When Do I Get a Bigger Car Seat?

All car seats have weight and height limits. So the first thing you need to do is check your son's current seat and determine whether or not he is exceeding either of these limits.

Second, every State has its own laws regarding when a child can be in a front-facing configuration (some have minimum weight restrictions, some have age restrictions, some have both.) So you'll need to find out the law in TN. Depending upon State law, you may need to purchase a car seat and install it rear-facing.

For Example: In the state of Illinois, there are NO set weight or age requirements for rear-facing or front-facing. The law simply states that a child must be "properly restrained."

That being said...Much recent research and testing has shown that children are *significantly* safer in rear-facing configuration. As long as your child has not outgrown the weight and length limits of his rear-facing seat, the recommendation is to keep them rear-facing as long as possible. The American Academy of Pediatrics website currently states, "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." But many parents feel passionately that a child should remain rear-facing beyond 12 months of age.

Best Wishes!

2 moms found this helpful

1 year old and 20 lbs. is when you can turn them around, and they have to be both. My little boy is big for his age so we have him in the next step up car seat size wise, but it's still a rear facing. It is a monstrosity when it's facing back and is awkward in the car, but thankfully we only have a few more months til he can turn around. He hit the 20 lb. mark a long time ago. Hope that helps!

1 mom found this helpful

A child needs to be at least 1 year old and at least 20 pounds to go forward facing. I had to buy a convertible carseat for my son around that age b/c he didn't fit into the small carseat anymore. Convertible carseats are anywhere from $50 up and they can be rear facing at first and then when your child is old enough they can be turned around.

Everyone is right about him needing to be BOTH 1 year and 20 pounds. I highly recommend extended rear facing. It is much safer. My daughter is 22 months old (25 lb & 32") & we still have her rear facing.

one years old and 20 lbs is when he can be turned around.

guideline for turning the car seat to forward facing - child must be 1 year old, and weigh 20 pounds.

I am not sure what the guidelines are now but I would think that if his feet are dangling off the bottom this would be a safety issue. My children were long and by the time they were 6 mos. old they would push with their feet against the back of the seat. At that point we purchased a front facing seat. He was happier that he could see also. If you check with your local police dept. they could give you the guidelines for your area. 15+ years ago when we traveled from MO-Montana each state had a different law regarding car seats. Our then 7 year old did not need to be in a car seat for our state but one of the states we traveled to he needed to be because of his weight. He was a long skinny child who did not weigh much. We just made him seat in the seat for the entire trip. He actually liked it because he could see better.

There is a lot of skeletal development that takes place in the first year, so he really needs to be rear-facing until he's a year old. Prior to that time, it's too much stress and strain on his neck muscles and spine for his head to be bobbing around every time you speed up, slow down, start, stop, or make a turn. It's not much to an adult, but it's hard on babies. You may be able to move up in car seat, because there are seats that can be both front- and rear-facing, depending on how you attach them, but he still needs to be rear-facing, especially if you were to actually have a wreck!

He can face forward when he is at least 1 AND 20 pounds, according to the law. Experts are actually recommending longer but laws haven't changed.

It is absolutely based on weight and age, not milestones. I believe in TN it is at least one year AND at least 20 lbs, he has to be both. In an accident his head and spine are at risk in a forward facing seat. If he outgrows his infant seat before that you have to get him a covertible and put him in the rear-facing position. Check your manual for your infant seat, lots of kids outgrow the length limit for them before they outgrow the weight limits. If you think he is uncomfortable in the infant seat, go ahead and get him a convertible now, you will end up getting one at some point, so you might as well get your money's worth out of it.

Also, the American Academy of Pediatrics now recommends that children be left rear-facing until 2, not 1. They just changed that guideline this year. I wish I had kept mine rear-facing longer, but I gave into the pressure of "he will be uncomfortable and miserable like that". Fortunately we never had an accident, and for my next baby I can use the new guidelines now to back up my wish to keep him rear facing longer than age one. It's very important to keep them rear-facing as long as possible. Even if their legs seem cramped. If you have an accident it is a lot better to deal with leg injuries than spine and head injuries.

The new law states 1 year AND 20 lbs.

I agree with the posters here about the age 1 and 20lbs. When my first seemed to big to be rear facing I did some research and found info on something called internal decapitation. In brief it is when the childs head isn't supported well by his spin in an forward facing accident. After the accident the baby will look like its asleep but .......... you can see my point. Please look this up and do some reasearch on it before you make your decision.

K.

No, you should follow the safety recommendations and wait it out. We turned our kids around on their 1st birthday's. Now they are recommending even longer if you can hold out.

keep him rear facing as a long as you can.Watch video on U-tube and see what happens to baby's neck in case of the accident. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8gU9zzCGA8 Your son will survive broken leg if his legs too long, but not a broken neck. There is a car seat "Sunshine radian XTST" that holds kids rear facing upto 45lb.

he should be rear facing until he is a year old. But you can buy a convertable carseat that sits both rear facing and front facing. So for now he would face back but when he turns a year, you can turn the chair around.

He may be ready for a new car seat but he is not ready to forward face yet. If his head is less than an inch from the top of the car seat you will need to get him a new convertible car seat that can rear face now and then turn when he is older. As another poster said there is new research that children are much safer Rear Facing in the car. If you are interested in more info about it check out www.joelsjourney.org There are a lot of car seats out there that can get you to 35lbs rear facing and several who will get you 40 or 45lbs rear facing. My son is 11 months old and around 20lbs. He is in a Sunshine Radian 80 Rear facing where he will stay until he is 40lbs. Feet hanging over the end are not an indicator they need to switch but a head to close to the top of the car seat is because that is dangerous. I hope this helps. I am happy to answer any questions you might have just send me a message.

Your supposed to change to forward facing seat when the child is either 20 lbs or 1 year old. I switched my son when he was about 9 months because he was really long and his feet pressed into to seat. I was afraid an accident would break his legs. Your pediatrition can give advise for the switch as well.

Your child must be 1 year AND 20 lbs. Not positive on the weight, but definitely the age.

there is a weight limit - can't remember what it is, but REGARDLESS OF WEIGHT THE CHILD MUST BE 1 YEAR OLD!!! Some of the other posters are incorrect - it is not either the weight or the age it is a must to be 1 year old and if they are a year old they must meet the weight criteria as well.

You need a convertible car seat if he is still in the infant one. He stays rear facing in that until age 1 and 20 lbs, like everyone said. Then you can turn him around. Sure, you can keep him rear facing over 20 lbs, but to 40 lbs (as one person said)? My son didn't weigh 40 lbs until he was 4 years old--and he's NOT underweight. There's no way a 4 year old could he be in a rear facing car seat.

I recommend the Radian convertible seat. It is pricy ($200, order online), but I had to buy it after spending $120 on a convertible that he got too tall for, but he wasn't ready for a booster seat yet. The Radian will take you through until he's ready for the booster.