Forward Facing Car Seat?

Question

We have a little girl that out grew her car seat. She is 9 months and 20 pounds. We found a car seat that has superb safety ratings but it is a forward facing seat. We have heard that infants should be facing the rear until 12 months old. Is facing our baby forward going to put her into danger?? The car seat is for someone her weight......

Answer 1

20 lbs AND 1 yr. is the MINIMUM requirement. If you got pulled over (in Illinois and Wisconsin for sure), not only would you be fined, but DCFS would be contacted and they'd come investigate you due to child endangerment. The best carseat you can get is the Britax Marathon or the Sunshine Kids Radian 80--both can be used rear facing until 35 lbs and forward facing to 65 for the Britax and 80 for the Sunshine Kids.

Rear facing is ALWAYS safest. It'd be safest for adults, too, if it would work! Her neck is not strong enough to sustain her life in the event of a crash. Infant and even toddler necks are not fully developed and the space between vertebrae and the skull is quite large. If her neck snaps forward in a crash, it will separate and she will be internally decapitated. If she's rear facing, the carseat will absorb the impact of the crash.

Also, if you're looking at an Evenflo, Graco, Cosco (or Eddie Bauer), or Safety 1st seat, know that these seats are safety tested at 25-30 mph. Britax and Sunshine Kids test their seats at a minimum of 50 mph. Also, when they safety test seats, they use them with the straps on correctly--Evenflo and Cosco seats' straps twist really easily, which is a major safety hazard, yet it seems unavoidable. Graco and Safety 1st have chest clips that are really easy to unbuckle and they slide up and down the harness really easily, regardless of how tight the harness is on your child. So, just because it's been given a good safety rating doesn't mean it has been deemed safe by consumers--know HOW it got the rating--does it pass the minimums or does it exceed them?

Answer 2

Children should stay rear facing as long as possible - it's safer that way, since they would be thrown forward in most crashes, and a rear facing seat would entirely support them. The 20 pound guideline is "a year old *AND* at least 20 pounds", not *OR* 20 pounds. Most people recommend keeping the child rear facing until his feet touch the seat back or he outgrows the weight rating in the seat.
See the link below for guidelines and other car safety info for children.

Answer 3

The way I heard it is the reason you are supposed to keep your child rear facing has to do with the development of muscles in the neck. If you were to get hit head on your babies muscles would not be strong enough to withstand the whiplash. A collision from the rear usually has less impact force than a head on. My son is 8 months and 20 pounds and I still face him to the rear, even though I would love to be able to see him when I drive. (I actually bought a little mirror so I can). I got a car seat that can face both front and back and converts to a booster later.

Answer 4

You need to find a convertible carseat. One that can rearface and then forward face later on.

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 rode RF until she reached 33 lbs which is the weight limit on her Britax Marathons. I wish she could still be RF, she was so much safer.

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 5

Her neck and spine are not strong enough to withstand the impact of a frontal collision if she is forward facing at this age. Please keep her rear facing for as long as possible. Many convertible seats are safe rear facing for up to 30 pounds. She should stay rear facing for as long as the seat will allow. Never turn her forward facing before one year of age. It is not safe. She has outgrown her infant seat but do not change her forward facing yet. You may have to try several bigger rear facing seats before you find one that will fit your child and your vehicle. Be prepared to spend an afternoon (or more) finding the perfect fit. I had to try 3 different ones and I drive a mini van!! Each child and each vehicle are different. You will be surprised at how challenging it can be. But the safety of your baby is at stake so PLEASE take the time to do it right.....Thank you and Good Luck!!

Answer 6

Our baby just reached 21 lbs. at 15 months- and she is still rear facing. Her pediatrician advises that the longer rear facing the better. I would have to agree when I see crash tests of the forward facing seats and babies. Maybe when she is 18 months we'll turn her around.

Answer 7

By law, a child must remain rear-facing until AT LEAST 1 year and 20lbs. Even then, it is safer by far to remain rear-facing until the upper limits of the carseat. If you were to face her forward and get into a crash, she could easily be killed or injured for life.

http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/stayrearfacing.aspx
A list of quotes from experts on how much safer rear-facing is.

Answer 8

I kept my son rear facing as long as possible. He was 27lbs and 15 months before I switched him. I have always heard that it is safest to keep them rear facing as long as possible. Plus on long car trips they sleep better in a rear facing seat.....one more reason to keep it that way!

Answer 9

You've already gotten lots of great answers! Usually when someone asks this - most of the answerers say 'use your judgement' 'its ok to turn them early' and whatnot. Here's the truth of the matteR:
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. So it is not just weight that determines when a child is ready, but physical development.

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.aspx 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? And, as if you needed another reason - since its against the law, technically you could be fined for it. Also, there aren't any current car seats that allow forward facing under 22lbs, so you'd be misusing the seat, as well, and there is usually a height minimum, too.

So - you need a convertible car seat that is going to have a higher rear facing limit. The cheapest one? Cosco Scenera - $40 at Walmart/Target. Rear faces to 35lbs, forward to 40lbs. She will likely need another forward facing harnessed seat down the road, since it doesn't last very long forward facing, but its a great cheap seat for rear facing. If you're willing to spend a little now, to save in the long run - shoot for an Evenflo Triumph Advance. The Evenflo Triumph Advance (not the original Triumph, make sure it says Advance) is a great seat. $150 version at Babies R Us has padding similar to Britax seats, top slots of 17", harnesses to 35lbs rear facing, and 50lbs forward facing. $120 Walmart version just has little less plush padding. Wide open belt path, easy to install, though it doesn't have built in lockoffs. The harness adjusts at the front of the car seat, you don't have to take the car seat out of the car just to raise/lower the straps. It's one of only 2 seats that does this (The Britax Boulevard is the other, I believE), and it has infinite harness adjustment so the harness always fits perfectly until its outgrown. No more tugging straps to tighten them either. You tighten and loosen the harness using knobs on the side of the seat. As a major bonus, it can be used in a recline position even in forward facing mode. Awesome for kids who still sleep in the car. I LOVE THIS SEAT! LOL My son, who is too big for every other car seat at Walmart has the same amount of room in this as the Britax Marathon.

Another option in the same price range, though not quite as easy to use, its still a great seat - Fisher Price SAfe Voyage Deluxe Convertible seat. The Fisher Price Safe Voyage Deluxe Convertible seat is great, it is made by Britax, without all the frills. It's the same shell as a Marathon, but for less than half the price. $130 at Albee Baby online with free shipping, or at their eBay name, babysurplus. Rear faces to 33lbs, forward to 55lbs. Easy to use, fits in most cars.

For a little more still - you could get a Britax Marathon, that would have built-in lockoffs on it. Best seat on the market, hands down, b/c it is SO easy to use.

Answer 10

I'd get a Britax convertible seat. They go up to 33lbs rear facing and 65 lbs. front facing.

http://www.britaxusa.com/products/default.aspx