
Some infant car seats come with an extra insert that supports the head of the infant. It can be removed when the child has outgrown it. In addition, many car seats come with load leg or anti-rebound bar features that can help absorb the impact of the crash. This is crucial as it minimizes the impact on your child, and could even stop the child from being ejected.
The recommendation from NHTSA is to keep your child in a rear-facing infant car seat until they reach the height and weight limit of their car seat. When they do it, they should be moved to convertible car seats or an all-in-one car seats that can be used with rear-facing and later converted to forward-facing as they increase in height.
They are easy to clean.
If you purchase an infant car seat that is attached to a base within your vehicle, or a convertible or all-in-one car seat they're all designed to allow to be easy and quick removal. They're often clipped directly into travel systems or strollers to run errands while on the move. These seats are easy to clean. They have covers that can be washed in the machine and parts that are removable and can be cleaned in the washer and dried. This is especially important because children can be messy!
In the event of an accident the rear-facing position will cradle a child's neck and head. This is especially important for young children. Their heads and spinal cords are more flexible, and they have a lot of cartilage. In the event of a crash, their head could move backwards and stretch their spinal cords, resulting in severe injuries. This is the reason why many car safety experts suggest keeping children rear-facing as long as possible.
Although it's tempting to put your child into booster seats when they seem ready, every car seat that is front-facing reduces the amount of protection they'll have in the event of a crash. In a front-facing collision, their heads would be thrown forward, and could be struck by the plastic shell of the car seat or the dashboard, increasing the risk of injury. Ideally, kids should be rear-facing until they reach the maximum weight for rear-facing or the maximum height for their seat, or until they turn 2 years old.
If you are unsure if your child should be moving out of a rear-facing seat, ask a CPST certified person in your area for assistance. They can assist you in determining the best age at which your child can turn around, and also make sure they're riding properly and safely in their seat.
Many parents think that their child is no more a car seat for babies when they reach their maximum rear-facing weight or height limit. There are many aspects to take into consideration, including the size of your car as well as the unique shape of your child. A majority of infant car seats come with built-in recline indicators that tell you when your child's head isn't extending past the top of their seat. Review the instructions for your car seat and the owner's manual of your vehicle for more information on safe recline.