my daughter is 7 months old and is a little over 20lbs i bought her a new carseat since she has outgrown her infant one.
can i face her forward now?
2006-07-16 08:50:08 · 22 answers · asked by crazybeautiful4846 2 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Newborn & Baby
i live in kentucy does anyone know the law about it
2006-07-16 08:59:45 · update #1
I assume she is in the convertible carseat. I hope you bought one that faces to the rear as well as she needs to be rear facing for her entire first year.
If not, I would suggest returning it and getting a convertible carseat that is usable as a rear-facing infant seat as well as forward facing toddler seat.
You can also get the kind that can be used as booster seats to extend the life of the seat.
Here are the actual guidelines from your state: http://www.ghsp.ky.gov/child_safety.htm
2006-07-16 10:39:37 · answer #1 · answered by Alyssa 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
According to the standards, a child has to be a year old or over 20 lbs to be able to face forward while riding in a car seat. There is no law stating that the child has to face backwards or forwards, just that they have to be in a car seat. If you are unsure, face the new car seat backwards - most all of the car seats out there will face back or front. Do what feels right to you - not what others say is correct. A mother knows best, right??
2006-07-16 09:12:55 · answer #2 · answered by volleyballchick (cowards block) 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Check with your sherrif's department, and your doctor, but keep them rear facing as long as possible, no matter what the law says about minimum age. If the baby is content to face rear, it is that much safer that much longer. Also check the manufacturer's manual for the seat's weight limits on when you have to turn it around and whether you have to buy a new seat to use til your baby is old enough to turn around. If the car seat will not support the baby's weight facing rear, that does not allow you to disregard whatever the law says, you are expected to buy a carseat that can face rear until they are old enough or heavy enough by the state's law.
2006-07-16 10:33:33 · answer #3 · answered by sweets 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
NO. Regardless of how large your baby is (even if she meets or exceeds the weight requirement to place her in a forward-facing position) you still must keep her rear facing until 12 months old. It's not about her size/weight so much as her neck muscles. At 7 months, they're not developed enough to take the force of an impact, and would probably break her neck if you were in an accident and she was forward-facing.
2006-07-17 03:19:43 · answer #4 · answered by brevejunkie 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There is no "law" that says when your baby can face forward. It's suggested they weigh 20 lbs, and are 1 year old, they can face forward. I faced my son forward at about 8 months cause he was 25 lbs. and screamed when he faced the back. As long as she is 20 lbs. you can. I'm sure other people will tell you it's a no-no, but you need to do what you think is best for your child.
2006-07-16 09:25:02 · answer #5 · answered by momx4 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The recommendation is that they can face forward when they are a year old, and are 20 lbs. or more. It has to be those both together for safety purposes. I think it's not until they are a year that there necks could sustain a collision if they are face forward in the car. Please read any info you can find on that if you're unsure, or call the pediatrician.
2006-07-16 09:54:21 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Call your local Sheriff Department, and they can tell you what the law is in your state. My son was 1 year old when I changed to a front facing seat. In my state, they now have to be seven before they no longer need a booster seat, and they cannot ride in the front seat until they are 12 years old.
2006-07-16 08:56:02 · answer #7 · answered by lightningviper 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The receommendation is that they need to be at least 1 year old before facing forward.
I have a 3 and 1/2 year old who was above average in height and weight and the doctor told me should could not be face forward until one year because her spine is not completely ready for that until then.
Check out this website:
http://www.transitiontoparenthood.com/ttp/parented/postpartum/carseats.htm
2006-07-16 08:54:55 · answer #8 · answered by UOPHXstudent 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I live in Kentucky and I started putting my daughter forward-facing at 6 months, she is now 1. She got to big for her seat and screamed if she couldn't see us. I never had a problem. Most seats have the recommedation on the seat.
2006-07-17 12:42:02 · answer #9 · answered by sunflowerlizard 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you look in the manual that came with the car seat, it will tell you what the correct weight is for you car seat as a forward facing car seat. I think it might vary on the different ones.
2006-07-16 08:55:18 · answer #10 · answered by Just Me 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋