Choosing Rear-facing
Rear-facing car seats - age 0-12 months
Babies don’t have the head and neck strength to travel facing forward in their car seat. In the rear-facing position, the force of a crash or sudden stop is spread across the baby’s whole body and is absorbed into the back of the car seat.
NEVER place a rear-facing car seat in front of an active airbag.
It’s recommended that a baby travel in the rear-facing position for as long as possible. Refer to the car seat instructions for maximum weight limit of car seat in rear facing position.
Types of rear-facing car seats
There are three kinds of rear-facing car seats, each having its specific advantages and disadvantages.
1: Infant-Only Seat
These are for babies starting from birth and up until they reach the weight or height limits given in the car seat instructions. They must ALWAYS face the rear of the vehicle.
Advantages
- Infant-only car seats provide the best fit for babies
- Infant-only seats have detachable bases that are to be left in the car; the car seat can then be removed and used as a carrier
- Some infant-only seats are sold as part of a stroller system for added convenience.
Disadvantages
- Cost may be a factor because this car seat can only be used for a limited period of time
2: Infant/Child Seat
This seat can be used in the rear-facing position and later in the forward-facing position. For the rear-facing position some car seats can go up to 40 lbs (18 kg). Check the instructions for limitations.
Note: There are two seat belt paths for an infant-child seat. Follow your car seat instructions to ensure that you are using the correct seat belt path.
Advantages
- This type is cost effective because it can be used during both the rear-facing and forward-facing stages
- Infant-child seats allow your baby to be rear facing for a longer period of time, which is recommended by most car seat experts.
Disadvantages
- This seat might be too big for a newborn baby, not allowing for a snug fit.
- This seat usually remains in the vehicle, so the car seat can’t be used as a carrier.
3: Infant/Child Booster Seat
This seat can be used during the rear-facing, forward-facing and booster seat stages.
Advantages
- This seat is cost effective as it can be used through the rear-facing, forward-facing and booster seat stages. Parents may only need to buy one car seat for all these stages.
Disadvantages
- This seat might be too big for a newborn baby, not allowing for a snug fit.
- Some infant-child-booster seats have a height limit of 40 inches (102 cm) in the forward-facing position. As a result, if your child weighs less than 40 lbs. (18 kg) but over 40 inches (102 cm), this seat should not be used and your child would have to move to a child booster with a higher height limit.
- This seat usually remains in the vehicle, so the car seat can’t be used as a carrier.