switching car seats

Megan - posted on 03/18/2013

Keep your little one rear facing for as long as possible...even to age two. It may seem odd to you but your child does not know any different. And she is safest this way. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00834D...
This seat is good to 45lbs rear facing and like 80 forward facing...so its a good investment in your little one's safety

Angela - posted on 04/07/2009

Ok this is good know I'm in New Zealand we are getting paying a new seat off now my son is 9 months and 8.6 kg I have no idea what that is in lbs I'm guessing about  18lb but after talking to my plunket nurse I plan to keep him rear facing until he is one even if he is not liking the squished feeling as Pamela said better to be a leg than a neck?!

Pamela - posted on 04/06/2009

For the questions on the squishing of the legs and feet....When I had my carseat installed by the state of Kansas....Their carseat installers told me that it is much easier to fix a broken leg than a broken neck or spine.  They said your child can still get into the military with a broken leg, but not with a broken spine.  They also reccomended that my son stay rear-facing for as long as possible.  My best advice is to read up on your state laws.  I live between Kansas and Virginia and there laws are similar, but still have differences.

Erika - posted on 04/06/2009

you all rock, thank you sooooooooooooooooooooo much!

well i guess ill be buying a nifty new car seat in the next 2 months or so.

Stella - posted on 04/06/2009

I'm glad I read this! In the UK, we are told 9mths AND 19lb, but as I am about to change our wee lad over from the infant carrier to our front/rear facing car seat, I'll definitely keep that rear facing for longer than I was going to. Or did with our 3yr old.

Tabatha - posted on 04/06/2009

Quoting Elizabeth:

That's good to know, My 9 month old is 24 lbs and the carseat I have says to put it foward at 21 lbs. We go to the docter in a week and I am going to ask about that! Hope I don't have to get a new one!

i got a new one from the zellers and its good for newborn right up to booster seat!! i got it on sale for 120$ canadian! i have to say the only thing i dont like is it doesnt have the detachible base! but its the only one i will have to buy! and it gives him more feet and head room :)

Elizabeth - posted on 04/06/2009

That's good to know, My 9 month old is 24 lbs and the carseat I have says to put it foward at 21 lbs. We go to the docter in a week and I am going to ask about that! Hope I don't have to get a new one!

Tabatha - posted on 04/06/2009

she has to be rear facing till 1 year of age!!! i just asked someone i know who is certified to install them, because i was going to but my boy front facing because he is 23lbs and 9 month old!!!

Bethany - posted on 04/06/2009

Quoting Erika:

i didnt realize you could put a toddler seat rear facing, thanks for letting me know!
she is still in the infant seat and she is not to happy about her lack of feet room lol
thanks

Not all toddler seats can- but it will tell you on the box if it is a convertable seat or not (i.e rear and forward facing).

It is the law here that babies stay rear facing until 1 year AND 22 lbs but I've been told that you should leave them rear facing as long as the weight restrictions on your seat allows (within reason).  For example, my seat goes rear facing until 30 lbs...at the rate my son is growing he will probably be 5 before he reaches that!  Anyway- here is a recent article from the American Academy of Pediatrics that recommends at least 2 years because babies are 5 times safer rear facing.

http://aapnews.aappublications.org/cgi/c... (I think I'll just paste the whole thing- it's not very long)

New research indicates that toddlers are more than five times safer riding rear-facing in a car safety seat up to their second birthday. Following are some safety tips for car seat use:

All infants should ride rear-facing in either an infant car seat or convertible seat.

If an infant car seat is used, the infant should be switched to a rear-facing convertible car seat once the maximum height (when the infant’s head is within 1 inch of the top of the seat) and weight (usually 22 pounds to 32 pounds) have been reached for that infant seat as suggested by the car seat manufacturer.

Toddlers should remain rear-facing in a convertible car seat until they have reached the maximum height and weight recommended for the model, or at least the age of 2.

Hope this helps!

Bethany - posted on 04/06/2009

Quoting Erika:

i didnt realize you could put a toddler seat rear facing, thanks for letting me know!
she is still in the infant seat and she is not to happy about her lack of feet room lol
thanks

Not all toddler seats can- but it will tell you on the box if it is a convertable seat or not (i.e rear and forward facing).

It is the law here that babies stay rear facing until 1 year AND 22 lbs but I've been told that you should leave them rear facing as long as the weight restrictions on your seat allows (within reason).  For example, my seat goes rear facing until 30 lbs...at the rate my son is growing he will probably be 5 before he reaches that!  Anyway- here is a recent article from the American Academy of Pediatrics that recommends at least 2 years because babies are 5 times safer rear facing.

http://aapnews.aappublications.org/cgi/c... (I think I'll just paste the whole thing- it's not very long)

New research indicates that toddlers are more than five times safer riding rear-facing in a car safety seat up to their second birthday. Following are some safety tips for car seat use:

All infants should ride rear-facing in either an infant car seat or convertible seat.

If an infant car seat is used, the infant should be switched to a rear-facing convertible car seat once the maximum height (when the infant’s head is within 1 inch of the top of the seat) and weight (usually 22 pounds to 32 pounds) have been reached for that infant seat as suggested by the car seat manufacturer.

Toddlers should remain rear-facing in a convertible car seat until they have reached the maximum height and weight recommended for the model, or at least the age of 2.

Hope this helps!

Bethany - posted on 04/05/2009

Just FYI, some states have laws about it.  I believe that most states do not have a law on rear facing, just that they are in a car seat.  But it is recommended that they are at least 1 year AND 20 lbs.  That is the law for the states that do have them.  But yeah, my daughter is 18 lbs. and just too squished in a carrier seat, so we've already switched over too.

Karen - posted on 04/05/2009

Hi Erika,



Most are either 9kgs or 9 months - my daughter is just getting into hers now. There are some on the market which are suitable for lighter babies though. Happy shopping!

Erika - posted on 04/04/2009

i didnt realize you could put a toddler seat rear facing, thanks for letting me know!

she is still in the infant seat and she is not to happy about her lack of feet room lol

thanks

Shanna - posted on 04/03/2009

You have to keep her in a rear-facing seat for AT LEAST 1 year. Do you have the toddler seat, or the infant seat still? I just tranfered my daughter to the toddler seat - it can go rear-facing or forward facing. My daughter's legs were squished too in the infant seat. The toddler seat goes up to 35 pounds. I am going to keep my daughter in a rear-facing seat until around 15 months. The longer, the better!! My daughter has always had a really strong head and neck but they cant handle the force of their heads jerking forward in the event of an accident when they are seated forward facing. Keep your daughter rear facing for as long as possible!!