Install Car Seat for Newborn Baby?

Question

Please show me how, should it facing the back or front. If anyone has good website with images, please share with me. I bought an infant maxi-cosi car seat and I'm having hard time figure it out. All I know is the car seat must be put behind the driver or the passenger seat rather in the middle. Please help. Thanks

Answer 1

REAR FACING! I'd also recommend reading the manual before starting. It should help with some of your questions.

May I ask why you say it shouldn't be in the middle? There is nothing wrong with it being behind driver or passenger, but middle is safest IF the seat fits correctly there - that is, if you can get it in with less than 1" of movement at the belt path. The best place for the seat is the place it fits the best. If it fits in the middle, use it -it provides protection from side impact crashes. On most vehicles you can't use LATCH in the middle, but you can install it with the seatbelts. Seatbelt is just as safe as LATCH. LATCH was invented to be universal and convenient, even though its not.

Definitely rear facing. Babies should stay rear facing as long as possible! Not just to 20lbs and 1year, but until they reach the maximum for their convertible car seat rear facing. All current ones go to at least 30lbs.

Babies should stay rear facing AS LONG AS POSSIBLE! Turning kids forward at 20lbs/1year is an outdated practice that could cost you your child's life! American Academy of Pediatrics says to keep kids rear facing to the limit of their convertible car seat. All current models go to at least 30lbs, many higher.

A forward-facing child under 2 years old is 4 times more likely to be killed or seriously injured in a crash than a rear-facing child of the same age. A child's vertabrae do not fully fuse until 3-6 years old, before then, she is at great risk for internal decapitation. The spinal column can stretch up to 2 inches in a crash BUT the spinal cord can only stretch up to 1/4 inch before it snaps and baby is gone.

In the age of the internet its amazing so much misinformation exists! Please please do not listen to people telling you to turn your child forward facing 'at your judgement' or when her legs touch the seat. In truth, most children LIKE resting their feet on the back of the seat in front of them. Check out this photo album exclusively of rear facing kids, many of them much older than 12 months: http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/RFAlbum... It is recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics (see sources) that ALL babies stay rear facing as long as possible, up to the weight/height limits of their seat. Most seats go to 30lbs rear facing, some go higher, check your manual. They are too tall for an infant carrier when the head is within an inch of the top of the shell. Too tall for most convertible seats when their ears reach the top of the seat. Has nothing to do with how long their legs are! There isn't a single documented case of a child breaking their legs b/c they were rear facing in an accident. There are, however, lots of cases where children have been killed and seriously injured where a rear facing seat would have protected them better. They are safest rear facing b/c their bones have not yet completed the ossification process that bonds/hardens them like adults. They need the bracing support that a rear facing seat offers to withstand a crash. 20lbs AND 1 year is the bare minimum as far as the law is concerned, but the law is the bare minimum of safety, and who wants to do the bare minimum for their child?

Answer 2

Some good info here.

http://www.babycenter.com.au/baby/safety...

Answer 3

Chidren under the age of 1 and 20 lbs MUST ride rearfacing.  

The recommendation from safety experts and the American Academy of Pediatrics is to rearface (RF) to the limits of the seat which is 30-35lbs on all seats sold in the US. My own daughter is rode RF until she was almost three and she reached 33 lbs which is the weight limit on her Britax Marathons. I wish she could still be RF, she was so much safer.

I have included several links with great pictures and videos of what happens to childrens necks when they are FF in a crash.

Most people are concerned about their child's legs being scrunched or broken in a crash. There is absolutely no evidence that shows a child's legs are in danger and I would much rather deal with a broken leg, than a broken neck.

Answer 4

Go to the fire or police station and they will instruct you in putting it in. It's better to have a person show you than reading, you can ask questions

Answer 5

it should face the back for a newborn.

Is there a WIC or chidren's hospital near you? They often offer programs that will do that for you. Many car insurance offices offer similar programs, ot the local police. Try calling some of those people.

Answer 6

I would go the local fire or police station and they will be glad to help you out. They do this kind of stuff all the time for people.

Answer 7

1. BEFORE YOUR FIRST BIRTHDAY LESS THAN 20 POUNDS REAR-FACING INFANT-ONLY CAR SEAT OR CONVERTIBLE SEAT USED IN REAR-FACING POSITION, SECURED IN THE BACK SEAT OF THE CAR.

2. 20–35 POUNDS CONVERTIBLE SEAT USED IN REAR-FACING POSITION, SECURED IN THE BACK SEAT OF THE CAR. LOOK FOR A CHILD SAFETY SEAT THAT IS RECOMMENDED FOR HEAVIER INFANTS.

3. WHEN YOU ARE 1, 2, 3, AND 4 20–40 POUNDS FACE FORWARD IN A CONVERTIBLE SEAT OR A FORWARD-FACING-ONLY SEAT OR HIGH-BACK BOOSTER/HARNESS IN THE BACK SEAT OF THE CAR.

4. WHEN YOU ARE 4, 5, 6, 7, OR 8 LESS THAN 4’9” (57 INCHES) TALL BELT-POSITIONING BOOSTER SEAT (NO BACK) OR HIGH-BACK BELT-POSITIONING BOOSTER SEAT IN THE BACK SEAT OF THE CAR.

5. WHEN YOU ARE 8, 9, 10, 11, OR 12 MORE THAN 4’9” (57 INCHES) TALL MAY USE AN ADULT SEATBELT, BUT MUST KEEP YOUR BACK AGAINST THE SEAT BACK, YOUR KNEES BENT OVER THE EDGE OF THE SEAT, AND YOUR FEET FLAT ON THE FLOOR IN THE BACK SEAT OF THE CAR.

6. WHEN YOU ARE MORE THAN 12 YEARS OLD MORE THAN 4’9” (57 INCHES) TALL MAY SIT IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT OF THE CAR WITH AN ADULT SEATBELT.