Is my son 8 month old son old enogh for a foward facing car seat?

Crystal - posted on 03/12/2011

In most states the law is 1yr AND 20lbs must be both it is not safe for babies under 1yr to face forward as there bones and muscles in their necks are not strong enough to with stand an impact when faceing forward my daughter is 19 months 23lbs and 32in and still RF in her roundabout 50 and will be untill at least 2yr which is the AAP's reccomendations

Allison - posted on 10/26/2009

My son is 1 on Wednesday and I'm still hesitant on turning him forward facing. We got him a new carseat when I got my own car, the carseat is designed to be rear facing until the child is 40 lbs and once forward facing they can be harnessed untill they are 65 lbs. My fiance wants us to turn him forward facing as soon as he has him 1 yr check up but personally I want to keep him rear facing because its just safer. The guidelines are a minimum of 20lbs 1 yr and 29 inches to be forward facing. If you want to keep your son rear facing and havent gotten him a convertable carseat yet, get him the knew Graco My Ride 65. Thats what we got my son, it is the most comfortable seat we found and the safest.

Donna - posted on 10/26/2009

Wow in Australia the law is you can have them forward facing from 6 months or 8 kg! My son is 7 1/2 months and weighs 8.5kg but i still have him rear facing because i think its's safer.

Jenifer - posted on 10/26/2009

Quoting Bekki:

Quoting Anna:

He's not old enough. The American Academy of Pediatrics instructs

"All infants should always ride rear-facing until they are at least 1 year of age and weigh at least 20 pounds...It is best to ride rear-facing as long as possible. Children 1 year of age and at least 20 pounds can ride forward-facing."

It's not a matter of size, the guidelines are established based on overall motor development.

I don't believe that motor development of the child really has anything to do with rear facing vs front facing.  I actually don't see a real difference in front facing vs rear facing at all. If your in an accident regardless of which direction their facing they will probably still end up with the same injury.

Regardless of their motor development they will still get hurt just the same. I think it is actually more of a height and weight issue on most car seats. Most car seats don't say and.. they say 1 year or weigh such and such weight..

You're wrong about that. There's a signficant difference between the safety of rear facing and forward facing for older babies and toddlers. Rear facing kids are about 5 times less likely to be seriosuly injured in an accident. Since most high-speed accidents are head on collisions, rear-facing car seats provide support for baby's head and spine in an accident. A forward facing child is thrown forward with nothing but the belt to stop him. That's how internal decapitaiton occurs:

http://www.joelsjourney.org/

Development is important because a childs bones and muscles develop on a timetable independent of weight. Actually, it is more of a risk for heavy babies to be forward facing too soon. Their extra weight means extra stress on those bones and ligaments that are really no more developed that that of a lighter baby. This is an excellent website on the difference between forward and rear facing:

http://www.kyledavidmiller.org/pages/420...

I'd suggest watching the videos at the end. To be honest, most states in the US have laws stating babies must be both 1 yr and 20lbs to face forward. There isn't any room for negotiation in that - it simply isn't legal to forward face an 8 month old in most of the US. The AAP wil soon l be changing their recommendation to 2 years minimun instead of 1 year as well. As for me, my son is 13 months and weighs about 30lbs. He still fits comfortably rear-facing.

Tasheka - posted on 10/26/2009

IF you were to get hit or into a car accident your son's neck is NOT strong enough to help his head in an accident. You could seriously hurt your son by putting him forward facing right now. Please please do research and contact your local police station and ask them for the number to a local red,white and blue (carseat safety check point)

Bekki - posted on 10/26/2009

Quoting Anna:

He's not old enough. The American Academy of Pediatrics instructs

"All infants should always ride rear-facing until they are at least 1 year of age and weigh at least 20 pounds...It is best to ride rear-facing as long as possible. Children 1 year of age and at least 20 pounds can ride forward-facing."

It's not a matter of size, the guidelines are established based on overall motor development.

I don't believe that motor development of the child really has anything to do with rear facing vs front facing.  I actually don't see a real difference in front facing vs rear facing at all. If your in an accident regardless of which direction their facing they will probably still end up with the same injury.

Regardless of their motor development they will still get hurt just the same. I think it is actually more of a height and weight issue on most car seats. Most car seats don't say and.. they say 1 year or weigh such and such weight..

Crystal - posted on 10/10/2009

No you should wait till he is one. It is also against the law in some states if your child is not in the right kind of child car seat. The seats are made for different ages beccause the way they are made is to protect them in certain ways according to their age.

Heather - posted on 10/10/2009

I had the same problem with my daughter. We found an "all-in-one" seat that grew with her. It was a little bigger and sat up higher, so she didn't mind it as much. She's still in it, but now it faces forward (she's 2). It's a little on the pricey side, but worth it b/c it will convert to a high back booster, then a backless when the time comes.

Ashleigh - posted on 10/10/2009

You shouldn't face them forward until they are a year. In Canada, they actually recommend that your child stays rear facing until they are at least 30 pounds, if not longer. People may say oh but they want to be forward facing to see things, but i would rather keep my baby safe then to cause an injury that could have been prevented.

Brittany - posted on 10/10/2009

Yeah I would stick to rear facing as long as possible.... it doesn't have to be the infant car seat but get a convertible rear facing one... i know at walmart they have one for like $45... its a great deal and a good carseat... good luck!

Lauren - posted on 10/10/2009

Some European studies have shown that rear facing is even better up to three years of age, but I have stuck to what the American Academy of Pediatrics suggests.

Stacy - posted on 10/08/2009

They put the recommendation for over a year on there just in case you get in a car accident. If that happens then the child is forced forwards and more then likely will suffer spinal cord damage because of lack of neck support or so I have been told. My daughter is 16months and not 20lbs yet so they are saying she cant face forward until she hits 20lbs. I know they hate facing backwards but I would hate for neck or spinal cord damage to happen, heaven forbid, just because they don't like something.

Laura - posted on 10/08/2009

yes i would wait until close to a year at least, and their own support level also contributes

Alyssa - posted on 10/08/2009

No

Lauren - posted on 10/08/2009

i was wondering the same thing, but i just switched my son to a convertible car seat that can go rear or forward facing... my doctor also said to keep him rear facing as long as you can! my son is 10 months and 19lbs and i still have him facing rear.

Jen - posted on 10/08/2009

Get a convertible car seat. They are rear and forward facing. I put my daughter in one at 7 months and she will be in it probably until she's 3.5 or 4 and then she'll go to a turbo booster.

Brianna - posted on 10/08/2009

No he is too young, my son is 18 months and I just moved him into one because he finally outgrew the weight of his old carseat. My pediatrician said to keep them facing backwards as long as you possibly can.

Christy - posted on 10/08/2009

Too young. My husband works with the fire department and with the class they give he must be over 20lbs and 1 year. It is for his own safety. He may not like it but it is for his own good!

Rachael - posted on 10/08/2009

No i agree with anna, most people dont follow instructions but in this case i say read them and stick with them... to many babys die each year cuz they not in the right seat or the car seat is not hoocked in corectly.

Anna - posted on 10/08/2009

He's not old enough. The American Academy of Pediatrics instructs



"All infants should always ride rear-facing until they are at least 1 year of age and weigh at least 20 pounds...It is best to ride rear-facing as long as possible. Children 1 year of age and at least 20 pounds can ride forward-facing."



It's not a matter of size, the guidelines are established based on overall motor development.

Amber - posted on 10/08/2009

It is really up to what you feel comfortable with. My son hates being in the car facing backwards, but I still have in facing backward in the convertable car seat. Most of them can be rear facing. My son is 20 lbs and over 29 inches and he is just fine facing backwards. I don't think it is about their height and weight but more that their bodies haven't developed the strength yet. I won't put him forward facing yet, because of the fact that if there were an accident I couldn't live with the guilt of knowing he should have been rear facing.