Baby car seat 0+
Children, due to their anatomical features, suffer more in road accidents than adults. In the event of an accident at a minimum speed of 20 km / h, the mother is not able to hold the baby in her arms. Buying a car seat is an important necessity. The range is represented by models of a certain age category of the middle price range, more expensive universal models and budget car seats.
Group 0+ car seats are designed for babies born without pathologies, from birth to a year. The model range belongs to the category of automobile holding devices of the increased comfort.
The maximum weight of the child, who is in the chair, should not exceed 13 kg, and height – 78 cm. With such a device, the mother feels complete freedom of movement.
Child car seat device 0+
The holding device resembles a cocoon, in which the head and back of the crumbs are located at an angle of 30-45 degrees. The load on the body is evenly distributed and there is no pressure on the fragile spine.
For babies weighing less than 6 kg, given their anatomical features, a tab with a foam insert is provided. A high-quality seat has a support pad inside for the comfort of the crumbs, which travels a lot. As the child grows, the insert is removed. Depth and width will increase.
When buying a car seat, pay attention to the fact that the backrest tilt is no more than 45 degrees.
Do not choose a restraint with a large backrest. This position is unsafe in frontal impacts. An angle of less than 30 degrees is not welcome, as the baby’s head will move forward.
The arched base makes it possible to use the car carrier as a rocking chair. This is convenient, but do not forget about the load on the fragile spine. Staying in a chair for more than two hours is undesirable for a baby due to pressure on the abdominal cavity.
This will not cause harm, but it interferes with the normal saturation of the blood with oxygen. During the neonatal period (28 days from birth), the child can be left in a category 0+ seat for no more than 20 minutes.
For long trips, it is better to use a car cradle (category 0). The child in it is in a horizontal position.
When buying, ask the seller for a quality certificate. An uncertified analogue will not protect the baby. Armchairs manufactured in Europe must be produced according to the ECE R 44/04 standard.
The reliability of the holding device is determined through crash tests. A car seat with a dummy and an acceleration sensor is fixed on a platform, which is accelerated to 50 km / h, while simulating a head-on collision.
Another test: a side impact test at 25 km/h. In case of an accident in high-speed acceleration up to 50 km / h, the severity of the injuries received is equivalent to a fall from the 4th floor.
The group 0+ car seat is fixed against the machine. This provision is indicated in the European standard ECE R 44/04. It is located both in the front and in the back seat of the car.
The first option is possible with the airbag disabled. This is argued by the fact that children have the wrong proportions of the body. The largest part is the head. In the event of an accident, it will strongly lean forward, which threatens to fracture the cervical vertebrae.
Fastening
Category 0+ car seats are available with different fixation methods.
Fastening with standard belts
The first method is fastening with three regular seat belts of any car. They fix the child seat, regardless of the model and date of manufacture of the car.
You just need to check the length of the belt. If it is not enough, then contact a specialized service center to replace it with a suitable option.
Do not try to reproduce the replacement of the belt yourself, and even more so build it up in a makeshift way. The health and life of the child depends on this fastening element.
For proper fastening, carefully read the instructions for the child car seat and follow the diagram for fixing the belts.
An incorrectly fixed device will not protect the child in an accident. The certification standard presupposes mandatory labeling on the restraint device, according to which the parent will fix it without difficulty.
They should be clearly visible, even if a child is sitting in the chair.
The place where the belt mount encircles the car seat must be rubberized to prevent slipping and tight fixation. Pay attention to this when buying.
Attaching a child car seat 0+ to the Isofix base
The second option – the most convenient, simple and reliable way to fix it – is to use a special Isofix base for a car seat. With it, you can move the device from place to place without complicated manipulation of the straps.
The base is permanently attached to the car body and is in the cabin all the time, and you can remove the seat and put it back with one hand. It prevents the restraint from overturning in the event of a frontal collision.
Isofix provides additional assurance that the seat will remain in place in an emergency.
The Isofix system consists of two brackets that are located at the base of the holding device and are rigidly attached to the car body. This system is uniform for car and car seat manufacturers all over the world. Its main purpose is to eliminate errors when installing a child seat in the cabin.
According to statistics, about 70% of them are fixed incorrectly with standard belts. To install the base, connect the brackets to the mating brackets in the vehicle. At the base, the seat always assumes the correct position, regardless of the angle of the vehicle seat.
Reliable power Isofix is used in car seats of groups 0+ and 1. In the seats of these categories, it really takes on the force of impact in an accident.
Isofix – fixation at two points on the same axis. It is along this trajectory that a torque occurs in an emergency. To prevent the seat from moving, the manufacturers came up with a third point of support. It is a telescopic “leg” that extends and rests on the floor.
The load on the system brackets is reduced and the seat will not move. The only, but significant disadvantage is the price. The cost of the base is about the same as the price of the chair. Retaining devices with Isofix are more expensive than counterparts that are fixed with standard belt mounts.
Seat belts
Infant car restraints are available with five-point or three-point options. They are inside the chair. In the five-point version, two belt fastenings stretch over the shoulders, the other two encircle the baby, the fifth passes between the legs.
The system will reliably protect a small passenger in case of impact from each of the four sides. The design development is arranged so that the internal organs of the crumbs do not suffer in the event of an accident.
Seats are also available with three-point belts: two belts pass over the shoulders, and a third short one between the legs. They connect in the area of the abdomen of the child. The first option is more reliable. It prevents the baby from falling out of the seat in the event of an accident.
The three-point system is also quite reliable. The advantage is that the child can be easily placed in the seat in voluminous clothing. For example, in winter overalls.
There are special pads on the belts. Their function is to gently absorb overloads (due to friction) that occur even at low speeds (50-60 km / h), and not to hold the child tightly. High-quality pads at the back are equipped with rubber protectors. Keep this in mind when choosing a chair.
Pros and cons of baby cot chair 0+
Advantages of child car seats category 0+:
- Small weight and dimensions.
- Maximum protection for babies from birth to one year old.
- Different types of fixing the chair in the salon.
- Mobility, combined with a special Isofix base.
- Built-in sun visor.
- Additional accessories offered by manufacturers: a summer cover made of breathable fabric, a rain cover, additional liners for the little ones.
Disadvantages:
- In some cases, the length of the standard three-point belt is not enough to fix the chair.
- Short service life – up to a maximum of one and a half years.
- High cost compared to universal models.
- Chairs with the Isofix system are characterized by increased reliability, but the base for a car seat in this category costs the same as the seat itself.
The ideal situation is to pick up a newborn from the hospital in a car seat. You need to think in advance what to dress the baby in. Beautiful envelopes are irrelevant, it is difficult to fit the baby in a car carrier. At a temperature of +15 degrees it is not necessary.
There are envelopes with slots for internal straps. And on the children’s goods market there are enough overalls that are in no way inferior from a practical and aesthetic point of view to envelopes.
Some parents are hesitant to spend money on a category 0+ car seat if its lifespan is short. Manufacturers offer a universal option – a category 0+/1 seat. Used up to 4 years.
Versatility affects quality from the worst side. Category 0+ restraint reliability is much higher than that of universal counterparts. This is confirmed by crash tests.
It is difficult to produce an equally safe seat for infants and kindergartners. Minus – the price of a high-quality universal holding device is much higher than the average level.
Precautionary measures
During an accident, the car seat is deformed inside, but retains its appearance. Even a collision at a speed of 10 km/h can cause damage.
A car seat that has been in an accident should definitely not be used in the future, as it may not perform the function in an emergency.
The Isofix anchor loops and the load-bearing elements of the car body to which they are attached require verification. An inspection must be carried out by employees of a specialized service station. Buying a used car seat is not advisable for this reason.
A calm child in a car is a guarantee of safety on the road. Take with you on a trip educational toys that can entertain your baby. Then the driver will not be distracted from the road.
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