When can I turn my babys carseat around to face forward?

Question

thanks all !!

Answer 1

The earliest possible time is when your baby has reached BOTH 12 months of age AND at least 20 lbs. weight.

This is a minimum recommendation, though-- not a must for turning them forward at that point. Also, if you have a baby who hits 20 lbs. before 12 months, they must stay rear-facing. And if you have a toddler over 12 months who does not weigh 20 lbs. yet, they must also remain rear-facing.

Most seats hold weights up to 33-35 lbs. in the rear-facing position nowadays, though. Rear-facing is what's safest for not only babies, but toddlers, children, teenagers, and adults even! But we can't all ride rear-facing, so we try to make forward-facing as safe as possible. It's generally recommended to keep your baby rear-facing as long as they are still within the limits of the seat-- some people have their children rear-facing until over two years of age! Turning forward may seem like a step *up* for your baby, but it is actually a huge step *down* in safety.

Some parents wonder or worry about their child's legs being scrunched up, or folded while they sit in their seats. Also, there is a fear that the child's legs may be broken somehow during an accident. There is no documentation of this EVER happening, although technically it seems to be theoretically possible. What is more likely, however, and is well documented, is that young children who are facing forward in an accident can die from internal decapitation, where the heavy head is thrown forward farther than the spinal cord can stretch. The spinal column stretches farther than the cord, so the child's head remains intact, but in fact they have suffered decapitation and died. Even if broken legs *were* a real risk, legs can always be mended, or in a worst case scenario, amputated. You would still have your child with you. There is no way to repair internal decapitation, or bring a child back from the dead.

Answer 2

The first year of your baby is a time full of milestones. The first smile, the first teeth, the first solids and often the first words. Some people think that turning around their baby in the car, is a first year mile stone too. It seems like a neat thing to do, it is more fun to be able to see the baby and it just looks cute. But it is very dangerous!

Why is it so important for the baby to ride rear facing? Most serious crashes are frontal, which means that the forces on the baby are towards the front of the car. When a baby is in a rear facing car seat, she will be pushed into the shell of the car seat, which cradles her and supports her whole body. The neck and head (which is relatively big for a baby) are cradled by the car seat and the baby has a very high chance of surviving the car crash.

Now imagine the same crash, but for a forward facing baby. The harness of the car seat will keep the baby's body from being ejected from the car, but the head will be thrown forward. The movement of the head will stretch the bones of the spinal column, in the neck and the back of the baby. It will also stretch the spinal cord. The only problem is that the spinal column can stretch much farther than the cord, so the cord has to give and will snap! This means death or life long paralysis.

So when is the baby to be turned around? Your baby has to be at least one year old The baby also has to be at least 20 lbs. So do not turn your baby around till those two requirements have been met.

I will even go farther and recommend that you keep the baby rear facing past those minimum requirements, because she will be safer. There are European countries where kids rear face till at least three years old, because studies have shown that this reduces fatalities in car crashes. You could choose to keep the baby rear facing till you have reached the rear facing limit of your car seat. To check whether she still fits the car seat rear facing, the following requirements must be met

Baby is under rear facing weight limit for the seat (usually somewhere between 20 and 35 lbs, check your car seat manual) and
Top of baby's head is more than one inch from the top of the hard plastic shell of the seat.
As long as those requirements are met and it is logistically possible, I would keep the baby rear facing. I kept my last daughter rear facing till after her second birthday. She was happy doing that, actually I think she slept better in that position in the car. I would have turned her around sooner if she had been unhappy rear facing, but it would have been non negotiable before her first birthday.

Answer 3

when your baby is one year old and at least 20 lbs (although some carseats say 22 lbs, so you need to see which requirement your car seat has).

Answer 4

When they are 12 months old and at least 20 lbs and have relatively good head control

Answer 5

Depending on the make of car seat, usually when the child reaches about 8kg. Check with the car seat manual.

Answer 6

baby should be BOTH 1 year old AND weigh 20+ lbs
the longer they stay rear facing, the safer they are.

Answer 7

I turned mine at 6 months. My daughter had apnea and would have breathing troubles that scared me to death. 6 months was when i kicked the ex out for good, and i had to drive, i couldnt sit in back with her. But mine was born at 10 lbs 9 oz, and was close to 20 lbs by 6 months.

Answer 8

@ 12 months and 20 pounds

Answer 9

when the child is about 40 to 50lbs and is 4 years old

Answer 10

When your child is big enough that his legs need to extend past the edge of the car seat, then it's time to turn it around. Keep it backward for as long as you can - it's the best protection for your baby, and that's what it's all about!