subject: Convertible Car Seats Can Help Keep Your Child And Your Wallet Safer [print this page] Convertible Car Seats Can Help Keep Your Child And Your Wallet Safer
When it comes to baby car seats any parent can tell you that infants grow incredibly fast and what may have been just right coming home from the hospital is now cramped and uncomfortable. Many parents who splurge on an infant car seat find themselves searching for a bigger car seat a lot sooner than they ever thought.
If you find yourself looking for a new car seat, consider the advantages of a convertible car seat for your child. As the name implies, this type of car seat can grow with your child and accommodate their changing needs. Rather than spending money for separate infant, toddler and booster seats, it makes sense to buy a convertible car seat that your child can use for each stage of development.
Convertible car seats are designed to protect children from newborn all the way up to 40 pounds or more. At each stage of a child's development, convertible seats can be placed in different positions. Some models even allow for adjusting the amount of recline. Depending on a child's age and height and weight, the seat can be rear-facing or forward-facing. It is recommended that a child be kept in the rear facing position for as long as possible, generally from 20 to 35 pounds and at least until they reach 1 year old.
An infant or small toddler should always be placed in the back seat - preferably in the middle seat. If the baby is under 20 pounds or less than one year old, the car seat must be in the rear facing position. Of course, this assumes that the necessary LATCH attachments and/or an appropriate seat belt are available to accommodate the car seat.
Once the child reaches the manufacturer's recommended weight and height limits, the seats can then be turned to face forward. Once you switch to the forward facing position, it is simply a matter of readjusting the LATCH or seat belt system to anchor the seat. The harness straps can also be adjusted to the right height as your child grows.
The most comfortable and safest convertible car seats are designed with a 5-point harness. The harness straps should be the correct position within the slots for the baby's height and age. Rear-facing car seats should have the strap at or below the baby's shoulders. For forward-facing use, the harness straps should located at or just above the child's shoulders.
