Choosing an Infant Car Seat in the UK
In the UK, all children require a child seat until they reach certain heights or the age of. It is important to choose the correct car seat to ensure your child's safety.
Which?, the consumer champion, has rated this rearward-facing seat as among the best. It comes with a soft baby-hugg insert and a heightened G-Cell side impact protection. It also features a rotating function that lets you adjust the seat to the optimum position for your vehicle.
Rear-facing
Rear-facing infant car seats are made to protect infants from neck and head injuries during a crash. Children who use forward-facing car seats are seven times more likely to be injured, as compared to children who ride in rear-facing child safety seats. infant car seat for travel that are rear-facing for infants are usually placed on the back seat and are smaller and lighter than convertible child safety seats. It is recommended to use a rear-facing infant car seat until the child is outgrowing it or has reached the weight or height limit for forward facing use.
There are two kinds: convertible car seats and all-in-one car seats. Both are safe for your baby, but each has its own benefits and disadvantages. Convertible car seats begin facing the rear and can be changed to face forward when your child is big enough. All-in one car seats have higher rearward-facing weight and size limits to ensure that your child can enjoy a longer time in the seat.
Make sure that the rear-facing car seats you choose for your baby fit your vehicle and are correctly installed. You can find instructions for installing the seat on the labels of the manufacturer as well as in the owner's manual for your vehicle. It is also important to test the harness of the seat to make sure it's snug and secure, and ensure that your child can't pinch a fold in the harness material. Also, make sure to stay clear of wearing bulky clothes, which could interfere with the straps.
Rear-facing car seats are less dangerous than forward-facing car seats designed for babies, because the impact force lessened when the baby's body is in the seat. Additionally, rear-facing car seats can provide more protection for infants who are ejected from a vehicle in a side impact accident.
If your baby outgrows the rear-facing infant seat, you must consider switching to a convertible seat that has a high rear-facing weight and height limit. A majority of convertible car seats have rear-facing limits that allow your child to use the seat for longer than two years.
Forward-facing
If your baby is no longer in the rear-facing infant car seats, you can turn them around to face forward. It is best to wait until your child has reached the manufacturer's weight and height limits before you do this. It's also recommended to consult your pediatrician about this.
The laws of physics and safety research have proven that children who are less than two years old older are more secure when they sit in a rear-facing seat. They are able to rest more comfortably in their seat and are less likely to be injured by the belt or airbag. This is especially important for babies who's necks and bones are still developing. The i-Size guidelines recommend that toddlers and infants sit rear-facing until at least 20 pounds or 12 months old, and some experts recommend not waiting any longer.
If your child gets out of the rear-facing seat it is possible to switch them to a car seat that's convertible or comes with a five-point safety harness. These seats are designed to hold your growing infant, and many are equipped with a removable newborn positioner. They are available with a base, so they can be used in multiple vehicles, and you can purchase additional bases if you have more than one vehicle.
It is also recommended to use a car seat with a headrest for children weighing up to 20 pounds. The headrest should be angled slightly back and not more than 300 degrees from vertical, and it must cover the baby's ears. If the headrest isn't angled back enough, it could pinch off the baby's airway. In addition, the car seat should not be placed at an angle that could cause a herniated disc to form in the spine.
In a crash, it is possible for a child to fall out of the car seat facing forward. This can be fatal. A towel that has been rolled up or pillow can be tucked beneath the base of the seat to allow it to recline further, which will help keep your child comfortable in the car.
In addition to preventing children from falling out of their seats, there is evidence that a rear-facing car seat may help reduce injuries to the legs in collisions. In a frontal crash leg of a forward-facing infant can fly up and strike the back of the seat, which could cause severe injury. In a rear-facing seat, however, the child's leg will not hit the seat and the harness can cushion the impact. This reduces the chance of injury.
Multi-group
There are many choices for infant car seats, however, not all are suitable for your baby's needs. A multi-group infant car seat is one that will fit your baby from birth to around the age of 4 and is compatible with almost any pram. This type of car seat comes with a harness that is designed to protect your child. It is designed to adapt to the changing needs of the child, with features like an adjustable headrest and side impact wings. Some of these seats can be turned within the vehicle, giving your child a greater view of the road.
New infant car seats are built around height and not weight, making them safer for your child. This type of car seat, also known as iSize or R129 is EU-approved in the UK and all of them have to be in compliance with strict safety requirements before they can be sold. The seat will come with an inscription that displays an 'E' capitalized in a circle, and the letters 'R129'. These seats are simpler to install and offer better protection against side-impacts.
Group 0+ and 1 car seats will be rearward-facing until your infant is at least 9kg weight and then they can be turned to face forward. They will come with a harness and will be secured using either Isofix connections or the car seatbelt and tethers. Some models have a rotation feature, which allows you to move the car seat from one vehicle to the next without using the car belt. Some will fit on most prams.
A group 1/2/3 seat will keep your baby until they are at least 11 years old and 105cm tall, or until you decide to convert them into an adult booster seat. Which? recommends these car seats as the safest. They come with a wide design and a one-handed recline option and more than 12 headrest positions. Some of them come with a lightweight handle that can easily be tucked away in a suitcase.
Rotation function
The ability to rotate the infant car seat is among its most prominent features. This feature allows the part of the seat that is used to hold the child to rotate on an independent platform, making it easier for the parents to get their child in and out of the car. This feature is particularly useful in vehicles with trunk or backseat that is compact. Additionally, it can assist in installing the seat in another vehicle.
The rotation feature also makes it easier to access the harness buckles without disturbing the asleep baby, and it's an absolute blessing when juggling toddlers while trying to take them to the car. Some rotating seats are not equipped to accomplish this. It is worth reading online reviews of specific models to learn the quality of their performance.
Another important feature to look for is whether the seat can be used with a stroller. Many brands offer this combination and is known as a travel system and it's ideal for new parents who want an all-in-one unit that will guide them through all stages of their child's life. It's also a great option for families who live in an automobile-centric household, since it allows parents to switch cars quickly without causing any disruption to the baby.
Infant car seats are designed to be used by babies and infants from one year age. They are classified into four groups: Group 0, 1 2, and 3. The Group 0 car seat, also known as carrycots or infant seats, keeps the child facing rearward and is connected to the vehicle with the standard seatbelt or ISOFIX fitting. The Group 1 infant car seats usually attach to the vehicle's base using LATCH, which is a simple system to connect all kinds of car seats.
A convertible car seat, also known as group 3 is one that grows with your child from birth until about four years old. These seats have an extended height and weight limit, as well as an adjustable, padded headrest to shield the child from injuries during an accident. The seats also feature a removable support wedge as well as a deluxe carrying handle and a removable support bar.