Child car seats
In case if you have children, or are planning to have, you certainly need to think about purchasing is a car seat. There are lots of child car seats to choose from, and making sure you have the right one is very important. Child car seats are quite a number of times divided into categories, which manufacturers often refer to as ?stages?. These stages consist of Stage 1 or Groups 0 & 0+, Stage 2 or Group 1, Stage 3 or Group 2, and, lastly, Stage 4 or Group 3. There are few child car seats that are able to be converted as your child grows, so it can possibly fit into several stages and/or groups.
The first of the main kinds of child car seats is the rear-facing baby seat for children who fit into Group 0. These are more or less used from birth to up to 6-9 months and/or for infants weighing up to 22 pounds. In addition they also fit the Group 0+ category since some are made for use from birth up to 12-15 months and/or infants weighing up to 29 pounds.
On the other hand Rear-facing child car seats are to be used in either the front seat or back seat of an automobile. Though, it is known to be safer when they are used in the back seat. It is recommended that you never use rear-facing child car seats in a front passenger seat if it has a passenger-side airbag.
Rear-facing child car seats give much greater protection for an infant?s head, neck, and also spine. So, it is advisable that you use rear-facing child car seats as long as you can, moving your child into a forward-facing seat only after he/she is too big for the seat?s weight limit or his/her head is higher than the seat?s top.
This brings us to categories of forward-facing child car seats. These are more or less for children who fit into Group 1, used from 9 months to 4 years of age, or for children weighing 20-40 pounds. As is the case with rear-facing child car seats, forward-facing child car seats can be used both in the front and back seats, although using it in the back seat is recommended.
A forward-facing child car seat on the other hand should be used until the child is too big for the seat?s weight limit, and/or the top of the child?s head is higher than the seat?s top. Finally, we come to the booster cushion or booster seats. The booster cushion/seat is more often used for children ranging from 6 to 11-years-old and weighing from 48 to 79 pounds. As pretty much with both the rear-facing and forward-facing child car seats, the booster cushion/seat can be used in both the front and back seats, although the back seat is recommended as safer.
Theoretically speaking neither booster cushions nor booster seats have a harness that is used to hold a child in the correct place. Instead, an adult car seat belt is used to go around both the child as well as the seat. This clearly emphasizes that having the seat belt correctly adjusted is very important.
Furthermore while using a booster cushion/seat, you need to make sure that the seat belt worn is as tight as it can possibly be, the lap belt is positioned over the child?s pelvic region, and not his/her stomach, and that the diagonal seat belt strap rests over his/her shoulder, not his/her neck.When it comes to opting for child car seats for your child, it is very important that you make sure the one you choose works both for your child and the type of automobile that you drive. Before you take your new baby home in your car you will need to purchase a suitable car safety seat. In an ideal scenario seats for new born infants must be rear facing for safety. This is because of the simple reason that a baby younger than about 12 months old does not have neck muscles that are strong enough to support the head. Moreover when a car stops suddenly the back rest of a rear facing child seat is designed to support your baby?s head and helps prevent serious injury.
Lots of safety seat manufacturers produce seats that can be used in forward or rear facing positions. Remember that these can be turned around once your baby is about a year old. Another famous alternative is to buy a baby car seat that doubles as a baby carrier. These kinds of seats have a fold out handle that makes it easy to carry your baby into the house. Most importantly you can strap your baby into the seat in the house, especially convenient in bad weather, and just mount the seat using the car safety seat or the Latch system, if that is fitted in your vehicle. It is recommended that you consult your vehicle manual to see if the Latch system is fitted to it.
In case if you are looking to buy a child safety seat that has been used you need to check to see if it has been subject to a recall. Plenty of older seats do not meet the most recent safety regulations. Additionally, in case if the seat has been involved in a major accident the integral harness may have stretched and no longer be safe. There is no obvious method of checking that the harness is in its original condition. Child safety seats are costly items, that you will only need for a short time, but you cannot really skimp on your child?s safety.
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