time to change to forward facing in the car?

Betsy - posted on 11/30/2009

In the US, most laws are at least 1 yr AND 20 lbs, but that will be changing as rear-facing is much safer. We don't turn them around until at least 2-1/2, and we've never had problems with size. Our twins turned 2 last April and our still comfortably rear-facing. Our 3 year old was just turned about 6 mo ago when he reached the height/weight limits for rear-facing on his seat. Most seats now are rear-facing to at least 35 lbs emcouraaging parents to rear-face their children. Front facing them leaves them at risk for internal decapitation.. You may want to do some research about that before making the decision to turn the child forward facing.

User - posted on 11/30/2009

One year old before they can turn around....and 35 pounds i believe... Check the CT carseat law i thinkit is on the website

Jennifer - posted on 11/30/2009

My son was always considered little,or tall and skinny and still is to this day being almost 3 years old. If I remember correctly,he was around 14 months old or so before we bought the forward facing seat,it was definitely after he turned one

Nicole - posted on 11/30/2009

i heard you do it when they are 20 lbs. and if they hit 20 lbs before they are one, you have to wait until one.

Anna - posted on 11/30/2009

It is much safer to keep them facing the rear as long as they can fit that way - for several years if you can. It's because small children have such big heavy heads they are extremely vulnerable to whiplash injuries. So even if you don't crash but just have to slam your brakes on suddenly, it can do them pretty bad damage.

Katherine - posted on 11/30/2009

Quoting Rebecca:

Quoting Renee:

I had my third born backwards until she was eighteen months and 28 lbs. It can be done. My theory for my kids was broken legs were fixable internal injuries are more severe. My fourth born is 9 months and over 20 lbs. I leave his seat in the car and just buckle him in and take him out like I would if he was forward facing. He will stay backwards until we get out of the slushy, snowy nasty winter.

In our state the law is 20 pounds and one year.

I agree with you 100%! There are countries that actually leave children rearfacing until they can go to a booster becuase it is a lot safer for a child. We too left our son rear facing until he was about 16 months old.

That is the safest way, I only wish I would have known with my first born!!  I mean she's 4 now, but I could have kept her rear facing for much longer.  I do, however still have her in a 5point restraint.

Katherine - posted on 11/30/2009

Keep them rear-facing for as long as possible!!! I read that parents are too quick to put their child front facing, either at 21lbs or one year. Here's a ton of info:

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?
Source(s):
WHY REAR FACING:
http://aappolicy.aappublications.org/cgi…
http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/dcboard.ph…
http://www.carseat.org/Resources/633.pdf
http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/stayrea…
http://www.car-safety.org/rearface.html
http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/RFAlbum…
http://www.thecarseatlady.com/car_seats/…
http://myangelsaliandpeanut.tripod.com/i…
http://momtoaliandshae.tripod.com/keepin…
http://www.aap.org/family/carseatguide.h…
http://www.aap.org/family/1to2yrs.htm
http://www.aap.org/advocacy/releases/tra…

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9916868
http://www.carseatsite.com/rear-face_art…

Erin - posted on 11/30/2009

http://babyproducts.about.com/od/carseat...



this should help with your question, it all depends on the car seat, mine said they have to be 22 pounds AND a year, but there are some carseats that go up to 35 to 40 pounds. check out that website.

Melissa - posted on 11/30/2009

not until they are at least a year old nad meet your states requirements for height and weight

Dana - posted on 11/30/2009

I'm really surprised that people are still changing their children around at one year and 20 lbs. Do some research into it. I'm keeping my son rear-facing until he's 2 yrs old.

Jennifer - posted on 11/30/2009

You can call the firestation (non - emergency number) and they have car seat clinics and take your car, car seat and child and they will tell you which way your carseat should be and adjust it for you.

Rebecca - posted on 11/30/2009

Quoting Renee:

I had my third born backwards until she was eighteen months and 28 lbs. It can be done. My theory for my kids was broken legs were fixable internal injuries are more severe. My fourth born is 9 months and over 20 lbs. I leave his seat in the car and just buckle him in and take him out like I would if he was forward facing. He will stay backwards until we get out of the slushy, snowy nasty winter.

In our state the law is 20 pounds and one year.

I agree with you 100%! There are countries that actually leave children rearfacing until they can go to a booster becuase it is a lot safer for a child. We too left our son rear facing until he was about 16 months old.

Renee - posted on 11/30/2009

I had my third born backwards until she was eighteen months and 28 lbs. It can be done. My theory for my kids was broken legs were fixable internal injuries are more severe. My fourth born is 9 months and over 20 lbs. I leave his seat in the car and just buckle him in and take him out like I would if he was forward facing. He will stay backwards until we get out of the slushy, snowy nasty winter.

In our state the law is 20 pounds and one year.

Rebecca - posted on 11/30/2009

We take our kids seats to the fir station here to get them installed as they are trained for it and they give us all the current info as they have to get trained every few months to insure nothing has changed. They do not recommened before 1yr of age and the child should be walking. The walking is an extra step to insure the child has good head support.

Kelly - posted on 11/30/2009

As far as I know it is 20lbs AND 1 year old. My daughter is very small for her age & the doctors told me to keep her rear facing until the reached the weight limit as well as the height limit...which she has already passed. I got a carseat that goes rearfacing to 25 lbs & will keep her rear facing as long as possible, better safe than sorry.

Andrea - posted on 11/30/2009

i was told one year or 22lbs.. some parents wait for both one year and 22lbs... my son i had him front facing at 6 months but he was almost 30lbs too.. so it was hard to carry a seat and him or to get him in a carseat with is facing backwards... hope this is some what helpful... take care best wishes

Jennifer - posted on 11/30/2009

I moved my daughter into a forward facing when she was about 10 months old.But she was also a big baby and she was almost the right weight.however i did do it a little early.

Brittany - posted on 11/30/2009

they have to be 20 pounds AND one year old.

Jocelyn - posted on 11/30/2009

The minimum is 1 year old or 20 lbs. But some car seats can rear face until 65 lbs. It's basically a personal decision (once they've passed the minimum requirements).

Debra - posted on 11/30/2009

http://www.aap.org/family/Carseatguide.h...