When should I move my son into a forward facing car seat?

Question

I'm not sure if i'm supposed to move him when he is:

one year AND 22 lbs
or is it,
one year OR 22 lbs

Well he is 5 months old and already weighs 18 lbs. He's almost to long for the carrier, but I'm not sure when to get him a forward facing seat...

When he faces backwards his legs are all scrunched up because he's so long!

Answer 1

When the car seat can no longer hold his weight for rear-facing!

http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/StayRearFacing.aspx
-Rear-facing is the safest position the child can ride in. It is strongly recommended that all children stay rear-facing beyond the minimum requirements of 1 year and 20 lbs. Children should not be turned forward-facing until they reach the maximum rear-facing limits of a convertible seat (that allows rear-facing to at least 30 lbs). These limits are either the maximum rear-facing weight limit or when the top of their head is within one inch of the top of the seat shell, whichever comes first. While most parents are aware that they must keep their children rear-facing "until they are AT LEAST 1 year old AND 20 lbs", very few are told that there are significant safety benefits when a child remains rear-facing as long as the seat allows. For most children, rear-facing can and should continue well into the second year of life.

**Scrunched legs are OK! It does not cause any problems and is not a reason to forward face. Your child's neck cannot handle the lash of a car accident that occurs when forward facing. Better broken legs than a broken neck!

Answer 2

You need to get him a convertible carseat (one that can be used rearfacing and forward facing).

The recommendation from safety experts and the American Academy of Pediatrics is to rearface (RF) to the limits of the seat which is 30-35lbs on all seats sold in the US. My own daughter is 2 1/2 years - 28lbs - 36in tall and still RF in her Britax Marathons. She will RF until she reaches 33lbs. She is much safer this way.

I have included several links with great pictures and videos of what happens to childrens necks when they are FF in a crash.

Most people are concerned about their child's legs being scrunched or broken in a crash. There is absolutely no evidence that shows a child's legs are in danger and I would much rather deal with a broken leg, than a broken neck.

Answer 3

Every state has different laws when it comes to car seats. But if i were you I would ere on the side of safety. I don't think I would ever put a 5 or 6 month old baby facing forward. You can buy your son a bigger seat and still have him facing backward.

Answer 4

The minimum is one year and at least 20 pounds. It is best to keep your baby rear facing in a convertible car seat(this seat can be rear facing and then goes forward facing) as long as possible. In the US they do recommend that you keep your child in a rear facing car seat until at least two years old, because the baby's spine isn't developed enough.

It is also better to keep your child in a five point harness as long as possible. They make car seats that can hold your child in a five point harness until they are 80 pounds. Please go to this website www.kyledavidmiller.org. This website can answer a lot of questions that you might have.

Answer 5

Pennsylvania law is one year, regardless of weight. We have a 10 month old foster daughter who is 25 pounds and 29 inches tall. I had asked if we could face her forward, but caseworker told us the law is one year old now. When my kids were younger, it didn't matter, as long as they were either one year, or 20 pounds. Things sure have changed in the last 10 yrs.

Answer 6

In the UK it is approx 9 months, but if babies legs are restricted then possibly earlier. If babies legs are bent in a rear facing seat then that is not safe. All babies are different weights so dont go by the age. Use common sense, if babies legs are too long and you had a prang (God forbid) that made the chair move they would be damaged. Don't risk it, I put 2 of my three sons in the next stage chair early as they were large babies. They could support their head enough in the stage 2 chair with the rest for it to be far safer.

Answer 7

iamhis0's answer is great. My daughter is 20 months old, 24 lbs., 30 inches tall, and still rear facing. We cross her legs. Our carseat allows for up to 35 lbs., so she'll be rear facing until then.

Answer 8

I was anxious to have my little ones forward-facing. I can soothe them better, communicate with them better, and return to them dropped toys, etc. when they're forward facing - all were challenges in the rear-facing seats ...BUT...
when I spoke with a friend from Europe they told me how different their recommendations are, particularly in Sweden, and after looking into it, and speaking to my pediatrician, I had my kids in rear-facing seats for longer than it was recommended by U.S. standards - but I also felt safer for it. Here's some of the information available & a website with the rest of this article.
Good luck!

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration currently recommends that parents switch their children from rear-facing car seats to forward-facing car seats when the children reach 1 year and 20 pounds. But in Sweden, families tend to wait until the children are 3 or 4 years old to switch them to seats that face forward. Sherwood’s review of U.S. data suggests that the rear-facing restraints result in lower injury rates. Revising U.S. recommendations to more closely resemble those used in Sweden could reduce the rate of injury and mortality of U.S. children in car accidents by more than 50 percent.

Answer 9

I agree with everyone else who says that children should rear-face as long as possible!

Answer 10

One year and 20lbs. I wasn't able to turn my daughter around until 15 months, because she was too small.