When is the best time to turn a rear facing baby forward?

Question

Different people tell me different things. One says when the baby weighs 20 pounds. Another tells me when the baby turns one year old. I'd like to know, because my daughter is over 20 pounds and her body is starting to get too long for her to be facing the rear.

Answer 1

When the baby turns one years old..........Or unless the baby is already 20 lbs......which ever comes FIRST.

Or if the baby is long and the legs are already touching the seat of the car.......then turn the seat to front facing

http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/safety/carseat/choose.htm
When your child outgrows the maximum height and weight of his/her infant seat, you may require a convertible rear-facing seat until your child is ready to be facing forward. Use a rear-facing car seat until:

the baby is at least 9 kilograms (20 lb.)
the baby can pull him/herself to a standing position
the baby is one year old.

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

Answer 2

All baby's 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 turns one year of age. Although a lot of baby's reach the height requirement first they still are safer rear facing. In a crash they may break a leg or foot. Forward facing before their time they can snap their necks.

Answer 3

Is she still in a carrier-style?

Even at 20 lbs, she should be able to comfortably sit rear-facing if she's in a properly installed convertible car seat (NOT a carrier).

Legally, a child must be BOTH one year AND over twenty pounds before facing front.

However, rear-facing is always safest (for babies in cars, for grown-ups on trains & planes, ALWAY). It's just a matter of physics.

So the folks who help you with these things will actually recommend that you keep her rear-facing longer, until she surpasses the guidelines on your particular car-seat for rear-facing -- even if she's well over a year.

Answer 4

the laws in most states say that the child must be one year old AND be 20 pounds. if your baby is over a year old you can put her facing forward, but before that its not safe.

Answer 5

I would wait until one year old. I know because that is when I will turn my car seat around for my twins.

Then, they can see the front and not be unhappy campers like they are now.

They will be a year old in early November.

Hope this helps you.

Answer 6

Well no matter what weight or anything, they MUST be one year old before you face them front. The reason for this is because their muscles are not well developed enough until them to support them in a collision where they would be propelled forward.

Answer 7

Most laws state they have to be ONE AND 20 POUNDS! Check with you local law dept to get the correct info!

Answer 8

You need to wait until the baby is a year old, because they need to build up there neck muscles.

Answer 9

they say at one year of age is the best time. they are old enough to want to see what is going on and able to play alone.

Answer 10

With my oldest I became him whilst he became 13 months old by way of fact I had to anticipate an appointment with DMV to have his automobile seat put in. by using then he became extra desirable than sufficiently huge and getting him out and in became extra handy. properly whilst my twins have been rear dealing with I had to load them up from the trunk of my van so i became satisfied whilst they have been old and huge sufficient to be rotated. It became lots extra handy to get them in whilst they have been forward dealing with yet they have been approximately 14 months as quickly as we became them. lower back I had DMV deploy the automobile seats.