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Choosing Between an Infant and a Convertible Newborn Car Seat A car seat for newborns is also referred to a baby car seat or infant safety seat. It helps protect babies from injury and death in vehicle accidents. They are fitted with a harness that distributes the restraining forces over the child's body and head instead of the spinal cord and neck. These seats can be either front-facing or convertible, and are available in a range of heights and weight limits. These seats can also be part of a set for travel that snaps into a stroller base. Rear-facing Rear-facing newborn child car seats provide unmatched protection in crashes for infants. They are designed to support and cradle children, protecting their neck, spine and head. They also help to disperse the force of a crash from hitting your child's body and minimizing injuries. This is because your child's body is not hitting the car seat or the front seat, but rather a soft, cushioned surface inside of their car seat. According to the AAP as well as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, parents should keep their child facing rearwards until they reach their car seat's maximum weight or height limit. At around the age of 1, children will outgrow their infant car seat and transition to a convertible seat that can be oriented forward. Many parents will put their child in the rear-facing seat until they turn two. There are two primary kinds: infant-only car seats and convertible car seat. Both are equally secure, but offer different conveniences. For instance, infant-only chairs are smaller, lighter, and have an easy release base that can be easily detached from the car and then reattached to the base of a stroller. Convertible car seats are larger and heavier, but they do not come with a built-in stroller base. No matter what type of seat you choose regardless of the type, you must follow the manufacturer's instructions and to always place the seat in the back seat of your vehicle. It is also recommended to place washcloths that are tightly rolled or blankets between the crotch strap and your child to ensure that there is no slack in the harness. Also, ensure that the lower anchors are anchored to the lower attachment points of your vehicle's lower anchor bars and that the car seat is correctly installed and secured. Research shows that babies who face the rear of the car are less likely to be injured in a car accident. Babies in rear-facing car seats also experience less impact when they hit the front of the car, in contrast to the rear of the car seat, which can result in serious injuries. Forward-facing Most parents have put a lot of thought into their baby car seat. It was a key item on your baby registry as well as the way you brought your baby home from the hospital. You may think about changing the car seat to face forward when your child grows older. But, it's important to be aware that children aren't quite ready until they reach the weight and height limits set by the manufacturer of their car seat. Until your baby is at least 20 pounds and a year old, they should remain rear-facing. Children younger than one year don't have the neck muscles required to resist whiplash resulting from being thrown in an accident. Furthermore they are at a higher risk of spinal injuries in head-on collisions. You can purchase a convertible car seat or an all-in-one one that lets you keep your child facing forward until the child reaches the weight and height limits of the seat. They are usually bucket-style infant seats that have the base that you can install in your vehicle. They are also detached 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 the 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 into a belt-positioning booster seat when your child is ready for it. The primary benefit of this type of car seat is that it can remain in your vehicle through the childhood years which makes it simple to transport your child from one place to another. No matter what car seat you select make sure you read the instructions and follow the installation guidelines. Consult a certified car safety technician to ensure that your child's car seat is installed and used correctly. It is common for parents to make mistakes with car seats, and even the most well-intentioned parents may cause harm to their children. The best way to avoid this is to follow the car seat instructions and following the guidelines of a CPST. Convertible Many parents opt for a convertible newborn child car seat since they can expand with their child and allow them to safely travel through toddlerhood and into infancy. They are less expensive than infant ones and have a longer life span. However, it's important to select a seat that is easy to install and is suitable for your vehicle. Also, make sure that you buckle up your baby properly every time. Snug straps keep the head from shifting into the dangerous chest-to-chin position that could lead to strangulation or even asphyxiation. A lot of infant carseats have loose or unbuckled straps which pose an extremely risky safety issue. Straps that aren't buckled can cause a neck that hangs loose, which is the cause of many accidents. If the crotch strap isn't enough tight to pass the pinch test, it can be a risk. This test determines if the crotch buckle fits enough to prevent a newborn's legs from slouching down in the seat, result in them being cut or trapped. Some convertible newborn car seats include an adjustable torso, which lets you adjust the height limit to suit your child's growth. The minimum torso should be the same as the height of the shoulders of your infant or one inch lower. Some models include an infant insert that can help bring your child up to the appropriate height for the seat. best infant car seat for newborns must be padded and comfortable, with cushioning that is comfortable and a small base that allows you to put it in your vehicle. It should also feature a secure, tight harness that passes the pinch test and a small and tightly-rolled blanket or towel for an emergency. It should also have an anchor tether that connects to the anchor points of your vehicle, which could minimize injuries from a crash by reducing force of impact. It should also include a travel set, which is a car seat and stroller that can be used to move your child from the car to the stroller. Safety features When selecting the right car seats for their babies, parents have many things to take into consideration. Car seats are a crucial purchase for families with new children and their use can reduce the chance that a child will suffer a fatal motor vehicle injury by 71 percent. The choice between an infant car-seat and a convertible one is based on a variety of aspects, including safety features, compatibility with your vehicle, and convenience. Car seats for infants are designed with the delicate physiology of a newborn in mind. The base of the seat is usually in the car, and the seat snaps into its place. This makes it easy to move your baby from stroller to car, and back without causing any disturbance. They have a crotch and harness built in to keep your child safe. Some infant cars are equipped with side-impact protection that distributes the force of a crash away from a newborn's head and neck. They are made of metal, plastic and foam that absorbs energy and protects the head of the infant from direct contact with the vehicle frame or other objects in the event of a collision. Some include a special pod that extends from the door to protect the head of the child. Another security feature that's becoming more prevalent in infant car seats is a chest clip that keeps the harness straps straight across the chest of your baby. The straps aren't strained or twisting around the shoulders which can expose your child to the risk of injury. If you choose a seat that has this feature, make sure that the chest clip is placed at armpit height. Also, you should be sure to avoid dressing your baby in bulky outerwear which could hinder the fit of the harness. Whatever kind of car seat you pick, check that it's installed in your vehicle in accordance with the instructions provided by the manufacturer. 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 a tether that hooks onto an anchor on the vehicle. If your vehicle isn't equipped with LATCH, you may use the seat belt to secure your car seat.