When do u turn the baby seat to face forward in the car?

~Jennifer - posted on 01/16/2010

Thank you for your replies to this question.

Ronnale - posted on 01/16/2010

as long as possible, at least till 20 pounds! My daughter is an EMT and she has told me of many accidents with babies in the car, the rear facing seats have miraculously kept infants safe and cocooned while the car is smashed all around them!

Erika - posted on 01/16/2010

She has to be 1 year old and at least 20 lbs. Our son is well over 20 lbs but since he has not turned a year they said no.

Karen - posted on 01/16/2010

my daughter kacey-leigh will be 2 in march thats her just gone into forward facing.its safer i think to have rear facing 4 at least the 1st year or so

Julie - posted on 01/16/2010

Definitely wait at least a year, but the new recommendations (i think by the Academy of Pediatrics) is 2 years.

Karen - posted on 01/16/2010

hi im from scotland n the advice i would give is leave ur child in rear facing 4 as long as poss until she needs more room!my daughter is22 mths n she has only been facing forward 4 2mths but she is quite petite only weighs 24lbs

Jody - posted on 01/16/2010

1 year or 20 lbs.

Rebecca - posted on 01/16/2010

They are saying now that you need to keep them back facing as long as possible because it is so much safer. I am going to wait until my daughter is two. She is in a convertible seat though. Google your states child safety laws for motor vehicles. You can also contact most fire stations and they will have that information for you.

Peita - posted on 01/16/2010

To all those people who are saying they would keep their child rearward facing until 4 -6yo, I ask how do they fit???? My boy a 1yo weighed 14kg and was wearing size 2 (Australian sizes) and just didn't fit facing the back, that was the minimum weight to go into a booster seat! He now at just turned 6yo weighs 27kg and wears size 8 clothing, he is extremely tall, so is the rest of my family! Our new laws that are set to come in say a child must stay in a booster seat until 7yo unless they outweigh the seat maximum weight!! My boy outweighed our booster seat at 5yo!! I think it would be dangerous to not follow height and weight restrictions on the seats, the manufacturers put those guidelines there for a reason!

Kelly - posted on 01/16/2010

it depends on the size of you car seat. in aus its recommended a minimum 6mths and it depends on the weight restrictions for your car seat. if your not sure about your car seat, i know you can take it to RACV or vicroads (in victoria) i dont know what they're called in nt. i know how you feel though, i have an 8wk old boy who is 7.5kg and putting on 1kg every 2wks as an average so far and my car seat only goes to 9kg rearward facing. i'm starting to worry about that. when i went to buy a car seat most of them were either 9 or 10kg.so i would use that as a base atleast.

Sieh Mann - posted on 01/16/2010

Recently, there was an article stating that it is advisable to keep the baby seat facing rear until the child is 4 years old. Here's the website:



http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/338/...

Cyndi - posted on 01/15/2010

I kept my daughter in a rear-facing carseat until she was 2 yrs. old (She was also a preemie). She moved-up to a regular carseat when she was 20 lbs. Your baby has a little way to go before facing forwards in a car, so don't rush it~~Be thankful for the inventor that created the "Backwards carseat", it's the best invention that ever came for protecting babies in cars (Especially in car accidents)! NJ law says that the child MUST be 20 lbs. before being placed in a "Forward" facing carseat. My husband is a police officer.

Denise - posted on 01/15/2010

In Canada it is a minimum of 22lbs AND 1 year old.

Laura - posted on 01/15/2010

In the United States your baby should be one year old AND 20 lbs before being in a forward facing car seat. Anywhere else I don't know! Hope this helps!

Punzelina - posted on 01/15/2010

Where we are, the baby must be 1 year old AND weigh at least 20 pounds. Although, I have read that it really is safer for the child to keep them backward facing until they are 2 years of age. Before that, their necks are really vulnerable to whiplash, and their heads hit the seats in cases of hard stops. After 2, supposedly they are stronger and able to handle it better. My son is 17 months and I still have him backward facing.

Suzanne - posted on 01/15/2010

most forward facing seats are aimed at children from 9month onwards (or a certain weight), The seat should say somewhere on its label the weight/age range that it is suitable for but realistically, if she still fits in the backward facing seat very comfortably, leave her in it

Karrie - posted on 01/15/2010

In Canada they have to be 1year old and weigh 20 lbs. You should go to your local fire station...they will be able to guide you in the right direction. Also, if her feet dangle over the bottom it is ok but if her head is going past the top of the carseat that is bad!! Once they are tall enough that their head is past that point it is very dangerous to keep them in an infant seat, you will need to put her in a larger carseat then!! Hope this helps!!

Amanda - posted on 01/15/2010

1 years old.....

Amanda - posted on 01/15/2010

1 years old.....

Katherine - posted on 01/15/2010

Have you tried Googling the make and model of your seat? You might find the instructions that way. Here in NZ, it is recommended that you turn the seat round when your child is one year old or 9 kg. They're much safer in a rear facing seat so the longer you can leave it, the better.

Sharyn - posted on 01/15/2010

hi, not sure but by law you have to have that way for a certian time. you should check with you state or your insurance company.sharyn

Jessica - posted on 01/15/2010

In the states, children have to be 20 lbs and at least a year old according to most pediatricians before they can be in front facing car seats. My son outgrew his car seat in height before he was a year old.

Tiffany - posted on 01/15/2010

Northern Territory laws state (in Australia where I live) that a child must remain rear facing til they are 9 kilos or 6 months old.

Tiffany - posted on 01/15/2010

im not saying im in a hurry to turn the seat around so my daughter looks 'advanced'. not at all. shes my pride andf joy so i want the safest option for her, and i didnt know where to find out. just in case anyone didnt know the kilos to pound conversion, shes just over 8 kilos so thats around 18lbs. shes a very big girl for her age :)

Julie - posted on 01/15/2010

I kept my son rear facing as long as I could handle his whining. It got to be where he would scream when we put him in the car and it just got to be too much to keep him facing backward. He's a little guy, so we had him in an infant car seat until 12 months rear facing, and we got a new rear/forward facing and kept him backward until he was over 20 pounds and then turned that thing around!!

Vicky - posted on 01/15/2010

I turned my two boys around at 12mths, its safer to keep them rear facing as long as possible

Donna - posted on 01/15/2010

SOMETIMES IT WORKS .....AS A MOM TRY AND SEE WHAT IS BETTER FOR YOUR CHILD .......DONT ALWAYS GO BY THE BOOK....MOM KNOWS HER OWN CHILD

Krystal - posted on 01/15/2010

In aus its 6mths or 8 kgs. Wil was a terrible traveller so we turned him around just shy of 6mths..now he's a happy traveller!

Donna - posted on 01/15/2010

VERY TRUE.....WE NEED BOOSTER SEATS..HAHAHAHA

Caren1±JaA - posted on 01/15/2010

I purposely bought a Toyota yaris because I could see over the dash easily, the windows were lower, the arm rests were lower (so I didn't look like a chicken driving down the road), and my kids could see the world outside easier. I am 5 ft 3. So I klnow what you mean about the seat belt choking you. If I drive my parents car sometimes, I spend allot of time pushing it away. Because it is choking me. I think everyone that tests cars must be at least 5 foot 6 or taller! I think I need a booster seat. If only my but would fit, I think I would:)
lol.

Sylvia - posted on 01/15/2010

You shouldn't be using a carseat you don't have instructions for. Check the model number, do a Google search for the make and model, and find some instructions.



Are you in North America? Most carseats are designed for the kid to rear-face until 20 lb AND 1 year old (IOW, both conditions have to be true), and in most jurisdictions the law matches that. People worry about broken legs when rear-facing, but spinal-cord injury when facing forward is much more common, especially for younger kids.



My daughter didn't hit 20 lb until she was two years old, and she rear-faced in the car until 28 months. Unless your child suffers from severe motion sickness when rear-facing, there's absolutely no reason to be in a hurry to turn her around, and four months is definitely MUCH too early to do that.

Kylie - posted on 01/15/2010

Hi, defintely not yet. I am one of the Plunket CarSeat Rental Managers in NZ & we recommend that your child is AT LEAST 12mths old before you put them forward facing. Developmentaly their bodies are not ready to support themselves should there be an accident. Let me know if you want any other advice.

Donna - posted on 01/15/2010

ITS NOT CRAZY .....MY SON WAS VERY HARD TO KEEP IN A CAR SENT DID NOT LIKE ANY HARNESSES AND TO BE RESTRAINED...THE BOSTER SEAT WAS NEXT FOR ME TOO AND I WORRIED TOO FOR THE SAME REASONS..CAR SEATS TO ME SHOULD STILL BE IMPROVED ....LOOK IM SHORT AND WHEN I HAVE A CAR SEAT STRAP ON IT COKES ME TO THIS DAY AND I HAVE AJUSTED IT MANY TIMES.....

Nicole - posted on 01/15/2010

Be careful - your biggest concern should be whiplash in the event of an accident whether or not your baby can hold her head up. Every state/country has different laws.

Beth - posted on 01/15/2010

Keep her facing backward -- unless her ENTIRE head is actually above the top of the seat, she is much safer facing backward. To help you feel better about her feet touching the backseat, remember how curled up and cramped she was just 5 months ago (you say she is 4 months old). She isn't uncomfortable, even though it looks like it to us adults! ;)

Heather - posted on 01/15/2010

You don't turn your daughter around until she is one year old

Caren1±JaA - posted on 01/15/2010

Mine are nearly 9 years and 4 years now. And yes my 9 year old still uses the bottom part of his boster seat. But then again he is only about 60 pounds but is 4 feet 5 inches tall. My almost 4 year old is still in a car seat with full straps and a snap between the crotch and will stay there for a while yet. He isn't as tall as my older one was at this age although he is nearly3 feet 5 inches tall and weighs a heafty 45 pounds . My oldest one had his shoulders over his car seat frame, so I had to put in a booster seat before he was 3. The harsness spots were too low and it was too dangerous. I was afraid that he would get beheaded if we got in an accident. Sounds crazy, but that was what I thought.

Donna - posted on 01/15/2010

YES I KNOW THAT TOO .....WE NEVER DID THAT BACK IN THE DAY ....AND GOD BLESS WE WERE FINE AND VERY CAREFUL ......

Donna - posted on 01/15/2010

I SEE YOUR POINT ...JUST MAYBE HE WILL STOP DOING THAT IS HE FACING FRONT AND CAN SEE WHERE HE IS GOING INSTEAD OF WHERE HES BEEN ....HE COULD BE BOTHERING HIM ... YOU KNOW .....TRY IT...

Sarah - posted on 01/15/2010

The longer they are rear facing the better! If you are in an accident and your car seat is correctly installed in the rrear position it is the safest way for them to ride!

Caren1±JaA - posted on 01/15/2010

My concern with my oldest was that he use to constantly be kicking his feet and pushing his way out of things. Where you don't get to use the harness when it is still rear facing I was affriad that he would kick his seat out of position. He was 3 foot 1 when he was 2!

Donna - posted on 01/15/2010

I ALWAYS HAD IT FACING FORWARD....NEVER WAS A PROBLEM.....

Andrea - posted on 01/15/2010

I think at about a 1-1 1/2 years. Depends on the size of your baby.

Tiffany - posted on 01/15/2010

rear facing as long as possible! in Sweden you cant turn the baby around until they are four.

Brittany - posted on 01/15/2010

In Ohio it's 20lbs before you can turn the seat facing forward! I don't know the length but i would wait as long as possible because that is the safest position for a baby to face espeacially at 4 months old.

Sally - posted on 01/15/2010

I would say a four months although your daughter is holding her head well the way she would be sat and react with her body forward facing would perhaps not be developed enough at the moment, I would wait little longer. I think with my son we waited till he was older than 4 months, although in the end he was too long so we had to turn him round I think he was about 8 months.

Wendy - posted on 01/15/2010

It used to be 1 year AND 20 lbs, but now most pediatricians and the AAP (American Academy of Peds) is recommending not turning them around till 2 years! I made it with my third till about 16 months and then decided it wasn't worth the fight anymore! She was 23 lbs by then. As the wife of a Pediatrician, I'd recommend waiting as long as you can ... he's seen kids die from not being in carseats properly!

Sheryl - posted on 01/15/2010

I agree it is one year old and 20 pounds. You can also go to the website of the mfg. of your car seat. It will give you instructions for your specific seat.

Lise - posted on 01/15/2010

I live in Alberta Canada. Our law states not to turn them until they are 1 year or 20 pounds. The safty recommendations are 1 year or 20 pounds to turn them around, forward facing with a 5 point harness until 4 or 40 pounds, booster seat until they are 9 or 80 pounds. It really doen't matter what country you are from accidents happen, and people drive fast. I have always erred on the side of caution. If your child was killed in a car accident and you knew there was something you could have done to prevent it you would probably spend the rest of your life blaming yourself. Just something to think about.

Fawn - posted on 01/15/2010

I just read today in a pregnancy magazine, the American Academy of Pediatrics now recommends the baby stays rear facing until 2 years old.