When do you put your child in a bigger carseat?

USArmyWifeToBe · August 2011

When do you start putting them in the bigger carseats? Do you do what they recommend now by putting them rear facing?

smashasaurus · August 2011

E is small but long, she was getting uncomfortable in her infant seat. Her feet were almost hanging off, so we moved to a convertible seat. She's always been rear-facing...

Wufroggy79 · August 2011

Are you asking about convertible seats? You could start now because most of them are built to accommodate a newborn up to 65 or 70 lbs. Check your infant seat manual (or online) for the height and weight recs for it to know if LO has outgrown your current seat. It is currently the law to keep rear facing for a year, but recommended to age two. Most convertible seats allow rear facing. The one I just bought will go rear until 40 lbs.

themissizz · August 2011

Rear facing is the law until 1 year, not a recommendation.

That being said, we moved him to his convertible seat when he was within 2 pounds and an inch of the car seat limits.

I'm not sure if I will rear face until two, we'll see when the time comes.

lexigrl · August 2011

DS2 is tiny weight wise and still meets the requirements for his infant seat for length and weight. Ideally I would like to keep him in the infant seat until he is a year but he only has about 4 more inches to grow before we have to move him to a convertible seat. He will stay rear facing for a while though. We turned DS1 at 18 months to forward facing but we didn't know any better at the time.

mrsz2008 · August 2011

nbeseau:
Are you asking about convertible seats? You could start now because most of them are built to accommodate a newborn up to 65 or 70 lbs. Check your infant seat manual (or online) for the height and weight recs for it to know if LO has outgrown your current seat. It is currently the law to keep rear facing for a year, but recommended to age two. Most convertible seats allow rear facing. The one I just bought will go rear until 40 lbs.

I agree with all of this. We put DS in his convertible car seat last month just because he didn't seem comfy in his infant seat anymore.

insertclevername · August 2011

We were planning to put LO in his convertible seat after his 9 month appt. But I got rear ended on Thursday so we switched over to the convertible seat since the infant seat was no longer able to be used. He seems much more comfortable in the convertible seat and it is rear facing.

Now that we have been in an accident I could't fathom turning LO forward facing until I absolutely have to. I truly believe that the only reason my LO is not injured is because he was in a safely installed and professionally inspected rear facing car seat.

SeussicalOne · August 2011

We switched a couple weeks ago. I plan on keeping him RFing until as close to 2 as possible (longer if it works).

heyitsme · August 2011

DS weighs in at 21.5 pounds, clothed, and his car seat had a 22-pound limit, so we switched him to rear-facing convertible seats this weekend.

starsmaycollide · August 2011

When they outgrow the infant seat. The limits on my infant seat are 22 lbs and 29 inches long. DS was 28 inches at his 6 month appointment, so we moved him to the convertible seat full time. And, they must remain rear facing until at least 1 year old. Check the labels on the sides of your seats to see the weight/height limits/requirements.

Wufroggy79 · August 2011

NY Mama:
We were planning to put LO in his convertible seat after his 9 month appt. But I got rear ended on Thursday so we switched over to the convertible seat since the infant seat was no longer able to be used. He seems much more comfortable in the convertible seat and it is rear facing.

Now that we have been in an accident I could't fathom turning LO forward facing until I absolutely have to. I truly believe that the only reason my LO is not injured is because he was in a safely installed and professionally inspected rear facing car seat.

I agree about the comfort level. My LO seems to really enjoy the extra cushion of the convertible seat, and she just has so much more room. We had the Graco Snugride 35 infant seat, and I can't image her making it up to the 35 lbs in it. She is 20 lbs and only 26 inches and looks kinda cramped in it.

MaddysMama07 · August 2011

We moved Elise to the convertible car seat at 4 months. We live on the second floor in our apartment building and she was getting way too heavy to carry up and down the stairs multiple times a day.

She will stay rear facing until at least 2 if not longer depending on her height/weight.

Want a personalized experience?

When do you put your child in a bigger carseat?

Re: When do you put your child in a bigger carseat?

Choose Another Board

Search Boards