Adrianne Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 My ds is only six months old but weighs at least 20lbs. The current recommendation for switching from a rear facing care seat to a forward facing one is one year and at least 20 lbs. I am want to switch him to a larger forward facing seat as I am having a hard time fastening his belt (it is on the highest setting). It is very tight on him. It is my understanding that car seat guidelines are not really an age issue but more related to the weight and height of the child. But I remember reading something about this age and how it is related to the child's ability to hold his head up and sit independently. Can I switch him forward or is he too young? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SonshineLearner Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 Too young, you can get a britax that will fit for a long time. My son is 5 and just getting too big for it. It's a Marathon. My daughter's Dr said one thing that I agreed with, the whole time I took her there, which was...backwards...face them backwards...EVEN if their legs touch. Better to have broken legs (in the unlikely event that that happens) than a broken neck! Carrie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4kiddies Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 I know in my state it would be against the law to turn him around before age 1. In addition, it is much safer to be rear facing--why take a chance? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pamela H in Texas Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 No....It isn't about age, weight OR height. It is about muscles. No 6month old child, even one cruising around the coffee table, able to do hand over hand bars, etc is capable of handling being forward facing SAFELY. I don't care HOW big my kids get, if I am ever blessed with another, they will NOT be forward facing until I absolutely have no choice. There are kids represented on this board who have done so over 2 years old even when they are taller than average. I won't have THAT issue (my hubby and I are not tall). Seriously, research carefully. I suggest simply getting a carseat that will last him from backward facing on. There are many seats that do that now. You can get a NICE SAFE seat that will go backwards facing but will also be good for him when he's 4 (possibly even 8 or 10). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pamela H in Texas Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 (edited) ooops...repeat... I do want to say that my kids were BIG weight wise (my dd was 32 pounds at a year, 47pounds at two)...So we did have to consider weight issues along the way. I made some mistakes. I wish I had known better and done better. Edited February 28, 2009 by 2J5M9K Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennifer in MI Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 Agreeing with the others - keep him rear facing! My 3 yo dd is still rear facing and will be until she hits the weight/height limit for her seat. (I forget the actual numbers, but she's not there yet!) I have the feeling she'll still be rear-facing until she's 5. She still doesn't even weigh 24 pounds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ekarl2 Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 I agree you need to be rear-facing until age 1. I have HUGE babies, too. I bought a Graco Safeseat for my son. It's an infant carrier that goes up to 30 pounds! It was great! After that, I bought this: http://www.amazon.com/Graco-Nautilus-Car-Seat-Matrix/dp/B0011URFRE/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=baby-products&qid=1235774911&sr=8-1 It's nowhere near the cost of a Britax and it'll last through the booster seat stage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kim in Appalachia Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 :iagree: with everyone else. He should stay rear facing. Look for a better car seat. It's about the neck muscles, not the weight. Your brother concurs.;) :seeya: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrianne Posted February 27, 2009 Author Share Posted February 27, 2009 :iagree: with everyone else. He should stay rear facing. Look for a better car seat. It's about the neck muscles, not the weight. Your brother concurs.;) :seeya: Now I remember it was you who I was talking to about the neck muscles Kim! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrianne Posted February 27, 2009 Author Share Posted February 27, 2009 I wonder if I can put the larger car seats I have rear facing..... I sounds like I won't be facing him forward anytime soon! Thanks for your help everyone! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
athena1277 Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 The big problem with forward facing infants is the proportion of their head to body size. If you were in an accident with baby forward facing, it would do much more damage because of their disproportionately larger head. I don't know if that exactly means that they could break their necks or not, but I wouldn't want to find out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holly in FL Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 Now...maybe things have changed since mine were babies...but, I remember being told "at least 20 pounds AND one year old." ?? ~Holly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shannon C Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 We have a Britax and I highly recommend. Keep children rear facing as long as possible. I'm also a big believer in 5 point harness for as long as possible. Our dd is 6 1/2 and will stay in her Britax a long time. I am wary of those boosters that are just seats. Our Britax goes up to like 100 lbs! It's worth the cost b/c it will last for a very long time. I'm big into carseat safety. I've heard of too many parents with hurt/dead children and many regrets over a simple choice to not use a carseat or use the proper safety precautions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cjzimmer1 Posted February 28, 2009 Share Posted February 28, 2009 Definitely keep him rear facing. More and more they are finding that even at one, most kids really aren't ready to forward face (I'm sorry I don't have any research reference material to cite at the moment but I know it's out there). My two year old is still rear facing and will be until she hits the limits of her seat (33 pounds). I know it's a pain to be rear facing (I've got two in this situation) but it really is so much safer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~Tara~ Posted February 28, 2009 Share Posted February 28, 2009 It's 20# AND 1 yr MINIMUM and it's just that..the *minimum* Longer is better. :) I think the others covered it pretty well. Find another seat and rear face to the limits of the seat. So many go to 30, 33 or 35# now. And they are good height-wise as long as there is 1" of hard shell above the head. My just turned 3 yr old just turned forward facing a few months ago as he hovered on the 33# weight limit of our Britax Marathon. It felt so weird turning him forward. He still seemed so small. *sniff* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
staceyobu Posted February 28, 2009 Share Posted February 28, 2009 Here's the youtube video that inspired me to rearface as long as possible... Several convertible carseats have 33-35lb rearfacing limits. Evenflo triumph advance is one that is cheaper than a britax. I think even the cheapo cosco scenera goes to 30lbs rearfacing. Good luck! I think the latest AAP recommendation is to leave a child rearfacing until they hit the limits of the seat (and not just 20lbs/1 year). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reya Posted February 28, 2009 Share Posted February 28, 2009 Agreeing with the others - keep him rear facing! My 3 yo dd is still rear facing and will be until she hits the weight/height limit for her seat. (I forget the actual numbers, but she's not there yet!) I have the feeling she'll still be rear-facing until she's 5. She still doesn't even weigh 24 pounds. Rear facing may have a different limit. I know my carseat does. My DS was rear facing until he was almost two and maxed out the limit for that position. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovedtodeath Posted February 28, 2009 Share Posted February 28, 2009 My children both outgrew their infant seat at 5 months (24lbs.). There are seats that you use in a backwards facing position and then you can turn them forward. DD was in hers until she was three. I just put Jake in his new forward facing seat. It is a converts into a booster with the shoulder belt and he should be able to sit in it until he is about 6 years old. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommyof4ks Posted February 28, 2009 Share Posted February 28, 2009 I agree with others, our state says one year and 20 lbs. We have very tall children (smallest is in the 94th percentile for height), so they were not rear facing much over a year because they were uncomfortable (we took a three day car trip 2 weeks after youngest turned 1, no way could he have made that trip backwards with his legs wound up). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3lilreds in NC Posted February 28, 2009 Share Posted February 28, 2009 I agree you need to be rear-facing until age 1. I have HUGE babies, too. I bought a Graco Safeseat for my son. It's an infant carrier that goes up to 30 pounds! It was great! After that, I bought this: http://www.amazon.com/Graco-Nautilus-Car-Seat-Matrix/dp/B0011URFRE/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=baby-products&qid=1235774911&sr=8-1 It's nowhere near the cost of a Britax and it'll last through the booster seat stage. We had the Safe Seat too, but Schmooey was so tall, and so chunky, that we had to get a new seat for him before he was 30 lbs. When we moved the straps up to the highest setting, they were too tight and didn't buckle easily. I second the idea of the Graco seat - there are several seats out there that do this same thing, go from rear facing to front facing with a 5 point harness to a booster. We have an Eddie Bauer seat that is the same type of seat for Schmooey and we really like it. I'd go with the Graco, actually, because I think their straps are better, but I do agree that you need to keep the baby rear facing until at least a year, and longer as long as his legs aren't squished. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom-ninja. Posted February 28, 2009 Share Posted February 28, 2009 No....It isn't about age, weight OR height. It is about muscles. No 6month old child, even one cruising around the coffee table, able to do hand over hand bars, etc is capable of handling being forward facing SAFELY. Yes! Here's a nasty term for you. Internal decapitation. This is what can happen to when your neck muscles cannot support the weight of your head in an accident. The spine separates internally. Do not take any risks. It's not worth it. Keep that little one rear facing. My ds turned forward facing when he was 4 yrs old. I also plan to keep my kids in a harness as long as possible. My 8 yr uses a 5 pt harness seat. There are a lot of good seats out there. Do your research. You'll be able to find a seat to fit your budget, your car, and keep your little one safe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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