Puting a baby front facing in the car... 20lbs & 1yr only or 20lbs & 8 months okay???

Chelsea - posted on 03/13/2011

leave baby rear facing the age isnt just a generalization its because of there muscle control and head control. both factors need to be net. My daughter wasnt 20 pounds till 18 months old and rear faced until then. you may need to have a carseat that has greater weight and length specifications for rearfacing, the infant carriers are so great for that. we got a convertible carseat that rear faced until 35 pounds. this helps for big babies. keep in mind for most states these car seats guide lines are laws and you can get a ticket or even child endangerment for not following them.

Melissa - posted on 03/13/2011

Yea I say Rear facing still... My youngest son is only 7 months and weighs about 25 lbs... I feel safer keeping him rear facing

Crystal - posted on 03/12/2011

U.S is 1yr AND 20lbs minimum there legs being bent or touching the back seat is perfectly fine my daughter is still RF and will untill at least 2 she is 19months 23lbs and 32in right now before 1yr is very unsafe and as said before most likely not legal

Deidre - posted on 07/05/2009

Quoting Laura:

That makes perfect sense though. No one should turn them around till they meet the weight requirments. I just keep getting people from both sides on this and was wondering what y'all thought on here. If your child was over the 20lb mark and yet was 4 months away from being a year, what would you do?

My daughter was 20lbs at 6mo.  I switched her to a rear-facing convertible seat at that time (since her infant carrier only went to 22lbs).  She is now almost 14mo old and still rear-facing and is 25lbs.  I decided a while ago I was going to keep her rear-facing as long as possible.  And I had a HUGE screamer at the beginning, no way did she fall asleep in the car and I pulled out lots of hair b/c of it.  She turned into an almost different baby in the car when I switched her to the convertible seat and now that she's over one she is totally fine being rear-facing.  She actually loves being able to rest her feat on the back of the backseat :)  And it looks super comfortable to me!  I know soon she'll be sitting indian-style in her seat.  I'm so happy that AAP has switched their recommendation to 2yrs instead of 1yr with rear-facing.

Rebekah - posted on 07/04/2009

Yes, I agree with Jenifer, if he's outgrown the infant seat then you need a convertible car seat that he can ride in rear-facing until he's 1 (but I'd recommend as long as possible).

If the link works, here's a video of the importance of rear-facing car seats. If not, google videos about "rear-facing car seat".

Jenifer - posted on 07/04/2009

Actually, I'm in pretty much the same situation as you. My son was 20 lbs, 27 inches long when he was 4 months old - he's a big boy. At almost 10 months now, he's a little over 25 lbs. We switched from the infant bucket seat when he was around 4 months old, to a Britax convertible seat. I can have him rear-facing in that sear until he's 35 lbs, and forward-facing until he's 65 lbs (I think). I don't expect to need another car seat for him in the future, since the convertible seats can be used so long.

Laura - posted on 07/04/2009

That makes perfect sense though. No one should turn them around till they meet the weight requirments. I just keep getting people from both sides on this and was wondering what y'all thought on here. If your child was over the 20lb mark and yet was 4 months away from being a year, what would you do?

Shameeka - posted on 07/04/2009

I didnt turn my daughters car seat around until she was 16 months old but the time she was 16 months old she was finally 20lbs, she is little for her age and I had her full term she weighted 8lbs 0oz.. she is almost 4 and weights 30lbs.

Mel - posted on 07/04/2009

i dont think personally it matters as long as you feel comfortable. its unlike they will be strict on it if you get pulled over or anything. i live in australia and over here it is 6-8 kilos. most babies reach this around 4-6 months. i changed mine to forward facing around 4-5 months but she did not reach the weight limit til she was over 12 months due to being FTT. its really up to the parents i think

Jenni - posted on 07/04/2009

Yes, like everyone said, go as long as you can. Our son is growing out of his carseat, so I'm going to get one that is convertible all the way to a backless booster. I'm pretty sure it said it can rear-face up to 35-40 lbs., and I'm going to do it. It's the safest way.

Melissa - posted on 07/02/2009

Yeah I would keep him rear facing as well... My doctor recently told me that they are suggesting keeping the babies rear facing till 2 yrs old now. It really has nothing to do with size, it's all development. My sons knees were completely bent by the time he was 1 and the dr said thats still safer in an accident! :)

Michelle - posted on 07/02/2009

Quoting Guggie:

http://www.joelsjourney.org/ViewJoelsvid...

Thank you, this is the story I remember seeing. 

For the sake of your child and his safety please keep him rear facing as long as you can.  This story really did meake me cry.  For a Dr. to say that it was ok to turn the child around and have this happen is tragic.  As for our family we will be keeping our son rear facing for as long as we can.

Good luck and safe travels.

Michelle

Rebekah - posted on 07/02/2009

No... The new American Academy of Pediatrics recommends a child be rear-facing until age 2 (http://aapnews.aappublications.org/cgi/c...). My son was 27 months when we turned him around and that was only because his baby sister needed that spot in the car. All the car-seats I've seen recommend leaving your child rear-facing as long as the weight allows. For us, in a Britax Marathon that means not turning a child around until they are 33lbs.

Guggie - posted on 07/02/2009

http://news10now.com/content/health/1380...



The American Academy of Pediatrics is working toward new recommendations that would keep kids in rear facing car seats until they're two.







"So, keep them rear facing as long as your specific car seat will allow," said Dr. Murray.



http://www.joelsjourney.org/



On August 30, 2008, Joel and his mother were involved in a front car crash. Joel, at 18 mos & 33lbs, was in his front facing car seat. And still..broke his neck Why?



http://www.joelsjourney.org/ViewJoelsvid...

Guggie - posted on 07/02/2009

What does your carseat say? My Cosco says 1 year AND 22lbs AND 34 inches.



It is not a matter of simple weight limits...the idea is that by 1 year of age, most skeletons have hardened enough to withstand the forces of being propelled forward in a crash.



Scientifically, this is false, which is what most of Europe has already discovered, and just recently, even America is changing its views on this.



The AAP warns that children should rearface until 2 years now and that it would be best to rearface to the maximum seat limits (35lbs for most seats, althought the new Cosco seat rearfaces to 40lbs).



Go to youtube.com and type in 'rearfacing carseat' and see for yourself.

Jackie - posted on 07/02/2009

regardless of the weight, they should be rear facing until 1 year.

Jenifer - posted on 07/02/2009

Nope. It is illegal to turn them before they are BOTH 1yr and 20lbs. Additionally, it is much, much safer for babies and toddlers to rear-face than forward face. You should keep your child rear-facing to the limits of your seat - for many seats, that is as high as 35lbs.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31326129/ns/...

Sybil - posted on 07/02/2009

My doctor said they have to be over 20 lbs and a Year old to be forward facing but i've heard it better to keep them rear-facing for as long as you can. I'm going to but the Graco Convertible carseat and it can be rear-facing up to 35 lbs so im planning on keeping my child rear-facing...

Rebecca - posted on 07/02/2009

I would still keep him rear-facing bc I'm sure the age requirement has something to do developementally. I boght a convertible carseat from Britax that I have my dd in rear-facing until she's a year then you just turn the carseat front facing and don't have to buy a new one!