Question on Car Seats

Hey B.,
I have a nine month old, we had this issue. YOu can buy a bigger car seat, but it has to be placed in a rear facing position until your baby is one years old. At that time it can be faced forward if your child is over 23 lbs. But it must stay rear facing until the first birthday no matter what the weight.

Georgia law states that a baby cannot turn around until one year of age. My baby is off the growth charts in height and weight, so I had to buy her a big car seat at 4 months. I bought one that converts from rear-facting to forward-facing to booster-seat so I wouldn't ever have to buy another seat.

They say you have to wait until the baby is 1 and I believe 20 pounds. I honestly trasfered my son amonth early because he was so big.

Hello B.! I have read so many things and I even asked my doctor when the best time to switch was. He told me when the baby is 1 year old and at least 20 lbs. When your child goes for the 12 month checkup thats when they normally tell you if you can switch. Good Luck!

You do not switch to a forward facing seat until the baby is at least 1 year old AND 20 pounds! What you need is a convertable seat. It can face backward until the baby is at least 1 year and 20 pounds and then turn around to face forward. I recommend the Britax car seats highly. They are strong and heavy and very safe; however, they are a little pircey. The Britax roundabout goes up to 40 pounds. The Maraton and Decathelon go up to 65 pounds. My son will be 5 years old in a couple of weeks and he weighs 43 pounds. If you bought a Britax Marathon or Decathelon, it would probably last until the child is at leas 6 or 7 years old and maybe longer. By then your daughter would be ready for a booster seat. Check out their website at www.britaxusa.com

Child Passenger Safety (CPS) Technicians can help you. If you have more questions about installing your car safety seat, a certified CPS Technician may be able to help. A list of certified CPS Technicians is available by state or ZIP code on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Web site at www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/injury/childps/contacts/. A list of inspection stations- where you can go for help with installation-is available in both English and Spanish at www.seatcheck.org or toll-free at 866/SEATCHECK (866/732-8243).
You can also get this information by calling the toll-free NHTSA Auto Safety Hot Line at 888/DASH-2-DOT (888/327-4236), from 8:00 am to 10:00 pm ET, Monday through Friday.

These people have helped me. I thought that my daughters car seat was buckled right but it wasn't. they showed me how to do it.

They have stay rear facing until they are 20 lbs AND 1 year. You can buy a regular car seat if your baby outgrows the infant carrier and turn it rear facing until their first birthday. I hope this advice helps! God Bless!

You will switch to foward facing car seat when she is a year old. The older she gets it will be tempting to foward her but the rule is 1year to do that. It has to do with the older she is,the more strength she will have in her neck muscules in the event a car accident does take place. You can also check with your local fire dept; they do car seat education for the public. V. - Baby nurse on the go.com

a good website...

http://www.aap.org/family/carseatguide.htm

The law in Tennessee is that the child must be 20 pounds AND one year of age before turning around to face forward. My children have never been 20 pounds before at least 15 months. They've grown too tall for the carseat & I had to buy a larger one that could face either way. I recently saw an internet article that suggested children continue to face the rear until they were at least 36 months old. I couldn't handle the screaming, so I turned my kids around to face forward when they hit 20#. Good luck.

http://www.thecarseatlady.com/car_seats/rear-facing_seats...

They must be both -- 1 year AND 20-22 lbs before you can turn them around.

Cindy

B.,

This is the State of Tennessee site on car seat safety.

http://www2.state.tn.us/health/FactSheets/childsafety.htm

As for your question:

When you get the next size up get a toddler seat that can be rear facing so that she can use that one until she is 1 and ready to be turned around.

Check out Graco's website, it has a car seat selector where you can put in baby's age, height & weight, this will help you make a decision. www.gracobaby.com

Hi B.,
I'd recommend a convertible seat which can be used rear facing until your baby is old enough for it to be turned around to forward facing position.

The rule is to child needs to be 1yr old AND 20 lbs (both of these things have to exist).

You need to keep your daughter in the rear facing position until she is at least 1 year old regardless of her weight. This is because their neck muscles are not strong enough to support the head in the event of an accident if forward facing. Most convertible car seats (the next step up from the infant seat)will allow you to install them in the rear facing position. Check the box and/or the instruction manual of the seat you are considering.

Hi B.,

Well, you are suppose to keep then facing backward until a year old. My daughter grew out of her infant carrier before then though. We got her a convertible carseat. It's awesome. You can make it go backward, forwards, and become a booster. So it is really worth the money to get this one rather than have to keep buying carseats. Hope this helps!
L.

Hi, I just wanted to add on to the other responses. The MINIMUM is 1 year and 20lbs- but it is MUCH SAFER to keep them rear facing for as long as possible!!

My son hit the height and weight limits of his infant carrier at 6 months old, we purchased a good convertable seat and he stayed rear facing until he was 20 months and outgrew the rear facing limits of the seat we had. There are seats (ei Britax)that last much longer rear facing (I have seen 3 year olds still RF).

If you have questions about them I would talk to a car seat techincian in your area for suggestions etc.

HTH

I don't know about now, but when I had my youngest the law was 1 year of age and minimum of 22 pounds.

B., I found the following information on http://www.aap.org/family/carseatguide.htm

Hope this helps!

Rear-facing seats

All infants should ride rear-facing until they have reached at least 1 year of age and weigh at least 20 pounds. That means that if your baby reaches 20 pounds before her first birthday, she should remain rear-facing until she
Infant-only car safety seat
turns 1.

There are 2 types of rear-facing seats: infant-only seats and convertible seats. Convertible seats can be used rear-facing for infants, and then converted to a forward-facing position once the child is old enough and big enough to do so safely.

Infant-only seats

Small and have carrying handles (sometimes come as part of a stroller system).
Have a built-in harness that covers the child's upper torso.
Can only be used for infants from birth up to 20 to 30 pounds, depending on model.
Many come with a detachable base, which can be left in the car. The seat clicks into and out of the base, which means you don't have to install it each time you use it.

Convertible seats (used rear-facing)

Are used rear-facing for infants from birth to at least 1 year of age and at least 20 to 22 pounds. Can also be used forward-facing by older children.
Have higher rear-facing weight limits than infant-only seats. These are ideal for bigger babies.
Have the following 3 types of harnesses:

- 5-point harness - 5 points of attachment: 2 at the shoulders, 2 at the hips, 1 at the crotch
- Overhead shield - A padded tray-like shield that swings down over the child
- T-shield - A padded t-shaped or triangle-shaped shield attached to the shoulder straps

Once she is out of the carrier most car seats can go either forward or rear facing. I believe she will stay rear facing until she reaches 1 year of age.

You should not put your daughter in a forward facing car seat until she is 1. Our daughter faced the same situation but she out was9 months of age. We bought the Britax Boulevard (a little expensive) and have had no problems with it from the rear facing to the forward facing positions. Hope this helped!

i believe they can face forward at 12months and they have to be 20 lbs. i always did at 12 months if their weight was close, who's gonna weigh them?

B.,

I found this on ivillage.com/parenting...I hope it helps!

Best regards,
L. R.

You ask an excellent question because this issue gets confusing for many parents. This comes up again when the child gets to about the age of four and it becomes time to move her out of the car seat and into the booster seat. The problem is that the manufacturer's weight limits on the individual seat do not necessarily coincide with the appropriate time the infant should be turned to forward facing.

Car seats for infants are placed facing the rear because in a head-on collision the muscles of the neck of an infant are unable to adequately support the head as it violently lurches forward. If the infant were facing forward during a head-on collision, significant head and neck injury could occur even though the baby remained adequately seated in the car seat. These muscles become strong enough at about one year of age. Therefore, to turn the car seat around, the child ought to have had her first birthday. But what about the 20 pound rule? This rule is set because most children at 20 pounds are tall enough to fit into a forward facing car seat. Notice I said most children. There are some shorter children who reach 20 pounds before the restraining system of the forward facing seat correctly fits. When this occurs, an infant car seat that allows for higher weights, but can also be used rear-facing, should be purchased. I always suggest putting your child into the seat in the store before purchasing one. "Trying on" the car seat is a good idea before spending a lot of money on one.

The next common recommendation is to switch from a car seat to a booster seat when the child reaches four years or 40 pounds. Again, this is a generalization. Most children at four years or 40 pounds are tall enough to have the safety belt fit correctly when they are in a booster seat. However, there are plenty of taller children who reach this point before their fourth birthday. Conversely, there are numerous children who ought to stay in their car seat for a while after their fourth birthday until they are taller. Of course, this implies that the car seat can hold a child greater than 40 pounds. A child fits correctly in a booster seat when the lap part of the belt fits across the hips not the abdomen and the shoulder portion fits across the chest and not the neck.

Amy, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that the child be 20 pounds and one year of age before switching them to a forward facing car seat. There are many car seats out on the market which allow for them to be switched from rear to forward facing. In addition, there are some car seats that can be converted from a toddler car seat to a child booster seat.

As always, I suggest you read both the instruction sheet of the car seat and the owner's manual of the car to see if there are any quirks pertaining to your car or car seat that you should be aware of.

My son weighed 20 pounds when he was 9 months old. He actually got so long that he couldn't stretch his legs out in a rear facing seat. Our pediatrician told us that we could go ahead and turn him around forward facing even though he wasn't 12 months yet. The standard is 20 pounds & 1 yr old. I suggest that you just check with your pediatrician. Especially if your little girl gets too long or reaches the weight limit of your current rear facing seat. Hope this helps!
B. R.

Everyone who has newborns: PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE check the height and weight limits on your infant carriers!!!!

My daughter outgrew the length LONG before the weight. We HAD to buy a convertible carseat. Plus, it just makes more sense financially.

I see kids who are hanging out of their infant carriers all over the place. They should be in a convertible carseat until they are 1 year AND 20 pounds- as stated by previous posters.

We bought the Britax Marathon for my daughter (3 1/2). She would still be in it, but baby #2 came along and needed the convertible even earlier than my daughter. Plus, our daughter wanted a carseat that had a cupholder, etc.

Also another pet peeve of mine- the chest clip on the carseat should be at armpit level, not down in the tummy area. Any lower than armpit level and the clip itself can actually damage internal organs in an accident.

B.,

Every states guidelines are different, but most states will not allow a child to ride in a forward facing car seat until they are 20lbs and 1 year old. I had to switch my son at 8 months into the next car seat because he had outgrown his infant carrier. I researched and found a 3-in-1 car seat, by Eddie Bauer, that could be used rear facing, forward facing and converts to a booster. Several companies make them.

Good luck.

20lbs AND 1 year old is the recommendation. There are many different and safe car seats that can be used both as a rear and front facing car seat- saving you the hassle of having to change again.

You switch from rear facing to forward facing when they are a year old and at least 20 pounds (I think the weight is right). You should check with your Pediatrician to verify. I believe most car seats can be rear facing or forward facing and go up to at least 40 pounds. I have one that goes to 80 and I believe it converts to a booster seat as well. I hope this helps.

I have a 6 month old daughter as well and a 4 year old son. As far as I can remember, you can't turn them around until they are one year old and at least 20 pounds. My daughter though is 26 inches tall and her infant seat says that is the limit so I may have to switch her to a convertible seat and keep it rear facing until she's one.

You should be able to find one with a higher weight limit facing to the rear will also work facing forward after your baby turns 1 year old. Our son is 7 months and we had to switch car seats a couple months back. The one we found works up to 35 or 40 pounds facing forward.

Hi B.! You'll make the switch to forward-facing at the one year mark, but you can buy what is called a "convertible" car seat that faces the rear until you are ready to go forward, at which point it will last until you are ready for a booster seat. I suggest BabyCenter to browse around first, because you can read parents' reviews. The prices aren't always the best, though, so then go shopping for your seat. Also, going to Target and pulling their seats down to put your baby into them is helpful. Good luck!

A child shouldn't ride forward until they are 20 lbs and 1 year. We are going to have to look into a convertible seat ourselves. Our 3 month old is over 20 lbs now. I think the convertible ones have a weight limit of 30-something lbs when facing backwards, but everyone I've talked to says they definitely have to remain backwards 1 year.

D.

B., I would contact my local police and ask them. They would know the law and waht is safest for your child

Hi B.,

The law in most states is that a child must be in a rear facing car seat until their first birthday, and they have to be over 20 lbs. I believe. You'll just want to go ahead and get the regular car seat, but make sure it's one that can be rear or forward facing. We love the Britax Marathon seat...a bit pricey but after researching the various brands/models we found it to be the safest & most user friendly.

Hope this helps!

You are supposed to switch when they are 12 months, PLUS a certain weight, PLUS a certain length. I'm not sure of the exact numbers, but your doctor will know, and so will the owners manual in a new carseat. You can buy a converting carseat. Mine converts from rear facing to foward facing to high back booster to booster, so it is really nice to only have to buy one carseat. I paid more for it, but in the long run, you save money with it converting. Just when you go to buy a new carseat, make sure it converts. The only problem is, it isn't like the carrier, and you can't take the carseat in to the stores with you anymore!!

The rule that your baby must be 20lbs. and 1 yr. old before you face her forward. Hope this helps.

M.

You should keep your child in a rear facing seat until they are one year old at least. Your best bet would be to buy a convertible car seat that can face forward or backward. That way, you will only have to buy one. I am in the same situation and will have to buy a convertible as my son will be too big for his long before his first birthday. Good luck and I hope this helps.

B., you don't switch to forward facing until they are both 1 year old AND meet the weight limit on the car seat. It's inevitable, you have to buy another seat after the carrier.

Hi B.! I did the convertable carseat at 1 year/20lbs with my son & first daughter. However, Graco now makes a SafeSeat. It is an infant carrier that goes to 30lbs & 32 inches. The downside is that you will still have to buy a forward facing seat later. It works great for us because we're going in so many directions with the older two & other activities that it makes a HUGE difference to me if we're out at naptime to be able to leave her in the carrier. :)

At any rate, you'll need to keep her rear facing until she's 1 year and 20lbs...longer if you're able...they're safer rear facing as long as possible. :)

C.

They have to be backwards till they are a year old. If you are looking for a good car seat for the move I have the saftey 1st from Target (Walmart has them also). They go from 5-100 lbs it is really 2 car seats in the box so, if you had another baby when your child was 3 the baby could use the car seat and older child could use the booster. It cleans up very nice I've washed mine a million times and super easy to pull apart. I have taken mine apart and put it back together w/out removing it from the car. I got mine for 130 but i think they have went up a little.