[roomformore]

How old do babies have to be to forward face in their car seats. Is it a certain age or by weight?

[MommyofEli]

It is one year of age and 20 pounds.

[Kellster]

Children should face the rear of the vehicle until they are at least 1 year of age and weigh at least 20 lb to decrease the risk of cervical spine injury in the event of a crash. Infants who weigh 20 lb before 1 year of age should ride rear facing in a convertible seat or infant seat approved for higher weights until at least 1 year of age.3,4 If a car safety seat accommodates children rear facing to higher weights, for optimal protection, the child should remain rear facing until reaching the maximum weight for the car safety seat, as long as the top of the head is below the top of the seat back.3

Premature and small infants should not be placed in car safety seats with shields, abdominal pads, or arm rests that could directly contact an infant’s face or neck during an impact and injure the child.5

For optimal protection, pediatricians should counsel parents of most children (those who weigh more than 12 lb at 4 months of age) to encourage use of a convertible car safety seat that will accommodate them rear facing at higher weights.

A convertible car safety seat is positioned semi-reclined and rear facing for a child until at least 1 year of age and at least 20 lb. The seat is positioned upright and forward facing for an older and heavier child who weighs up to 40 lb and may be used as long as the child fits well (eg, tops of ears below the top of the car safety seat back and shoulders below the seat strap slots).6

HTH

Kelly

[janicem02]

It's best if they are rear facing until they outgrow the maximum rear facing limits for the car seat. For example, a Britax Roundabout goes rear facing from 5-33 pounds or until there is one inch of space between the top of the head and the top of the car seat(the hard shelll, not the cover). The weights vary on different seats, but the height requirement is the same. So a child who uses the Roundabout should be rear-facing in it until they are 33 pounds or reach the height limit I mentioned.
http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/stayrearfacing.aspx
This site has great information about why it is so important for kids to be rear-facing.

Janice, car seat tech

[LisaCA]

The absolute minumum is one year AND 20lbs. for dd that meant til she was 15 or so months old.

[SchmennaLeigh]

Yep, we're buying a Britax in the next month or two. He's becoming too much of a load for the newborn carrier carseat but he'll be rear-facing until he hits the appropriate age. (He'll probably be over 20lbs before 1yr but he will remain rear-facing until his birthday.)

[Sleeplvr]

What if you have a tall baby whose feet are touching the vehicle seat even if it is reclined when rear facing?

I've got a big child who will be 1 next month. We were told to change it to front facing because of his size. He's over 20 lbs and very solid.

[LisaCA]

according to the above website, kids seem to be happy with their legs bent up. of course they never met my daughter who hates the car seat, period. facing backward just made her angry and she kicked the seat constantly and screamed. Now that she's forward facing she's a much happier camper. Of course if we crash we'll both be unhappy. no win situation I guess.

[Lovebug]

We actually turned DS around at 11 months (bending over to avoid the things being thrown at the computer screen...lol). He was WELL over the 20lb mark and was too tall to fit rear faced. Also, being that DS is a Jan baby, he would FREEZE rear faced in our SUV...no heat got to him....poor baby. He was sooooo soooo soooooo thrilled the day we turned him around and really IMO the one month didn't make a difference.

But the standards ARE the standards. So to each his own.

--Renee

[carolynppk]

Weight and age are both extremely important. The age deals with the strength in the neck and head, as does the weight issue, so you need to meet BOTH criteria. My daughter was 15 months before we could turn her around because of the weight.

Same with older kids (I know this is the first year board) but my son is nine and still must sit in a booster seat because he is under the height and weight limit. He is only 50 pounds, it will be forever before he is 80!! But after seeing both from a friend who is a nurse and my nephew who was in a serious car accident, the importantance of having him in a booster, he will stay there until he reaches the right proportions.

Carolyn