What is the minimum age/weight/length for an infant to face forward in their car seat? And is it which ever comes first or all three have to meet the minimum?
2007-08-31 18:28:22 · 11 answers · asked by thezookeeper 4 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Newborn & Baby
This is from American Academy of Pediatrics (website link below):
"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 at least until she turns 1 year old."
So, it's both age and weight, not either/or.
2007-08-31 18:39:12 · answer #1 · answered by ற¢ԲèişŦվ 5 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Age minimum is 1 year. Weight minimum is 20 lbs. Length is not a consideration. Even if their legs seem too long and are bending to fit when facing backwards, that's not enough to move to forward facing if the other two conditions are not met. Since the head is so much more proportionally larger on an infant than adult and neck muscles are weak, it is important to stay rear facing as long as possible; some seats are safe rear facing up to 30 lbs.
Just want to stress that it is 20lbs AND (not or) 1 year old.
2007-09-01 01:37:16 · answer #2 · answered by Heather Y 7 · 4⤊ 0⤋
Don't think of it as 'when can he...' think of it as 'when does he have to...' Each stage in car seats is not a graduation, it is a demotion in protection. With every phase you pass through the child is protected less. Keep him rear facing until he reaches the rear facing limit of a good convertible car seat.
A forward-facing child under 2 years old is 4 times more likely to be killed or seriously injured in a crash than a rear-facing child of the same age. A child's vertabrae do not fully fuse until 3-6 years old, before then, she is at great risk for internal decapitation. The spinal column can stretch up to 2 inches in a crash BUT the spinal cord can only stretch up to 1/4 inch before it snaps and baby is gone.
In the age of the internet its amazing so much misinformation exists! Please please do not listen to people telling you to turn your child forward facing 'at your judgement' or when her legs touch the seat. In truth, most children LIKE resting their feet on the back of the seat in front of them. Check out this photo album exclusively of rear facing kids, many of them much older than 12 months: http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/rfalbum... It is recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics (see sources) that ALL babies stay rear facing as long as possible, up to the weight/height limits of their seat. Most seats go to 30lbs rear facing, some go higher, check your manual. They are too tall for an infant carrier when the head is within an inch of the top of the shell. Too tall for most convertible seats when their ears reach the top of the seat. Has nothing to do with how long their legs are! There isn't a single documented case of a child breaking their legs b/c they were rear facing in an accident. There are, however, lots of cases where children have been killed and seriously injured where a rear facing seat would have protected them better. They are safest rear facing b/c their bones have not yet completed the ossification process that bonds/hardens them like adults. They need the bracing support that a rear facing seat offers to withstand a crash. 20lbs AND 1 year is the bare minimum as far as the law is concerned, but the law is the bare minimum of safety, and who wants to do the bare minimum for their child? 20lbs/1 year is outdated advice. Height isn't a consideration for when they can turn forward - but it IS a dfining factor in when they outgrow their infant seat. If there is less than an inch of shell over the baby's head in the infant seat, he is too tall for it. Also, some convertible seats have minimums heights that the child must be to be forward facing.
2007-09-01 18:19:40 · answer #3 · answered by littleangelfire81 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
In addition to what others have said, certain car seat brands have height requirements in addition to the 1 year and 20 pounds rule. For example, Cosco seats requires that a child can't forward-face until they're 34 inches as well as 1 yr 20lbs. It's stated in their instruction manual.
2007-09-01 03:08:29 · answer #4 · answered by no name 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
They have to be 20lbs or more AND 12 months old.
(notice the AND)
Read the manual because I know of at least one infant seat that is 22lbs AND 12 months old!!!
Examples:
If baby is 35 lbs and 10 months old: must still face backwards
And
If baby is 18lbs and 14 months old: Baby must remain rear facing until she reached ATLEAST 20lbs!!
2007-09-01 01:52:59 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
They have to be ATLEAST 12 months old and ATLEAST 20 lbs to face forward but it is recommended that they remain rearfacing to the max allowed by the convertible carseat they are in (infant carseats only hold up to 20 lbs) which is usually 35 lbs. Then they need to be in a forward facing carseat until they are ATLEAST 4 years old and ATLEAST 40 lbs but it is recommended they be in a booster seat until they are 8 years old and 80 lbs.
2007-09-01 01:38:41 · answer #6 · answered by momof3boys 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
20lbs AND one yr old. Height doesn't seem to matter. But if your baby is really small you may want to keep him rear facing for a few more months even if he meets the weight and age rqmts.
2007-09-01 01:35:13 · answer #7 · answered by parental unit 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Has to be at leat 20 lbs AND a year or older. The longer you keep them rear facing, the better safety wise.
2007-09-01 01:54:24 · answer #8 · answered by Stephanie C 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I know that they need to be 20lbs and 1 years old at least.
2007-09-01 01:32:38 · answer #9 · answered by Tiara 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
It is one year AND 20 pounds
2007-09-01 01:38:10 · answer #10 · answered by mpaz1966 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋