when is it ok to switch carseats?

Megan - posted on 12/15/2012

Keep her rear facing ...she will be so much safer. I know it seems odd to you, but your little one does not know any different. Get a top quality rear facing seat that will convert to forward facing when she is more grown. This will truly grow with your child http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00834D...
It is also rated well for side impact too.

Christin - posted on 09/05/2011

please just watch this and I hope you will see why rear facing as long as possible is best

Naomi - posted on 05/15/2011

It is strongly reccomended by the AAP now that you keep your child rear facing for at least 2 years, longer if possible. I think the highest weight a rear facing seat will allow is 45 pounds, so that is when I would switch to forward facing. Rear facing is always the safest, as forward facing could result in serious injuries to the spinal cord if hit from behind, whereas if rear facing and hit from behind the chances of spinal injuries and death drop significantly.

Amber - posted on 04/29/2011

There are two different rules/guidelines for carseats... The official laws are 20lbs and 1 year old... If they haven't reached both of these milestones then they HAVE to stay in a rear facing carseat. You may just have to go find a new carseat that has a higher weight limit and fits her a little better. The people that create these guidelines have also come out with new ones. They are not a law yet just recommendations. The new ones are rear facing carseat till 2 no matter what... You can read up on the new guidelines on the AAP website: http://www.aap.org/advocacy/releases/car... Hope this helps

Wolfmama - posted on 04/21/2011

The new recommendations are pushing for rear-facing as long as possible because it is statistically safer. I would even suggest, if you can afford it, to purchase a convertible carseat that can be rear-facing up to 45 lbs. My son is tall and heavy for his age and I am still able to keep him rear-facing. Keep them till they OUTGROW it, not just the bare minimum.

Rita - posted on 04/14/2011

The American Associate of Pediatrics used to recommend 1 year or whatever the max height/weight of the car seat was. My pediatrician said that the AAP recently started recommending 2 years. Here's a lnk to the new guidelines. http://www.healthychildren.org/English/s... - My pediatrician said to note they're guidelines and that I could do it until 1 year or max weight/height. I suggest speaking to your pediatrician.

Crystal - posted on 04/07/2011

my youngest is 20 months 23lbs 32in and still RF and will until she hits the wieght limit of her seat or has less than an inch of room above her head thats when they outgrow it in height RF is so much safer for small babies and toddlers and i feel as a parent i should do everything in my power to keep my kids safe also have a 6yr old in a 5ponit harness still

Christianne - posted on 04/07/2011

I didn't turn my son around until 12 months as he was still under the weight restrictions although I eventually had to turn him around because of his height. I think when you feel they are ready as long as they meet some point of the legal requirements you should be fine.

Viviane - posted on 04/07/2011

I read that the guidelines for car seats are that the babies must be in rear facing until they are 1 year old, no matter weight and length. The reason is a baby's spine just isn't yet (developed) strong enough and very likely to suffer injuries in case of a collision in a forward facing position. My twins were very uncomfortable in their infant car seats at the time they were 5 months old, so we bought convertible seat with a higher weight and height limit that can be used rear faced. Since then, my babies love to be in their car seats. We plan on switching them to forward facing positions in a few months, after they are 1 year old (my babies are 10 months old and over 21 lbs now)

Serene - posted on 04/06/2011

I had the same problem, My daughter is tall and i thought that she could get in a bigger carseat and when I asked my peditricain she told me that it does not matter how tall your child is, it is mainly the weight, 20 lbs or a year old first. I'm so ready for a bigger carseat myself.

Brittany - posted on 04/05/2011

you can switch to a transitioning one. but the new recommendation is keep your child rear facing until 2. but def not before 1. so i would look into that. but thats what i use because she out grew the portable one

Crystal - posted on 03/30/2011

The law is 1yr AND 20lbs they have to be both before being able to face forward i would just buy her aconvertible seat that can RF and FF she is definetly way to young to FF

Crystal - posted on 03/30/2011

The law is 1yr AND 20lbs they have to be both before being able to face forward i would just buy her aconvertible seat that can RF and FF she is definetly way to young to FF

Kim - posted on 01/12/2011

Thank you for post Jill. I'm a retired firefighter and there is nothing worse than an injured child because the parents don't use car seats properly.When people choose to switch seats please have it installed properly.Most police or fire stations can do this for you free of charge. Stay safe!!

Dawn - posted on 01/09/2011

According to everything I've read, the requirement for forward facing is 20# AND 1 year old. You can find car seats that are convertible sort of. They can be rear facing, and forward facing and it children from 5 to 95 pounds. I don't remember the brand we have, or I'd share, but it's Eddie Bauer as well, and can be both rear facing and forward eventually. We're about to have to transition to it as well. My 6 month old is still well within the weight limit, but is about 1/2 an inch from outgrowing hers. So strange, since my youngest was in her carrier car seat until she was almost a year old!

Jill - posted on 01/03/2011

I was wondering this too cause my little girl is too long for her car seat and is almost 18 lbs so I googled it and this is what I found.....

Height & Weight Requirements for Forward-Facing Car Seats
By Audrey Lindsey, eHow Contributor .updated: January 30, 2010

.Babies and toddlers can remain in rear-facing car seats safely up until approximately 2 years old. According to HealthyChildren.org, the minimum recommended time for switching to forward-facing seats is 1 year and 20 pounds. It is safe to place a child over 20 pounds in a car seat facing the rear, but it is not safe to place a child under 20 pounds in a car seat facing the front.
Reasons Behind the Requirements
A rear-facing car seat distributes any force from a wreck through the entire length of a baby's body, which is safer for an infant, because any strain on one part of the baby is often much more dangerous in such an underdeveloped and weakened body. It is better for a baby to be facing the rear of the vehicle for as long as possible, so that the rear of the car seat can take on the majority of the damage incurred by an accident. For this reason, great care has been placed in the recommended rules and requirements for making the change to a forward-facing car seat.
Recommendations
When a baby reaches about 35 pounds or about 2 years old, he most likely begins to be uncomfortable in a rear-facing car seat. His feet start fighting for space against the seat, and this is usually when parents make the decision to turn the car seat around. It is not required to leave the child in a rear-facing seat for this long; however, according to HealthyChildren.org, it is recommended due to the increased safety that a rear-facing seat provides. Some parents choose to place a child in a forward-facing seat at about 20 pounds, but rarely is the child smaller than this when the seat is turned.

Height is an issue that is different for every child, so the issues that arise with height vary from parent to parent. When making the decision to have the child face forward, the length of the legs is only important when the child is facing the rear and has to deal with cramped legs up against the seat. One of the main things to consider, height wise, is making sure that the child's head does not sit above the top of the car seat or within 1 inch of the top of the car seat, as this means that the child has outgrown the seat.
Car Seat Requirements
Each car seat has a rear-facing weight limit. If the car seat is designed to only hold the child safely in the rear-facing manner up to 20 pounds, parents should adhere to this rule strictly, rather than endanger the safety of the child by pushing the limits. Some car seats are made with longer rear-facing comfort and safety in mind, and these have weight limits of 30 or 35 pounds. When these limits are reached and surpassed, parents should purchase a forward-facing car seat. These are designed for the safety of the baby facing the front of the vehicle. They come equipped with a harness, which attaches at the shoulders and the hips and between the legs and usually at the hips. According to HealthyChildren.org, the child should be able to safely ride in this forward-facing car seat until 4 years of age or between 40 and 80 pounds, at which point, parents can purchase a booster seat.
Warnings
When a forward-facing seat is the next step, parents should choose one with great caution. The child should not be sliding to one side or the other of the seat, as this is dangerous and could endanger the safety of the child's neck and head. Seats that are too big for a child may cause a child to do this, so parents should inspect and consider the size of the child and the flexibility of the car seat to adjust as the child grows.
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Read more: Height & Weight Requirements for Forward-Facing Car Seats | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/list_5932089_height-...

Angela - posted on 01/01/2011

there is a weight limit before you can turn your seat around....from memory i think it's 8kg but not sure so please do not quote me on this. My girlfriend turned her little boy forward facing as 6 months cos he had hit the 8kg mark. I would look into it b4 turning her around