Choosing an Infant Car Seat in the UK Car seat laws in the UK require all children to use a car seat for children until they reach a certain age or height. Choosing the right car seat is vital to ensure your child's safety. Which?, the consumer expert has rated this rearward facing seat as one of the top. It comes with a baby-hugging insert as well as enhanced G-Cell protection against side-impacts. It also has a rotation function that allows you to adjust the seat in the optimum position for your vehicle. https://www.pushchairsandprams.uk/categories/baby-car-seats -facing Rear-facing infant car seats are made to protect babies from head and neck injuries that can result from a crash. Children who ride in forward-facing car seats are seven times more likely to be seriously injured than those who are in rear-facing child safety seats. Car seats that are rear-facing for infants are typically placed in the back of the car and are lighter and smaller. It is recommended that you always use the rear-facing infant car seat until your child outgrows it or reaches the height or weight limits for forward-facing use. There are two types of car seats: convertible car seats and all-in one car seat. Both are safe for your baby, but each has its own benefits and drawbacks. Convertible car seats start out facing the rear and can be turned to face forward when your child is large enough. All-in-one car seats have higher rear-facing weights and height limits so that your child will be able to safely ride in the seat for longer time. Be sure that the rear-facing car seats you choose for your baby are suitable for your vehicle and are installed correctly. Examine the labels of the manufacturer and the owner's manual for your vehicle for instructions on how to properly install the seat. Test the seat's straps to make sure they are tight and secure. Also, make sure that your child is not able to pinch the harness material. In addition, be sure to not wear bulky clothing, which could interfere with the straps. Rear-facing seats are safer for babies than seats that face forward, as the force of the crash is more efficiently dissipated when the baby is placed in the seat. Rear-facing car seats also provide better protection for infants ejected during a collision on the side. If your child is outgrowing their rear-facing infant car seat you might consider changing to a seat that has a large rearward-facing weight and size limit. A majority of convertible car seats have rear-facing limits, which allow your child to use the seat for more than two years. Forward-facing When your child is outgrowing the rear-facing infant car seat, you can rotate them to face forward. However, you shouldn't do this until your child has reached the weight and height limits set by the manufacturer of the seat. It's also an excellent idea to consult your pediatrician about this. According to the laws of physics and safety research, children younger than two are safer in a rear-facing car seat. They can rest easier in their seats, and are less likely to be injured by the belt or airbag. This is especially important for infants whose necks and bones are still developing. According to the iSize guidelines, toddlers and infants should ride rear-facing for at least 12 months or 20 pounds. Some experts recommend taking a longer time. If your child grows out of the rear-facing infant seat you can move them to a convertible or all-in-1 car seat with a five-point harness. These seats are designed to support your growing baby, and many are equipped with a baby-friendly positioner that can be removed. These seats include a base so that they can be used on multiple vehicles. You can also buy additional bases if your vehicle has more than one. It is also recommended to use a car seat that has an adjustable headrest for infants up to 20 pounds. The headrest should be placed slightly back, but not more than 300 degrees from vertical. It must also be able to be able to cover the baby's ear. The baby's airway may be blocked when the headrest isn't set back enough. In addition, the car seat shouldn't be positioned 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 off the car seat that is facing forward. This could result in death. You can place a rolled-up pillow or towel under the base of the car seat to help it recline. This will help keep your child in the car. In addition to preventing children from falling out of their seats, there is evidence that rear-facing car seats can reduce leg injuries in crashes. In a frontal collision, the legs of a baby facing forward could fly up, hitting the back of the car seat. This can cause serious injuries. In a rear-facing seat, the child's leg won't strike the seat and the harness can help cushion the impact. This will significantly reduce 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 seat can accommodate your child from birth until about age 4, and is compatible with the majority of prams. This type of car seat has an adjustable harness that safeguards your child. It is designed to adapt to the changing needs of them, with features like an adjustable headrest and side impact wings. Some of these seats can be rotated within the vehicle, giving your child a wider view of the road. A new generation of infant car seats is built around height rather than weight, which makes them safer for your infant. The car seats, also referred to as iSize or R129 in the UK, are EU-approved and must meet strict safety standards before they can be sold. The seat will come with a label that shows the capital letter 'E' in a circle, as well as the letters 'R129'. These seats are easier to install and provide better protection against side-impacts. The Group 1 or 0 car seat will be facing rearwards until your child weighs at least 9kg. After that they can be rotated to face forward. They will come with a harness and are secured using either Isofix connections or the car seatbelt as well as tethers. Some models have a rotation feature, which allows you to move the car seat from one vehicle to another without having to use the belts on your car. Others will fit on the majority of prams. A group 1/2/3 seat can keep your infant safe until they are at least 11 years old and up to 105cm tall, or until you decide to convert them into a booster seat. These are the safest car seats, and are recommended by Which?. These car seats have an expansive design, with a one-handed reclining feature and at least 12 headrest positions. Some have a lightweight handle that can be easily stored in a suitcase. Rotation function The rotation feature of the infant car seat is among its most important features. It allows the part of the seat which holds the infant to rotate on a separate base, making it easier for parents to get the child into and out of the car. This feature is especially useful when the trunk of the car or backseat is small. In addition, it could assist in installing the seat in the vehicle of a different. The rotation function also makes it easier to access the harness buckles without disturbing the sleeping baby, which is an absolute godsend when you're juggling toddlers while trying to take them to the car. Some seats that rotate aren't able to achieve this goal. It is worth reading online reviews of specific models to determine the quality of their performance. Another thing to consider is whether the seat can be used with a stroller. This is referred to as the travel system and is ideal for parents who are looking for a single unit to guide them through the various phases of their child's development. This is an excellent option for families with multiple vehicles, as they can effortlessly change between them without disturbing their baby. Car seats for infants are designed to cradle newborns and babies up to one year of age. They are grouped into four groups that are: Group 0, 1, 2, and 3. The Group 0 car seat, also referred to as infant or carrycots ensures that the child is facing rearward and is attached to the vehicle via the standard seatbelt or ISOFIX fitting. The Group 1 infant car seat is typically connected to the vehicle base using LATCH. This system connects the majority of kinds of car seats. A group 3 seat is usually a convertible seat that grows with the child, starting from newborn to around four years old. These seats feature a higher weight and height limit and a headrest that is padded and adjustable, which helps protect the child in an accident. They also have a removable support wedge and a deluxe carry handle, which means that the seat can double as a mobile carrier.